We’ve come a long way since references to lesbians could potentially land you jail-time and lesbian culture was less visible in literature and the arts, social commentary and public life. From anthemic pop icons Chappell Roan and Billie Eilish to commercially successful flicks like Bottoms and Love Lies Bleeding, lesbian culture is having a moment.

In the fifty years since the rallying cry “Lesbians are Lovely!” was sprawled across walls, bodies and picket boards in the fight for recognition and liberation, there have been many developments in queer identity and culture. But are we making space for all lesbians and how can we celebrate every part of our community?

Hosted by Walkley Award-winning journalist, presenter and producer Mon Schafter and featuring a trailblazing lineup of panellist, including Kate Rowe, an activist and advocate ‘78er who marched in the original Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras; Kath Ebbs queer actor, presenter and content creator; and Jackie Turner, trans woman, social justice and climate organiser, and Director of Trans Justice Project.

This event is co-presented by the UNSW Centre for Ideas (in collaboration with Dr Yves Rees) and Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

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Hear acclaimed political biographer Troy Bramston in conversation with UNSW’s Verity Firth and delve into his latest book Gough Whitlam: The Vista of the New. From Whitlam’s rise through the Labor party to Prime Minister, to his family, upbringing and life after politics, Troy lifts the lid on new revelations behind the man and his polices.

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With Australia on track to be among the first countries in the world to eliminate the transmission of HIV, there is a lot to be optimistic about. Yet globally the rates of transmission and AIDS-related deaths are predicted to rise, disproportionately impacting marginalised communities and people living in low and middle income countries.  

Weakening US political commitment and recent funding cuts are threatening the delicate global healthcare architecture designed to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS. High-income countries, like Australia, have a crucial role to play in enabling accessible research, testing, treatment, healthcare and public education with international communities. 

Hear renowned leading infectious disease researcher and President of the International AIDS Society, Dr Beatriz Grinsztejn, in conversation with Australia’s Dr Norman Swan. From diversifying funding sources to strengthening universal public health systems and promoting community involvement, Dr Grinsztejn and Dr Swan will discuss how to overcome the setbacks deepening the inequities between who gets care and who goes without.

Co-presented by the UNSW Centre for Ideas, Kirby Institute and UNSW Medicine & Health.

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In an era of increasing productivity, efficiency and automation it’s important not to lose sight that education – the learning and teaching that we all pursue – is about human connection and transformation.

Tune in to learn from Dr Gabi Nudelman, a Senior Lecturer in business sustainability and ethics, on how kindness could be our secret weapons against disconnection in our work and school environments.

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As natural disasters increase in frequency and severity, we are all at risk of one day having our homes and our lives being in danger from fire or flood. Right now, we are seeing an unprecedented level of people needing rescue in the midst of disaster. But rescue shouldn’t just be after the point of no return, when people must evacuate their homes because hazardous conditions overwhelm communities.

Listen to Dr Regina Jefferies, a human rights and refugee lawyer, on how recognising the broad scope of who tends to be a first responder in a disaster, and what it means to truly save people, could offer a fairer, kinder chance of rescue.

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The blood-brain barrier prevents 98% of medicines from reaching the brain. This prevents the effective treatment of neurological disorders, from cancer to Alzheimer’s. If we knew how to create drugs that could pass through this barrier, then we’d be able to create targeted, effective treatments. But doing so requires a lot of trial and error, and there aren’t a lot of effective, ethical, targeted treatments. Until now.

Tune in to learn from Dr Alexis Minchaca Acosta, a Research Officer at the Children’s Cancer Institute, on how her work in lab-made blood brain barriers could change the game for neurological disorders.

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Light has unlocked many technologies over the course of human history. The more we learn about what light is and what it can do, the more applications we find to advance our lives. When we study light at the smallest scale possible, at the atomic level, we can unlock some pretty amazing, pretty weird capabilities.

Find out from Dr Alison Goldingay, an award-winning Postdoctoral Fellow at UNSW in the School of Physics, about how the study of light is making quantum computing a reality.

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Our coastal marine habitats are suffering from the man-made degradation of climate change. From coral reefs to seagrass meadows, oyster reefs and kelp forests, these ecosystems are vital nurseries for marine life and natural coastal buffers against storms and we’re losing them at a rapid pace. But all is not lost. We have the tools and the know-how to restore these environments.

Tune in to learn from Ann Flemming Nielsen, a PhD student at the Centre for Marine Science and Innovation, on how we can use human engineering to build back the coastal environments in severe decline and give nature a chance to recover.

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