Events Programme

The majority of the talks in the 2024-25 season will be held in the Hub at the Pavilion on Park Drive, Hethersett, but since the first Covid lockdown, when we started to hold virtual meetings, meetings have been published live using Zoom and can be watched afterwards on Youtube using the links in Past Events.

For all meetings, a link to the Zoom meeting will be emailed out in advance of the meeting, to members for whom we have current email addresses.

Any member wishing to take part in a talk via Zoom is advised to download the 'Zoom' client, if they don't already have the app, onto their computer/tablet/phone. If you don't have one it takes much longer to join a meeting!

Mon 7th October 2024 at 19:30, Hethersett Hub + Zoom
Talk: Development in wind power generation
by Dr Dorian Hindmarsh, NES Member, Proeon Ltd

Summary: This talk will be about interesting developments in wind power generation. One of the interesting developments is in floating farms and how they are linked to shore stations.

Mon 21st October 2024 at 19:30, Hethersett Hub + Zoom
Talk: Space sustainability and safety and protection of the environment.
by Jule Black, Missions and Capabilities Delivery Director for Discovery and Sustainability at The UK Space Agency.

Summary: Julie will talk about space sustainability, safety and protection of the environment. In particular she will focus on active debris removal for defunct satellites; in orbit service and manufacture - to refuel, repair and repurpose satellites; and manufacture of materials in orbit.

Mon 4th November 2024 at 19:30, Hethersett Hub + Zoom
Talk: Levering AI/ML techniques at air interfaces
by Paul Harris, Independent Consultant

Summary: This talk will be about increasing the use of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning technologies in studying the transmission of radio waves at air interfaces.

Mon 18th November 2024 at 19:30, Hethersett Hub + Zoom
Talk: Manufacturung Textiles in 18th Century Norwich
by Dr Michael Nix, Independent researcher

Summary: In this talk Michael will concentrate on the methods of production and the machinery used.

Mon 2nd December 2024 at 19:30, Hethersett Hub + Zoom
Talk: Measurement
by John Pickering, Metro Designs UK

Summary: This talk is about the need for accurate and precise measurements in an engineering environment.

Mon 16th December 2024 at 19:30, Hethersett Hub + zoom
Talk: Time - What is Time?
by Richard Aldridge, NES Member

Summary: Time is an important component in many aspects of engineering. This talk will give a brief history of how the concept of time and its measurement has evolved. It will then look at some of the challenges the early ideas had to face and to review the efforts made to resolve these difficulties.

Mon 13th January 2025 at 19:30, Zoom
Council: Council Meeting
by The President,
Mon 20th January 2025 at 19:30, Zoom+
Talk: Autonomous Ships
by Andy Stanford-Clark, IBM

Summary: Andy was heavily involved in the Autonomous Ship Project run by IBM. His talk will look at the design and implementation of such projects and discuss whether this particular project met the design specifications.

Mon 10th February 2025 at 19:30, Zoom+
Talk: AI, the new normal
by Giancarlo Erra,

Summary: Coming soon

Mon 24th February 2025 at 19:30, Hethersett Hub + zoom
Talk: Lotus and Chapman- 1980s onwards
by Nick Duckworth, Lotus Cars

Summary: Coming soon.

Mon 10th March 2025 at 19:30, Hethersett Hub + Zoom
Talk: Space Topics
by Stuart Catchpole, Space East

Summary: Coming Shortly

Mon 24th March 2025 at 19:30, Hethersett Hub + Zoom
Talk: History & Engineering of Ice production
by David Forster,

Summary: David is the owner of a company which goes back to his grandfather in 1898 in Lowestoft that started the industrial production of ice. His talk will include an original film video of how the ice was made, the American use of compressed ammonia, shipping of ice from Norwegian glaciers and the provision of ice to cool Wimbledon tennis balls and for ice statues at the wedding of Princess Diana.

Mon 31st March 2025 at 19:30, zoom
Council: Council Meeting
by The President,
Mon 7th April 2025 at 00:00, Zoom+
AGM followed by: AGM 2024-2025
by The President,
Mon 5th May 2025 at 19:30, zoom
Council: Council Meeting
by The President,