The Ockham Lectures

The Ockham — or Occam — Lectures, named in honour of one of the greatest (if contested) alumni of the College, and of his philosophical principle of intellectual discipline, started in 2009 and are held once a term. The lectures are organised by the physics tutors of the College and aim to promote both intellectual curiosity and social cohesion amongst the Merton Physics community.

Past speakers have included:

• Dr Chiara Marletto (2013), Junior Research Fellow at Wolfson College, Oxford, and Research Associate at the Department of Materials, University of Oxford
• Professor of Physics at the University of California, Berkeley Professor Stuart Bale
• Savilian Professor of Astronomy and Head of Astrophysics at the University of Oxford Professor Steven Balbus FRS
• Luke Blossom Professor in the School of Humanities and Sciences at Stanford University Professor Roger Blandford FRS
• Fellow and Tutor in Chemistry Professor Madhavi Krishnan, Associate Professor of Physical Chemistry at the University of Oxford.
• Professor Slava Rychkov, Professeur permanent, Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques, MHI-ENS Chair Professor in High-Energy Physics, École normale supérieure, Paris, and Research Staff Member, Theoretical Physics Department, CERN.
• Nuffield Chair of Anaesthetic Science and Head of the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience Professor Irene Tracey
• Wyliot Fellow Dr Peter Braam, Founder, CEO, President and Director, Cluster File Systems, Inc.
• Professor of Particle Physics at the University of Birmingham Professor David Charlton FRS
• Princeton University's Professor Frans Pretorius
• CEO of the UKAEA Steven Cowley FRS
• Quantum physicist Anton Zeilinger
• SLAC Director Persis Drell
• Nobel-Prize winner Sir Anthony Leggett
• Lord May of Oxford FRS
• Sir John Beddington CMG FRS, the government's Chief Scientific Adviser

Trinity term 2013 saw the first Ockham Debate between philosopher Simon Saunders and physicist James Binney, on 'The Problem of Quantum Measurement'. The second Ockham Debate, held in Trinity term 2022, again featured Professor Simon Saunders, who discussed the question 'Does Physics Imply Atheism?' with Professor Ard Louis, Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of Oxford.

Attendance at the lectures, which are preceded by a reception and followed by dinner in Hall, is solely by invitation. All Merton physicists belonging to the Junior, Middle and Senior Common Rooms are invited, as are Old Members. Guests are also accommodated when space permits - please email Professor Alex Schekochihin if you wish to attend

• To find out more about the Ockham Lecture series, and see details of previous events, visit the Ockham Lecture webpage.