THURSDAY 22 OCTOBER 2026
5.30PM TO 7PM
LOCATION: Hosted in-person at Cambridge University Library. Directions
TICKETS: Tickets are free but booking is essential. This event is for adults but children are welcome when accompanied by an adult. Please book a free ticket for each adult and child attending. Babes in arms do not require a ticket.
ACCESSIBILITY: Accessible parking, accessible toilets, step-free access and hearing loop are available.
Living Water: A Conversation on Change, Connection and Aquatic Life
Join us for a special public conversation inspired by the Living Water: Poetry, Art and the Fight for Clean Rivers exhibition at Cambridge University Library and Pembroke College.
Water shapes our planet, sustains life, and connects people, places, and ecosystems. Yet rivers, lakes, wetlands, and oceans are undergoing unprecedented change. This event brings together researchers from the University of Cambridge's Water and Life Research Focus to explore how water supports life, how humans relate to aquatic environments, and how research is helping us understand and respond to a rapidly changing world.
The discussion will range from the origins and future of aquatic life to the cultural importance of water and the challenges posed by environmental change. Panellists will share insights from their research and reflect on how their work has shaped their own understanding of nature, resilience, and our relationship with the living world.
This is an opportunity to hear directly from leading researchers, engage with ideas inspired by the Living Water exhibition, and join a wider conversation about the future of our waters and the life they sustain.
Panellists
- Dr Mark Wormald (Chair): Writer, naturalist and exhibition curator
- Dr Emilia Santos NERC: Independent Research Fellow and Assistant Professor, Department of Zoology
- Professor Melody Clark: Project Leader for the Adaptations Group at the British Antarctic Survey
- Dr Tom Worthington: Head of Global Coastal Wetlands at the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge.
Questions from the audience
As this event is designed as a conversation, we warmly welcome questions from attendees. If there is something you would like the panel to discuss, please send your question in advance to: participatory-research@bio.cam.ac.uk We will endeavour to incorporate audience questions into the discussion and question-and-answer session.