Events

Credit: Simon Kennedy

Fearful Symmetries is a new robotic installation by Ruairi Glynn (UCL Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment), commissioned for the Tate’s Undercurrent programme at their new Tanks gallery. Clare Ryan went to see the performance live.

In the bowels of Tate Modern, an industrial cave, hidden for decades, has been awakened. As the crowd chatters expectantly outside the Tanks gallery, something lies in wait behind heavy doors.

The audience file into the cavernous space and turn to see a bright triangular light floating in the middle of the room, in stark relief against the dense darkness in the concrete tank. As we start to gather around the angular orb, it begins to slide back and forth – activated by our arrival.

Deep bass sounds bounce off the walls and the almost animal-like motions of the light captivate us. Clapping, whistling, waving audience members try and attract its attention. Murmurs of intrigue join the resonating beats – can it see us? Can it hear us? Is it motion sensitive?

As it hovers above your head, you gaze upwards and reach out your hands as the pointed, glowing orb takes you in. Guiding the audience around the space, it is playfully encouraging us to become a part of the performance.

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Tia Kansara, PhD Student (UCL Energy Institute)

I aim to tell you all about my visit to Rio, it was my first time to South America and what an experience it was!

The Earth Summit in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil was a defining watershed, focusing attention on global environmental problems, the risks of climate change and the need for collective action.

Rio+20 on June 20-222012,  the follow-up to the original summit,  aimed to revive a process often seen as faltering.

Instead of climate change, the theme of 1992, this year the focus was on “The Green Economy”.

I was present as an official delegate in my capacity as Director of Kansara Hackney Ltd, thanks to the UIA (Union Internationale des Architectes) President, Mr Albert Dubler and Prime Minister of Bhutan HH Jigme Thinley.

The official three-day event attracted more than one hundred heads of state and governments, making it one of the most important international conferences of 2012. It was held amid the global financial crisis, growing unemployment in the west and worsening environmental degradation worldwide.

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Cheltenham town hall

Children engaging in science in the ‘Discover Zone’, adults – ranging from university students to the elderly – attending talks and discussions about science, and plenty of space like the ‘Talking point’ or ‘The Times Café’ to continue with some more informal scientific chat.

If any scientists were looking for a place to indulge and listen to science all day, then this is the place. When I arrived, it was as though the whole town were converging on one point: The Times Cheltenham Science Festival! School groups were coming from all angles!

Looking at the venue, with all these tents decorated behind Cheltenham’s town hall, I wasn’t sure where to start. However, the other bursary winners and I have already met with Mark Lythgoe, the co-director of the festival and one of UCL’s own, who was very funny and stimulating; I have also bought three books from “science wonderland” (which is the ‘Waterstones’ on site purely catered to scientists!); and have been to two talks. (more…)

Jessica Lowrie, UCL Communications & Marketing intern.

By 2030, globally, three in five people will live in cities. Despite the perception that city living provides an ‘urban advantage’ over those who live in rural areas, those who live in poor urban areas can often have worse health outcomes than wealthier city residents, but also in comparison to rural dwellers.

Urban and economic growth will not automatically create an ‘urban advantage’ – public policy is needed to maintain and improve conditions to allow for such an advantage to exist.

Healthy cities
This concept was the foundation for an event held by the UCL-Lancet Commission on 30 May to launch their high-profile report on Healthy Cities, published on the same day.

The report was the second from the UCL-Lancet Commission, recognising the valued commitment from both organisations to UCL’s Grand Challenges (Global Health, Sustainable Cities, Intercultural Interaction and Human Wellbeing).

The well-organised and insightful event began with introductions from Professor David Price (UCL Vice-Provost – Research) and Professor Richard Horton (Editor, the Lancet).

Professor Yvonne Rydin (UCL Bartlett School of Planning), lead author of the report, then embarked on a comprehensive overview of the report and its main findings.

Professor Rydin explained that the report aimed “to understand how better health outcomes can be delivered through interventions in urban environments in cities across the world”.

Certain components of a healthy city seem obvious: good water and sanitation infrastructures, clean air, uncontaminated land, safe homes, opportunities for safe and active mobility and effective green infrastructure.

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