History Lab's 'Meet the Historian’ events are an opportunity to hear at first hand from noted historians how and why they became historians in the first place, their thoughts on research and the discipline generally, and about their latest work. There will be the chance to ask questions and enter into discussion, and to join the speaker for drinks after the talk.

Mary Beard is one of Britain’s best-known classicists, a distinguished Professor of Classics at the University of Cambridge where she has taught for the last 27 years. She has written numerous books on the Ancient World, including the 2008 Wolfson Prize-winner, Pompeii: The Life of a Roman Town which portrays a vivid account of life in Pompeii in all its aspects from food to sex to politics. Previous books include The Roman Triumph, Classical Art from Greece to Rome and books on the Parthenon and the Colosseum as part of a series on wonders of the world. Her interests range from the social and cultural life of Ancient Greece and Rome to the Victorian understanding of antiquity. In addition Mary is Classics editor of the Time Literary Supplement and writes an engaging, often provocative, blog, A Don’s Life, a selection of which has been published in book form. Mary’s academic achievement was acknowledged, in 2010, by the British Academy which elected her as a Fellow and in October 2011 Mary was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences as a Foreign Honorary Member.

History Lab is a national network of postgraduates in history or a related discipline. Events are open to those doing an MA or a PhD and non-members are welcome. For more information, see www.history.ac.uk/historylab