The nation's big names head to the North-East for Public Lecture series
Released: Monday 8th October 2012 at 17:47
SOME of the UK’s most respected figures will be at the University as part of a year-long public lecture series.
Household names from sport, television and film, science, literature and politics will be at the University of Sunderland for its Public Lecture Series 2012/13, which begins next month (October).
Olympic silver medallist and world champion middle-distance runner Steve Cram will begin the series on October 18, when he looks back at the hugely successful London Olympics, talking about the impact the games had on the nation, and crucially the Olympic legacy.
He will be followed by a who’s who of celebrated figures, including former filmmaker David Puttnam, scientist and documentary maker Robert Winston, childrens’ writer Terry Deary, newscaster Alastair Stewart, former politician turned writer Chris Mullin, former Education Secretary Estelle Morris, crime writer Val McDermid and BBC historian Michael Wood.
The lectures, which are free to the general public, aim to inform and stimulate debate, as well as entertain.
Steve Cram’s lecture on October 18 will be followed by Chris Mullin, on November 8. The charismatic and colourful former Sunderland South MP will talk about his widely acclaimed diaries. The three volumes cover the rise and fall of New Labour, from the night of John Smith’s death in May 1994 to Gordon Brown’s departure from Downing Street. A book-signing session will follow this talk.
Val McDermid will give her talk: A Life in Crime, on Thursday, December 6. The award-winning author has sold over 10 million copies worldwide and has claimed the CWA Gold Dagger award; the LA Times Book of the Year Award; The Stonewall Writer of the Year and the prestigious CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger. In 2009 she was inducted into the Crime Thriller Hall of Fame. The popular ITV series Wire in the Blood was based on Val’s books. Val’s talk will be followed by a signing of her new book, The Vanishing Point.
The Lecture series continues in 2013 with talks by Alastair Stewart, David Puttnam, Estelle Morris, Michael Wood, Robert Winston and Terry Deary, details to be announced later this year.
To book your place at one of the FREE University of Sunderland Public Lectures log on to: http://onlinestore.sunderland.ac.uk/
For more information, email: events@sunderland.ac.uk or contact (0191) 515 3383.
All public lectures take place in the Lecture Theatre, Murray Library, City Campus, Chester Road, Sunderland. Guests are asked to arrive at 6pm - for a 6.30pm start. Refreshments can be purchased at the Starbucks coffee shop, situated in the library foyer.