The 2007 Monsignor Pádraig de Brún Memorial Lecture entitled Solar Variability and Climate Change, will be delivered by Professor Joanna Haigh, Professor of Atmospheric Physics, Imperial College London on Thursday, 22 November, 2007 at 8.30 p.m. in the O'Flaherty Lecture Theatre, NUI Galway.

Joanna Haigh is Professor of Atmospheric Physics and Head of the Space and Atmospheric Physics group at Imperial College London. Her talk will outline the chequered history of solar-climate studies, assess what is known about variations in the Sun and review the evidence for a solar influence on climate. It will conclude with a discussion of recent research that is trying to unravel some of the complex physical mechanisms involved.

Professor Gerard Jennings of the Environment Change Institute at NUI Galway commenting ahead of Professor Haigh's lecture said, "Natural variations in the sun's energy, as measured from spacecraft over the past 30 years, are too small to account for the observed rapid rise in global mean temperatures. This is consistent with the extensive body of scientific evidence which supports the view that it is extremely likely that human activity has a substantial warming influence on climate."

Professor Haigh's scientific interests include: radiative transfer in the atmosphere, climate modelling, radiative forcing of climate change and the influence of solar irradiance variability on climate. She has published widely on these topics in the scientific literature and also contributed to numerous items in the written and broadcast popular media.

This public lecture is jointly organised by NUI Galway and the Royal Irish Academy. While admission is free, tickets are limited and are available through the Press and Information Office at 091-493361 or by email at info@nuigalway.ie. Alternatively, tickets can be booked through the Royal Irish Academy at www.ria.ie.