{PREVIOUS EVENTS}
ORIGINS OF LIFE CONFERENCE
University College London
March 2026
SPEAKERS:
NICK LANE
Professor Nick Lane is Professor of Evolutionary Biochemistry in the Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment at University College London, and Director of the UCL Centre for Life’s Origins and Evolution (CLOE). A founding member of the UCL Consortium for Mitochondrial Research, his work focuses on how energy flow has shaped evolution; from the origin of life to the emergence of complex biological traits such as sex, death and consciousness. Professor Lane has published more than 130 research papers in leading journals including Nature, Science, Cell and PNAS. He is widely known for his influential books on energy and evolution, including Life Ascending, The Vital Question, and most recently Transformer: The Deep Chemistry of Life and Death, which Science described as “a thrilling tour… masterful.” His work has received numerous honours, including the 2010 Royal Society Prize for Science Books, the 2015 Biochemical Society Award, and the 2016 Royal Society Michael Faraday Prize. Bill Gates has described him as “one of my favourite science writers.”
FRITZ DEMOPOUPLOS
Fritz Demopoulos is an investor and entrepreneur. He is also on the board of trustees of the SETI Institute. Fritz is currently a Visiting Fellow at MIT.
Bronwyn Syiek is an emeritus trustee of the SETI Institute and a co-founder of ScienceKind, a platform being built for authentic dialogue between working scientists and the public. She serves on the Finance Committee of Oxford University Press, holds a BA in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge, and previously served as President of Credit Sesame and President of NASDAQ-listed QuinStreet.
BRONWYN SYIEK
IAN CRAWFORD
Professor Ian Crawford is Professor of Planetary Science and Astrobiology at Birkbeck, University of London. His research spans planetary science, astrobiology and space exploration, with particular expertise in lunar science and the scientific case for human space exploration.
Educated at University College London (BSc and PhD in Astronomy) and the University of Newcastle upon Tyne (MSc in Geophysics and Planetary Physics), Professor Crawford has held research positions at institutions including UCL, Mount Stromlo Observatory in Canberra, and the Anglo-Australian Observatory in Sydney. He joined Birkbeck in 2003 and has served as Professor since 2012.
Professor Crawford has authored more than 150 papers in scientific and professional journals across astronomy, planetary science, astrobiology and space policy. He has also contributed extensively to discussions on the societal, political and scientific implications of astrobiology and space expansion. A Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society (FRAS), he received the Royal Astronomical Society’s Service Award for Geophysics in 2021 and the Michael J. Wargo NASA Exploration Science Award in 2023, recognising his long-standing contributions to lunar science, planetary exploration and the integration of space exploration with planetary science.
Could you boil down how life has evolved from inorganic materials to the way we know it today to 5 essential steps?
Gather a team (up to 4 people) and present what you believe is the 5 most essential steps!
💰 £20 for every team that enters
🍾 Winner takes home £100
⏳ 7 minutes to present your idea, followed by 5 minutes of Q&A from judges and the audience
🔬 Judged across various dimensions, including the quality and logic of their arguments, originality, realistic execution and presentation effectiveness
Enter now! 🚀✨https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScTfINpblfiGqTp4OiXLUvmer0OiLZguS-Qn9aD2oh9Ve-VsA/viewform?usp=header
COMPETITION: Steps to Life
SETI Conference at King's College London March 2025
6-9pm Anatomy Lecture Theatre, Strand Campus
1. 🛸 LondonSETI Speaker Series 🚀
Join top experts as we explore the science, signals, and mysteries of extraterrestrial intelligence. Big ideas, bold theories, and the latest discoveries—don’t miss out! All welcome even non king's students, the public- anyone interested!
Nadia Drake
We've come a long way since the Order of the Dolphin
Dr. Nadia Drake is an award-winning science journalist and editor who specialises in covering space exploration and the search for life beyond Earth. She is a board member of the SETI Institute. Nadia has been a contributing writer with National Geographic, the interim physics editor at Quanta Magazine, and she has written for numerous publications including Nature, The New York Times, Science News, and Scientific American. Nadia has also served on committees convened by the National Academies, NASA, and others. She holds a PhD in genetics from Cornell University.
Francisco Diego
Aliens! Where are you?
Dr. Francisco Diego is a keen populariser of natural sciences. He was born in Mexico City, where he earned a BSc in Mechanical Engineering. His career in Astronomy started at the Sociedad Astronomica de Mexico and the Planetario Luis E. Erro. Diego came to University College London where he earned a PhD in Astronomy. Currently, he is a Lecturer at the Department of Physics and Astronomy, UCL, vice president of the UK Association for Astronomy Education, member of the International Astronomical Union and fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. His most recent project is Paradise Planet Earth, involving education and public outreach. This initiative blends the natural sciences with the arts, philosophy and ancestral wisdom. The idea is to provide an essential cultural tool for a united humanity to defend and preserve the natural
environment.
Mike Garrett
The latest trends in SETI
Dr. Michael Garrett is the inaugural Sir Bernard Lovell chair of Astrophysics at the University of Manchester and the Director of the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics. Mike pursues a wide range of scientific interests, including the study of the distant universe via high resolution radio observations. He is active in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI), and is currently vice-chair of the IAAs SETI Permanent Committee. Mike is also on the Science Advisory Board of the SETI Institute, Breakthrough Listen and is a visiting Professor at the University of Leiden. In 2024, he was elected FRS (Fellow of the. Royal Society).
Bronwyn Syiek
AI, Aliens, and Anomalies: Are We Looking in the Wrong Place?
Mrs. Bronwyn Syiek is an accomplished entrepreneur and passionate supporter of the sciences. She was previously the Chairman and Director of the SETI Institute. Also currently member of the Finance Committee at Oxford University Press and the ABRSM, the leading music exam board worldwide. Bronwyn was also the Founder and President of NASDAQ-listed QuinStreet. She served on the management committee of De La Rue and was also a Consultant at McKinsey & Company. Bron studied Physics and earned a BA and MA in Natural Sciences from Cambridge University.
2. 🚀 Fermi Paradox Competition 🛸
If the universe is so vast, with billions of habitable planets… why haven’t we found aliens? 🤯
Think you’ve got the answer? Gather a team (up to 4 people) and present your theory on the Fermi Paradox! Whether it’s bold, creative, or deeply scientific, we want to hear it.
💰 £20 for every team that enters
🍾 Winner takes home £100
⏳ 7 minutes to present your idea, followed by 5 minutes of Q&A from judges and the audience
🔬 Judged across various dimensions, including the quality and logic of their arguments, originality, realistic execution and presentation effectiveness
Do you have the most mind-blowing explanation? Enter now! 🚀✨
