Johnjoe McFadden, Professor of Molecular Genetics, Surrey University, Alumnus

Even in this age of cloning and synthetic biology, the remarkable truth remains: nobody has ever made anything living entirely out of dead material. What is missing?

Optionally followed by supper (this can be booked on the event booking form).

Dr Nigel MacCarthy Experimental Services and Wind Tunnel Manager

This event is held at Imperial’s Department of Aeronautics. You will visit the wind tunnel facilities, flight simulator and drone testing areas.

Professor Sir Brian Hoskins CBE FRS Chair of the Grantham Institute - Climate Change & the Environment

Distinguished climate warrior Sir Brian spells out the challenges and proposes technological and political solutions

Optionally followed by supper (this can be booked on the event booking form).

Dr Tim Littlewood Head Department Life Sciences, Dr Erica McAlister Senior Curator Diptera

A visit behind-the-scenes to the flies and mosquito collections and an insight into the research work being carried out.

Guillermo Rein Professor of Fire Science

Fire is a good servant but a bad master. What can be done to mitigate the risks of fire in an ever more crowded world where its effects on the natural and built environment are increasing, as recent wild fires in California, Greece, Canada and Australia demonstrate as well disasters at Grenfell and fire's contribution to the loss of SS Titanic.

Optionally followed by supper (this can be booked on the event booking form).

Dr Simon Foster and students from the Controlled Quantum Dynamics Group

Post Graduate students will be presenting their take on the next big challenge of the quantum world: developing real world technologies from research. It is just starting to happen. In the next five years technologies will be leaping out of the lab into our lives for example quantum metrology and quantum telecommunications.

Professor Mark Girolami FRSE

The last decade has seen a dramatic rise in computer power, an explosion in data and scientific break-through, as in deep learning and neural networks. Together, these advances have led to the emergence of data science and the resurgence of artificial intelligence as imagined in Alan Turing's landmark research paper published in 1950, Computing Machinery and Intelligence.

Russell Foster CBE FRS Professor of Circadian Neuroscience, Oxford University

Embedded within our genes, and almost all life on Earth, are the instructions for a biological clock that marks the passage of approximately 24 hours. A third kind of photoreceptor in the eye reacting to light and dark help us synchronize this inner clock with the outside world.

Optionally followed by supper (this can be booked on the event booking form).

Professor Stephen Westaby FRCS, Alumnus

Author and surgeon reflection on his work as a heart surgeon who has helped to develop and refine the use of heart pumps, artificial hearts and circulatory support technology. His book Fragile Lives will be on sale.

Ric Parker, previously Director of Technology, Rolls Royce, Alumnus

In the last two years over one hundred credible electric and hybrid-electric aircraft projects have been launched. Two-seater electric aircraft are already flying. This is to ignore the multitude of small drones and electric toys which proliferate. The speaker will examine the possibilities for large, passenger aircraft, electric propulsion, considering more electric, hybrid-electric and fully electric options. He will explore the challenges, which are technological, safety-related and legislative. Fasten your seat belts for an electrifying ride!

Optionally followed by supper (this can be booked on the event booking form).

Michael Schneider British Heart Foundation Simon Marks Professor of Regenerative Medicine, Director of BHF Centre for Research Excellence

There has never been a better time to study the roots of cardiovascular disease or to pursue transformative new game-changing therapies.

Stephen Riley, Professor of Infectious Disease Dynamics, School of Public Health

After the 2014 Ebola outbreak and in the centenary year of the influenza pandemic of 1918, understanding how infectious diseases spread and developing strategies to contain them is crucial.

Optionally followed by supper (this can be booked on the event booking form).

Professor Melanie Welham, CEO Biotechnology and Biological Science Research Council, Imperial Alumnus

Research into molecular signalling and stem cell science is revealing new ways of treating illness

Optionally followed by supper (this can be booked on the event booking form).

Professor Sir Tejinder Virdee FRS

A visit to see the experiments at the Large Hadron Collider, CERN including the Compact Muon Solenoid whilst they are down for maintenance The tour includes visits to the Science History Museum on the banks of Lake Geneva and scientific sites in the Old City.

Richard Kitney, OBE FREng FRSE Professor of BioMedical Systems Engineering, Co-Director

A core facility at Imperial College, which specialises in the design, assembly, verification and functional characterisation of synthetic DNA for academic and industrial clients.

Sanjeev Gupta Professor of Earth Sciences

Evidence of organic matter on Mars, changing concentrations of methane, lakes beneath the ice are all indicators that life could have been present on Mars and may be still.

Optionally followed by supper (this can be booked on the event booking form).

President of Imperial College Alice Gast and Chair of Friends Roderick Rhys Jones

Music, fizz, wine, bites and conversation at 58 Prince's Gate an impressive Edwardian Townhouse with wonderful terrace overlooking Prince's Gardens. Join senior members of College, our speakers past and future, and other members.

TBC

Science is fun at the Imperial Festival. Come and celebrate the livelier side of sciences. Listen to stories, hear music, watch dance and join Friends to Meet the science authors.