Grazia Vittadini, Chief Technology Officer of Rolls-Royce, describes her career journey and describes the challenges facing the aerospace industry.

Diversity of perspective is also a key strength the aerospace and the tech industry as a whole need to draw on. Because mastering the complex challenges ahead requires different talents, experiences and approaches. So, let’s take off to new horizons, rise to our challenges and meet our goals!

Dr Magdalena Skipper, Editor in Chief of Nature and Chief Editorial Advisor for Nature Research discusses her career:

"No matter how successful and fulfilling a career, few can say that every step along the way was carefully planned and executed. Making the most of opportunities is as important as learning from failures. But above all, it is knowing when and how to take risks and keeping an open mind at all times that have played a key role in helping me along the way to where I am today."

Dame Mary Archer, Chair of the Science Museum Group, discusses how studying chemistry and researching solar energy conversion shaped her career.

The 2018 lecture also included an element not usually found in the periodic table – music.

Sinead Lynch, UK Country Chair, Royal Dutch Shell, describes her career journey from geophysicist specialising in seismic modelling to company executive.

She explores the challenges and joys of a career spent in the oil and gas industry, as well as sharing insights into managing both personal and professional change. In particular, she discusses lessons from her role in leading the integration of the $52 billion acquisition of BG Group by Royal Dutch Shell.

Imperial President Alice Gast speaks about the inspirations and hurdles that shaped her career. 

She explains her research interests in surface and interfacial phenomena, in particular the physics of complex fluids, colloidal suspensions, micelles, membranes and proteins.

Professor Dame Ann Dowling, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, describes her career fusing engineering research with industrial practice.

She shares insights into aircraft noise, which has been a recurring focus of her work. Although aircraft noise has reduced considerably since the introduction of high speed jet transport, it is still a major societal concern.

Professor Deborah Smith, OBE, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research at the University of York, talks about her career journey, which has taken place on the crest of the molecular biology revolution.

Moving from classical biochemistry via molecular genetics to parasitology, her research has focused on investigating the role of Leishmania parasites in causing a spectrum of tropical diseases. The translation of her research is underpinning the development of drugs and vaccines for neglected infections, including the human leishmaniasis and African sleeping sickness.

Professor Dame Athene Donald, University of Cambridge, discusses both her scientific work and career path as a female physicist.

She explains her research in soft matter physics and her work communicating science to the general public.

Professor Maggie Dallman speaks about an immunologist's view of the world.

She talks about her career investigating the inflammatory responses of organisms and how this could hold the key to treating life threatening conditions.

Professor Julia Buckingham, Pro-Rector (Education) at Imperial, describes her research about stress - a protective mechanisms which enable organisms to cope with adverse situations, which has fascinated scientists for many years.

The stress hormone, cortisol, has a particularly important role. Julia explores the mechanisms that regulate its secretion and illustrates the potential consequences of cortisol imbalance. 

Professor Caroline Series, University of Warwick, talks about her career journey and describes some of the unusual features of hyperbolic geometry.

Abstracting the special features of hyperbolic geometry has led to  profound new insights, which in turn have been developed into remarkable new tools for understanding the geometry of three dimensional manifolds (the three dimensional analogue of surfaces).

Professor Dame Julia Higgins, Principal of the Faculty of Engineering at Imperial, discusses how research and people have changed over her time at the College.

As well as her research, Julia also talks about her involvement in work at Imperial on gender equality. 

Baroness Onora O'Neill, Principal of Newnham College, University of Cambridge, talks about the history and development of informed consent and gives her thoughts on how to improve current practice.