Public and Inaugural Lectures 2009-2010

Inaugural Lecture presented by Professor Pawan Budhwar - Tuesday 26 January 2010, 6.30pm

Despite the global recession, the economy of India is expected to grow over 7% in 2009-10, potentially making it the world’s fourth largest economy by 2020 (World Bank forecast).

The business process outsourcing sector (BPO) has played a key role in India’s economic success. The lecture focused on the good and bad of outsourcing to India. Findings from a recent research project (ESRC funded) were shared that included:

• The Development of work processes unique to India.

• Emergence of a series of problems.

• Challenges facing the sector.

Recommendations were presented on minimising the effect of these problems and the way forward for the sector, such information is useful for all interested in the topic of ‘outsourcing’ or ‘off-shoring’ to India.

Insights into autism: a brain imagner's perspective

Inaugural Lecture by Professor Gina Rippon - Tuesday 10 November 2009

Autism is a developmental disorder showing the full spectrum of problems from severe behavioural and cognitive impairment to the extraordinary abilities of the ‘autistic savant’. Neuroscience research has struggled to pin down the nature of the underlying neural deficit. However, new techniques in brain imaging are now indicating that the problem is not within specific areas of the brain, but in how these areas are interconnected. In this lecture Professor Rippon described some of the neuroimaging techniques being employed to explore brain connectivity and how they are used in autism research.

Intercultural Competence: Innovative practices to maximise student learning

Inaugural lecture by Professor Helen Higson - Tuesday 13 October 2009

‘By nature all men are alike, but by education widely different.’ (Chinese Proverb)

UK universities are now very diverse international/multicultural institutions.  In order to ensure that all students can study effectively, whatever their background, new, more flexible approaches to learning need to be developed.  Some of these will challenge traditional teaching methods. This lecture show-cased some of the research-informed approaches to intercultural learning which have been developed at Aston, and discussed how they have evolved.

Public lecture by Dr Ben Goldacre - Wednesday 21st October 2009

Ben Goldacre is an award winning writer, broadcaster, and medical doctor. His weekly Bad Science column has run in The Guardian since 2003, and he appears regularly on
Radio 4 and TV, Time Out, New Statesman, and the British Medical Journal. He is a merciless critic of quack and corporate science, as well as media misrepresentations
of science.

Is there a formula for the perfect boiled egg? Was there ever any truth in reports MMR vaccine caused autism? Can Facebook give you depression? Is the influenza
pandemic nothing to worry about?

Ben gave his frank evaluation on the state of UK science reporting, its impact on public health and public perceptions of science, and possible ways forward.

Encuentro Literario

4 November 2009, Main Building, Room 108, 6.00pm
Luis León Barreto, Spanish journalist and writer, is awarded for his articles and novels. His novel Las espiritistas de Telde is being widely read and translated and his short stories appear in different anthologies, such as Antología del cuento castellano, by José María Merino

(Please be aware that this talk is in Spanish)

Guitar Concert

19 November 2009, Great Hall, Main Building, 7.00pm
Artyom Dervoed, born in Russia in 1981, is an internationally awarded guitarist. Some of his most recent 1st prizes are: 2004, Ile de Re (France), International competition; 2006, Alessandria (Italy), the 39th international competition "Michele Pittaluga"; 2006, Singapore international guitar competition; 2009, Toledo (Spain), the 18th international guitar competition “Infanta Cristina”. His tours include France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Russia, Ukraine and USA. Artyom Dervoed is a solo guitarist and also performs with philharmonic orchestras (Roma Philarmonic Orchestra, Staatsorchester Rheinische Philharmonie)

Latin Music Recital

4 December 2009, Great Hall, Main Building, 7.00pm
Caco Senante is a famous Spanish singer and songwriter, with a long-established reputation in Latin music. He has performed along with other leading musicians: Celia Cruz, Mercedes Sosa, Tito Puente, Joaquín Sabina and Pablo Milanés. He has been involved in music TV shows, international music festivals, films, both acting and composing the soundtrack, and radio shows. He is currently touring with the pianist Vicente Borland in the show 'Lo mejor de los mejores', homage to the best songwriters and performers in Latin music, such as Joan Manuel Serrat, Carlos Gardel, Joaquín Sabina, Violeta Parra, Armando Manzanero, among others. Vicente Borland is a reputed pianist who has worked with flamenco, pop, salsa and jazz artists, taking part in international festivals and TV shows.

To book your free place at the above events, please contact events@aston.ac.uk
For any further information regards the above events, please contact Jean Hasson on 0121 204 4551.