Wednesday Lectures

These Lectures cover a wide range of topics – from international issues to matters of local interest, within any field, including literature, the arts, current affairs, social sciences, economics, philosophy, history and science. Speakers are experts and usually well known in their fields, and generously give their time voluntarily.

About

The Lectures are organised by the Director of Studies (Lectures) and members’ suggestions for possible speakers are very welcome. To contact the Lectures team, please email lectures@u3ac.org.uk.

In response to the survey on preferred lecture format, the majority of our lectures are being run as hybrid events, giving members the opportunity to attend either via Zoom, or apply for a limited number of pre-booked places to attend in person.  The talks will be in the Pink room here at Bridge Street. Places can be booked 7 days before each lecture. Please contact the Office to book, giving your name and membership number.

The Lectures (when held live at a physical venue) are open to all members on presentation of their U3AC membership card.

Lectures are open to members only. You will need to log in to access the Zoom link.

  • The programme for the term is published in the Newsletter.
  • Details of each week’s lecture are given in the weekly Bulletin and on the homepage of this website.

 

When and where

When: Wednesdays at 2.15 pm during the Autumn, Spring and Summer Terms. Lectures last for approximately an hour, followed by questions from the floor.

Where: Currently the lectures are held as a hybrid (by Zoom and in U3AC, Pink room, booked the week before the lecture)

The link is given in the listing on the right (you will need to log in), or you can ask the Office to email the link to you. 

Attendees will be able to submit comments and questions during the talk, which the lecturer will usually address during a Q&A session at the end (although some may elect to take interruptions). A moderator will monitor the comments and pass them to the speaker when requested.

Recordings of the lectures

Some previous lectures were recorded and are now available to watch

Please log in to view further information

 

This term's programme

Click on a title to find out more

09 Oct 2024

2:15 pm

Cambridge Children’s hospital

Wednesday Lecture - online and U3AC, Pink room. Places for in person attendance must be pre-booked. Bookings open from 7 days before the lecture.

16 Oct 2024

2:15 pm

‘One of our own’ Victor Ekins

Wednesday Lecture - online and U3AC, Pink room. Places for in person attendance must be pre-booked. Bookings open from 7 days before the lecture.

23 Oct 2024

2:15 pm

MAiD-The Journey So Far – The Road Ahead

via Zoom

30 Oct 2024

2:15 pm

Trailblazer: the extraordinary life and work of Barbara Leith Smith Bodichon

Wednesday Lecture - online and U3AC, Pink room. Places for in person attendance must be pre-booked. Bookings open from 7 days before the lecture.

06 Nov 2024

2:15 pm

Russians at war: what the Russian people think

Wednesday Lecture - online and U3AC, Pink room. Places for in person attendance must be pre-booked. Bookings open from 7 days before the lecture.

13 Nov 2024

2:15 pm

The USA elections: consequences for the UK and Europe

Wednesday Lecture - online and U3AC, Pink room. Places for in person attendance must be pre-booked. Bookings open from 7 days before the lecture.

20 Nov 2024

2:15 pm

An Archivist’s View of 490 Years of Cambridge University Press

Wednesday Lecture - online and U3AC, Pink room. Places for in person attendance must be pre-booked. Bookings open from 7 days before the lecture.

27 Nov 2024

2:15 pm

The versatile nerve cell

Wednesday Lecture - online and U3AC, Pink room. Places for in person attendance must be pre-booked. Bookings open from 7 days before the lecture.

04 Dec 2024

2:15 pm

A suitable stone

Wednesday Lecture - online and U3AC, Pink room. Places for in person attendance must be pre-booked. Bookings open from 7 days before the lecture.

11 Dec 2024

2:15 pm

British Antarctic Survey report

Wednesday Lecture - online and U3AC, Pink room. Places for in person attendance must be pre-booked. Bookings open from 7 days before the lecture.

Click to download list of Autumn term Wednesday Lectures

Click to download list of past lectures