Inaugural Lecture by Professor Sebastian Timme
5:30pm - 6:30pm /
Thursday 15th October 2026
- Natasha Whitehall
- Admission: FREE
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Buffet on a Wing: The Pursuit of Instability
What causes an aircraft to suddenly shake when flying at high speed, and how can engineers prevent it? Answering questions like these has been the driving force behind the speaker's research career.
In this inaugural lecture, the speaker shares the story of a lifelong fascination with the movement of air and the challenges of understanding one of nature's most complex and unpredictable behaviours. Using striking visualisations and real-world examples, the talk explores how seemingly small disturbances in airflow can grow to affect an entire aircraft.
The lecture also reflects on the research journey itself: the excitement of discovery, the frustrations of tackling difficult problems, and the importance of perseverance when answers are not immediately clear. Along the way, it reveals how science often progresses by finding patterns and understanding within what first appears to be chaos.
Accessible to everyone, regardless of scientific background, this event offers a behind-the-scenes look at the research that helps make air travel safer, quieter, and more efficient. It is a story about curiosity, problem-solving, and the pursuit of understanding, both in the skies above us and in the challenges we face throughout life.
What causes an aircraft to suddenly shake when flying at high speed, and how can engineers prevent it? Answering questions like these has been the driving force behind the speaker's research career.
In this inaugural lecture, the speaker shares the story of a lifelong fascination with the movement of air and the challenges of understanding one of nature's most complex and unpredictable behaviours. Using striking visualisations and real-world examples, the talk explores how seemingly small disturbances in airflow can grow to affect an entire aircraft.
The lecture also reflects on the research journey itself: the excitement of discovery, the frustrations of tackling difficult problems, and the importance of perseverance when answers are not immediately clear. Along the way, it reveals how science often progresses by finding patterns and understanding within what first appears to be chaos.
Accessible to everyone, regardless of scientific background, this event offers a behind-the-scenes look at the research that helps make air travel safer, quieter, and more efficient. It is a story about curiosity, problem-solving, and the pursuit of understanding, both in the skies above us and in the challenges we face throughout life.