UCL Engineering Inaugural Lecture Series | Professor Vanessa Diaz

UCL Engineering Inaugural Lecture Series | Professor Vanessa Diaz

Talk title: "Always (a Bit) Wrong: The Art of Roguish Lies, Bent Truths, and the Flawed Models That Help Clinicians Get It Right"

About the talk:

This talk is the story of the person - and the work. It’s about how mathematical models, while never quite right, can still be (kind of) useful. Vanessa invites you into a world where precision is (frankly) overrated, honesty is (non)negotiable, and being just a bit wrong might be the best way to do right by patients.

From clever assumptions to models that misbehave just enough to help clinicians make better decisions, Vanessa explores how embracing the occasional fib lets us design tools that serve humans - not perfect theories.

Expect cunning approximations, honest intentions, and deep respect for the clinical chaos we’re all trying to make sense of - one clever fib at a time.

About Professor Vanessa Diaz:

When Vanessa was little, she went through multiple iterations of being a vet, architect, diplomat, writer, linguist, medic, engineer, and artist. By 17, she’d settled on medicine - but wasn’t keen on spending too long at university (oh, the irony!). So, since she liked maths and physics (honestly, that was pretty much the whole push), she went for engineering instead.

Being a clever clogs, she absolutely did not plan to stick around - procrastination was supposed to be just a short-term hobby. But the Universe had other plans, and you can bet God was laughing the whole time. Many years later, that hobby turned into a PhD, then into a full-time gig as an Academic.

A clever kid with a trickster soul and a good heart, Vanessa was fascinated by lies, lying, and a good sleight of hand. Yet, she was determined to live an honest life. Then two things happened: first, a fateful encounter with a university professor who saw her (very raw) potential; second, the chance to study abroad. That’s when she embarked on her long career as a professional con artist - under the guise of research, of course.

Using mathematical models as decoys, Vanessa finally got to tell roguish lies to her heart’s content, all while helping doctors make sense of the chaos and mountains of data they face.

Whether you're part of the UCL community, a researcher, or simply curious about what’s next in sustainable engineering, this lecture will provide thought-provoking ideas and discussion.

Date: Wednesday, 23 July 2025

Time: 17:30 - 18:30 (Reception 18:30 - 20:00)

Location: Room G08, UCL Roberts Building, UCL Bloomsbury Campus, Torrington Place, London, WC1E 7JE

Our Inaugural Lectures are free to attend for all students, staff and members of the public.

Lectures are typically one hour long. A drinks reception will follow, to which everyone is welcome to join.

Booking is essential to secure your space. We look forward to seeing you there!

Live Streaming

This will be an in-person event and open to the public. If you are unable to attend the UCL campus, please register to watch the Live Stream via the link below.

Sign up to the Live Stream here!

If you have any questions about the event series, please get in touch: faceng.events@ucl.ac.uk.

Additional information

Attendees

If you can no longer attend, please cancel your ticket via Eventbrite or by emailing mecheng@ucl.ac.uk.

All under 16s must be attending with an adult who understands the nature of this event and ensures the minor/s are supervised at all times.

Access

We want to make this event as inclusive as possible.

Please let us know when registering if you have any requirements you would like us to be made aware of so we can try to make reasonable adjustments.

Photography

There will be photographs and videos taken during the event. In registering for this event you are agreeing that your image may be used in future UCL promotional material.

If you do not wish to be photographed, please inform an event organiser. You will be provided with a red lanyard to ensure your privacy is protected.

Privacy notice

We are collecting your booking details in order to administer your event attendance.

By registering onto our events, you agree to be contacted about our future events and receive our newsletters. You can unsubscribe from the UCL Engineering events mailing list at any time.

Your data will be used by the UCL Faculty of Engineering team solely.

Please note that Eventbrite is a third-party service that is not owned or managed by UCL. You should refer to Eventbrite’s terms and conditions of privacy policy as we do not accept any responsibility or liability for their policies.

Eventbrite operates in the USA and subscribes to the EU-US Privacy Shield, which commits subscribers to adhering to European standards of data protection. For further details, please see: Eventbrite terms and conditions Eventbrite privacy policy

The UCL Faculty of Engineering will remain responsible for your personal data as data controller and all queries should be directed to faceng.events@ucl.ac.uk