Department: Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences (MPLS)
Talks:

Monday 19 January 2025

Unravelling the ecology and virulence of prehistoric plague
Date: 19 January 2026, 13:30 - 14:30
Speaker : Dr Ruairidh Macleod (University of Oxford)
Venue Details: Life and Mind Building, South Parks Road, OX1 3EL, Seminar rooms 7 & 8, Lower Ground Floor
Organisers: TBA
Host: Prof Craig Maclean (University of Oxford)

The stable trees revisited
Date: 19 January 2026, 14:00 - 15:00
Speaker : Liam Hill (Oxford)
Venue: Mathematical Institute, Woodstock Road OX2 6GG
Venue Details: L5
Organisers: Matthias Winkel (Department of Statistics, University of Oxford), Julien Berestycki (University of Oxford), Christina Goldschmidt (Department of Statistics, University of Oxford), James Martin (Department of Statistics, University of Oxford)
Hosts: TBA

Evolutionary novelty across scales: from genes to germ lines
Date: 19 January 2026, 16:00 - 17:00
Speaker : Professor Cassandra Extavour (Harvard University)
Venue Details: Life and Mind Building, Lecture Theatre 1
Organisers: TBA
Host: Professor Peter Holland (Department of Biology)

Wednesday 21 January 2025

Scientific Writing - Core Skills (in-person)
Date: 21 January 2026, 9:30 - 17:00
Speaker : Dr David Jones (Dr David Jones)
Venue Details: upon booking
Organiser: James Cunning (University of Oxford)
Host: MPLS Researcher Training & Development (University of Oxford)

Thursday 22 January 2025

Interviewing for podcasts
Date: 22 January 2026, 9:30 - 12:30
Speaker : Emily Elias (Podcast Producer)
Venue Details: Online
Organiser: Dr Catherine Seed (University of Oxford)
Host: MPLS Researcher Training & Development (University of Oxford)

Sociality, heterogeneity, organisation and leadership in animal groups
Date: 22 January 2026, 14:00 - 15:00
Speaker : Prof Andrew King (Swansea University)
Venue Details: Seminar room 7 & 8, Life and Mind Building, South Parks Road, OX1 3EL
Organisers: TBA
Host: Dr Katie Dunkley (University of Oxford)

Sociality, heterogeneity, organisation and leadership in animal groups
Date: 22 January 2026, 14:00 - 15:00
Speaker : Prof Andrew King (Swansea University)
Venue Details: Seminar room 7 & 8, Life and Mind Building, South Parks Road, OX1 3EL
Organisers: TBA
Host: Dr Katie Dunkley (University of Oxford)

How Costly is Your Brain's Activity Pattern? - Dani Bassett
Date: 22 January 2026, 17:00 - 18:00
Speaker : Dani Bassett (University of Pennsylvania)
Venue: Mathematical Institute, Woodstock Road OX2 6GG
Venue Details: Lecture Theatre 1
Organisers: TBA
Host: Dyrol Lumbard (University of Oxford)

Friday 23 January 2025

Modeling and calibration of pedestrian dynamics
Date: 23 January 2026, 11:00 - 12:00
Speaker : Prof Marie-Therese Wolfram (University of Warwick)
Venue: Mathematical Institute, Woodstock Road OX2 6GG
Venue Details: L4
Organiser: Sara Jolliffe (University of Oxford)
Host: Stephanie Abo (University of Oxford)

The Pursuit of Weakness: Feedbacks between metamorphism, mass transfer, and mechanics during subduction initiation
Date: 23 January 2026, 12:00 - 13:00
Speaker : Dr Alissa J. Kotowski (Utrecht University)
Venue: Department of Earth Sciences, South Parks Road OX1 3AN
Venue Details: Seminar rooms
Organisers: TBA
Hosts: TBA

Monday 26 January 2025

Responsible Research and Innovation
Date: 26 January 2026, 9:30 - 17:00
Speaker s: Sarah Callaghan (Research Practice Group, University of Oxford), Sally Charles (University of Oxford)
Venue Details: upon booking
Organiser: Alison Trinder (University of Oxford)
Host: MPLS Researcher Training & Development (University of Oxford)

Top-Down or Bottom-Up? Herbivory, Hysteresis, and the Control of Arctic Shrubification
Date: 26 January 2026, 12:00 - 13:00
Speaker : Dr Marc Macias-Fauria (University of Oxford)
Organisers: TBA
Host: Claudio Sillero-Zubiri (University of Oxford)

Reflected Brownian motion in generalised parabolic domains
Date: 26 January 2026, 14:00 - 15:00
Speaker : Aleks Mijatović (University of Warwick)
Venue: Mathematical Institute, Woodstock Road OX2 6GG
Venue Details: L5
Organisers: Matthias Winkel (Department of Statistics, University of Oxford), Julien Berestycki (University of Oxford), Christina Goldschmidt (Department of Statistics, University of Oxford), James Martin (Department of Statistics, University of Oxford)
Hosts: TBA

Tuesday 27 January 2025

Advanced presentation skills (in-person)
Date: 27 January 2026, 9:30 - 12:30
Speaker : Dr David Jones (Dr David Jones)
Venue Details: TBC
Organiser: Dr Justin Hutchence (MPLS Division)
Host: MPLS Researcher Training & Development (University of Oxford)

How Predators Drive Ecology and Evolution in the Past, Today and in the Future.
Date: 27 January 2026, 14:30 - 15:30
Speaker : Professor Tim Coulson (Department of Biology)
Venue Details: Seminar Rooms 7&8
Organisers: TBA
Hosts: TBA

Wednesday 28 January 2025

Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Training Session (in-person)
Date: 28 January 2026, 9:30 - 12:30
Speaker : Dr Catherine Seed (University of Oxford)
Venue Details: On booking
Organiser: Dr Catherine Seed (University of Oxford)
Host: MPLS Researcher Training & Development (University of Oxford)

Thursday 29 January 2025

Managing difficult situations
Date: 29 January 2026, 9:30 - 12:30
Speaker s: Dr Justin Hutchence (MPLS Division), Alison Trinder (University of Oxford)
Venue Details: on booking
Organiser: Alison Trinder (University of Oxford)
Host: MPLS Researcher Training & Development (University of Oxford)

Podcast your science (in-person)
Date: 29 January 2026, 9:30 - 12:30
Speaker : Emily Elias (Podcast Producer)
Venue Details: On booking
Organiser: Dr Catherine Seed (University of Oxford)
Host: MPLS Researcher Training & Development (University of Oxford)

A Collectivist, Economic Perspective on AI
Date: 29 January 2026, 15:30 - 16:30
Speaker : Professor Michael I. Jordan (Inria Paris and University of California, Berkeley)
Venue Details: Large Lecture Theatre, Department of Statistics
Organisers: Beverley Lane (Department of Statistics, University of Oxford), Professor Simon Myers (University of Oxford)
Hosts: Professor Frank Windmeijer (University of Oxford), Professor Simon Myers (University of Oxford)

Friday 30 January 2025

To be announced
Date: 30 January 2026, 11:00 - 12:00
Speaker : Prof Anita Layton (University of Waterloo)
Venue: Mathematical Institute, Woodstock Road OX2 6GG
Venue Details: L4
Organiser: Sara Jolliffe (University of Oxford)
Host: Giulia Celora (University of Oxford)

Monday 2 February 2025

Is the bacterial accessory genome adaptive?
Date: 2 February 2026, 13:30 - 14:30
Speaker : Dr John Lees (Welcome Genome Campus Hinxton)
Venue Details: Life and Mind Building, South Parks Road, OX1 3EL, seminar rooms 7 & 8, Lower Ground Floor
Organiser: Andrea Kastner (Department of Biology)
Host: Professor Sam Sheppard (INEOS Oxford Institute and Department of Biology, University of Oxford)

Title TBC
Date: 2 February 2026, 14:00 - 15:00
Speaker : Leslie Goldberg (Oxford CS)
Venue: Mathematical Institute, Woodstock Road OX2 6GG
Venue Details: L5
Organisers: Matthias Winkel (Department of Statistics, University of Oxford), Julien Berestycki (University of Oxford), Christina Goldschmidt (Department of Statistics, University of Oxford), James Martin (Department of Statistics, University of Oxford)
Hosts: TBA

Tuesday 3 February 2025

Strachey Lecture with Professor Ion Stoica: An AI stack: from scaling AI workloads to evaluating LLMs
Date: 3 February 2026, 15:00 - 16:00
Speaker : Professor Ion Stoica (UC Berkeley)
Venue: University Museum of Natural History, Parks Road OX1 3PW
Organisers: TBA
Hosts: TBA

Wednesday 4 February 2025

Get that grant (in-person)
Date: 4 February 2026, 9:30 - 12:30
Speaker : Dr Justin Hutchence (MPLS Division)
Venue Details: On booking
Organiser: Dr Justin Hutchence (MPLS Division)
Host: MPLS Researcher Training & Development (University of Oxford)

Friday 6 February 2025

Phase transition in collective dynamics
Date: 6 February 2026, 11:00 - 12:00
Speaker : Prof Sara Merino-Aceituno (Universitat Wien)
Venue: Mathematical Institute, Woodstock Road OX2 6GG
Venue Details: L4
Organiser: Sara Jolliffe (University of Oxford)
Host: Dr Maria Bruna (University of Oxford)

The influence of low-spin ferrous iron on the oxidation state of the Earth's mantle
Date: 6 February 2026, 12:00 - 13:00
Speaker : Prof. Dr. Paolo Angelo Sossi (ETH Zürich)
Venue: Department of Earth Sciences, South Parks Road OX1 3AN
Venue Details: Seminar rooms
Organisers: TBA
Hosts: TBA

Monday 9 February 2025

Title TBC
Date: 9 February 2026, 14:00 - 15:00
Speaker : Emmanuel Kammerer (University of Cambridge)
Venue: Mathematical Institute, Woodstock Road OX2 6GG
Venue Details: L5
Organisers: Matthias Winkel (Department of Statistics, University of Oxford), Julien Berestycki (University of Oxford), Christina Goldschmidt (Department of Statistics, University of Oxford), James Martin (Department of Statistics, University of Oxford)
Hosts: TBA

Wednesday 11 February 2025

How to do a Career Development Review, for reviewers (in-person)
Date: 11 February 2026, 9:30 - 11:00
Speaker : Dr Justin Hutchence (MPLS Division)
Venue Details: TBC
Organiser: Dr Justin Hutchence (MPLS Division)
Host: MPLS Researcher Training & Development (University of Oxford)

Thursday 12 February 2025

Engaging with controversial and sensitive topics
Date: 12 February 2026, 13:00 - 14:30
Speaker : Hana Ayoob (Hana Ayoob)
Venue Details: Online
Organiser: Dr Catherine Seed (University of Oxford)
Host: MPLS Researcher Training & Development (University of Oxford)

Friday 13 February 2025

Sharp habitat shifts, evolutionary tipping points and rescue: Quantifying the perilous path of a specialist species towards a refugium in a changing environment via a PDE model
Date: 13 February 2026, 11:00 - 12:00
Speaker : Dr Leonard Dekens (Francis Crick Institute)
Venue: Mathematical Institute, Woodstock Road OX2 6GG
Venue Details: L4
Organiser: Sara Jolliffe (University of Oxford)
Host: Prof Jose Carrillo (University of Oxford)

Wednesday 18 February 2025

Negotiation & Influencing Skills
Date: 18 February 2026, 9:30 - 17:00
Speaker : Anne Gallagher (Leapfrog Training & Development)
Venue Details: TBC
Organiser: Dr Justin Hutchence (MPLS Division)
Host: MPLS Researcher Training & Development (University of Oxford)

Thursday 19 February 2025

How to prepare for a Career Development Review, for reviewees (in-person)
Date: 19 February 2026, 8:30 - 11:00
Speaker : Jarlath Brine (University of Oxford)
Venue Details: TBC
Organiser: Dr Justin Hutchence (MPLS Division)
Host: MPLS Researcher Training & Development (University of Oxford)

Project management: the essentials
Date: 19 February 2026, 9:30 - 16:00
Speaker : Dr Justin Hutchence (MPLS Division)
Venue Details: TBC
Organiser: Dr Justin Hutchence (MPLS Division)
Host: MPLS Researcher Training & Development (University of Oxford)

Friday 20 February 2025

The rogue within: uncovering hidden heterogeneity in heart cell networks
Date: 20 February 2026, 11:00 - 12:00
Speaker : Dr Noemi Picco (Swansea University)
Venue: Mathematical Institute, Woodstock Road OX2 6GG
Venue Details: L4
Organiser: Sara Jolliffe (University of Oxford)
Host: Stephanie Abo (University of Oxford)

Wednesday 25 February 2025

Get that job
Date: 25 February 2026, 9:30 - 13:00
Speaker : Suzi Black (University of Oxford)
Venue Details: TBC
Organiser: Dr Justin Hutchence (MPLS Division)
Host: MPLS Researcher Training & Development (University of Oxford)

You and your Supervisor
Date: 25 February 2026, 10:00 - 13:00
Speaker : Dr Molly Grace (University of Oxford)
Venue Details: On booking
Organiser: James Cunning (University of Oxford)
Host: MPLS Researcher Training & Development (University of Oxford)

Thursday 26 February 2025

Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Training Session (in-person)
Date: 26 February 2026, 10:00 - 12:00
Speaker : Dr Catherine Seed (University of Oxford)
Venue Details: upon booking
Organiser: Dr Catherine Seed (University of Oxford)
Host: MPLS Researcher Training & Development (University of Oxford)

Friday 27 February 2025

The life of a Turing Pattern
Date: 27 February 2026, 11:00 - 12:00
Speaker : Dr Robert Van Gorder (University of Otago)
Venue: Mathematical Institute, Woodstock Road OX2 6GG
Venue Details: L4
Organiser: Sara Jolliffe (University of Oxford)
Host: Dr Radek Erban (University of Oxford)

Earth: An Eyewitness to Planetary Habitability
Date: 27 February 2026, 12:00 - 13:00
Speaker : Prof Dr Trond Torsvik (University of Oslo)
Venue: Department of Earth Sciences, South Parks Road OX1 3AN
Venue Details: Seminar rooms
Organisers: TBA
Hosts: TBA

Monday 2 March 2025

Developing Sustainable Public Health Policy Through and Beyond Mathematical Modelling
Date: 2 March 2026, 13:30 - 14:30
Speaker : Joaquin Prada (University of Surrey)
Venue Details: Life and Mind Building, South Parks Road, Seminar Rooms 7 & 8
Organisers: TBA
Host: Dr Anna Borlase (Department of Biology/Oxford)

Tuesday 3 March 2025

Scientific Writing - Core Skills (in-person)
Date: 3 March 2026, 9:30 - 17:00
Speaker : Dr David Jones (Dr David Jones)
Venue Details: upon booking
Organiser: James Cunning (University of Oxford)
Host: MPLS Researcher Training & Development (University of Oxford)

Thursday 5 March 2025

Getting Started in Public & Community Engagement with Research (online)
Date: 5 March 2026, 14:00 - 15:00
Speaker : Dr Catherine Seed (University of Oxford)
Venue Details: ONLINE
Organiser: MPLS Researcher Training & Development (University of Oxford)
Host: MPLS Researcher Training & Development (University of Oxford)

Friday 6 March 2025

Identifiability of Stochastic and Spatial Models in Mathematical Biology
Date: 6 March 2026, 11:00 - 12:00
Speaker : Alex Browning (University of Melbourne)
Venue: Mathematical Institute, Woodstock Road OX2 6GG
Venue Details: L4
Organiser: Sara Jolliffe (University of Oxford)
Host: Giulia Celora (University of Oxford)

Ridge flank hydrothermal contributions to global biogeochemical cycles and archives of changing global conditions: Insights from the IODP South Atlantic Transect
Date: 6 March 2026, 12:00 - 13:00
Speaker : Dr Rosalind Coggon (University of Southampton)
Venue: Department of Earth Sciences, South Parks Road OX1 3AN
Venue Details: Seminar rooms
Organisers: TBA
Hosts: TBA

Monday 9 March 2025

Title TBC
Date: 9 March 2026, 14:00 - 15:00
Speaker : Renan Gross (University of Cambridge)
Venue: Mathematical Institute, Woodstock Road OX2 6GG
Venue Details: L5
Organisers: Matthias Winkel (Department of Statistics, University of Oxford), Julien Berestycki (University of Oxford), Christina Goldschmidt (Department of Statistics, University of Oxford), James Martin (Department of Statistics, University of Oxford)
Hosts: TBA

Tuesday 10 March 2025

Thriving in Research: core strategic skills and mindsets for research impact (in-person)
Date: 10 March 2026, 10:00 - 17:00
Speaker : Natacha Wilson (Director Cambridge Insights)
Venue Details: TBC
Organiser: Dr Catherine Seed (University of Oxford)
Host: MPLS Researcher Training & Development (University of Oxford)

Wednesday 11 March 2025

Get that fellowship (in-person)
Date: 11 March 2026, 9:30 - 12:30
Speaker : Dr Justin Hutchence (MPLS Division)
Organiser: Dr Justin Hutchence (MPLS Division)
Host: MPLS Researcher Training & Development (University of Oxford)

Friday 13 March 2025

Stop abusing Turing
Date: 13 March 2026, 11:00 - 12:00
Speaker : Dr Thomas Woolley (Cardiff University)
Venue: Mathematical Institute, Woodstock Road OX2 6GG
Venue Details: L4
Organiser: Sara Jolliffe (University of Oxford)
Host: Josh Moore (University of Oxford)

Tuesday 17 March 2025

How to peer review journal papers (in-person)
Date: 17 March 2026, 14:00 - 17:00
Speaker : Dr David Jones (Dr David Jones)
Venue Details: upon booking
Organiser: James Cunning (University of Oxford)
Host: MPLS Researcher Training & Development (University of Oxford)

Wednesday 18 March 2025

Time Management
Date: 18 March 2026, 10:00 - 12:00
Speaker s: Dr Catherine Seed (University of Oxford), James Cunning (University of Oxford)
Venue Details: zoom
Organiser: James Cunning (University of Oxford)
Host: MPLS Researcher Training & Development (University of Oxford)

Thursday 19 March 2025

Viva practice and preparation (in-person)
Date: 19 March 2026, 10:00 - 13:00
Speaker : Dr Molly Grace (University of Oxford)
Venue Details: On booking
Organiser: James Cunning (University of Oxford)
Host: MPLS Researcher Training & Development (University of Oxford)

Telling stories that matter: communicating your research through story
Date: 19 March 2026, 10:00 - 16:00
Speaker : Robert Holtom (Narrative Coach)
Venue Details: On booking
Organiser: Dr Catherine Seed (University of Oxford)
Host: MPLS Researcher Training & Development (University of Oxford)

Wednesday 25 March 2025

Coaching Skills for Leaders
Date: 25 March 2026, 9:30 - 13:00
Speaker s: Dr Justin Hutchence (MPLS Division), Louisa Trevail (University of Oxford)
Venue Details: TBC
Organiser: Dr Justin Hutchence (MPLS Division)
Host: MPLS Researcher Training & Development (University of Oxford)

Thursday 26 March 2025

Completing Your DPhil (in-person)
Date: 26 March 2026, 9:30 - 12:30
Speaker s: Professor Dimitra Rigopoulou (University of Oxford), Dr Justin Hutchence (MPLS Division)
Venue Details: On booking
Organiser: Dr Justin Hutchence (MPLS Division)
Host: MPLS Researcher Training & Development (University of Oxford)

Thursday 7 May 2025

Exploring the link between microsctructure, order and toughness in bioinspired composites
Date: 7 May 2026, 16:00 - 17:00
Speaker : Dr Florian Bouville (Imperial College London)
Venue: Hume-Rothery Building, Parks Road OX1 3PH
Venue Details: Hume-Rothery Lecture Theatre
Organiser: Lorraine Laird (Department of Materials)
Host: Professor Katharina Marquardt (University of Oxford)

Wednesday 27 May 2025

Project management: the essentials
Date: 27 May 2026, 9:30 - 16:00
Speaker : Dr Justin Hutchence (MPLS Division)
Venue Details: On booking
Organiser: Dr Justin Hutchence (MPLS Division)
Host: MPLS Researcher Training & Development (University of Oxford)

Wednesday 3 June 2025

Get that job
Date: 3 June 2026, 8:30 - 13:00
Speaker : Suzi Black (University of Oxford)
Venue Details: TBC
Organiser: Dr Justin Hutchence (MPLS Division)
Host: MPLS Researcher Training & Development (University of Oxford)

Thursday 4 June 2025

How to prepare for a Career Development Review, for reviewees (in-person)
Date: 4 June 2026, 9:30 - 11:00
Speaker : Jarlath Brine (University of Oxford)
Venue Details: TBC
Organiser: Dr Justin Hutchence (MPLS Division)
Host: MPLS Researcher Training & Development (University of Oxford)

Tuesday 23 June 2025

Advanced presentation skills (in-person)
Date: 23 June 2026, 9:30 - 12:30
Speaker : Dr Justin Hutchence (MPLS Division)
Venue Details: TBC
Organiser: Dr Justin Hutchence (MPLS Division)
Host: MPLS Researcher Training & Development (University of Oxford)

Wednesday 24 June 2025

Coaching Skills for Leaders
Date: 24 June 2026, 9:30 - 13:00
Speaker s: Dr Justin Hutchence (MPLS Division), Louisa Trevail (University of Oxford)
Venue Details: TBC
Organiser: Dr Justin Hutchence (MPLS Division)
Host: MPLS Researcher Training & Development (University of Oxford)