About this Event
What is Medway Talks?
Medway Talks is an open lecture series run by our academic staff from the Universities at Medway - University of Greenwich, University of Kent and Canterbury Christ Church University. There are 8 talks in total, running from November 2025 to May 2026.
Who can attend?
The talks are open to everyone in the local community, including students and staff at the Universities at Medway. Talks will be free of charge to attend, but registration is required. Please book a ticket for each talk you would like to attend.
Where are they held?
Each talk will be held in the Ground Floor Lecture Theatre (room 20) in the Rowan Williams Court. For parking, you are able to park free of charge in Rowan Williams Court or in a University of Greenwich car park. You can find directions on our Transport website.
Rowan Williams Court is on the lower part of the Medway campus. From the Dock Road entrance, please follow the road round to the left and the building is the third one on the left.
What's on offer?
Talks will run from 18:00 until 19:15 with refreshments and registration opening at 17:30. The December talk will be 18:00-20:00 as we will have 2 speakers. There will be one event each month and the full schedule is below.
Upcoming Talks
Wednesday 29 April - CANCELLED now taking place on 6 May.
Wednesday 6 May - The Digital Twin: Teaching Computers the Laws of Physics to Control Material Handling
Presented by Dr Susantha (Jeff) Dissanayake - University of Greenwich
Have you ever wondered how we keep those massive industrial silos and domes running smoothly, safely, and without waste? These structures hold the solid fuel that powers our homes and industries.
Jeff's work sits at the fascinating intersection of traditional engineering and the future of Artificial Intelligence. In the world of bulk material handling, we move enormous quantities of materials such as wood pellets and minerals. It might sound simple, but these materials are unpredictable. They often degrade, separate or segregate, which leads to inefficiency and can even cause catastrophic dust explosions.
In his PhD, Jeff developed a Cellular Automata framework to predict exactly how these particles behave inside those dark and enclosed silos. By using a technique called Frequency Domain Analysis, we can now identify precisely which storage dome in a chain of material handling is most responsible for material segregation before a problem ever occurs. This allows us to target the specific area causing the issue, ensuring that the entire process remains efficient and safe.
But we do not stop at just watching. We are building Digital Twins and AI driven control system. Imagine a high-tech computer model that lives alongside a real factory, feeling and seeing everything through smart sensors. Further this system predicts future behaviours. By teaching these computers the laws of physics, a method known as Physics-Informed Neural Networks (PINN), we can now predict material flow with over 95% accuracy.
Ultimately, our goal is to make industry greener by cutting carbon footprints by up to 20%. Most importantly, this technology makes these sites much safer for the people who work there.
Wednesday 27 May - Neurodivergence: What is it?
Presented by - Gwen Thomas - University of Greenwich
An experiential overview of some of the difficulties that neurodiverse students may face in the learning environment. Participants will experience first hand some of the challenges faced by neurodiverse students through brief, hands-on activities. They will hear about how students can overcome these difficulties through the right support and reasonable adjustments to the learning environment. Pathways to support will also be considered and there will be opportunities to ask questions.
Gwen is the Disability and Dyslexia Coordinator at the University of Greenwich and has worked in education for over 45 years. She is a Qualified Teacher and Assessor of Specific Learning Difficulties and a retired Head Teacher therefore has a wealth of experience to share in this area.
Wednesday 10 June - Industrial solid and gaseous wastes: resources for the built environment
Presented by Dr Nimisha Tripathi and Professor Colin Hills - University of Greenwich
We will talk about climate change and how Nature manages carbon within the Earth System. Following, we will discuss our research initiatives to manage carbon (as CO2) in combination with industrial solid wastes to make new sustainable products for the Built Environment. The benefits of our approach includes: the diversion of waste from final disposal (land or atmosphere) and a supply of new materials that permanently capture carbon as mineralised carbon dioxide, or limestone.
Join us to discover the new building materials that could help reduce climate change.
Past Events
Wednesday 12 November - The Power of Food Pairing: Why What You Eat Together Matters
Presented by Dr Zahra Khan - University of Greenwich
Our meals are more than just a mix of ingredients, they are full of nutrients that work together in fascinating ways. Some nutrients team up to boost each other’s benefits, while others compete and reduce how well our bodies can use them. This talk explores the hidden science of food pairing, showing how simple choices like adding lemon juice to spinach, or eating avocado with carrots can improve nutrient absorption and overall health. By understanding which foods help or hinder each other, we can turn everyday meals into powerful combinations that nourish our bodies better. After all, it’s not just what we eat, but how we eat it together that truly matters.
Wednesday 10 December - The 12 Days of Christmas Wellness: The Festive Balance
Presented by Gurprit Lall - University of Kent and Yasser El Miedany - Canterbury Christ Church University
Professor Gurprit Lall is Associate Pro Vice Chancellor for Equality Diversity and Inclusivity at the University of Kent and Professor of Neuroscience. Gurprit leads a Sleep Clinic at the University of Kent and lectures at the Kent and Medway Medical School and School of Psychology. He has authored many publications, presented at international conferences and been awarded funding for his work.
Professor El Miedany is a Consultant Rheumatologist and Professor at Canterbury Christ Church University. Yasser has written numerous articles, journal papers and books on rheumatology. He has lectured around the world and was recently listed as one of the world’s top 2% scientists by Stanford University and Elsevier.
We are delighted to invite you to a special Christmas talk with our renowned experts, Professor Gurprit Lall and Professor Yasser El Miedany.
As the nights draw in and our schedules fill up, it’s more important than ever to understand the powerful connection between sleep, keeping active, exercise and your overall wellbeing. Join us for an enlightening evening where our professors will unwrap the science behind a healthy festive holiday.
Gurprit and Yasser will give you insights on how keep your body healthy and well, boost your energy and learn practical strategies for achieving restorative sleep amidst the festive buzz. This is your opportunity to ask your burning questions and receive evidence-based advice from leading authorities in their fields.
Come and join us for some festive cheer and leave feeling empowered, refreshed, and ready to enjoy a happier, healthier festive season.
Refreshments and check-in from 17:30 with the lecture starting at 18:00 and ending at 20:00. Includes a 20 minute break.
Wednesday 28 January - ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) – Myths and Reality
Presented by Professor Aamer Sarfaz - Canterbury Christ Church University
In response to a popular request, we are pleased to invite you to Professor Sarfraz’s lecture on ADHD and ASD. These are neurodevelopment conditions which are often surrounded by misunderstanding and stigma, despite being widely discussed in both professional and public arenas.
Many people still hold misconceptions that ADHD is simply a lack of discipline or that all individuals with autism are the same, when in reality both conditions are complex, diverse and deeply rooted in neurobiology. In this lecture Aamer will separate facts from myths, explore current research and answer your questions.
Professor Aamer Sarfraz is a Consultant Psychiatrist with Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust and a Visiting Professor at Canterbury Christ Church University, as well as at other international universities. He has lectured widely across the globe, published numerous research papers in peer-reviewed journals, and authored eight books.
Professor Sarfraz has previously served as Director of Medical Education and Chief Medical Officer. Recently, he conducted a national audit of mental health services in a Middle Eastern country at the invitation of Department of Health.
He is a Trustee of the Kenward Trust, a local charity dedicated to drug and alcohol rehabilitation, and serves as the Chief Editor of the Kent Journal of Psychiatry. His latest book, Pillars of Practice Wisdom, was published recently.
Wednesday 25 February - The world of medical innovation – challenge the impossible and make the possible happen
Presented by Professor Kenny Kanegaonker - Canterbury Christ Church University
Professor Rahul Kanegaonkar (Kenny to his friends) is a Consultant Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) Surgeon and also a Professor of Innovation at Canterbury Christ Church University. He has written the key text books for ENT and published a landmark book on the concept and delivery of Medical Innovation. Kenny has published numerous papers, travels the world presenting at conferences and lectures as well as examining surgeons for their advanced qualifications for the Royal Colleges.
Kenny’s lecture will take you on a journey of the many innovations he has developed for the benefit of patients. His scientific knowledge, immense curiosity of the possible and vast expertise on how to bring these into current practice will keep you enthralled for the hour. His lecture will encourage you to walk in the world of science alongside him and leave you inspired.
Wednesday 18 March - CANCELLED now taking place on 10 June
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Canterbury Christ Church University, Rowan Williams Court, 30 Pembroke, Gillingham, United Kingdom
GBP 0.00
