The University of Aberdeen recently announced a stellar line-up to launch its much-anticipated inaugural lecture series. Breaking New Ground – The 2006 Inaugural Lectures is showcasing some of the world’s leading thinkers and pioneers who have been recently appointed by the Institution.
The series will give members of the public a rare insight into the research work of the University by academics who have achieved international distinction in fields as diverse as International Policy to Chaos Theory.
The second lecture in the season will be presented this evening (Monday, November 6) by Professor Celso Grebogi - an internationally renowned scientist and award-winning scholar, who will take us on a whirlwind journey through the fundamentals of chaos. Professor Grebogi will Illustrate how its complex system holds the potential to effect great change in just about everything from ozone depletion to coronary disease, to satellite navigation and beyond.
The 2006 season will showcase five of the new appointments covering the University’s three Colleges: Arts and Social Sciences, Medicine and Life Sciences, and Physical Sciences. They include:
· Professor Celso Grebogi who will illustrate tonight how chaos theory holds the potential to revolutionise just about everything from coronary disease and ozone depletion, satellite navigation and beyond.
· Professor Rene Stet, world leading fish biologist, will be examining Genetic Frontiers in the context of the fish farming industry.
· Professor Geoffrey Robinson, Chair of Pure Mathematics, will offer an insight into maths as ‘the language of nature’.
Professor Grebogi is a leading physicist whose work is used by scientists all over the world. In recognition of his accomplishments he has received many awards and prizes, and is listed as one of the most Highly Cited Researchers in the world. He is the Sixth Century Chair in Nonlinear and Complex Systems, and Director of the Centre for Applied Dynamics Research at the University. Ahead of his lecture he said: “Never in the history of science and technology has there been a phenomenon as pervasive and universal as that of chaos. The field of chaotic and complex dynamics is undergoing an explosive growth and many applications have been made across a broad ‘spectrum of disciplines’.
“In this lecture, I will introduce the concepts of chaos theory and will discuss their properties through examples with the aid of a simple mechanical device and computer-generated figures. I will argue that chaos imposes limits in our ability to forecast the future. I will then show how complexity theory can be understood in terms of chaotic dynamics. Based on chaotic dynamics, I will present complexity theory based on our understanding of chaotic dynamics and will argue that my work on the control chaos and complexity has led to important practical applications.”
Professor Grebogi’s research in chaotic dynamical systems combines analytical methods and techniques with extensive computer-based experiments. He has made an enormous international impact with his seminal work in this area.
The University, which was ranked among the Top 200 in the world in the Times Higher Educational Supplement last month, launched a £9 million investment in intellectual capital in 2004. Its ‘Chairs for the Sixth Century’ campaign has seen the appointment of more than 50 Professors - attracting academics from across the world to Aberdeen.
Professor Stephen Logan, Senior Vice-Principal at the University of Aberdeen, said: “We are delighted to produce a series of public lectures showcasing some of the ground-breaking work that is taking place at the University. The Institution seeks to position itself as one of the leading academic institutions in the world, and the 2006 Inaugural Lectures series is testament to this.”
Fiona Christie, Series Producer, said: “The Inaugural Lectures are an established way of universities welcoming and introducing new appointments. Here at the University of Aberdeen we’ve taken this fine tradition and with it created a truly fascinating season of public lectures, allowing the public a real insight into the ground-breaking work that is happening at Aberdeen.”
The lectures will take place at King’s College Centre and the Institute of Medical Sciences at the University of Aberdeen. For more information and to book your free place at any of the inaugural lectures, visit www.abdn.ac.uk/inaugurallectures or telephone 01224 273874.