Sydney Ideas

If literature, as romantic poet John Keats said, is for soul making, how will our souls be made and remade in a digital age when most reading, if it happens at all, occurs on screens and at light speed? What are the threats to knowledge acquisition, modes of teaching, learning and wisdom? This Sydney Ideas panel discussion took place on 15 October 2018: https://sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/sydney-ideas/2018/reading-and-writing-slowly-in-a-digital-age.html

Join us to unravel the role of corporate interests in influencing public perception of science, particularly health research. This event was held at the University of Sydney on Wednesday 10 October 2018. https://sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/sydney-ideas/2018/fighting-truth-decay-health-in-post-truth-world.html

What is the role of Australia in sustaining our region's seas, skies and soil? A multidisciplinary panel of experts examines the role and responsibilities in balancing environmental sustainability and economic growth in Southeast Asia. What part can – and should - Australia play in negotiating the tensions between economic growth and environmental sustainability? This event was held on Thursday 4 October, 2018 at the University of Sydney: https://sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/sydney-ideas/2018/planet-versus-profit.html

In this Sydney Policy Lab's inaugural lecture, leading academic, political strategist and its new Director, Marc Stears argues that it is possible for democracy to thrive, even in our very turbulent times, but only if people act to save it. This Sydney Ideas event was held on 4 October 2018 at the University of Sydney. https://sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/sydney-ideas/2018/how-australia-can-save-democracy-for-the-world.html

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is the largest and most complex experiment ever built. It is located at the CERN laboratory near Geneva, Switzerland. What is it, and what does it do? Theoretical physicist Peter Skands will take us on a tour of the experiments performed there, and the laws of nature that they are built to push to the limit. This Sydney Ideas event was held on Tuesday 25 September, 2018 at the University of Sydney. https://sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/sydney-ideas/2018/why-the-large-hadron-collider-is-a-game-changer.html

Stem cell research is a hot field of medical science but one that’s also prone to scandal and scientific fraud. How should health consumers respond in the face of such promise and uncertainty? Discussing this is an expert panel of speakers including Prof John Rasko AO, Dr Wendy Lipworth and Prof Ian Kerridge, and with Dan Gaffney moderating the discussion. This Sydney Ideas event was held on Thursday 20 September, 2018 at the University of Sydney. https://sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/sydney-ideas/2018/stem-cell-therapy-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly.html

What does it mean to “disagree well” within academia? Respect and integrity are accepted and practiced as vital to the life of the University. They are valued for their contribution to research and teaching excellence, to our engagement with the public realm and with each other. This panel session considers different forms of deliberation, communication, and debate within the academy, often along disciplinary lines. How do, can and should academics and professional staff “disagree well”? Why does this matter and what impact, if any, might this have on public debate in the wider community? TIME STAMPS 00:17 - 04:20 - A/Prof Jennifer Barrett (introduction) 04:30 - 09:10 - Prof Joellen Riley 11:10 - 22:00 - Prof Celine Boehm 23:50 - 34:40 - Prof David Schlosberg 36:50 - 49:35 - Kirsten Andrews 49:45 - 59:15 - Facilitated conversation 59:22 - 01:03:40 - Audience Q&A This Sydney Ideas was event held on Tuesday 18 September, 2018 at the University of Sydney. https://sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/sydney-ideas/2018/differing-views-valuing-disagreement.html

For the 2018 J.M. Ward Memorial Lecture, Professor Bill Schwarz (Queen Mary University of London) discusses the fallout from Brexit and the evolution of a new English nation. A Sydney Ideas event held on Monday 10 September, 2018. https://sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/sydney-ideas/2018/brexit-ethnic-populism-and-the-end-of-the-british-empire.html

In a world disrupted by technology and global shifts, truth and quality journalism have never been more important. While legacy media brands work to adjust, new models for journalism are emerging. From projects built on collaborations that span borders and media organisations, to newsrooms funded by philanthropy. A common thread of this brave new world is public interest journalism, where the bottom line is less about dollars and more about impact. A Sydney Ideas event held on Thursday 6 September 2018. https://sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/sydney-ideas/2018/journalisms-new-bottom-line.html

An esteemed panel will discuss how the testimony of Holocaust survivors is used today and the problems, questions and opportunities it presents to people grappling with the legacy of the Holocaust. Hear from Avril Alba, Jonathan Ari Lander, Michael Robertson and Jacqui Wasilewsky (moderator). A Sydney Ideas event held on Thursday 6 September 2018. https://sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/sydney-ideas/2018/voices-from-the-ashes.html