Oxford Martin School

The Oxford Martin School was founded as the James Martin 21st Century School at the University of Oxford in 2005 through the vision and generosity of Dr James Martin. The School is a unique, interdisciplinary research initiative addressing key global future challenges. In 2009, a $50 million matched funding challenge was initiated by Dr James Martin. The Challenge was an unprecedented success, matching the donations of 30 different donors (individual philanthropists, charities, corporations and research bodies) and creating 19 new research programmes to join membership of the School. As a result of this expansion, the School relaunched under the new name of Oxford Martin School in Autumn 2010. A key aim of the School is to mitigate the most pressing risks and realise exciting new opportunities of the 21st century. With interdisciplinary teams of researchers from across the university, the School is working on the frontiers of knowledge in four broad areas: health and medicine; energy and environment; technology and society; and ethics and governance. Aiming to have an impact beyond academia, the School also develops wide-ranging initiatives, intellectual programmes and public events to engage with national and international policymakers, business, students and the general public.

All episodes

Title	Description	People	Date
How can 9-10 billion people be fed sustainably and equitably by 2050?	Talk by Professor Charles Godfray, Director, Oxford Martin Programme on the Future of Food.	Charles Godfray	9 November, 2011
Water Scarcity: a shortage of water or a shortage of ideas?	'Water Crises', 'Water Wars', 'Peak Water' and many more phrases have been used in recent years to suggest that a growing population and increased per capita water use are leading inexorably to critical levels of water scarcity.	Professor	21 October, 2011
Overpopulation or underpopulation?	It is common to hear about the problems of overpopulation, but do we really have too many people? Do we have an acceptable number? Or might we even have too few?	Dr Toby Ord	14 October, 2011
Can Generations be Treated Equally?	Professor Asheim, Department of Economics, University of Oslo, gives a talk for the Oxford Martin School Hilary Term Seminar Series 2011 Intergenerational Justice: What do we owe future generations?	Geir Asheim	24 August, 2011
A Global Community Search for Evidence of Extraterrestrial Technologies	Dr Jill Tarter, Director, Center for SETI Research, SETI Institute gives a talk for the Oxford Martin School Seminar Series.	Jill Tarter	24 August, 2011
Fiscal Policy, Fairness between Generations and National Saving	Dr Martin Weale, of the Bank of England Monetary Policy, gives a talk for the Oxford Martin School 2011 Hilary Term Seminar Series; Intergenerational Justice: What do we owe future generations?	Martin Weale	24 August, 2011
Rethinking Geoengineering and the Meaning of the Climate Crisis	Professor Clive Hamilton delivers a critique of the consequentialist approach to the ethics of geoengineering, the approach that deploys assessment of costs and benefits in a risk framework to justify climatic intervention.	Clive Hamilton	2 August, 2011
Who speaks for climate?	Mass media serve vital roles in communication processes between science, policy and the public, and often stitch together perceptions, intentions, considerations, and actions regarding climate change.	Maxwell T. Boykoff	28 July, 2011
Climate change investment - what is it worth for future generations?	The worthiness of a social investment project is a balance between the cost of the project, and the value of the benefits to society/ how long those benefits may apply.	Ben Groom	10 March, 2011
Demographic balance and human capital from an intergenerational perspective	Our world is demographically divided - some populations continue to grow rapidly, while others are already on a shrinking trajectory.	Wolfgang Lutz	18 February, 2011
Climate Change and Intergenerational Justice: What are our obligations to future generations?	Climate change raises profound questions of intergenerational justice. It is widely recognized that there is a powerful case for mitigation in virtue of obligations we have to future generations. But how much mitigation is required?	Simon Caney	11 February, 2011
A legacy of dangers: Climate failure and future generations	The principles that ought to guide our one-way relations with future generations depend profoundly on the precise nature of what is being provided to or - in this case, inflicted on - them.	Henry Shue	9 February, 2011
A new capitalism for a big society	Bishop and Green led a discussion based on their recent book, "The Road From Ruin: A New Capitalism for a Big Society".	Matthew Bishop, Michael Green	3 February, 2011
Assessing the economic rise of China and India	The recent economic rise of China and India has attracted a great deal of attention--and justifiably so.	Pranab Bardhan	3 February, 2011
Dealing with The New Normal: Resilience in systems that must cope with uncertainty	Part of the School's intergrative seminar series. Delivered by Professor Patricia Hirl Longstaff, James Martin Senior Visiting Fellow, Professor, Syracuse University, Research Associate, Harvard Program on Information Resources Policy.	Patricia Hirl Longstaff	3 February, 2011
Sustainability: How can each generation live well within limits?	Well-being, Time and Sustainability: Epicurus or Aristotle? This seminar addresses two key questions about sustainability.	John O'Neill	28 January, 2011
Is the fiscal crisis forcing a rethink of our intergenerational compact with the elderly?	Professor Peter Heller (John Hopkins University) on 'Is the fiscal crisis forcing a rethink of our intergenerational compact with the elderly?'.	Peter Heller	21 January, 2011
Fair Trade Certification	Dr Alex Nicholls (Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship) examines how over the past ten years the market for Fair Trade products has grown at double digit rates across many countries in the North.	Alex Nicholls	8 December, 2010
Problems With Credit Rating Agencies	Professor Timothy Sinclair (University of Warwick) looks at why getting credit ratings 'right' seems vitally important to many professional observers and politicians.	Timothy Sinclair	1 December, 2010
Integrating Technology, Science, Law, Economics, and Politics: Development of Practical Policy for Carbon Capture and Storage	Dr Kenneth Richards, James Martin Senior Visiting Fellow on how carbon capture and storage (CCS) provides a potentially promising approach to mitigating carbon dioxide emissions.	Kenneth Richards	24 November, 2010
Standards for sweatshops: voluntary labour standards programs in global supply chains	Increased attention to sweatshops, child labour, and the suppression of labour rights has led to a range of voluntary initiatives that set, monitor, and certify labour standards in global supply chains.	Tim Bartley	19 November, 2010
Conflict diamonds and the governance of resources	Professor Ian Taylor (University of St. Andrews) discusses conflict diamonds and the governance of resources. Part of the Michaelmas Term Seminar series 2010.	Ian Taylor	10 November, 2010
Driven to Drive Markets: The contradictions of forest certification in the promotion of sustainability	Professor Dan Klooster (University of Redlands) summarizes the formation and growth of forest certification and illustrates how it qualifies sustainability and leverages meaningful changes in forest management.	Dan Klooster	4 November, 2010
Working with the crowd : 21st century citizen science	Galaxy Zoo PI and James Martin Fellow Chris Lintott will review the technologies available to researchers seeking to rescue themselves from drowning in data by recruiting the help of tens or even hundreds of thousands of volunteers.	Chris Lintott	27 October, 2010
Enacting the Ethical Consumer	Dr Clive Barnett (Open University) asks how do consumers know when they are acting responsibly? Are they making a difference when they buy "Fairtrade" or "certified organic"? Can consumers trust these kinds of accreditations?	Clive Barnett	22 October, 2010
Introduction to and Overview of Third Party Certification	Michaelmas Term Seminar Series 2010 - Dr Lars Gulbrandsen, 'Introduction to and Overview of Third Party Certification'.	Lars Gulbrandsen	20 October, 2010
Climate Shocks: Turning Crisis into Opportunity	Thomas F. Homer-Dixon, CIGI Chair of Global Systems, Balsillie School of International Affairs; full Professor, Faculty of Arts and Faculty of Environment, University of Waterloo on Climate Shocks: Turning Crisis into Opportunity.	Thomas Homer-Dixon	15 October, 2010
Climate change and marine ecosystems: have dangerous changes already begun?	Special seminar from the James Martin 21st Century School: Climate change and marine ecosystems: have dangerous changes already begun?	Ove Hoegh-Guldberg	7 September, 2010
The Plundered Planet	Paul Collier, Oxford Professor and author of The Bottom Billion, launched a discussion based on his latest publication, The Plundered Planet.	Paul Collier, Charles Badenoch, Jamie Drummond, Gideon Rachman	17 June, 2010
Cooperation, Norms and Conflict: Towards Simulating the Foundations of Society	In order to understand social systems, it is essential to identify the circumstances under which individuals spontaneously start cooperating or developing shared behaviors, norms, and culture.	Dirk Helbing	5 March, 2010
Predicting the Behaviour of Techno-Social Systems: How Informatics and Computing Help to Fight Off Global Pandemics	We live in an increasingly interconnected world of 'techno-social' systems, where infrastructures composed of different technological layers are interoperating within the social component that drives their use and development.	Alessandro Vespignani	25 February, 2010
Ocean Circulation and Climate: Observing and Modelling the Global Ocean	The oceans are a critical component of the climate system, storing roughly 1000 times as much heat, and 50 times as much carbon, as the atmosphere.	David Marshall	18 February, 2010
Anticipating Future Complexity: Are Systems Such as Cities Getting More Complex?	Cities are getting more complex as their residents acquire more and more ways in which they can interact with one another.	Mike Batty	17 February, 2010
Growth, Innovation, and the Pace of Life from Cells and Ecosystems to Cities and Corporations; Are They Sustainable?	Growth, Innovation, and the Pace of Life from Cells and Ecosystems to Cities and Corporations; Are They Sustainable?	Geoffrey West	5 February, 2010
Stability and Complexity in Model Banking Systems	The recent banking crises have made it clear that increasingly complex strategies for managing risk in individual banks and investment funds (pension funds, etc) has not been matched by corresponding attention to overall systemic risks.	Robert May	22 January, 2010
A Panel Discussion with George Soros	Lessons from Financial Crises: Paradigm Failure and the Future of Financial Regulation.	Paul Beaudry, Ian Goldin, Roger Goodman, Anatole Kaletsky, David Soskice, George Soros	17 December, 2009
Global Eradication of Infectious Diseases: Can 'Not Very Much' undermine the goal of 'None at All'?	Despite the well-publicised success of global smallpox eradication, 'zero' remains an elusive goal for the majority of vaccine-preventable diseases, making reduced pathogen circulation, or direct protection of the vulnerable more achievable strategies.	Jodie McVernon	27 November, 2009
A New Approach to Nuclear Disarmament: Learning from International Humanitarian Law Success	Achieving an end-state of "zero" has emerged as an important policy goal for a number of 21st Century challenges. The most prominent example is the "Global Zero" campaign to eliminate nuclear weapons.	Patricia Lewis	25 November, 2009
Dealing with doctrines: time to outlaw nuclear weapon use?	Achieving an end-state of "zero" has emerged as an important policy goal for a number of 21st Century challenges. The most prominent example is the "Global Zero" campaign to eliminate nuclear weapons.	Rebecca Johnson	24 November, 2009
Geoengineering the climate	Geoengineering the climate: Science, Governance and Uncertainty: The Royal Society Study - John Shepherd (NOCS).	John Shepherd	19 November, 2009
The End of Business as Usual	Distinguished Public Lecture: The end of business as usual by Dr Mohamed El-Erian, Co-CIO of PIMCO.	Mohamed El-Erian	18 November, 2009
Dealing with doctrines: time to outlaw nuclear weapon use?	Achieving an end-state of "zero" has emerged as an important policy goal for a number of 21st Century challenges. The most prominent example is the "Global Zero" campaign to eliminate nuclear weapons.	Rebecca Johnson	11 November, 2009
Bottom billion or bottom zero? Policies for international poverty reduction	Some developing countries have achieved rapid economic growth and poverty reduction while others have stagnated. This talk will review the determinants of success and the prospects for lagging regions to improve performance and eliminate poverty.	Tony Venables	30 October, 2009
Eliminating Nuclear Weapons	The Rt Hon Sir Malcolm Rifkind MP on how, in the 21st century, nuclear weapons pose a greater danger than ever before and their possession is less necessary. The time has come to forge agreement on a process of multilateral disarmament.	Malcolm Rifkind	28 October, 2009
Zero chance? Aiming for zero in weapons control	These seminars were run by the Oxford Martin School (formerly the James Martin 21st Century School) in association with the Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict.	Richard Price	21 October, 2009
Biotechnology and Biosecurity	Lecture on Biotechnology; its applications, its implications, risks and the challenges this new technology brings.	Ali Nouri	17 August, 2009
Introduction to the Global Catastrophes Risk Conference 2008	Nick Bostrom provides an introduction to the Global Catastrophic Risks Conference and briefly addressing some of the key themes running through it.	Nick Bostrom	17 August, 2009
Probing the Improbable	In this lecture, Toby Ord discusses the philosophical questions surrounding the risk of a global catastophe as well as the implications of a larger Hadron Collider.	Toby Ord	17 August, 2009
Blueprint for a Safer Planet	Professor Lord Nicholas Stern, a world renowned economist and leading authority on climate change, came to the 21st Century School on Thursday 7 May to give a lecture about his "Blueprint for a Safer Planet".	Nicholas Stern	8 May, 2009
Ian Goldin at University of Cape Town	Speaking at the Vice-Chancellor's Open Lecture, Dr Ian Goldin asked: Are the world's leading thinkers anticipating the risks and opportunities of the 21st century, or will humanity be overtaken by its own medical, technological and scientific successes?	Ian Goldin	18 March, 2009
Showcase: Oxford Stem cell Institute	Showcase: Oxford Stem cell Institute.	Paul Fairchild	15 December, 2008
Showcase: Institute for Science and Civilization	Showcase: Institute for Science and Civilization.	Steve Rayner	15 December, 2008
Showcase: 21st Century Ocean Institute	Showcase: 21st Century Ocean Institute.	Gideon Henderson, David Marshall	15 December, 2008
Showcase: Institute of Nanoscience for Medicine	Showcase: Institute of Nanoscience for Medicine.	Mark Sansom	15 December, 2008
Showcase: International Migration Institute	Showcase: International Migration Institute.	Stephen Castles	15 December, 2008
Showcase: Carbon and Energy Reduction in Transport	Showcase: Carbon and Energy Reduction in Transport.	Malcolm McCulloch	15 December, 2008
Showcase: Institute for the Future of the Mind	Showcase: Institute for the Future of the Mind.	Susan Greenfield	15 December, 2008
Showcase: Future Humanity Institute	Showcase: Future Humanity Institute.	Nick Bostrom	15 December, 2008
Showcase: Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict	Showcase: Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict.	Jennifer Welsh	15 December, 2008
Showcase: Environmental Change Institute	Showcase: Environmental Change Institute.	Diana Liverman	15 December, 2008
Showcase: Ethics of the New Biosciences	Showcase: Ethics of the New Biosciences.	Julian Savulescu	15 December, 2008
Showcase: Institute of Ageing	Showcase: Institute of Ageing.	Sarah Harper	15 December, 2008
Expected and unexpected in the exploration of the fundamental laws of nature	How does knowledge of the "known" allow scientists to anticipate consequences of the "unknown"? Possible outcomes of new high-energy experiments will be used to address this topic, covering both scientific and sociological aspects of the issue.	Michelangelo Mangano	8 December, 2008
Catastrophe, Social Collapse, and Human Extinction	This lecture examines how, for many types of disasters, severity seems to follow a power law distribution, and how the level of resistance to such disruptions can affect the future of humanity.	Robin Hanson	8 December, 2008
Into the Dark: The Long Term Future of our Dying Universe	This talk outlines astrophysical issues related to the long term fate of the cosmos. It considers the evolution of planets, stars, stellar populations, galaxies, and the universe itself over time scales that greatly exceed the current age of the universe.	Fred Adams	8 December, 2008
Avoiding Millennialist Cognitive Biases	This lecture outlines a typology of the pancultural millennial phenomena, describes characteristic cognitive biases and suggests how contemporary forms of secular techno-utopian and techno-apocalyptic discourse reflect these types of millennial psychology	James Hughes	8 December, 2008
21st Century Challenges: Humanity at the Crossroads?	Dr Ian Goldin provides an overview of the work of the James Martin 21st Century School and looks at the challenges facing humanity in the 21st Century.	Ian Goldin	15 October, 2008
What is Science for?	What is science for, what good does it do and should it do good?	John Sulston, John Harris, Richard Dawkins	10 June, 2008
Stiglitz on Credit Crunch - Global Financial Debacle: Meeting the Challenges of Global Governance in the 21st Century	The global financial crisis reflects a failure of global economic governance. The failure of America's regulatory system has not only ramifications for the American economy, but for the global economy.	Joseph Stiglitz	10 June, 2008
Craig Venter on Genomics: From humans to the environment	In the second of the Distinguished Public Lecture Series run by the James Martin 21st Century School, Dr Craig Venter will discuss his work at the J Craig Venter Institute and its implications for the future of our culture, society and science.	J Craig Venter	14 April, 2008
Economics of Climate Change	Professor Sir Nicholas Stern, HM Treasury: The economics of climate change Introduced by: Dr John Hood, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford. Chaired by: Dr Ian Goldin, Director of the James Martin 21st Century School.	Nicholas Stern	14 April, 2008

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