Saturday Series 2018

Published On Thu 15 Feb 2018 by Grant Hill

Scotland's oldest continuous free public lecture series returns to the University of Dundee next month with a line-up of prestigious, world-class speakers exploring ways of shaping the future.

Now known as the Saturday Series, the programme will run from March through to May. This year's events will cover subjects including how body donation is changing modern medicine, mental health challenges and why young people should be included in policy making.

The theme for this year's series is 'shaping the future' in recognition of 2018 being the Year of Young People. Speakers include prominent Dundee graduates Lauren Currie OBE, voted one of Elle Magazines top women under 30 changing the world, and Anuja Dhir QC, the first non-white circuit judge at the Old Bailey.

The first event of the 2018 series will see BBC Scotland presenter Pennie Latin chair a panel discussing how the generosity of body donors is changing the face of modern medicine. ‘Our Mortal Remains’ takes place on Saturday 10 March.

“The Saturday Series has been focused around our strengths as a university and no one is better placed to tell that story than high-achieving graduates such as Lauren Currie and Anuja Dhir,” said Professor Sir Pete Downes, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dundee.

“These events are organised around the theme of ‘shaping the future’ and this is one of our core aims here at Dundee. Every year thousands of young people join the University community and we tell them that they have the potential to make an enormous difference to people’s lives around the globe. In the Year of Young People, it is appropriate that they frame the debate about their future, the opportunities open to them and the challenges they face.”

The Saturday Series can be traced back to a series of talks held jointly with the Dundee Naturalists Society beginning with a lecture by Principal John Yule Mackay on Primitive Man in October 1924.

All events in the 2018 programme take place in the Dalhousie Building and begin at 6pm. They are followed by a drinks reception. The full programme is as follows:

  • 10 March – ‘Our Mortal Remains’ (Pennie Latin and panel)
  • 24 March – ‘Building the Boat: Designing our communities with young people’ (Louise Macdonald, CEO of Young Scot)
  • 14 April – ‘Against All Odds’ (Anuja Dhir QC)
  • 19 May – ‘The Journey to Hope and Recovery’ (Jonny Benjamin and Neil Laybourn)
  • 26 May – ‘Why it’s time to be #upfront and share our power’ (Lauren Currie)

More information, including how to reserve tickets, can be found at www.dundee.ac.uk/saturdayseries. 


For media enquiries contact:
Grant Hill
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
Tel: +44 (0)1382 384768
Mobile: 07854 953277
Email: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk