Keith Palmer Lecture Series - Dr Anjana Khatwa

We are pleased to announce the annual Keith Palmer Lecture 2022 is taking place on Wednesday 16 November at 6.00pm.

Join us to hear from award-winning Earth Scientist and Presenter Dr Anjana Khatwa who will present on 'The Secret Stories of Rock'. 

Rock is one of the most ubiquitous aspects of nature, maintaining a presence and influence in every environment on Earth. Through an endless cycle of creation and destruction, rocks release their gifts to the world. As natural forces like ice, wind and water break them, they gradually form soils that are the basis for life on Earth. They are uplifted to form mountain chains, influencing weather patterns and providing nesting sites for glaciers to store the world’s water. Even when destroyed deep within the Earth’s interior, they are reborn through volcanic eruptions and intrusions into the Earth’s crust. Our ancestors knew of the importance of rock, and with reverence they layered their whispers upon the ancient ones locked inside the rock. But over time, these ancient stories have been threatened by erasure through the destruction of nature, leaving us with little memory or connection with the importance of rock in our lives. We are left bereft and isolated from this geological world, unable to sense its importance in our lives and the urgent action needed to conserve it. The urgency to connect ourselves with rock is needed now more than ever. If we can awaken ourselves to the secret stories of rock, we can transform the way we connect and understand the world around us. 

The event will be hosted by Professor Alice Roberts, Professor of Public Engagement in Science. No specialised knowledge is required. This event is free to attend and is suitable for family audiences (children aged 8 and up are welcome to attend).

Venue: Bishop Milner Catholic College, Burton Road, Dudley DY1 3BY

The Keith Palmer Lecture Series was established to promote the “public understanding of natural science” by a distinguished invited speaker for a not only-University audience. The events featured in the series are widely publicised both within and outside the University community, and are on a relevant topic of public interest with an audience drawn from a wide range of groups across the Midlands.