Minerva Lecture Series

Millfield's Minerva Lecture series seeks to broaden knowledge of the world and sparking curiosity in all students, by hosting speakers who are disruptors in their respective fields.

Named after Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom, the series welcomes a plethora of industry-experts, delivering insightful talks to students, encouraging them to explore areas beyond the curriculum, inspiring them to explore different future pathways.

Lectures run regularly, with 4 every term on Thursday evenings, and are open to all Year Groups, and members of the public.

The Minerva Lecture Series encompasses speakers from a range of fields: academia, sport, the arts, armed forces and industry, among others.  Lectures are also organised in collaboration with the Atkinson Gallery and Futures department.

Industries featured include: law, business, sport, the arts, science, medicine, insurance, history, politics and languages.

We welcome not only external speakers but also those who have a connection with the school such as Old Millfieldians, staff or friends of Millfield.

Recent lectures include:

  • Sam Taylor-Johnson OBE, British film director and artist, Career pathway in the arts
  • Kriss Akabusi MBE, Personal journey in sport
  • Alex Burghart (Old Millfieldian), MP, A life in politics
  • Peter Jewell (OM), Careers in law
  • Dr Anna Beer, University of Oxford, Disruptors through time

  • David Chivers KC, British Surrealism (In collaboration with the Atkinson Gallery)

  • Robert Seeley, 25 years in the Royal Marines

  • Professor David Adger of Queen Mary University, London, How to invent your own language

  • Dr Jonathan Kennedy (OM) of Queen Mary University, Pathogenesis: How germs made history

  • Dr John Tregoning, Infections, pathogens and how we fight them

  • Professor Henry Snaith, University of Oxford, Photovoltaics and Renewable energy

  • Sarah Dyke, MP for Glastonbury and Somerton

 

Sam Taylor Johnson lecture
Millfield Minerva Lecture series
Sam Taylor Johnson lecture
Minerva Lecture in the Johnson Hall

Millfield’s Minerva Lectures are an opportunity to further learn outside of the classroom from our teachers and guest speakers. They are interesting because they cover a range of subjects, and you always learn something new. My favorite evening was Sports Science because it was immersive, with us asked to participate and move from station to station.

Year 9 student, Jagger

Led by

Millfield Head of Academic Culture Bea Priest

Beatrice Priest
Brilliance Breakfast Support
Head of Academic Culture
MPhil, PhD Cantab

Beatrice Priest holds a PhD in Medieval Italian Literature from the University of Cambridge, Trinity Hall. She completed her MPhil in European Literature and Culture, and BA in Modern and Medieval Languages (French and Spanish) at the University of Cambridge, Emmanuel College. She has lived and worked in Italy, as well as spending her Year Abroad in France at the Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris and teaching Italian at the University of Notre Dame, USA, during her PhD. Before coming to Millfield, she worked as teacher in charge of French, Head of Italian and Head of Languages at schools in Brighton, Exeter and in Essex.

I think the Minerva lectures are great because they explore such a wide range of topics, and it’s always interesting to hear from people who have had extraordinary lives.

Year 10 student, Ana