'Extremes: Life, Death and the Limits of the Human Body' - Saturday Evening Lecture on February 15th

Published On Mon 10 Feb 2014 by Grant Hill

The limits of human endurance and the price paid by those determined to push the boundaries of mental and physical possibilities will be explored during the next Saturday Evening Lecture at the University of Dundee.

Medical doctor and broadcaster Dr Kevin Fong, who has special interests in human space exploration and extreme environment physiology, will discuss 'Extremes: Life, Death and the Limits of the Human Body' at the Dalhousie Building on Saturday, 15th February.

In addition to his medical qualifications, Dr Fong holds degrees in astrophysics and engineering. He has specialised in anaesthesia, intensive care medicine, and has worked with NASA at both Johnson and Kennedy space centres.

Kevin Fong's broadcast career includes the acclaimed BBC TV documentaries 'To Boldly Go', 'Back from the Dead' and 'How to Mend a Broken Heart' and the Channel 4's series 'Extreme A& E' as well as him regularly presenting science programmes on radio.

In his lecture, Dr Fong will be discussing his first book, "Extremes", and how we have pushed the envelope of human survival over the past century in the skies, in space, under the ocean and in intensive care wards and surgical theatres. He will also illustrate how human beings are compelled to explore both physical and physiological limits, often at terrible cost.

Dr Fong said, "I had a very strange route to and through medical school and an even stranger career as a junior doctor. I studied astrophysics before I went to medical school and because of that I later got a chance to work with some of NASA's medical research teams.

"I found myself leading a double life as a junior doctor, oscillating between hospital work in the UK and space work with NASA in Houston. I think I used to feel guilty about that. The former felt like the important down-to-earth job I was trained to do and the latter felt like a childhood fascination that I couldn't put aside. But as I read about the history of 20th century exploration and learnt more about how we advanced in the field of medicine I think I reconciled the two halves of my life.

"In the end I think it's all exploration; the exploration that took us out across the globe and on into space is the same exploration that took us inward to probe the corners of our biology and physiology. One is no less important than the other. I wanted to write a book about that."

The Saturday Evening Lecture Series is Scotland's oldest continuous free public lecture series, and celebrates its 90th anniversary in 2014. SELS attracts thousands of people each year eager to hear from prestigious, world-class speakers.

'Extremes: Life, Death and the Limits of the Human Body' takes place at 6pm on Saturday, 15th February in the Dalhousie Building, Old Hawkhill.

Free tickets are available from events@dundee.ac.uk, www.dundee.ac.uk/tickets, Tower Building Reception or 01382 385564/385108.

A drinks reception and book signing will follow the event.

For media enquiries contact:
Grant Hill
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384768
E-MAIL: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk
MOBILE: 07854 953277