Prof. Sarah Harper CBE
Keynote Speaker
Sarah is Clore Professor of Gerontology at the University of Oxford, a Fellow at University College, and Director of the Oxford Institute of Population Ageing. Sarah was appointed a CBE for services to Demography in 2018.
Sarah chaired the UK government’s Foresight Review on Ageing Populations (2014-2016) and the Evaluation Board of the UN Active Ageing Index, and advised on the Industrial Strategy Healthy Ageing Challenge. She served on the Advisory Board, English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). Sarah is a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences and of the Royal Anthropology Institute and holds a Royal Society for Public Health Arts and Health Research Award for her research.
Sarah has a background in anthropology and population studies and her early research focused on migration and the social implications of demographic change, using a mixed methods approach. Her current research on demographic change addresses two broad questions: the implications of falling fertility and increasing life expectancy, and the interaction of population change with the environment.
In terms of falling fertility and increasing life expectancy, Harper’s major research achievements have concerned the role of life course factors in healthy ageing, by exploring how social and economic drivers influence health and well-being, with a particular emphasis on life transitions. In the area of well-being and later life she has explored the impact of work-life balance on health in later life within Europe. A second research contribution is the analysis of eldercare in China, considering the impact of the changing dynamics of the family on physical and mental health of older adults in both rural and urban areas. This has revealed how cultural perceptions of gendered care impact upon subjective well-being, while morbidity and mortality rates are lower under modern gender dynamics.
Fred MacAulay
Special Guest
Comedian and presenter Fred MacAulay hosted the hugely popular MacAulay & Co, the weekday morning show on BBC Radio Scotland, for almost twenty years. He also regularly appears on Have I Got News For You, Mock the Week and QI.
After a decade working as an accountant, Fred took the plunge into comedy and is now one of the most popular stand-ups on the circuit. His gentle sarcasm and intelligent, wry observations entertain audiences both north and south of the border.
A consummate host, Fred presented the first series of The 11 O’Clock Show and co-hosted the BBC sports chat show McCoist & MacAulay with the Rangers and Scotland legend. He fronts Scottish TV’s Fred MacAulay’s Fringe from the Edinburgh Festival and is a popular fixture at the festival as a performer.
Fred is also a Radio 4 regular, appearing on everything from Just a Minute and The News Quiz to The Unbelievable Truth. In the cause of charity, he also displayed his questionable vocal talents on Comic Relief does Fame Academy, his knowledge of classic sit-com Porridge on Mastermind, and his cooking skills on Masterchef. Away from the stage, Fred served as Rector of his alma mater the University of Dundee joining such luminaries as Peter Ustinov, Clement Freud, Stephen Fry and actor Brian Cox.