Watch our Annual Lectures
Each year we host the SWC Lecture that is free and open to all. Find out more and watch some of the recordings below.
If you would like to bring your class along to our next lecture, please contact our Communications team.
2023 - The wrong psychology? What Covid-19 taught us about behavioural science in society
We were delighted to host Professor Stephen Reicher from the University of St Andrews for this year's annual SWC Lecture. Live-illustrated by Alex Cagan, the lecture focused on what the Covid-19 pandemic taught us about the importance of creating positive social relations for an effective response. We were pleased to welcome colleagues from across UCL, members of the local Fitzrovia community, and students taking part in the BNA Scholars, STEM Learning, and In2research programme.
2022 - Collective Cognitive Capital
In 2022 Professor Emily Murphy, University of California Hastings College of the Law, spoke about a simple but radical idea she calls Collective Cognitive Capital: that we can and should be using brain and behavioural science to evaluate public policy decisions by how they affect the cognitive and emotional functioning of the people. The lecture was also live-illustrated by Alex Cagan. The SWC was proud to welcome colleagues across UCL and members of the broader London community, including students taking part in the Social Mobility Foundation and In2research programmes.
Live illustration by Alex Cagan
2019 - The Origins of Culture: Archaeological evidence for the emergence of modern human behaviour
In 2019 Professor Alice Roberts visited the SWC to give a lecture entitled ‘The Origins of Culture: Archaeological evidence for the emergence of modern human behaviour’ as part of the centre’s SWC Annual Lecture series. Alice is a biological anthropologist, television presenter, and professor of public engagement. The SWC was proud to welcome colleagues across UCL and members of the broader London community, including students working with the Social Mobility Foundation.
Image credit: University of Birmingham
2018 - Answering the Hard Question by Composing the Inner Witness
American philosopher, writer and cognitive scientist, Professor Daniel Dennett delivered the SWC Public Lecture in 2018 on 'Answering the hard question by composing the inner witness.' Read more
2017 - Animal Emotions and Empathy
Professor Frans de Waal captivated attendees of the 2017 SWC Annual Lecture on Animal Emotions and Empathy. Open to all, including local secondary school students, Professor de Waal gave a fascinating history of the study of emotions followed by an enlightening discussion of empathy, consolation and emotional contagion. Read more
2016 - Beauty and The Beasts
Sir David Attenborough gave the inaugural Annual Lecture in 2016 at the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre. His talk 'Beauty and The Beasts' focused on the aesthetic sensation in birds. Over 140 people attended this public event, including local community members from Fitzrovia as well as secondary school groups from Camden. You can see part of the lecture on our YouTube channel.