In 1975, Junko Tabei climbed Everest, the first woman to reach its summit. 50 years on, join the Mount Everest Foundation to celebrate her ascent and discover the rarely told stories of extraordinary pioneering women in the Himalayas and beyond.
This celebratory event features speakers who embody the living history of women’s mountaineering today.
- Jo Bradshaw, herself an Everest summiteer, shares with us the societal and cultural barriers that the Japanese climber Junko Tabei determinedly overcame to be the first woman to stand on Everest’s summit.
- Physicist Dr Melanie Windridge explores the science behind climbing Everest and examines how the experience may differ for women compared to men.
- A small exploratory trio, Elizabeth Porter, Dr Caitlin McHale and Martha Gutteridge, take us on a rocky road to the remote Ak-Shyyrak mountain range in Kyrgystan in search of unclimbed peaks.
Hosted by the Mount Everest Foundation which is jointly administered by the Royal Geographical Society and the Alpine Club and supports exploratory scientific and mountaineering expeditions worldwide.
About Monday night lectures
Our Monday night lectures are exclusive to Fellows and Members and are included in the cost of membership. Members can book to attend the lectures in-person at the Society, or enjoy them live from the comfort of your own home.
These lectures are also recorded and uploaded to our website solely for members to catch up on whenever they like. If you would like to receive a weekly reminder email about the upcoming Monday night lecture, please sign up to our Updates about our Monday night lectures newsletter.
Booking information
Monday night lectures are open to Fellows and Members and are included in the cost of membership.
Attending in-person
- All Fellows and Members wanting to attend in person must pre-book a free ticket. You will receive an e-ticket with a QR code that will be scanned on arrival. Your ticket can be shown on a mobile phone or printed. If you do not have a smartphone, we can find your name on the door list instead.
- Doors open at 5.30pm. Please use the Society's entrance on Exhibition Road.
- Monday night lectures are held in person in the Ondaatje Theatre. The bar will be open in the Map Room before and after the lecture. Please be advised all payments are card only.
- The Ondaatje Theatre is fitted with a hearing loop. For the best quality sound we recommend sitting on the outside rows of the front seating section.
- There is step free access to the theatre. Wheelchair spaces can be booked in advance. If you have any questions about the venue, please contact events@rgs.org
Watch online
- You do not need to pre-book to watch the lecture online.
- All Monday night lectures are livestreamed via our website so you can watch them from wherever you are.
If you have any questions or require assistance with your booking, please email events@rgs.org
Venue information
This event will be held in the Ondaatje Lecture Theatre at Royal Geographical Society (with IBG), 1 Kensington Gore, London, SW7 2AR.
Doors open at 5.30pm. The lecture will begin at 6.30pm.
Plan your visit to the Society and find more information about our venue, including our address, accessibility and transport links.
- Lecture
Warmth from below: where ice and ocean meet
As Arctic sea ice melts away, the ocean below is absorbing six times more solar radiation. This lecture will highlight the changing ocean processes melting ice and implications for our weather and climate.
Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)Open to allMonday 24 February 2025 - Lecture
Exploring the relationship between environment and people
Changes in the environment are a global phenomenon. However, some people and communities experience the complexities of climate change more than others. This lecture will bring stories from the Global South of small resource-dependent communities facing interconnected social, economic, and environmental challenges.
Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)Open to allMonday 3 March 2025 - Cancelled
The changing rainforests
A journey through the Congo Basin, reflecting on the future of its iconic wildlife and trees and showing how the African forests are a key part of the climate change puzzle.
Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)Open to allMonday 10 March 2025
