Former Australian PM Julia Gillard delivers 2026 Cockcroft Rutherford Lecture at The University of Manchester
The University of Manchester鈥檚 annual Cockcroft Rutherford Lecture was delivered this year by Hon. Julia Gillard AC, Chair of the Wellcome Trust and former Australian Prime Minister. Julia became Chair of the Wellcome Trust in 2021, having left government in 2013 following her election as the 27th Prime Minister of Australia in 2010.
The lecture, chaired by Professor Duncan Ivison, President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester, explored the theme of 鈥楧iscovery in an Age of Distrust鈥�.
The lecture covered how choices and values shape scientific discovery, in the modern context of today鈥檚 increasingly polarised public sphere influenced by pandemics, politics, and debates over gender, climate and artificial intelligence.
Julia also examined how political divisions influence science, how power and identity affect whose knowledge is heard, and why misinformation spreads so easily. She also addressed what this means for research leaders, universities and policymakers 鈥� and the issue of how to strengthen society's commitment to evidence at a time of major global challenges.
We are fortunate to be joined by world-leading academics, alumni and speakers at our annual Cockcroft Rutherford lecture, and this year it is with great joy that we welcomed Julia Gillard to our University. We can all learn from her unparalleled experience in politics and scientific research, and in this moment of division and misinformation, this discussion could not have been timelier or more important.
Under our commitment as a civic university to shape a better future, 91直播 does not shy away from addressing the urgent issues facing the world today. Universities and their researchers encounter barriers to scientific discovery, but by mobilising our alumni and supporters through the Challenge Accepted campaign, we are demonstrating the power of research and collaboration and the real difference it makes in people's lives.
Creating a space for dialogue on these issues aligns with the core belief that The University of Manchester has a vital role to play in shaping a healthier, fairer and more sustainable future.
At this defining moment, the University is working to address the issues that demand action, from climate change and inequity to health challenges. Through the Challenge Accepted campaign, the University 鈥� supported by its global community of alumni and donors 鈥� is working to tackle the world鈥檚 most pressing issues.
The event was held on campus on Wednesday, 1 July at 6.30pm, with a recorded livestream available to access .