The University of Portsmouth is set to host an evening event exploring two of today's biggest global challenges as part of Life Solved Live: Inaugural Lectures.
As climate change drives more frequent floods, heatwaves, and droughts, and the push for Net Zero accelerates developments in sustainable energy, Portsmouth academics will host an insightful, expert-led event delving into these two key global matters.
On Wednesday 10 December 2025, staff, students and members of the public are invited to attend Life Solved Live: Forecasting Floods and Engineering Net Zero , an event aimed at bringing together experts to drive innovation and tackle topical issues.
Professor David Ndzi from the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering will discuss why accurate forecasting of rainfall is critical to protect lives, safeguard food supplies and guide infrastructure planning in his lecture, Extreme Weather (Rainfall) Prediction in a Changing Climate.
The lecture will further explore how conventional radar and satellite technologies, originally designed for temperate climates are often costly and fail to accurately detect the highly localised, intense rainfall and sudden storms that are becoming more frequent across the globe.
Professor Ndzi said: "I'll present an innovative alternative, low-cost sensor networks combined with artificial intelligence to predict rainfall location, intensity, and duration several days in advance.
"I will introduce a Malaysian case study that shows how this system supports early flood warnings, improves water management, and strengthens community resilience, as well as key sectors such as agriculture, healthcare and communications.
"Our audience can expect to gain a clear insight into the potential of scalable, AI-driven solutions to strengthen climate adaptation and build more resilient infrastructure worldwide."
Professor Victor Becerra , also from the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering within the University's Faculty of Technology will draw on three decades of research and innovation to highlight both the challenges and the opportunities of building a sustainable energy system in his lecture, Powering the Future.
He will discuss the way the power grid is being transformed in its path towards decarbonisation, in support of the UK's plans to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Professor Becerra added: "I'll share insights from projects spanning solar, wind, nuclear safety, community microgrids, energy storage, and maritime decarbonisation. I will explain why flexibility - through digitalisation, smart data, and energy storage - sits at the heart of future power systems, and how cross-sector collaborations and pioneering doctoral research are contributing to the transition.
"With electricity demand set to rise dramatically and the UK committed to fully decarbonising its grid by 2030, I will show how engineering solutions, policy, and consumer engagement must align. I'll invite our audience to reflect on the pivotal role of technology and innovation in powering a cleaner, smarter, and more resilient future."
The event will take place at the University of Portsmouth's Portland Building on Wednesday 10 December between 6:00pm-8:45pm.
