Maurice Lubbock Memorial Lecture 2025: Engineering Climate Change Solutions

This year's Lubbock Lecture and supporting lectures will look at the different approaches engineers are taking to tackle the ongoing challenges of climate change. The event will take place at Rhodes House, University of Oxford on 14 May 2025 at 2:30pm.

The Department of Engineering science welcomes Sir Warren East, CBE, as keynote speaker. Warren will look at the climate challenges being addressed by engineers whilst addressing the reality of the slow progress being made and the possibilities to improve.

Supporting lectures will be provided by Oxford e-Research Centre researcher Professor Sarah Sparrow on the topic of climate change effects on extreme weather and its impacts on infrastructure; and Dr Jesus Lizana with contribution from Professor Barbara Rossi on the future of net zero buildings and the sustainable use of materials in construction.

The Maurice Lubbock Memorial Lecture was founded in 1963 by the Trustees of the Hon. Maurice Fox Pitt Lubbock commemoration fund, to promote the study of engineering and its applications to which Maurice Lubbock's career was devoted.

The lectures were intended 'for a scientific and lay audience, on engineering in relation to its environment - its industrial application, its place in society, its significance for managers, sociologists, economist and others, and its significance for education.'

Sir Harold Hartley gave the first lecture of the series in February 1964, on 'The Contribution of Engineering to the British Economy'.

Since then the lectures have covered many topics, including bubble acoustics, human space exploration, artificial intelligence and search engines.

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