Lindsay Murray is a well-travelled Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology with something in excess of 35 years professional experience both in the UK and overseas, employed variously in clinical and veterinary microbiology, radiation protection, research management, and latterly in health and safety and medical research ethics.

He regularly lectures on a wide range of related topics to diverse audiences, from small groups to very large audiences, in-person and using broadcast technology. He has a particular interest in public engagement with science, for which he has been regularly commended. He has been a Guest Speaker on RMS Queen Mary 2 during her 2016 World cruise, and more recently on Fred Olsen's Black Watch. Lindsay is also the Minister of the historically significant Lowther Street Congregational Church in Carlisle, and is willing to lead or assist with on-board church services, and is a fully qualified first aider willing to escort shore excursions, etc.

COMPLETED PORTFOLIO

The list provided below represents the first fourteen from an extensive directory of subject matter on the general theme of “Travels with Biology”

1. Life, The Universe and Everything (But mostly about Life)
What do we understand by the term “A living thing”? What distinguishes living things from non-living things? Are cruise ships alive, for example, since these share at least some of the characteristics of living things? This entirely non-technical review considers a range of related matters in a light-hearted but meaningful way.

2. Exobiology (Is there life out there?)
For as long as there have been people who wonder, some people have wondered if there is life beyond our own planet; and, if there is, what might it look like, and what would the discovery of extra-terrestrial life mean for us? This light-touch exploration of a legitimate subject of scientific curiosity considers firstly what is it about the planet Earth that makes it so suitable for life, before looking at what conditions might have to exist on other planets to favour and shape the emergency of life further afield.

3. Senses and Sensibilities
Humans, other animals, and even plants have them, and there are not only the five that we tend to think of first. We are dependent upon our senses for the ability to perceive and interact with practically everything that we know, including an appreciation of breath-taking scenery, fine art, great literature, powerful music and tasty food, as well as the avoidance of danger. And increasingly we are able to compensate for the loss or impairment of the senses that we usually start out with.

4. The Art of Science and the Science of Art
Certainly there are differences, but there are also some fundamental philosophical similarities. The presentation ranges over some perhaps unexpected territories, but also considers the extent to which the shape of some very well-known art has been shaped by medical conditions experienced by the artists.

5. Nobel Prize Winners
A range of some well-known (and some perhaps less well known) winners of the most prestigious prize celebrating great achievements in science, medicine, economics, literature and peace, presented in the context of significant moments in the period of history when each prize-winning achievement was acknowledged.

6. A Star Trek Future ... Now
Set in the context of Gene Roddenberry’s rather well-known science fiction creation, a surprising number of his futuristic conceptions have since come to reality. This presentation ranges from those things that we now take very much for granted (such as hand-held medical scanners and cellular telephones) to somewhat less probable science such as warp drive and matter transportation. There’s not too much “Beam me up, Scotty” in this presentation, so it is not only for devoted Trekkies, and it looks beyond science fiction to consider what has already become science fact.

7. I'm going to the zoo tomorrow ... Entertainment or science?
Zoological collections provoke varying reactions from increasingly thoughtful populations of visitors. The presentation considers the history of zoos, examples of poor and good practice, what relevance they have to contemporary culture, their scientific credibility, and the extent to which they may the last bastion for many species teetering on the verge of extinction.

8. Milestones in Science and Technology: From Prehistory to More Recent Developments
From the dawning of human life, and the discovery of fire, to recent developments in stem cell medicine, through the evolution of the earliest forms of transport to deep space exploration, some discoveries have brought enormous benefits, but some have come at a cost.

9. Have a Scientific Christmas ... The Science of Santa.
A seasonally-focused presentation, intended to be of interest to adults and children of all ages, the presentation considers matters as diverse as the location of Santa’s operations base in the North Pole, the origins of gift-giving, and the scientific practicalities of delivering one present to every child on the plant within one day. Other matters include how much Santa eats and drink over the course of his annual gift-distribution operation, and where his reindeer and elves fit into the scheme of things.

10. You don't have to be mad to be a scientist.
It’s fairly common for scientists to be portrayed in a less than favourable light on television and in films and literature. While there are some examples of that being not so very far from the truth, how fair and accurate is that in reality? What does a good scientist need in order to become also a popular scientist in the public domain?

11. How to achieve immortality (Or at least to have a really good go at it)
Some achieve a form of immorality by being remembered well beyond their time on Earth by what they achieved while they walked amongst us. Scientists and artists are often better placed than most to leave their mark. But it is becoming increasingly clear that there is potential for each of us to live longer than people have tended to live in the past. The presentation considers both virtual immorality, and the trend for us all to live longer but with a correspondingly better quality of life.

12. History and Philosophy of Science
What makes science scientific, and how did science evolved into what we understand it to mean today? There surely has to be a point to science, but we all need to have a say in the direction it takes.

13. Angels of Mercy and Death
A rather more sinister theme, but one that is extremely popular as a recurring theme in murder mysteries. Drawing upon several well-researched actual cases, the presentation considers considering the rare but acknowledged association of a few healthcare professionals with murder and mayhem throughout the years.

14. Charles Darwin - A Ship's Biologist
From Charles Darwin’s earliest observations to publication of what most people take to be his greatest work, “On the Origin of Species“, the presentation ranges over the voyages of HMS Beagle, what Darwin’s discoveries actually mean, and the extent to which evolution continues to shape our very existence.

Lectured on Cunard QM2 world cruise 2016 (Brisbane to Kota Kinabalu leg).

Most recently, lectured on Fred Olsen's Black Watch (Greenland Fjords) cruise (July/August 2019).

The following recent Cruise History has been recorded for this candidate.