29 January 2021
This week’s talks on virtual reality and Homer & Hollywood perfectly embodied the variety and interest that our Woldingham Talks programme offers.
On Tuesday 27 January, Woldingham parent and governor Mr Chris Scattergood gave a Working Lunch talk on virtual reality (VR). CRO and Founder of Fundamental VR, Mr Scattergood said that although the technology is cutting edge now, it will be commonplace when Woldingham’s current Sixth Formers enter the workplace in three to five years’ time. Although currently mainly used in high risk fields, such as flight simulation for pilots or surgeons practising operations, it will soon be used in sectors such as accountancy, fashion and architecture. Mr Scattergood’s excellent summary for students was that VR is not all about programming; it offers a vibrant and changing workplace; it is the future, so embrace it; and, very importantly, the world needs more women involved in shaping the future.
Two days later, Upper Sixth Former Charlotte took us back to around 700 BC with the first Thinking Big talk of 2021 about Homer. Although perhaps fairer to say that Charlotte brought Homer forward in time to meet her audience as her argument was that Homer missed his true calling as a Hollywood producer. Charlotte made a compelling case for this with examples of genres, characters and tropes from Homer’s Odyssey and Iliad that we can recognise in many modern films, referencing, among others, Star Wars, Harry Potter, Up, Space Jam and Three Kings. Charlotte also used some gory deaths to explain that the way in which the poems are narrated is often similar to following the action through a camera lens. Clearly very knowledgeable and passionate about both Homer and Hollywood, Charlotte kicked off Thinking Big 2021 in excellent style.
On Tuesday 2 February, we are looking forward to the first of our In Conservation With talks, as alumna Taisie speaks to Head of Science Mrs Baldwin about her anthropology studies at Durham University. You can see the full programme of upcoming talks here.