The Royal Society of Edinburgh
Review 2006 (Session 2004-2005) The Royal Society of Edinburgh Review 2006
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REVIEW OF THE SESSION 2004-2005 The Royal Society of Edinburgh 22-26 George Street Edinburgh, EH2 2PQ
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REVIEW OF THE SESSION 2004-2005
PUBLISHED BY THE RSE SCOTLAND FOUNDATION ISSN 1476-4342
CONTENTS
Proceedings of the Ordinary Meetings ...... 3 Proceedings of the Statutory General Meeting ...... 5 Trustees’ Report to 31 March 2005 ...... 21 Auditor’s Report and Accounts ...... 33 Schedule of Investments ...... 53 Activities Prize Lectures ...... 57 Lectures...... 103 Conferences, Symposia, Workshops, Seminars and Discussion Forums ...... 127 Publications ...... 153 The Scottish Science Advisory Committee ...... 155 Evidence, Advice and Comment ...... 159 Inquiries ...... 161 Events for Young People ...... 163 Research and Enterprise Awards ...... 167 Medals, Prizes and Prize Lectureships ...... 173 Grants Committee ...... 175 International Programme ...... 177 Fellows’ Social Events ...... 183 Grants, Sponsorship and Donations ...... 185 Changes in Fellowship During the Session ...... 187 Staff ...... 189 Obituary Notices...... 191 Index ...... 347
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ORDINARY MEETINGS 8 November 2004 13 June 2005 Chairman Chairman Professor John Mavor FREng FRSE. Professor John Coggins VPRSE. Formal Admission to Fellowship Lecture Professor Eleanor B Campbell, How Safe Are Vaccinations? Professor Wolfgang Mecklenbrauk- Professor Harry Burns, Director of er, Professor Cornelis J Weijer. Public Health, Greater Glasgow NHS Board. (page 121) Lecture Osteoporosis: African Genesis - 19 September 2005 European Nemesis. Professor Chairman David Purdie, Consultant, Edin- Lord Sutherland of Houndwood burgh Osteoporosis Centre. (page KT, FBA, PRSE. 103) Formal Admission to Fellowship 6 December 2004 Professor Paul William Jowitt, Chairman Professor Karen Heather Vousden. Lord Sutherland of Houndwood KT, Lecture (Presidential Address) FBA, PRSE. The Lisbon Earthquake: 250 Years Lecture On and Counting. Lord Suther- The Challenge of the Ageing land of Houndwood. (page 101) Skeleton. Professor David Ham- 3 October 2005 blen, Professor Hamish Simpson and Professor Joseph McGeough. Chairman (page 105) Lord Sutherland of Houndwood KT, FBA, PRSE. 7 March 2005 Formal Admission to Fellowship Gannochy Meeting The Very Reverend G I MacMillan. Dr Ian Underwood, FRSE, Director Lecture of Strategic Marketing, MicroEmis- Who You Are or Where You Are? sive Displays Ltd. (page 57) Social and Spatial Patterning of 4 April 2005 Health Professor Sally J Macintyre OBE FRSE, Director, MRC Social Chairman and Public Health Sciences Unit, Professor John Coggins VPRSE. University of Glasgow. (page 126) Lecture The Robot in your Head. Professor Noel Sharkey FIEE, Professor of Computer Science, EPSRC Senior Media Fellow, University of Shef- field. (page 118)
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PROCEEDINGS OF THE STATUTORY GENERAL MEETING Minute of the Statutory General Meeting held on 10 October 2005, ending the 222nd Session The Annual Statutory Meeting General Secretary took place in the Society’s Wolf- Professor Gavin McCrone CB son Theatre on Monday 10 Treasurer October 2005 at 5.30pm. Lord Mr Edward Cunningham CBE Sutherland of Houndwood, KT, FBA, FRSE, President, took the Fellowship Secretary Chair. Professor Andrew Walker Minutes Ordinary Members Professor Ron Asher The Minutes of the Annual Mr Ewan Brown CBE Statutory Meeting held on Professor Tariq Durrani Monday 25 October 2004 were Professor Rona M MacKie CBE taken as read, approved by those Ms Shonaig Macpherson CBE Fellows present and signed by the President as a correct record. Executive Board Election of Officers and Council General Secretary for the 223rd Session. Professor Gavin McCrone CB Lord Sutherland reported that 566 Treasurer ballot forms were returned and Mr Edward Cunningham CBE examined by Sir David Carter and Curator Mr Ivor Guild, who were appoint- Professor John Howie CBE ed as Scrutineers at the Ordinary International Convener Meeting on 13 June 2005. Their Professor Rona M MacKie CBE report showed all those proposed for election as having been Programme Convener elected by an overwhelming Professor David Ingram OBE majority. Lord Sutherland con- Research Awards Convener gratulated the following elected Professor Peter Holmes CB members: Young People’s Convener Council Professor Miles Padgett President Annual Review for Fiscal Year Sir Michael Atiyah OM 2004/05 Vice-Presidents Lord Sutherland commented that, Professor Janet McDonald in addition to producing the Professor John Coggins formal Trustees’ Report and Professor John Mavor Accounts for 2004-2005 in accordance with Charity Regula-
5 Review of the Session 2004-2005
tions, an illustrated Annual which we have done and which Review of highlights of the year has been approved by Council in (with a summary financial review) its capacity as the Society’s was again produced, and this had Trustees. As with previous years, been widely circulated to all all Fellows have received an Fellows, as well as to many others illustrated Annual Review which interested in the Society. covers the fiscal year, summarises Office Bearers’ Reports for the main activities described in the Session 2004/05 Trustees Report, and includes an approved summary of Accounts. I Lord Sutherland invited Professor hope Fellows and others interest- Andrew Miller, General Secretary, ed in the Society find this version Mr Edward Cunningham, Treasur- provides a more interesting and er, and Professor Colin Bird, accessible document than the Fellowship Secretary to report: formal Trustees’ Report, although General Secretary’s Report this is freely available to any who wish to see it. Professor Miller highlighted three particular areas during his four I am delighted that at my last year term of office which he saw Annual Statutory Meeting as as strengthening the future of the General Secretary, I am able to Society. These were: the introduc- report a very productive and tion of Corporate and Business successful year; a year in which the Plans defining the Society’s Society delivered a wide range of strategy and providing a solid public benefit activities in keeping base on which to deliver and with its charitable objects and monitor progress of activities; a mission – “the advancement of more stable financial base, which learning and useful knowledge”. supports better forward planning Our Corporate Plan sets six of activities; and new and im- strategic objectives through which proved governance and staffing we aim to achieve that mission. I structures. Professor Miller then shall highlight some of the key provided the following report of activities delivered during the the Society’s activities during the Session under each of these Session: strategic objectives, but before The Session is one of two annual doing so, I should report briefly reporting cycles. The other cycle on governance issues approved at covers the fiscal year from April to last years ASM, and which are March. We are, by charity legisla- pivotal to the Society being able tion, required to produce an to deliver these activities. Annual Trustees’ Report and Accounts for the fiscal year –
6 Proceedings of the Annual Statutory Meeting
This Session was the first year overseas. The Inquiry’s work will during which we operated with a continue during the coming reduced Council – from 25 to 12 Session, with a report of its Trustees; a new Executive Board, findings expected to be published chaired by myself and comprising in June 2006. the Treasurer, Committee Conven- With the input of the multi- ers and Senior Staff Managers; disciplinary Fellowship, the Society and a new Audit & Risk Commit- produced 21 authoritative tee, which replaced the Treasurer’s responses to a wide range of Committee and jointly serves both public, mainly Governmental, the Society and the RSE Scotland consultations. Amongst the Foundation. responses were: These new arrangements were - Genetics and Reproductive implemented seamlessly, and Decision-Making enabled the Society to operate in a more streamlined, progressive - Cross-Border Student Flows and way, consistent with the demands Higher Education Tuition Fee and expectations brought by Levels significant changes in charity - Simplification of the 7th EU legislation. The smooth change- Research Framework Pro- over was due the persuasive gramme leadership shown by the Presi- - Sustainable Business Growth dent; the willingness of the Fellowship to move with the - The draft Animal Health and times; and meticulous administra- Welfare (Scotland) Bill tive input by the Chief Executive - Long-tem Radioactive Waste and his staff. The new arrange- Management ments have served us well in their first year of operation and should - Review of Scottish Climate continue to do so for years ahead. Change Programme Providing authoritative advice, I am most grateful for the expert independent advice and making input of so many Fellows, includ- recommendations to policy ing many with busy “day jobs”. It decision takers is the quality of this input which enables the Society to submit In May, we launched an Inquiry these much respected responses. into Scotland’s future energy supply. Chaired by Professor We also initiated a new series of Maxwell Irvine, the Inquiry began Position Papers, the first entitled its work immediately and consid- Climate Change and the Manage- erable evidence has already been ment of Scotland’s Natural gathered from across the UK and Heritage. The aim of these is to
7 Review of the Session 2004-2005
bring together, in one document, Scotland, elsewhere in the UK, views expressed in previous and overseas, to develop their consultations to help inform ideas here in Scotland. These policy makers. awards supported some of the Of course, it is understood that most outstanding scientists and not every view expressed in our innovators working in Scotland in consultation responses or Position subjects of wider benefit to Papers, reflects those of every Scotland and its people, for Fellow. We are a broad church example, in areas of healthcare, and that diversity is a strength, the environment, the ageing but it also makes unanimity population, and advancing social unlikely. Hence, in approving the and economic well-being. submission of evidence and advice Some 23 new Personal Research produced in this way, the role of Fellowships, Support Fellowships, the General Secretary is to ensure Research Studentships and that it reflects a broad consensus Scholarships were presented at within those who contribute their the Annual Research Awards views. Reception on 2 September. This During the Session, the pilot year, the Reception was held in Scottish Parliament Science the Main Chamber of the Scottish Information Scheme, operated in Parliament; a fitting place for such partnership with the Royal Society important and prestigious awards. of Chemistry and the Scottish The presentations were part of a Parliament Information Centre, wider event, organised in partner- was reviewed and endorsed as a ship with the Parliament’s worthwhile initiative which should “Scotland’s Futures Forum”, which continue. included discussion involving some 140 participants on the Lastly, we continued to provide topic of attracting, retaining and the Scottish Science Advisory recognising Scotland’s research Committee with the necessary talent. These awards would not support to enable it to undertake have been possible without the its work of producing independ- financial support of organisations ent reports and advice to the such as – BP, the Caledonian Scottish Executive. Research Foundation, Lloyds TSB Supporting and enhancing Foundation for Scotland, the Scottish research-based excel- Scottish Executive and, last but lence not least, specific purpose legacies bequeathed to the Society. To The Society awarded grants each of these the Society offers its totalling £1.7m to support the sincere thanks. brightest researchers from
8 Proceedings of the Annual Statutory Meeting
In May, a Steering Group was Supporting the commercialisa- established, under the Chairman- tion of research and innovation ship of Sir John Enderby, CBE, FRS, We administered 3 separate to oversee an independent review Enterprise Fellowship schemes, of the Society’s Scottish Executive funded by Scottish Enterprise, funded Research Fellowships BBSRC and PPARC. The aims of Scheme. The review shows that these are to increase the commer- both the Personal and Support cialisation of the Scottish Fellowships have addressed their academic research base; raise stated aims and provide value for understanding of commercialisa- money. It was, however, expected tion throughout Scottish that some changes would be universities and research insti- necessary to ensure the schemes tutes; and to create sustainable continue to attract and retain the companies with high value jobs. highest quality researchers in During the Session we also Scotland, and the Review Group awarded a further 15 Enterprise accepted the view of the Scottish Fellowships (11 Scottish Enter- Science Advisory Committee that prise: 4 BBSRC) to those awarded RSE Fellowship programmes in previous years. should be adapted to be more akin to those offered on a UK- The Session saw the continuation wide basis by the Royal Society of of the highly prestigious Ganno- London and Research Councils. chy Trust Innovation Award of the This will require three changes: Royal Society of Edinburgh. This award is Scotland’s highest - The scheme must cover full accolade for individual achieve- economic costs; ment in innovation and was - The duration of Fellowships created to encourage and reward should be extended from three Scotland’s young innovators. The to a minimum of four years; and third recipient of the award, - The Fellowships should lead to receiving a cheque for £50,000 on a contract of employment at 7 October, was John Harrison for Scottish HEIs his new material technology work, from which he developed Micro The funding implications of these Emulsion Technology with future changes, as well as increasing the benefits in relation to industrial number of Fellowships available cleaning applicants. to reflect demand, is clearly significant and will depend on the In January we launched the RSE outcome of negotiations with the Entrepreneurs’ Club which Scottish Executive. provides the opportunity for all the RSE’s past and current Enter-
9 Review of the Session 2004-2005
prise Fellows to come together at Workshops and 3 Award Ceremo- networking events. The most nies. Amongst these were: recent gathering of the “Club” - Presidential Address – The included a key-note presentation Lisbon Earthquake: 250 Years by Dr Ian Underwood FRSE, of on and Counting MicroEmissive Displays Ltd, who received the Gannochy Award in - Caledonian Research Founda- 2004. tion Conference – Reproductive Health Communicating knowledge and understanding - The Coming Century – Ten Trends to Back, by Frances The Society was active in four Cairncross areas under this objective – publishing journals, a Public - Conference on Europe’s Hidden Events Programme, a Young Coral Worlds People’s Programme and commu- - The Caledonian Research nicating generally. Foundation Prize Lecture – Once We continued our long tradition There was a Golden Age, How of publishing two journals, We Judge Television: Then and Transactions: Earth Sciences and Now by Joan Bakewell CBE Proceedings A: Mathematics, - Gunning Victoria Jubilee Prize which were published on behalf Lecture – Energy – A Challenge of the Society by the RSE Scotland for Materials Chemistry by Foundation. Six issues of the Professor Peter Bruce, University Proceedings A journal were of St Andrews published during the Session. - BP Prize Lecture – Russia’s Fallen The publishing schedule of Heroes: Men’s Experiences of Transactions greatly improved and Post-Soviet Change by Dr six issues were published. This Rebecca Kay, University of coming session Transactions will Glasgow undergo some changes with a slight change in title (to broaden - Discussion Forums on HIV and the remit to ‘Earth and Environ- AIDS in Scotland, Neurosurgery mental Sciences’); a revitalised for Mental Disorder, The Ethics cover design; and a dedicated of War and Artificial Intelligence marketing drive to launch the As before, we also participated in new-look, broader remit journal. the Edinburgh Lecture series and The public events programme hosted Professor Roland Jung, delivered some 30+ Lectures, Chief Scientist, the Scottish Discussion Forums, Conferences, Executive and Dr James Robson, National Team Medical Co-
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ordinator, the Scottish Rugby - Roadshows in Arbroath and Union who spoke on The Health Dingwall, comprising a selection and Psyche of the Scottish Nation. of talks and workshops for It was with much regret, that primary and secondary school Council accepted Professor Ian students, as well as a talk for Stevenson’s resignation, due to ill- the wider community. At the health, as Programme Convener Arbroath Road-show, Professor during the Session. The Society Sue Black spoke to local schools was extremely sad to lose Ian’s students and also to the general skilful and considerable input to public. the Events programme; his - A Discussion Forum at St contribution was pivotal to its Andrew’s on Climate Change, successful delivery. Our thanks go where senior school students to Ian, and to Professor David heard from the experts and then Ingram, who kindly agreed to made up their own minds on cover Ian’s duties until the end of how Scotland should act in the Session, and to stand for relation to this. election as Programme Convener. - Two Science, Engineering and The Young People’s programme Technology Summer Schools at continued to prosper and to cover Heriot Watt University, to the length and breadth of introduce Highers level students Scotland. Amongst activities to university life. were: - A Christmas Lecture, Why - 10 Talk Science Schools’ Clone? Cloning in Biology and lectures. Venues ranged from Medicine, by Professor Ian Thurso to Dornoch and Dum- Wilmut at Pitlochry Festival fries and many point in Theatre, who spoke to local between. Students heard about schools pupils in the afternoon subjects such as Black Holes and and the general public in the Big Bangs, DNA Profiling and evening. What Does your Granny have in There were a number of general Common with a Spaceman. activities covering both communi- - Startup Science Masterclasses in cating with the Fellowship and Dundee, St Andrews, Aberdeen, with a wider public audience. Glasgow and Heriot-Watt In January, a monthly e-Bulletin to Universities. Fellows was piloted, with printed - Maths Masterclasses in Aber- copies going to Fellows who deen, Dundee, South could not, or did not wish to, Queensferry and Glasgow receive it electronically. The feedback was positive, including
11 Review of the Session 2004-2005
feedback from overseas Fellows. Promoting the international The Bulletin is now a permanent awareness of Scottish research fixture on the communications and innovation calendar. The International work of the Three editions of the Society’s Society grew from strength to newsletter – “ReSourcE” were strength during the Session. published during the Session. Amongst the Programme’s This continued to serve as an achievements were: excellent vehicle for keeping the - The programmes of internation- Fellowship and the wider world al exchanges were well informed of the Society’s work subscribed with a total of 60 and achievements. exchanges taking place – 13 on Full reports were published, on the bilateral programmes run our web-site and in print, of many with China, Poland and Taiwan, events in the Public Events, Young and 47 on the open programme People’s and International with visits to/from various Programmes. These were widely countries including Argentina, distributed. The target for the Australia, Belgium, Brazil, forthcoming session is to work Bulgaria, Denmark, France, towards publishing full reports for Germany, Hungary, Italy, Jordan, all events within these pro- Laos PDR, Latvia, The Nether- grammes, and indeed for all other lands, New Zealand, Nigeria, activities where the knowledge Russia, Slovakia, South Africa, and understanding merits wider Spain, Turkey, Ukraine, and USA. communication. - two Issues of Science Scotland Lastly in this area, there were (Issue 3, Physics, and 4 Under- improvements to how Fellows and standing the Genome), which others can connect to the Society’s promotes the excellence of activities. Through a restructured Scottish research, were pub- web-site the majority of Research lished and distributed mainly to Award and International Exchange an overseas audience. Fellowship applications were - The establishment and gather- made on line and there was ing together of the “RSE China increasing use of online ordering Forum”, chaired by Professor of Lecture tickets. Alongside this, Stephen Blackmore and the our activities received good media “RSE European Policy Forum”, coverage. chaired by Sir David Edward. - A visit to the Society in May by the European Commissioner for Science and Research, Dr Janez
12 Proceedings of the Annual Statutory Meeting
Potocnik, who discussed was a most enjoyable and success- Framework 7 Programme issues ful event, at which the President and in particular the funding also had the pleasure of present- issues related to this. ing Sir Laurence Hunter, the - Visits to and/or from the Society’s past Treasurer, with a National Natural Science Bicentenary Medal in recognition Foundation of China, the of his distinguished service to the Cuban Academy of Sciences, the Society. Norwegian Academy of Science Other medals, prizes and prize and Letters; the Academy of lectureships awarded during the Sciences of the Czech Republic, year at the Awards Reception at and the Hungarian Academy of the Scottish Parliament on 2 Sciences. Memoranda of September were: Understanding were signed - Makdougall Brisbane Prize to Dr with the Cuban, Czech and James Wright, School of Hungarian academies. Mathematics, University of The credit for these many achieve- Edinburgh ments goes to Professor Rona - W S Bruce Medal to Dr Michael Mackie, International Convener, Bentley, Department of Geogra- and the support given by Michael phy, University of Durham White, who was seconded to the Society from the British Council to - Neill Medal to Professor Mike manage the International Pro- Hansell, Division of Environmen- gramme. He returned to the tal and Evolutionary Biology, Council in August after 3 years Institute of Biomedical Life with the Society, and with him its Sciences, University of Glasgow thanks for the considerable - Bruce Preller Prize Lectureship to contribution he made to the Professor Jason Reese, Depart- delivery and further development ment of Mechanical of the programme. Engineering, University of Sustaining and utilising the Strathclyde expertise of our multi-discipli- Fellows are involved in all areas of nary Fellowship, and activity – as speakers or organisers recognising outstanding of events; as contributors to the achievement and excellence independent expert advice we The President’s Triennial Dinner provide; and as conduits for our was held in June at the Signet many partnerships and relation- Library. Lord Oxburgh, KBE, FRS, ships. The individual and Chairman Shell UK, was the collective part that Fellows play in principal guest and speaker. It the success of the Society’s
13 Review of the Session 2004-2005
activities is invaluable and Council made to their areas of activity, and is extremely grateful for their its sincere gratitude goes to them. support. Fellowship Secretary – Professor Conclusion and Thanks Bird will shortly present his final My report does not account for all report as Fellowship Secretary. activities during the Session, but is The Society is sincerely grateful to evidence of a wide range of Colin for all that he has done to achievements on many different ensure: the smooth running of fronts. As I have said, these the Fellowship election process; achievements would not be that the Society continued to elect possible without the contribution individuals deserving of Fellow- of Fellows. Nor would they be ship; and that there was a greater possible without the input and involvement of the Fellowship in commitment of a dedicated team the election processes. of staff. My sincere thanks to I should also apologise to Colin. each and every one of them for As some of you may have noticed, the part they have played and also the Fellowship Secretary has been for the help and support they omitted from the Council mem- have given to me, during my bers listed in the Annual Review period of office. My particular brochure for the 2004/05 fiscal thanks goes to those with whom I year. Colin was, and his succes- have worked most closely, namely sor will continue to be, on the William Duncan, Kate Ellis, Society’s Council. The omission is Graeme Herbert and Marc Rands. purely accidental. I am of course one of several Vice-President – Professor people who will be stepping McCrone steps down today as down from office at the end of Vice-President and on behalf of this ASM. I would therefore like the Society my thanks to him for to conclude my report by men- serving the role so ably. Of tioning the “others” who step course, election permitting, he down from office today: also today steps into my shoes as Conveners - Professor David General Secretary. I wish him Saxon, Research Awards Conven- every success in this new role. er, Professor Cheryl Tickle, Young President - during his term Lord People’s Convener, Dr Ian Sword, Sutherland has ensured that the Enterprise Fellowships Convener Society has maintained the steady, and Dr Brenda Moon, Curator, all moving forward and modernising stand down today. The Society course set by his predecessors; is extremely grateful to all of them and within that ensured it for the valuable contributions they remained on a sound financial
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footing. Most notably he skilfully 05 before going on to tell you piloted the fundamental govern- about the outlook for the current ance changes I mentioned earlier financial year. When I have done – and in doing so avoided division that, I will take up these issues. within the Fellowship. As a Results for 2004/05 communicator of the Society’s business and interests, he ex- You will have already received the celled. On behalf of the whole Annual Review for 2004/05. In Fellowship I would like to take this addition, the full set of accounts is opportunity to express our sincere available for you to pick up. The gratitude for all he has done and latter provides considerable detail wish him every success in the and, if after you have had a future. chance to study it, you have any specific points you would like to Finally, I would also like to take raise, do please get in touch with this opportunity to welcome our me or Kate Ellis, the Director of incoming President, Sir Michael Finance. Atiyah, who I know will more than ably continue Lord Sutherland’s In overall terms, the Society’s net good work. income was £82K compared with £60K in the previous year; an Lord Sutherland thanked Profes- increase of just short of 40%. sor Miller for his report and This improvement is a conse- conveyed the Society’s deep quence of the groundwork laid by gratitude to him for the care and my predecessor, Sir Laurence sensitivity he had applied during a Hunter, and I do want to empha- successful tenure as General sise the extent of the contribution Secretary – an important position he made from the time when the around which all of the Society’s Society’s finances were in a business and activities revolves. somewhat precarious state. Treasurer’s Report After allowing for gains realised Mr Cunningham presented the on our investments, the net following report: income going into our reserves is “As this is my first annual meeting about the same as last year; that is as Treasurer, I want to take the £102K, compared with £94K in opportunity to look a bit further 2003/04. into the future than is normally Turning to the balance sheet, you the case on these occasions and will see that our reserves have to consider certain issues, which increased overall by around will influence the Society’s £230K, made up of the £102K I development. But first of all, let have just mentioned and the me report on the results for 2004/ unrealised gains on our invest- ments. 15 Review of the Session 2004-2005
Outlook for 2005/06 However, securing these commis- So far as the current year is sions is dependent upon many concerned, our original forecast factors which are outwith our was that we would only achieve control. Also, the timing and breakeven. The key factors we amounts can be quite variable. In had to take into account then addition, our principal source of were that the mix of the returns revenue, around two-thirds, is we would be earning to cover our from the public sector. This is a overheads would be less satisfac- strength, but could also make us tory than previously and that vulnerable to any significant some programmes might extend changes in the resources available into next year. Although I am to government. pleased to say that we will do It is against that background that better, the change between last the Management Team are now year and the original forecast for examining, on a continuing basis, this year does highlight the longer how the Society’s revenues can be term issues to which I referred to both grown and diversified. This earlier. will not be an easy task nor can it Three Specific Issues be accomplished in the short term. However, at the next annual There are three specific ones, meeting, I will let you know the which I want to explore, namely: progress we are making. revenue growth, strengthening the financial base and fund Strengthening Our Financial raising Base Revenue Growth On the second issue, the Society needs a stronger financial base if The key to the growth in our it is to accommodate the financial activities in recent years has been fluctuations which arises from the the commissioning of the Society nature of our activities; and, all by other organisations to manage the more so as we seek to expand programmes for them. In doing them. Also, and this is important, this, our management has it will only be from a strong achieved a distinctive reputation financial base, that we will have for delivering. At the same time, the confidence to take some risks the quality of what the Society can with programmes which we have offer through the expertise and originated. Such opportunities to efforts of the Fellowship is unique do this will enable the Society to and is by now well recognised as be really innovative. being a significant contribution to the wider community in Scotland. The challenge is, how can we get into this position? In part, it will
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be a function of revenue growth; At the same time, we will be and in part, it will be improving instituting a continuing legacy the returns we obtain on the work programme backed up with we do for others. The latter is an advisory support for those who issue, which I will be addressing at would like to call on it. the beginning of next year. Conclusion I should add that another aspect In conclusion, the Society has a of strengthening the financial wide range of opportunities to base is cost control. I am satisfied contribute to the Scottish commu- that this is being exercised and nity and we have the management that there is limited scope for and intellectual capabilities to mobilising additional resources. make a significant, and I would Fund Raising like to say unique, contribution. Then on the third issue, in 2001, However, we do need to build up Fellows responded most gener- an adequate financial base. This ously to the fund raising appeal. outcome is shared objective The proceeds have enabled us to towards which I, together with contribute towards and add Kate Ellis and her Finance team, flexibility to a number of pro- will contribute as much as we can grammes. over the coming year.” However, if we are to expand our Fellowship Secretary’s Report activities, we will need considera- Professor Bird presented the bly more in the way of funds over following report: the use of which the Society will “This year saw the first implemen- have some discretion. I accept tation of a Postal Ballot to elect that we will need to look to Fellows. Almost half of the sources other than the Fellowship. Fellowship returned Ballot papers Work on identifying other sources and the result was announced by is presently being undertaken by the Scrutineers, Lord Ross and Sir Michael Bond and me. Professor John Laver, at the first Although we are not ready at this Ordinary meeting in March. The stage to go into any real detail, Society elected 55 Ordinary what I would say is that it is Fellows, 7 Corresponding and 4 becoming apparent that we will Honorary Fellows. The average need to construct initiatives, age this year of the new cohort of which will attract support from Ordinary Fellows was 52 (53 in specific sources rather than adopt 2003; 49 in 2004). Fourteen a general approach. female Fellows were elected representing 25% of the intake (up from 16% last year). Two of
17 Review of the Session 2004-2005
the female Fellows represent attended by 44 of the new Fellows Engineering, the first time women elected in 2005. This new have represented this discipline in initiative will continue in the next the Fellowship. Session, and will hopefully The changes to the structure of become a permanent fixture. the Sector Groups meant a Also looking ahead to the next reduction in the number of Session, 169 Ordinary, 6 Honorary sectional committees with some and 7 Corresponding Fellowship discipline areas being clustered nominations are being considered together to reflect the previous for the next Fellowship election. allocations of interdisciplinary Council has decided the following candidates. In the main this places should be available: 55 worked well and as with all Ordinary places – which breaks aspects of the selection process, it down into 17 for Life Sciences, 15 will be reviewed every year and for Physical, Engineering and changes to improve decision- Informatic Sciences, 13 for Arts, making approved by Council. Humanities and Social Sciences, Currently the Fellowship is and 7 for Economics, Business composed of 68 Honorary and Administration; 4 Honorary Fellows, 30 Corresponding places; 10 Corresponding; and 3 Fellows and 1298 Ordinary floating. Fellows. The discipline balance of As this is my last act as Fellowship the Ordinary Fellowship remains Secretary, I would to conclude by almost the same as last year with thanking all those members of 37.5% from the Physical, Engi- Sectoral Groups and Sectional neering and Informatic Sciences, Committees for their input and 36.5% from the Life Sciences, support during my term of office. 18.5% from the Arts and Humani- I would also particularly like to ties and 7.5% representing thank Lesley Campbell, Fellowship Economics, Business and Industry. Officer, whose support and input This represents a slight increase was invaluable to me.” in the Life Sciences from last year. Lord Sutherland invited comments Currently females make up 7.7% / questions on the reports. of the Ordinary Fellowship, an increase of around 3% from Sir Neil MacCormick asked when 1999, with the majority represent- the natural / social science balance ing the Life Sciences. of the Fellowship was last re- viewed. Professor Bird said 1999 On 2 May there was a very and since then significantly more successful New Fellows’ Induction “new Fellows” were being Day held at the Society, which was admitted from the Arts, Humani-
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ties and Social Sciences sector and Dr John Francis asked if the that the number was continuing Society was doing enough to to increase. address the public debate on the Lord Sutherland observed that future of science. Professor Miller whilst the increase in the number agreed it could do more and that of females in the Fellowship had this should be factored into its increased, there was still some forward planning for future way to go before a better gender activities. balance was achieved, and Fellows Dr James Irvine observed the should be encouraged to nomi- importance of the Society ensur- nate more female candidates of ing that its future activities appropriate standing. maintained the Society’s inde- Lady Balfour said she was not pendence and the discussion and supportive of positive discrimina- debate is conducted in a balanced tion, but it would be helpful to way. see a better gender balance of Sir Neil MacCormick proposed Society office bearers. She also approval of the reports, Professor observed that while the Society is Rona Mackie seconded this. multi-disciplinary, its main There was no dissent. Lord strengths lay in natural science Sutherland declared the reports and this should be the main focus approved. of it. Finally, she asked if there AOB had been any consideration to placing a ceiling on the total Professor David Finney expressed number of Fellows in the Society great concern over the failure of at any one time. Professor Bird the Society in the last few years to said no ceiling had been set, but a produce timely obituaries of review of this would soon be deceased Fellows, and asked that needed as part of the considera- steps be taken to address this. tion of places made available for Lord Sutherland said that whilst it new Fellows. was unlikely that the Society would be able to provide obituar- Professor David Sloan asked how ies in every case, it should be this year’s first year nominees were doing better, and proposed that distributed. Professor Bird the issue be considered at the answered; 33 for Life Sciences, 30 next Council meeting (5 December for Physical, Engineering and 2005) and the subject should be Informatic Sciences, 17 for Arts, an agenda item for the 2006 Humanities and Social Sciences, ASM, when progress made should and 8 for Economics, Business be reported. Dr Brenda Moon and Administration. agreed the Society should be
19 Review of the Session 2004-2005
doing better in this area, but Handover of Presidency observed that whatever process Lord Sutherland thanked the was introduced to achieve an Society’s staff for the quality input improved performance, the ability provided during his Presidency, of the Society to deliver is depend- which was pivotal to the Society’s ant on the willingness of Fellows success. He also thanked all those to write the obituaries. who had served as Office Bearers Presentation of Royal Medals during his tenure, for their Lord Sutherland presented medals support and contributions. He to Sir David Edward in recognition concluded by formally handing of his outstanding contribution to over the Presidential insignia to Sir the law both in the European Michael Atiyah, who, he observed, Union and in Scotland, to the was only the second person to be legal profession in Scotland, and President of both the Royal for his contribution to public life; Society of Edinburgh and the and to Professor William Hill in Royal Society of London; the first recognition of his outstanding being Lord Kelvin in the 19th contribution to Life Sciences and century. Sir Michael thanked Lord particularly to the theory of Sutherland for all his work in quantitative genetics and its continuing to lead the Society in applications to animal breeding. keeping with its tradition, but also Vice-Presidents Professor Gavin looking forward to the future. He McCrone and Professor John then declared the ASM closed. Coggins read the respective citations.
20 TRUSTEES’ REPORT TO 31 MARCH 2005 The Council of the Society present of operational committees, staff their report for the financial year management and the Chair of the ended 31 March 2005. RSE Scotland Foundation. The Structure, Governance and Board meets quarterly and reports management to the Council. Council members and other office bearers are The Royal Society of Edinburgh elected annually by the Fellow- (RSE) is Scotland’s national ship, from a list recommended by academy and premier learned the Council, after taking into society, founded by Royal Charter account suggestions by Fellows. in 1783 for “the advancement of learning and useful knowledge”, Reporting to the Council through and is registered as a Scottish the Executive Board is a wide Charity. range of operational committees, including, the International Following the changes to the Committee, the Research Awards Society’s laws approved by the Committee and the Meetings Fellowship in September 2004, Committee. These Committees the Council, chaired by the largely, but not exclusively, President, now comprises 12 comprise Fellows of the Society Trustees, including the 3 Vice- and are concerned with the Presidents, the General Secretary, operational delivery of the the Treasurer, the Fellowship Society’s varied activities. All Secretary and five ordinary Fellows are actively encouraged to members. Subject to annual re- participate. A connected charita- election, all members serve for ble trust, the RSE Scotland three years, other than the Foundation plays a leading role in General Secretary and Treasurer, the continued development of the whose terms of office are normally Society’s public outreach activities four years. All are volunteers and and which manages the premises unpaid. The Council is responsible in George Street. for the Society’s strategic direction and policies and normally meets The Scottish Science Advisory four times annually. Committee, whose members are appointed by the Council of the The Executive Board has delegated RSE, provides independent to it from the Council responsibili- strategic advice on scientific issues ty for managing the operational to the Scottish Executive. Its delivery of the Society’s activities. It funding is administered by the is chaired by the General Secretary, RSE. and has as its members, the Treasurer, the Curator, Convenors
21 Review of the Session 2004-2005
Statement of Council’s responsi- records that disclose with reason- bilities able accuracy at any time the Under the Laws of the Society, the financial position of the Society Council has the responsibility to and which enable it to comply control all matters concerning the with the Law Reform (Miscellane- affairs of the Society and set the ous Provisions) (Scotland) Act overall policy and strategy. The 1990 and the Charities Accounts Treasurer, a member of the (Scotland) Regulations 1992. It Council, has a duty under the has general responsibility for Laws of the Society to present to taking such steps as are reasona- the Fellows at the Statutory bly open to it to safeguard the Meeting the Accounts for the assets of the Society and to preceding financial year to 31 prevent and detect fraud and March. Under Charities legisla- other irregularities. tion, the Council is required to Risk management prepare accounts for each finan- As part of the recent governance cial year which give a true and fair changes, an Audit and Risk view of the state of affairs of the committee, reporting directly to Society at 31 March and of its Council, and chaired by a non- financial activities during the year office bearer has been then ended. In preparing these established. Its remit includes accounts, the Council should keeping under review the effec- • select suitable accounting tiveness of internal control and policies and apply them risk management systems in the consistently Society. The Council believes that • make judgements and estimates the existing systems and the that are reasonable and prudent structure of decision-taking and reporting through the staff • ensure that the recommenda- management group, Executive tions of the Statement of Board and Council continues to Recommended Practice (Ac- provide assurance that risks are counting by Charities) have assessed and carefully managed. been followed Objectives and Activities • prepare the accounts on a going concern basis unless it is The Society’s mission is ‘the inappropriate to assume the Advancement of Learning and Society will continue its activi- Useful Knowledge’. To fulfil this, it ties. promotes learning and puts the multidisciplinary expertise of its The Council is responsibile for Fellows to work for the good of keeping proper accounting
22 Trustees’ Report to 31 March 2005
Scotland and its people. It has two iv) Communicating knowledge roles: and understanding • To serve as Scotland’s national v) Promoting the international academy of science and letters awareness of Scottish research • To support research and and innovation; innovation in Scotland vi) Sustaining and utilising the The Society has set three strategic expertise of its multidiscipli- objectives over the period of its nary Fellowship, and corporate plan from 2004-2007: recognising outstanding achievement and excellence. • To continue to deliver a range of “core” activities, including In each activity there are measura- those covered by existing ble output targets for each year. arrangements with funders and Achievement and performance partners; Overall performance during the • Within these activities, to year was good. Only one of the prioritise selected action areas 128 output targets set by the and, where necessary, seek the Council was not implemented, the resources needed for develop- majority of targets having been ment; and achieved and in some cases • To encourage wider Fellowship surpassed. A few (18) targets did and public participation and not, for varying reasons, largely better integration in the delivery resource constraints, progress as of Society programmes. far as had been expected in the year under review. The Society achieves these aims through six main strands of Policy, Evidence and Advice activity: Having concluded an Inquiry into i) Providing authoritative, the Scottish Fishing Industry in independent advice and March 2004, the RSE set about making recommendations to preparing for a major Inquiry into policy decision takers; Scotland’s Energy Supply, prior to launching it in May 2005. The ii) Supporting and enhancing Society also initiated a new series excellence in the Scottish of Position Papers, with the first research base; entitled Climate Change and the iii) Supporting the commercialisa- Management of Scotland’s tion of research and Natural Heritage, which aimed to innovation; reshape the views expressed in previous consultation papers in more general terms so that they
23 Review of the Session 2004-2005
might be able to inform more trial period and following a general policy issues on that topic review, was endorsed by the RSE for a wider range of policy makers. Council as a worthwhile initiative During the year, the Society that should continue to be submitted evidence and advice to supported. Government and Public agencies Supporting Research Excellence on 26 topics which included: Some of the brightest researchers - Science and Innovation - from home and around the world Working Towards a 10-year were able to develop their ideas Investment Framework. HM here in Scotland, thanks to grants Treasury, Department of Trade totalling over £1.5 million and Industry & Department of awarded by the Society. Innovative Environment, Food and Rural research, offering public benefit in Affairs. areas such as healthcare, the - Code of Practice for the Use of ageing population, communica- Human Stem Cell Lines. Medical tions, energy and the environment Research Council were supported in partnership - Human Reproductive Technolo- with key funders in the public and gies and the Law. House of private sectors. Commons Science and Technol- The RSE’s Research Awards ogy Committee supported some of the most - Developing a UK Sustainable outstanding young scientists and Development Strategy Together. innovators working in Scotland Scottish Executive Environment today. The benefits of their Group research are far-reaching, with work in areas such as healthcare, - Developing a Strategic Frame- the environment and our ageing work for Scotland’s Marine population, advancing the social Environment. Scottish Executive and economic wellbeing of Environment Group Scotland. It is only through - Long-term Radioactive Waste valuable partnerships with key Management. Committee on bodies such as BP, the Caledonian Radioactive Waste Management Research Foundation, the Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland, the - Review of the Scottish Climate Scottish Executive and the Well- Change Programme. Scottish come Trust that we are able to Executive Environment Group provide these awards. To each of During the year under review, the these partners, we offer our pilot Scottish Parliament Science sincere thanks. Information Scheme completed its
24 Trustees’ Report to 31 March 2005
The following were awarded Edinburgh is Scotland’s highest during 2004-2005: accolade for individual achieve- 1 BP Personal Research Fellow- ment in innovation and was ship, 3 Scottish Executive Personal created in 2003 to encourage and Research Fellowships, 3 Scottish reward Scotland’s young innova- Executive Support Fellowships, 2 tors for work which benefits Lloyds TSB Personal Research Scotland’s wellbeing. The award is Fellowships, 2 Lloyds TSB Research presented annually to a young Studentships, 2 CRF Personal innovator whose work has the Research Fellowships, 1 Wellcome potential to promote social and Research Workshop.Cormack economic wellbeing. Established Prizes: 2 Undergraduate Prizes, 1 in partnership between The Postgraduate Prize and 6 Vacation Gannochy Trust and the RSE, the Research Scholarships. 6 Lessells purpose of the award is to Travel Scholarships. 3 Scottish encourage younger people to Executive Science Fellowships for pursue careers in fields of research Teachers. which promote Scotland’s inven- tiveness internationally, and to Supporting Commercialisation recognise outstanding individual and Innovation achievement which contributes to The RSE runs three Enterprise the common good of Scotland. Fellowship Schemes, funded by The prestigious award also seeks Scottish Enterprise, PPARC and to promote Scotland’s research BBSRC. The BBSRC scheme ran for and development capability in the first time in early 2005, with new technologies and areas of the first Enterprise Fellows taking social importance. In 2004 the up post in 2005-06. The general award was presented to Dr Ian aim of these schemes is to Underwood, FRSE in recognition increase the commercialisation of of the contribution he has made the academic research base, raise to the development of highly understanding of commercialisa- innovative optoelectrical and tion throughout Scottish display devices here in Scotland. universities and research insti- Communicating Knowledge and tutes, and to create sustainable Understanding companies with high-value jobs. A restructured RSE website went During the year, 12 Scottish live in April 2004. The majority of Enterprise Enterprise Fellowships Research Award and Exchange and 2 PPARC Enterprise Fellow- Fellowship applications are now ships were awarded. made through the web. Lecture The Gannochy Trust Innovation tickets can also be ordered online Award of the Royal Society of
25 Review of the Session 2004-2005
and increasing use is made of this The RSE Events team delivered 20 facility. Lectures, 4 Discussion Forums, 6 Three volumes of ReSourcE, the Conferences, 1 Workshop, and 3 RSE newsletter, were published Award Ceremonies. These and distributed to the Fellowship included: The Bruce Preller Prize and around 2000 others, includ- Lecture, The Threat of Terrorism – ing business leaders, journalists, The Place of Science by Sir Keith research institutes, schools, MPs, O’Nions; The Coming Century – MSPs and interested individuals. Ten Trends to Back, by Frances Fellows also receive a monthly e- Cairncross; Fire and Structures – bulletin, which enables them to Implications of the World Trade keep up to date with and, if Center Disaster; and the CRF Prize appropriate, further disseminate Lecture, entitled PremRNA information on the RSE and its Splicing: the Tie that Binds by work in a timely and succinct Professor Joan Steitz, Yale Univer- format. sity. Published reports of events are available in hard copy from the The RSE continues its long RSE, or on the website. tradition of publishing with its two journals, Transactions: Earth As in previous years, the RSE Sciences and Proceedings A: participated in the Edinburgh Mathematics, which are published Lecture series and hosted Profes- on behalf of the Society by the sor Roland Jung, Chief Scientist, RSE Scotland Foundation. Six the Scottish Executive and Dr issues of Proceedings A and six James Robson, National Team issues of Transactions were Medical Co-ordinator, the Scottish published during this session. The Rugby Union who spoke on The journals are also exchanged with Health and Psyche of the Scottish over 200 exchange partners Nation on 21 January 2005. world-wide. Both journals are Three meetings – a joint lecture highly regarded by academics as with the Scottish Crop Research publication vehicles, and they Institute, the CRF Prize Lecture, maintain a respectably high and a joint conference with the impact factor in comparison to Royal Swedish Academy of similar journals in their fields. Sciences – were held outwith Transactions will undergo some Edinburgh. changes for the 2006 volume, The four Discussion Forums, on with a slight change in title (to Fingerprint Identification, Secular broaden the remit to include Europe and Religious Turbulence, ‘Environmental Sciences’) and a HIV and AIDS in Scotland and revitalised cover design. Neurosurgery for Mental Disorder
26 Trustees’ Report to 31 March 2005
met with an encouraging re- Wilmut at Pitlochry Festival sponse, audiences being over Theatre for local school stu- target in most cases. dents and also a talk for the The Young People’s programme general public. covered the length and breadth of In addition, the Education Team Scotland: successfully encouraged school -15 Talk Science Schools’ students to attend a variety of RSE lectures, with venues ranging public lectures. from Wick to Selkirk. Students Promoting the International heard about subjects such as Awareness of Scottish Research Black Holes and Big Bangs, DNA and Innovation Profiling and Throwing Light on The success of the RSE’s interna- the Human Genome. tional programme continued - Startup Science Masterclasses at during the year. The international Dundee, St Andrews, Aberdeen, exchanges were well subscribed, Glasgow and Heriot-Watt with a total of 45 exchanges Universities. taking place - 8 on the bilateral - Maths Masterclasses in Aber- programmes run with China, deen, Dundee, South Poland and Taiwan and 37 on the Queensferry and Glasgow. open programme with visits to/ from various countries including - Roadshows in Arbroath and Armenia, Argentina, Australia, Dingwall. The roadshows Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, France, comprised a selection of science Germany, Hungary, Italy, Jordan, workshops for primary and Lao PDR, Latvia, The Netherlands, secondary school students, as New Zealand, Nigeria, Russia, well as a talk for the wider Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, community. Turkey, Ukraine, and the USA. - A Discussion Forum in Dumfries Three Issues of Science Scotland on Scotland’s Future Energy (Issues 2 and 3, Physics, and 4 Supply. Understanding the Genome) were - A Science, Engineering and published. Science Scotland aims Technology Summer School to to promote the excellence of introduce students to university Scottish research to an overseas life. (In partnership with Heriot- audience. Watt University) The RSE was involved in several - A Christmas Lecture, Why high-profile international events, Clone? Cloning in Biology and including: Medicine by Professor Ian
27 Review of the Session 2004-2005
-a Crossroads for Ideas Bio- RSE International Convener, sciences Workshop, (one of a Professor Rona MacKie and Dr series of workshops to celebrate William Duncan visited the Czech the Accession of eight new Academy of Sciences in December Member States to the European 2004 to lay the foundations of a Union). June 2004. bi-lateral agreement. - RSE-KNAW (Royal Netherlands Utilising the expertise of the Academy of Arts and Sciences) Fellowship Brain Science Event, September/ The multidisciplinary membership October 2004, part of the of the RSE makes it unique Scotland – Netherlands Season. amongst learned Societies in the - A National Science Council of UK, its peer-elected fellowship of Taiwan workshop for interna- men and women encompassing tional partner organisations, excellence in the Sciences, Arts, August 2004. Humanities, the Professions, - The RSE-Royal Swedish Acade- Industry and Commerce. The my Mathematical Biology Society currently has 1302 conference, Glasgow, November Ordinary Fellows, 30 Correspond- 2004. ing Fellows and 69 Honorary Fellows. In March 2005 the RSE Chief Executive, Dr William Society announced the election of Duncan, attended the annual 55 Ordinary, 7 Corresponding and ERRIN (European Regions Re- 4 Honorary Fellows. This election search and Innovation Network) in of new Fellows was carried out by Brussels and also an ALLEA Postal Ballot for the first time and Workshop on The Future of the around half of the Fellowship Research Information Chain in returned ballot papers. Budapest. RSE Fellows are involved with the The Society set up the RSE China Young People’s programme as Forum, (chaired by Professor speakers and workshop/master- Stephen Blackmore) which met in class organisers. In the January 2005 and the EU Policy International area, they are often Forum (chaired by Sir David key speakers at international Edward) was created in Autumn meetings and take lead roles in 2004. relationships with sister acade- The Society received visits from the mies, etc. National Natural Science Founda- Evidence and Advice submissions tion of China, the Polish Academy are compiled from views polled of Sciences, and the Norwegian from the Fellowship. Fellows are Academy of Science and Letters. heavily involved in Conference
28 Trustees’ Report to 31 March 2005
organising committees and at an these Fellows play, individually earlier stage are instrumental in and collectively, in the success of suggesting meetings for future the Society’s activities cannot be sessions. Fellows also serve on the underestimated. The Council is Editorial Boards of the Transac- extremely grateful for their tions and Proceedings A journals, support and actively encourages and the Executive Editors in Fellows to make suggestions of particular play a vital role in more ways in which they could maintaining the high standard of participate. papers published. The part that
Financial review and policies
Investment powers and policy annually with the investment The Council has power under the managers to review investment Laws to control and manage the performance and discuss their investments of the Society. The compliance with the constraints management of the investments is set by the Committee. In the year carried out by Speirs & Jeffrey & under review no compliance Co on a discretionary basis. The issues arose which required to be objectives set by the Council of reported to the Committee. the RSE are first to ensure a Operating policies - grant sufficient level of income to meet making the target set annually by Council The RSE makes grants to individu- and thereafter to invest for capital als in higher education growth potential. The Council has institutions in support of research delegated the detailed monitoring activities in the categories of of performance to an Investment postdoctoral Research Fellow- Committee, which includes at ships, support Research least one non-office bearer, and Fellowships, post graduate which makes comparisons against Studentships, undergraduate a composite benchmark reflecting Vacation Scholarships and the mix of assets held and the Enterprise Fellowships. Each of WM Median index. these categories is specifically The income targets for the year funded from various sources have been exceeded and the total including the RSE’s restricted return values have outperformed funds. The basis of eligibility and the average charity index and the selection varies according to the UK market. Representatives of the detailed scheme regulations, Investment Committee meet twice which are published on the RSE’s Web site (www.royalsoced.org.uk).
29 Review of the Session 2004-2005
Grants are also made in support invested in fixed assets or desig- of research activities of Fellows of nated for a specific purpose. the RSE, including support for The Council has examined the travel connected with research or requirement to hold unrestricted scholarship, small scale specialist funds, and concluded that, whilst meetings, to assist research the present level of reserves gives visitors to Scotland, to undertake adequate working capital for core collaborative research work with a costs, it would be desirable to Fellow, to assist a visiting lecturer have a General Fund in the range to come to Scotland, to assist of three to six months expenditure research collaboration between on central costs. They have also two institutions in Scotland or reviewed the purposes and between universities and industry amounts of each of the designat- and to assist in the publication of ed funds and are satisfied that it is books written by Fellows. These appropriate to continue to grants are funded by the RSE’s allocate the unrestricted funds for designated Grants Fund. The the purposes described in note Grants Committee is responsible 2b) to the financial statements. In for making awards in accordance particular, the Society should with the detailed rules set out by continue to maintain a Develop- the Council of the Society for the ment. Appeal Fund to give disbursement of the Grants Fund. flexibility to respond to new Details of committee membership initiatives on a timely basis are to be found in the Society’s without the need for specific annual directory and on its fundraising. website. Result for the year Reserves policy and funds The overall result at the net The Society holds a number of incoming resources, or revenue, restricted funds resulting from level was a surplus of £82,000, bequests for particular purposes, with the General Fund result details of which are set out in contributing £1,000 of this sum. note 2c) to the financial state- The realised surplus for the year ments. There are also designated after including realised gains on funds, where the Council has set investments rose to £2,000 in the aside sums from its unrestricted General Fund and £102,000 funds, the purposes of which are overall. This reflects both the plan set out in note 2b) to the financial for a period of consolidation and statements. The General Fund the continuing recovery of the represents the balance of unre- investment portfolio, following its stricted funds which are not realignment in 2003-04.
30 Trustees’ Report to 31 March 2005
Incoming resources Resources expended Total incoming resources of Total resources expended have £3.06m have increased by 6%, or increased in line with income by £0.16m, over last year. The 5%, or £0.14m, from last year. increase has arisen mainly from This mainly reflects the increase in support for our charitable activi- support for research and Enter- ties and also investment income prise awards discussed above. from cash deposits. ‘Donations Expenditure categorised as ‘Cost and grants’ has remained stable, of Generating funds’ has re- increases in Scottish Executive mained at a low level as formal funding for international and fundraising has not been a major other activities offsetting the focus in the year. This heading decline in value of secondments, does not include the costs of as Graeme Herbert’s secondment ongoing negotiation with, claims from the Scottish Executive ended, from and reconciliations for and the higher level of subscrip- funders of continuing activities. tion income from Fellows These costs are regarded as countering a gradual fall in support costs for the activities Appeal receipts. In the restricted concerned. Grants payable of funds an amount of £41,000 was £1.91m have increased by 8%, or received as a capital distribution £0.15m. This includes the dis- from the ‘Baron Fleck of Saltcoats bursement of the increased Will Trust’. Income from this fund funding for research and enter- is to be used to promote interest prise awards and, pleasingly, the in science and its applications. The first administrative expenditure in increase in ‘Charitable activities’ of relation to new Enterprise Fellow- 10%, or £0.16m, includes ships to be funded by BBSRC. increases in funding for Research Expenditure on Activities has and Enterprise Fellowship remained steady with increased schemes from the Scottish expenditure on international Executive and Scottish Enterprise, activities offset by lower expendi- building on the new appoint- ture on evidence following last ments last year. Income for other year’s important Fishing Industry activities has remained broadly Inquiry. The international pro- steady, reflecting the maintenance gramme is now well established of activity levels. Investment with many new links being income was boosted by interest developed; the continued partner- received on cash, which is mainly ship with the British Council held in the designated funds, and through the part-time second- interest of £32,000 received on ment of Michael White has been the loan to the RSE Scotland very important in achieving this. Foundation.
31 Review of the Session 2004-2005
Management and Administration Of the total cash balance, costs have increased by about £682,000 is allocated to Desig- £21,000, or 9%, overall, but nated Funds, the major part of about half of the increase relates which is the cumulative receipts to non-recurring expenditure on from the Appeal; a further overhauling the lift. The manage- £127,000 relates to restricted ment component of this category income. has increased by £5,000, or 6%, Fundraising reflecting increased staff time on management activities following In the current year work is ongo- the staff restructure. By careful ing to identifying possible sources control of the non-staff elements of support and to develop a of central costs, resulting in a strategy for new business devel- decrease of £10,000 from the opment. In the longer term, previous year, to offset the rise in success in both of these elements salary cost as a result of increased is essential in enabling the Society staffing, the overall increase in to achieve its strategic intentions central costs has been contained in the Corporate Plan. to 4.6%. As is explained in the Future prospects policy on reserves, the Council The continued improvement in undertook a review of the level 2004-2005 in the Society’s results, and purpose of all the Designated although modest, is nonetheless Funds. The transfers shown in the encouraging. For 2005-2006, we Statement of Financial Activities do not expect the outturn to be represent the release from the much more than breakeven. This Capital Asset Reserve of a total of is primarily attributable to shifts in £101,000 to match the write the timing of certain initiatives down of buildings and the capital which we are managing. It is our repayment of the loan to the intention to increase the pace of Foundation, of which £47,000 is growth in revenue and to passed to General Fund, net of a strengthen our overall financial transfer of £8,000 to the Staff position. With this in mind, the Development Fund. Executive Board and the staff are Balance Sheet developing a programme to Net assets continue to rise, being achieve such results and its up 3.2% overall to a total of impact is expected to become £7.27m; the major reason being apparent from 2006-2007 the 10% increase from £1.98m to onward. £2.18m in the investment portfo- lio. Net current assets have increased by 26% to £695,000.
32 AUDITORS’ REPORT AND ACCOUNTS We have audited the financial guidance. We report to you our statements on pages 35-52. opinion as to whether the These accounts have been financial statements give a true prepared under the historical cost and fair view and are properly convention as modified to include prepared in accordance with the the revaluation of investments Laws of the Society, the Law and in accordance with the Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Statement of Recommended (Scotland) Act 1990 and the Practice: Accounting by Charities Charities Accounts (Scotland) and applicable accounting Regulations 1992. We also report standards. This report is made to you if, in our opinion, the solely to the Society’s Trustees, as Trustees’ Report is not consistent a body, in accordance with with the financial statements, if regulation 7 of The Charities the Society has not kept proper Accounts (Scotland) Regulations accounting records, if we have not 1992. Our audit work has been received all the information and undertaken so that we might state explanations we require for our to the Society’s Trustees those audit, or if information specified matters we are required to state to by The Law Reform (Miscellaneous them in an auditor’s report and Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1990 for no other purpose. To the and The Charities Accounts fullest extent permitted by law, we (Scotland) Regulations 1992 is not do not accept or assume responsi- disclosed. bility to anyone other than the We are not required to consider Society and the Society’s Trustees whether any statement in the as a body, for our audit work, for Trustees’ Annual Report concern- this report, or for the opinions we ing the major risks to which the have formed. Respective responsi- charity is exposed covers all bilities of Council and auditors existing risks and controls, or to The Council is responsible for form an opinion on the effective- preparing the Trustees’ Report ness of the charity’s risk and, as described above, the management and control proce- financial statements in accordance dures. We read other information with the Laws of the Society, contained in the Trustees’ Annual relevant United Kingdom legisla- Report and consider whether it is tion and accounting standards. consistent with the audited Our responsibilities, as independ- financial statements. We consider ent auditors, are established in the implications for our report if the United Kingdom by statute, we become aware of any apparent the Auditing Practices Board and misstatements or material incon- by our profession’s ethical sistencies with the financial
33 Review of the Session 2004-2005
statements. Our responsibilities statements are free from material do not extend to any other misstatement, whether caused by information. fraud or other irregularity or error. Basis of Audit Opinion In forming our opinion we also evaluated the overall adequacy of We conducted our audit in the presentation of information in accordance with Auditing Stand- the financial statements. ards issued by the Auditing Practices Board. Opinion An audit includes examination, on In our opinion the financial a test basis, of evidence relevant statements give a true and fair to the amounts and disclosures in view of the state of the Society’s the financial statements. It also affairs as at 31 March 2005 and includes an assessment of the of its incoming resources and significant estimates and judg- application of resources including ments made by the Trustees in the its income and expenditure for the preparation of the financial year then ended and have been statements, and of whether the properly prepared in accordance accounting policies are appropri- with the Laws of the Society, The ate to the Society’s circumstances, Law Reform (Miscellaneous consistently applied and ade- Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1990 quately disclosed. and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 1992. We planned and performed our audit so as to obtain all the Henderson Loggie information and explanations Chartered Accountants which we considered necessary in Registered Auditor order to provide us with sufficient Edinburgh evidence to give reasonable September 2005 assurance that the financial
34 ACCOUNTS
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (INCORPORATING THE INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT) YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2005
Note General Fund Designated Restricted 2005 2004 No Funds Funds Funds Total Total ££ £ £ £ £ Incoming resources Donations, grants and similar 4 secruoser gnimocni secruoser 621,137 698,992574,73 1,068,497 1,078,495 Activities in furtherance of 5 sevitcejbo 890,98 486,537,1- 1,824,782 1,663,675 Investment income 6 53,678 57,802 56,524 168,004 154,532
Total incoming resources 873,902 95,277 2,092,104 3,061,283 2,896,702 Resources Expended Cost of generating funds 7 7,191 - - 7,191 9,119 Charitable expenditure: Activities in furtherance of sevitcejbo ,8 781,72725,6469 370,450,2 2,727,787 2,605,273 Buildings, management and administration 10 219,048 25,218 - 244,266 223,221
Total resources expended 872,766 52,405 2,054,073 2,979,244 2,837,613
Net incoming resources before Transfers 1,136 42,872 38,031 82,039 59,089
Gains/(losses) on investment assets sniag desilaeR sniag 002,7371,1 711,31 21,490 37,895 sessol desilaeR sessol )78( )635( )779( (1,600) (2,702) 1,086 6,664 12,140 19,890 35,193 Realised Surplus/(deficit) for the year 2,222 49,536 50,171 101,929 94,282 Transfers between funds 18 94,055 (94,055) - - -
Unrealised gains/(losses) stessa tnemtsevni no tnemtsevni stessa 306,97796,34711,7 130,417 221,590 Net Movement in Funds 103,394 (822) 129,774 232,346 315,872 Balance brought forward at 4002 lirpA 1 lirpA 4002 301,96 194,467,5 450,412,1 7,047,648 6,731,776 Balance carried forward at 31 March 2005 172,497 5,763,669 1,343,828 7,279,994 7,047,648
35 Review of the Session 2004-2005
BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 MARCH 2005
Note 2005 2004 No ££££ Fixed Assets
Tangible fixed assets 13 2,420,445 2,475,829 Fixed Asset Investment Investments at market eulav a41 2,179,527 1,989,023 Historical Cost : £1921,750 (2004- £1,862,113) Loan to RSE Scotland Foundation 14b 1,984,752 2,031,560 6,584,724 6,496,412 Current Assets Debtors 15 62,285 86,588 Cash at bank and in hand 377,985 74,259 Money Market and other term deposits: Designated funds 681,659 591,045 Restricted funds 118,341 208,955 General fund 8,500 - 1,248,770 960,847
Current Liabilities
Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year 16 (553,500) (409,611)
stessA tnerruC teN tnerruC stessA 072,596 551,236 stessA teN stessA 499,972,7 7,047,648 Funds General Fund 17 172,497 69,103 Designated Funds 18 5,763,669 5,764,491 Restricted Funds 19 1,343,828 1,214,054
20 7,279,994 7,047,648
Approved by the Council on 5 September 2005
Edward Cunningham Edward Cunningham, CBE Treasurer
36 Auditors’ Report and Accounts
CASH FLOW STATEMENT AS AT 31 MARCH 2005
2005 2004 ££ £ Cash flow statement Net cash inflow/ (outflow) from operating activities 75,111 (2,730)
Returns on investments and servicing of finance: Interest received 75,399 58,230 Dividends received 91,552 96,388 166,951 154,618
Capital expenditure and financial investment: Purchase of tangible fixed assets - (451) Proceeds from sale of investments 244,101 262,552 Purchases of investments (244,101) (262,552) Capital receipt re Fleck bequest 881 Loan to RSE Scotland Foundation 46,808 46,808 47,689 46,357
Net cash flow before financing 289,751 198,245 Financing Appeal receipts 22,475 56,558 raey eht ni hsac ni esaercnI ni hsac ni eht raey 622,213 254,803
Reconciliation of net cash flow to movement in net funds (note 25) Increase in cash in the year 312,226 254,803 Net funds at beginning of year 874,259 619,456 dne ta sdnuf teN sdnuf ta dne fo raey 584,681,1 874,259
Reconciliation of net movement in funds to net cash outflow from operating activities Net incoming resources before Transfers 82,039 59,089 Appeal receipts (22,475) (56,558) Dividends receivable (92,603) (92,636) Interest receivable (75,399) (58,228) Depreciation 55,384 55,890 Capital distribution from Fleck bequest (shares and cash) (41,079) - (Increase)/decrease in debtors 25,351 (17,340) (Increase)/ decrease in RSE Scotland Foundation current account (6,682) 78,455 Increase in creditors 150,575 28,598 Net cash inflow/(outflow) from operating activities 75,111 (2,730)
37 Review of the Session 2004-2005
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2005
1 Accounting basis The accounts have been drawn up to comply with the provisions of the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1990, the Charity Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 1992 and follow the recommendations of the revised Statement of Recommended Practice for charities (SORP) approved by the Accounting Standards Board in October 2000 and applicable accounting standards. The accounts have been prepared under the historical cost accounting rules as modified to include the revaluation of investments. The accounts comprise three primary financial statements:, the Statement of Financial Activities, which incorporates the Income and Expenditure Account, the Balance Sheet and the Cash Flow Statement.
2 Funds The Society’s funds are classified in accordance with the definitions in the SORP into Restricted funds, where there are restrictions placed by a donor as to the use of income or capital, Designated funds, where the Council of the Society has set aside sums from its unrestricted funds for a particular purpose, and the General (unrestricted) Fund. The classifications made are as follows: a) General Fund - a discretionary Fund available to Council to meet the ordinary activities of the Society. b) Designated Funds Staff restructuring fund - In July 2000 Council resolved to create a Staff restructuring fund, to be used at its discretion to provide flexibility in staffing arrangements and in developing future operations. Development Appeal Fund - to provide development finance to implement the Society's Corporate plan. Capital Asset Reserve Fund - representing the book cost of the rooms at 22-24 George Street, and 26 George Street and an allocation in respect of funding of the refurbishment of 26 George Street. Building Maintenance Fund – a reserve to support the future maintenance of the fabric of the Rooms. Dr James Heggie Fund - income from this fund supports the Society’s activities with young people. Grants Fund - a fund created by contributions and legacies from Fellows and used to provide grants to support research activitie of Fellows. Programme Fund - a fund created in 2004 by transfer from the Development Appeal fund and surplus funds in the Grants fund to act as a source of funding for meetings activities. C H Kemball Fund – income from this fund is used to provide hospitality for distinguished visitors from other learned societies and academies. c) Restricted Funds Robert Cormack Bequest - to promote astronomical knowledge and research in Scotland. Lessells Trust - to fund scholarships abroad for engineers. Auber Bequest - to fund research in Scotland and England by naturalised British Citizens over 60 years of age. Prizes Fund - to fund various prizes. Dryerre Fund - to fund postgraduate research in medical or veterinary physiology. Piazzi Smyth Legacy Fund - to fund high altitude astronomical research. CASS Fund - to fund academic/industrial liaison. Retailing Seminar Fund - to fund a programme of seminars on retailing. Fleck Bequest Fund - to promote interest, knowledge and appreciation of science and its applications throughout Scotland.
3. Accounting Policies Incoming resources a) Donations, grants and similar incoming resources Subscriptions are accounted for on the basis of the subscription year to October 2005 and include income tax recoverable on subscriptions paid under Gift Aid. Revenue grants are credited to income in the period in which the Society becomes entitled to the resources. Donations of a recurring nature from other charitable foundations and one-off gifts and legacies included in other income are taken to revenue in the period to which they relate. b) Incoming resources for charitable activities Incoming resources for activities are accounted for on an accruals basis. Publication income receivable in foreign currencies is converted into sterling at rates of exchange ruling at the date of receipt. c) Investment income Interest and dividends are accounted for in the year in which they are receivable. Resources expended d) Expenditure and support costs All resources expended are included on an accruals basis and where directly attributable allocated to the relevant functional category. Central costs, which include support costs, are allocated to categories of resource expended in proportion to staff salaries.
38 Auditors’ Report and Accounts
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2005 e) Tangible Fixed Assets, Depreciation and Repairs The Society’s principal assets are its buildings in George Street, Edinburgh, which are stated at historical cost. Under FRS 15 the Society depreciates the buildings assuming a 50-year life. It is the policy of the Council to maintain the buildings to a high standard and provision is made for upkeep of the buildings as required through a designation from General Fund. Any permanent diminutions in value are reflected in the Statement of Financial Activities. Costs of repairs and maintenance are charged against revenue. Minor equipment is written off to Income & Expenditure Account in the year of purchase. Computer and audio-visual equipment is depreciated on a straight-line basis over four years. f) Investments Investments are stated at their market value at the balance sheet date. Gains and losses on disposal and revaluation of investments are charged or credited in the Statement of Financial Activities and allocated to funds in accordance with their proportionate share of the investment portfolio. g) Pensions The Society participates in defined benefit pension schemes which are externally funded. The cost of providing pensions is allocated over employees’ working lives with the Society and the Foundation and is included in staff costs.
2005 2004 £ £ 4a Donations, grants and similar incoming resources
snoitpircsbus 'swolleF snoitpircsbus b4 161,397 145,741 Scottish Executive Grant- international activities 119,975 125,000 Scottish Executive Grant other activities 411,002 369,087
Scottish Executive Grant re Scottish Science eettimmoC yrosivdA eettimmoC a42 149,372 156,224 Gannochy Trust 100,000 104,111 snoitanod dna stnarg rehtO stnarg dna snoitanod c4 66,651 58,774 Gifts in kind- (value of secondment of staff) 37,625 63,000 Appeal receipts 22,475 56,558 1,068,497 1,078,495 4b Subscriptions Contributions from Fellows Admission Fees 15,400 13,340 Annual Subscriptions 126,508 114,638 Income tax recoverable under gift aid 19,489 17,763 161,397 145,741 4c Other grants and donations Fleck additional receipt 238 1,722 Lessells Trust additional receipt 9,445 9,948 Legacy 15,000 - Capital receipt from Baron Fleck of Saltcoats Will Trust 41,079 - yriuqnI gnihsiF rof snoitanoD rof gnihsiF yriuqnI - 123,54 Sales of sundry publications 609 183 Other income 280 1,600 66,651 58,774
The Society also receives donations made specifically in support of meetings which are included in meetings income (see note 24c)
5a Activities in furtherance of charitable objects- incoming resources 2005 2004 £ £ Promotion of research 5b 1,703,380 1,560,490 Meetings 76,362 84,884 Educational activities 10,290 6,268 sknil yrtsudnI / cimedacA / yrtsudnI sknil - 000,3 International activities 34,750 9,033 1,824,782 1,663,675
39 Review of the Session 2004-2005
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2005
stpiecer - hcraeser fo noitomorPb5 fo hcraeser - stpiecer 5002 2004 £ £ Scottish Executive grant - Research Fellowships 600,770 538,690 - Teaching Fellowships 31,772 25,124 British Petroleum Research Fellowships Trust 120,060 143,909 Caledonian Research Foundation 21,186 30,979 Enterprise Fellowships (Scottish Enterprise) 615,953 591,216 Enterprise Fellowships (PPARC) 59,920 28,332 Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland 253,719 202,240 1,703,380 1,560,490
6 Investment income Dividends (Net) 92,605 92,636 cer xat emocnI xat cer elbarevo no dnedivid emocni - 666,3 Interest arising on deposits (Gross) 42,424 27,905 Interest receivable from RSE Scotland Foundation ( note 23) 32,975 30,325 168,004 154,532
7 Cost of generating funds stsoc gnisiardnuF stsoc - 471,2 Proportion of central costs (note 11) 7,191 6,945 7,191 9,119
8a Grants payable Promotion of Research 8b 1,781,367 1,625,549 Prizes and Grants 130,699 137,225 1,912,066 1,762,774
8b Promotion of Research Direct Costs : Restricted Funds £ £ SEELLD Research Fellowships - Support 105,867 99,698 SEELLD Research Fellowships - Personal 414,197 377,203 SEELLD Teaching Fellowships 25,644 19,145 545,708 496,046 BP Research Fellowships 111,335 133,039 CRF European Fellowships 16,804 27,362 Enterprise Fellowships (Scottish Enterprise) 532,688 510,445 Enterprise Fellowships (PPARC) 53,307 23,291 Enterprise Fellowships (BBSRC) 289 - Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland Fellowships 229,919 181,615 Robert Cormack Bequest 4,240 3,957 John Moyes Lessells Scholarship 23,474 22,810 Auber Bequest Awards 1,000 4,000 Henry Dryerre Scholarship 15,875 11,040 1,534,639 1,413,605 Direct Costs: Designated Funds D S McLagan Travel Grant 28 900 1,534,667 1,414,505 Direct Costs: General Funds Library 25 363
1,534,692 1,414,868
Proportion of central costs (note 11) 246,675 210,681 1,781,367 1,625,549
40 Auditors’ Report and Accounts
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2005
seitivitca elbatirahCa9 seitivitca 5002 2004 £ £ snoitacilbuP b9 36,293 20,583 Meetings 203,763 240,470 Educational activities 77,220 64,988 Academic / Industry links 7,191 9,754 Fellowships Office 52,240 48,908 International activities 212,020 186,304 Evidence Advice and Comment 77,622 115,268 Scottish Science Advisory Committee 149,372 156,224 815,721 842,499
9b Publications Editorial and management costs of journals 23,938 17,132 Deficit (Surplus) on journals published by RSE Scotland Foundation 1,558 (7,137) 25,496 9,995 Proportion of central costs (note 11) 10,797 10,588 36,293 20,583
The RSE Scotland Foundation became publisher of the Society’s journals and Year Book in 1997. The Society retains copyright and incurs editorial costs in respect of these publications. The Society has made ( 2004 received) a donation from the RSE Scotland Foundation equivalent to the Foundation’s net deficit (2004 surplus) on publications.
10 Buildings, Management and administration £ £ Buildings and Maintenance 13,424 13,518 22-24 George Street- depreciation 22,061 22,061 26 George Street- depreciation 32,949 32,949 22-24 George Street -expenditure from designated funds 14,132 4,101 82,566 72,629 Management and secretariat 90,167 85,074 Publicity 71,533 65,518 244,266 223,221
41 Review of the Session 2004-2005
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2005
stsoC lartneC11 stsoC 5002 2004 £ £ Total Payroll: 763,268 685,796 Less funded by Scottish Science Advisory Committee (84,786) (62,704 Less funded by RSE Scotland Foundation (66,666) (81,816) Salaries (note 12) 611,816 541,276 Value of secondments 37,625 63,000 Staff training, agency and recruitment costs 21,056 17,815 Total staff costs 670,497 622,091 Other Costs: Establishment expenses (22-24 George St) 35,209 31,822 Establishment expenses (26 George St) 75,318 93,743 Computer and equipment costs 7,188 3,888 Communication, stationery and printing costs 44,772 43,159 Travel and subsistence, hospitality 18,003 19,318 Miscellaneous 3,301 2,778 Audit fee 5,522 5,795 Other Professional fees 9,720 8,346 Depreciation of equipment 375 880 199,408 209,729 Total Central Costs 869,905 831,820
In addition to direct costs incurred, central costs have been apportioned to expenditure on functional activities, as follows:
General Designated Restricted 2005 2004 Fund Funds Funds Total Total £ £ £ £ £ Cost of generating funds rdnuF gnisia 191,7 - - 7,191 6,945 Support costs - charitable activities snoitacilbuP 797,01 - - 10,797 10,588 sgniteeM 142,031 - 052,9 139,491 161,865 Educational Activities 60,839 5,667 - 66,506 54,321 Academic/Industry links 7,191 - - 7,191 6,945 Fellowships Office 52,240 - - 52,240 48,906 International links 86,337 - - 86,337 83,774 Evidence, advice & comment 76,331 - - 76,331 74,508 Promotion of Research 11,676 - 234,999 246,675 210,681 Prizes and Grants 3,612 6,505 21,218 31,335 24,635 Management and administration Buildings and Maintenance 13,424 - - 13,424 13,518 Management and Secretariat 79,081 3,128 - 82,209 85,074 yticilbuP 871,05 - - 50,178 50,060 589,138 15,300 265,467 869,905 831,820
42 Auditors’ Report and Accounts
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2005
2005 2004 12 Employees Total Funded by Funded by Funded by Funded by 2005 SSAC Foundation Society Society 2004 ££££ £ Wages and salaries 626,495 (56,179) (69,551) 500,765 446,359 Social Security Costs 47,033 (5,013) (4,742) 37,278 33,596 Other pension costs 89,740 (5,474) (10,493) 73,773 61,321 (note 21) 763,268 (66,666) (84,786) 611,816 541,276
The average number of employees of the Society including those employed under joint contracts with the RSE Scotland Foundation during the year was 26 (2004 - 25). Of these two were employed in respect of the Scottish Science Advisory Committee. One member of staff earned over £50,000 per year in respect of duties with the Society. 22,24 26 George Street George Street Equipment Computer Total £££££ 13 Tangible Fixed Assets Cost At 1 April 2004 and 31 1,103,038 1,647,468 68,799 40,036 2,859,341 March 2005 Depreciation At 1 April 2004 110,305 164,745 68,426 40,036 383,512 Charge for the year 22,061 32,950 373 - 55,384 At 31 March 2005 132,366 197,695 68,799 40,036 438,896 Net Book Value At 31 March 2005 970,672 1,449,773 - - 2,420,445 At 31 March 2004 992,733 1,482,723 373 - 2,475,829
Market Value at Investments Proceeds on Gain/(loss) Revaluation Market 1 April 2004 made at cost sale of on sale value at 31 investments March 2005 £ £££££ 14a Fixed Asset Investments Managed Funds 426,223 - (25,366) (506) 53,443 453,794 Fixed interest 593,866 13,152 - - (4,281) 602,737 UK equities 949,685 249,650 (218,734) 20,396 81,255 1,082,252 Cash deposits 19,249 (222,605) 244,100 - - 40,744 1,989,023 40,197 - 19,890 130,417 2,179,527
The gain on sale of investments measured against their historical cost was £48,956 (2004 surplus £45,140). 3 Investments comprising more than 5% of the portfolio were as follows: Treasury 5 /4% stock 2009-£111,643, Treasury 5% 1 stock 2012-£132,860, Treasury 5 /2% loan 2008/12-£133,365, Treasury 5% stock 2014-£133,497, Murray International Trust- £122,820, Scottish Mortgage - £ 113,220, Dunedin Income Growth Trust £114,000.
2005 2004 noitadnuoF dnaltocS ESR ot naoL b41 naoL ot ESR dnaltocS noitadnuoF £ £ Due within one year 46,808 46,808 Due after one year 1,937,944 1,984,752 1,984,752 2,031,560
The Loan initially bears interest at 4% per annum, capped at the amount of rent received by the Foundation, and is repayable over the period to 30 June 2047, the expiry of the lease to the Foundation of 26 George Street. On 23 June 2003 Council agreed to waive part of the interest payment due for the years ended 31 March 2004 and 2005 and interest paid was restricted to rental received from the third floor letting. The capital repayment for the year of £46,808 was paid at the end of the financial year as normal.
43 Review of the Session 2004-2005
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2005
15 Debtors £ £ General debtors 27,709 59,752 Stock of ties 2,282 2,442 Prepayments and accrued income 7,577 6,630 Income Tax Recoverable 24,717 17,764 62,285 86,588
16 Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year General creditor 175,194 102,949 RSE Scotland Foundation current account 8,648 15,330 Accruals and deferred income 364,989 259,475 University of Glasgow (note 19) 1,049 17,737 Symposia income deferred 3,620 14,120 553,500 409,611
17 General Fund At 1 April 2004 69,103 1,142 Net movements in funds for the year from Statement of Financial Activities 103,394 67,961 At 31 March 2005 172,497 69,103
44 Auditors’ Report and Accounts
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2005
Capital Building Staff Development Programme C H Kemball Grants Dr James Total Asset Maintenance Restructuring Appeal Fund Fund Fund Fund Heggie 18 Designated Funds Reserve Fund Fund Fund ££ £ £ £ £ £ £ £
At 1 April 2004 4,507,016 211,776 42,417 303,166 72,737 16,780 450,000 160,599 5,764,491 Investment income - 9,442 1,891 13,940 3,320 781 20,951 7,477 57,802 Other income -- - 22,475 15,000 - -- 37,475 Less Direct expenditure - (14,132) (7,958) - - - (12,313) (2,702) (37,105) RSE admin and staff costs -- - (3,128) - - (6,505) (5,667) (15,300) Surplus (deficit) for the year - (4,690) (6,067) 33,287 18,320 781 2,133 (892) 42,872 Transfers between funds Re building depreciation (55,010) ------(55,010) Re loan repayment (46,808) ------(46,808) from General fund - - 7,763 - - - -- 7,763 (101,818) - 7,763 - - - -- (94,055)
Net gains on investment assets Realised - - - - 390 168 4,500 1,606 6,664 Unrealised - - - - 2,561 1,100 29,506 10,530 43,697 At 31 March 2005 4,405,198 207,086 44,113 336,453 94,008 18,829 486,139 171,843 5,763,669
As described in note 2, the Development Appeal Fund comprises the receipts from the Appeal launched in 2001 to raise funds to finance developments in implementing the Society's Corporate Plan. The Programme Fund is a new fund created by the Council to provide support for meetings activities.
45 Review of the Session 2004-2005
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2005
Robert Lessells Auber Prizes Dryerre Other Restricted Total Cormack Trust Bequest Fund Fund Funds income Bequest £££££££ £ 19 Restricted Funds At 1 April 2004 94,166 333,609 295,369 64,598 397,525 28,787 - 1,214,054 Donations & grants - 9,445 - - - 41,079 249,372 299,896 Income from activities ------1,735,684 1,735,684 Investment income 4,384 15,532 13,752 3,008 18,508 1,340 - 56,524 Less Direct Expenditure (4,240) (23,474) (1,000) (1,541) (15,875) - (1,742,476) (1,788,606) RSE Admin and staff (1,775) (6,289) (5,568) (1,218) (7,494) (543) (242,580) (265,467) Surplus/(deficit) (1,631) (4,786) 7,184 249 (4,861) 41,876 - 38,031 for year Net gain on investment assets Realised 942 3,336 2,953 646 3,975 288 - 12,140 Unrealised 6,174 21,874 19,367 4,236 26,065 1,887 - 79,603 At 31 March 2005 99,651 354,033 324,873 69,729 422,704 72,838 - 1,343,828
“Prizes Fund” comprises The Keith Fund, The Neill Fund, The Makdougall-Brisbane Fund, The Gunning- Victoria Fund, The James Scott Prize Fund, The Bruce-Preller Lecture Fund, The W.S. Bruce Memorial Fund, The Dr D.A. Berry Fund, The Henry Duncan Prize Lecture Fund and The BP Prize Lecture in the Humanities Fund. “Others” comprise the Piazzi-Smyth Legacy Fund, the Retailing Seminar Fund, the Fleck Bequest Fund and the CASS Fund. The Retailing Seminars Fund arises from the donation of the surplus from an earlier series of meetings that publicised research in the retailing sector. The fund is to be used to support meetings in this area. Under the terms of the Lessells Trust the University of Glasgow is entitled to 10% of additional amounts received by the Society from the Trust. The balance included in Creditors at 31 March 2005 represents the total sum apportioned but not yet paid over to the University (note 16).
General Designated Restricted 2005 2004 Fund Funds Funds Total Total 20 Analysis of Assets between Funds ££££ £ Fund balances at 31 March 2005 are represented by: Tangible fixed assets - 2,420,445 - 2,420,445 2,475,829
stnemtsevnI 318,676688,851 828,343,1 2,179,527 1,989,023 Loan to RSE Scotland Foundation - 1,984,752 - 1,984,752 2,031,560 stessa tnerruC stessa -270,65 312,6 62,285 86,588 RSE Scotland Foundation current account (8,648) - - (8,648) (15,330) stisopeD 143,811956,186005,8 808,500 800,000 knab ta hsaC ta knab 805,223-774,55 377,985 74,259 seitilibail tnerruC seitilibail )260,744(-)097,79( (544,852) (394,281) 172,497 5,763,669 1,343,828 7,279,994 7,047,648
46 Auditors’ Report and Accounts
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2005 21 Pension Costs a) USS The Society participates in the Universities Superannuation Scheme, a defined benefit pension scheme which is externally funded and contracted out of the State Second Pension (S2P). The assets of the Scheme are held in a separate trustee-administered fund. The fund is valued every three years by a professionally qualified independent actuary using the projected unit method, the rates of contribution payable being determined by the trustee on the advice of the actuaries. In the intervening years the actuaries review the progress of the scheme. It is not possible to identify each institution's share of the underlying assets and liabilities of the scheme and hence contributions to the scheme are accounted for as if it were a defined contribution scheme. The cost recognised within the deficit for the year is equal to the contributions payable to the scheme for the year. The latest actuarial valuation of the scheme was at 31 March 2002. The most significant assumptions, those relating to the rate of return on investments and the rates of increase in salary and pensions, are as follows: Past Service Liabilities Future Service Liabilities nruter tnemtsevnI nruter %5 %6 esaercnI yralaS esaercnI %7.3 %7.3 esaercnI noisneP esaercnI %7.2 %7.2
At the valuation date the market value of the scheme’s assets was £19,938 million and the value of past service liabilities was £19,776 million leaving a surplus of assets of £162 million. The value of the assets represented 101% of the benefits that had accrued to members, after allowing for expected future increases in earnings. The contribution rate payable by the Society was 14.0% of pensionable salaries. The actuary has confirmed it is appropriate to take the pension charge to be equal to the actual contribution paid in the year.
b) Lothian Pension Fund The Society also participates in the Lothian Pension Fund, a defined benefit pension scheme established under local government pension fund regulations. This scheme has determined that it is possible at a cost to ascertain the share of assets and liabilities relating to individual admitted bodies. The assets of the Scheme are held in a separate trustee-administered fund. The fund is valued every three years by a professionally qualified independent actuary using the projected unit method, the rates of contribution payable being determined by the trustee on the advice of the actuaries. In the intervening years the actuaries review the progress of the scheme. The latest actuarial valuation of the scheme was at 31 March 2002. The major assumptions used by the actuary were that, over the long term, the return on the scheme’s assets would be 6.2% per annum, salary increases would average 4.1% per annum and present and future pensions would increase at a rate of 2.6% per annum. At the valuation date the market value of the scheme’s assets was £1,792 million and the value of past service liabilities was £1,866 million. The value of the assets represented 96% of the benefits that had accrued to members, after allowing for expected future increases in earnings. The contribution rate payable by the Society in the year was 300% of employees' contributions of 6% of pensionable salaries, amounting to 18.0%. The actuary has confirmed that it is appropriate to take the pension charge to be equal to the actual contribution paid during the year. Whilst the Society continues to account for pension costs in accordance with Statement of Standard Accounting Practice 24 'Accounting for Pension costs', under FRS 17 'Retirement benefits' the following transitional disclosures are required: The valuation at 31 March 2002 has been updated by the actuary on an FRS 17 basis at 31 March 2005; the major assumptions used in this valuation were: 2005 2004 Rate of increase in salaries 4.4% 4.4% Rate of increase of pensions in payment 2.9% 2.9% Discount rate 5.4% 5.5% Inflation assumption 2.9% 2.9%
The assumptions used by the actuary are the best estimates chosen from a range of possible actuarial assumptions which, due to the timescale covered, may not necessarily be borne out in practice.
47 Review of the Session 2004-2005
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2005
21 Pension Costs b) continued Scheme assets The fair value of the scheme assets, which are not intended to be realised in the short term and may be subject to significant change before they are realised, and the present value of the scheme's liabilities, which are derived from cash flow projections over long periods and thus inherently uncertain, were: Expected Value at 31 Expected Value at 31 return March 2005 return March 2004 £’000 £’000 Equities 7.7% 1,643,981 7.7% 1,553,820 Bonds 4.8% 138,205 5.1% 116,210 Other- Property 5.7% 197,312 6.5% 149,098 Cash 4.8% 83,456 4.0% 18,096 Whole scheme assets 7.2% 2,062,954 7.2% 1,837,224
£’000 £’000 Of which RSE share 485 345 Present value of scheme liabilities (561) (429) Surplus/(deficit) in the scheme- Net (76) (84) pension (liability)/ asset
The amount of this pension deficit would have a consequential effect on reserves. The movement in the net pension asset/ liability during the year comprised: £’000 Deficit at 1 April 2004 (84) Current service cost (68) Employer contributions 74 Net return on assets- Expected return on employer assets 29 Interest on pension scheme liabilities (26) 3 Actuarial gains Actual return less expected return 13 on pension assets Experience losses on Scheme liabilities - Changes in assumptions underlying present value of scheme liabilities (14) (1) Deficit at 31 March 2005 (76)
If FRS 17 had been fully adopted the movements would have been recognised in arriving at net incoming resources other than the actuarial loss which would have been included in unrealised losses.
c) Pension Charge The total pension charge for the year was £89,740 (2004 - £66,274)
22 Transactions with Council members No member of Council received any payments other than reimbursement of expenditure on travel and subsistence costs actually and necessarily incurred in carrying out their duties as Councillors and Officers. The aggregate of such reimbursement to the Council members amounted to £3,930 (2004 - £3,418).
23 RSE Scotland Foundation RSE Scotland Foundation is a charitable trust, Scottish charity number SCO24636. It was created in March 1996 with the object of advancing the education of the public in Scotland in science and engineering and in so doing to conserve the scientific and cultural heritage of Scotland. The President, General Secretary, Treasurer, Curator and a Vice-President of the Society are ex officiis Trustees of the Foundation, which draws on the resources of the Society in carrying out its objects. The Foundation also has five nominated Trustees. The Foundation became publisher of the Society’s journals under a Publications Rights Licence effective from 1 January 1997.
48 Auditors’ Report and Accounts
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2005 23 RSE Scotland Foundation (continued)
On 1 July 1997 the Society granted to the Foundation a 50-year lease over 26 George Street carrying an obligation to refurbish the building within a three year period. The Council of the Society agreed to make funding of up to £2.3 million available to the Foundation in support of the refurbishment. The agreed terms of the loan are as described in note 14 b. A waiver of interest was agreed for the years ending 2002, 2003 and a partial waiver in 2004 and 2005 to assist the Foundation in extinguishing its deficit of net assets.
At 31 March 2005 the financial position of the RSE Scotland Foundation was as follows: 2005 2004 £ £ Net Liabilities Fixed assets 1,961,467 2,013,615 Current assets 147,961 91,853 Current liabilities Loan from Royal Society of Edinburgh (46,808) (46,808) Other (105,525) (144,537) Creditors over one year:-Loan from Royal Society of Edinburgh (1,937,944) (1,984,752) Represented by General Fund 19,151 (70,629)
The Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 March 2005 was as follows: 2005 2004 Incoming resources £ £ Donations, grants and similar incoming resources 1,557 - Charitable activities Publications 126,250 93,480 Licence fees 93,725 91,400 Conference Facilities letting (net) 92,323 63,760 Activities for generating funds Rental and service charges receivable 202,169 196,800 Investment income - bank interest 603 216 516,627 445,656
Cost of generating funds Building management (60,162) (52,153)
Net incoming resources available for charitable application 456,465 393,503 Charitable expenditure Conference facilities hire 59,199 53,571 Publications 127,807 93,480 Building costs recovered 93,725 91,400 Management and secretariat 41,487 29,747 Depreciation on leasehold improvements 44,467 44,467 Total Charitable expenditure 366,685 312,665 Total resources expended 426,847 364,818 Net incoming resources and movement in funds for the year 89,780 80,838
Balance brought forward (70,629) (151,467) Balance carried forward 19,151 (70,629)
The Council of the Society has confirmed to the Trustees of the Foundation that they will continue to support the Foundation and will not call for the repayment of the current account balance in the foreseeable future.
49 Review of the Session 2004-2005
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2005
24 Supplementary Information ; grants, donations, receipts stnarG evitucexE hsittocS )a hsittocS evitucexE stnarG 5002 2004 Income £ £ Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department Promotion of Research including French/ Scottish PhD studentships 668,542 563,813 Scottish Science Advisory Committee 160,000 150,000 Activities grant 411,000 369,087 International activities 119,976 125,000
Other Departments support Scotland in the Netherlands- Brain Science event 18,000 - Science Scotland publication 15,000 - 1,392,518 1,207,900
Direct Staff and 2005 2004 Allocated to Functional Activities Costs other costs Total Total ££ £ £ Scottish Science Advisory Committee 150,000 - 150,000 150,000 sgniteeM - 628,911 119,826 126,062 seitivitca lanoitacudE seitivitca - 938,06 60,839 27,677 eciffo snoitacilbuP eciffo 797,01594,52 36,292 19,998 Evidence advice and comment - 76,331 76,331 69,946 hcraeser fo noitomorP fo hcraeser 438,67807,545 622,542 563,813 Joint Scottish/ French PhD studentships 36,000 10,000 46,000 - seitivitca lanoitanretnI seitivitca 931,72538,521 152,974 125,607 Management and secretariat - 79,081 79,081 79,457 Buildings sesnepxe tnemhsilbatsE - tnemhsilbatsE sesnepxe - 902,53 35,209 31,822 ecnanetniaM - ecnanetniaM - 424,31 13,424 13,518 883,038 509,480 1,392,518 1,207,900
The Scottish Executive provides grant-in-aid under the powers of S.23 National Heritage (Scotland) Act 1985 to meet the costs of SEELLD Research Fellows, and costs of activities including the cost of maintaining the Society’s premises and a share of the Society’s staff and other costs. In addition to the cash grants set out above, the Society benefited for part of the year from a staff secondment from the Scottish Executive, which has been included in the accounts at its value to the Society of £11,375.
Expenditure in relation to the Scottish Science Advisory Committee comprised: 2005 2004 Total Total £ £ Chairman's fee, salaries and other staff costs 91,469 95,504 Establishment 14,589 15,079 Office costs 4,120 4,302 Travel and subsistence 6,784 4,767 Committee and working groups 7,452 6,734 PR and publicity 15,786 10,918 Printing 4,446 14,351 Professional services 4,726 4,569 149,372 156,224 Less balance brought forward (1,695) (7,919) Balance carried forward 12,323 1,695 160,000 150,000
This includes amounts paid to the Society for use of office space and services.
50 Auditors’ Report and Accounts
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2005
24 Supplementary Information; grants, donations, receipts (continued) b) Donations BP Research Caledonian Scottish Lloyds TSB Wellcome Fellowship Research Enterprise Foundation for Trust Trust Foundation Scotland ££ £ ££ Income Promotion of research -receipts 120,060 21,186 615,953 301,750 6,041 Transferred to deferred income - - - (287,773) - Deferral brought forward - - - 239,742 - Meetings Income - 26,263 - - - 120,060 47,449 615,953 253,719 6,041
Costs Promotion of research 111,335 16,804 532,688 229,919 5,291 Conference & lectures -17,763- -- RSE administration and staff 8,725 12,882 83,265 23,800 750 costs 120,060 47,449 615,953 253,719 6,041
The BP Research Fellowship Trust supports postdoctoral fellowships in Scottish HEIs. The Trustees of the Trust are the President, General Secretary and Treasurer of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. The Caledonian Research Foundation supports postdoctoral fellowships in biomedical sciences and European visiting fellowships, a prize lecture and an international conference. The Wellcome Trust sponsors a series of research workshops. The Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland supports postdoctoral Fellowships, postgraduate studentships and lectures and conferences to fund and disseminate research aimed at improving the quality of life for an ageing population.
c) Donations in Support of Meetings The Society gratefully acknowledges all those who make donations in support of meetings. The companies, trusts and other donors that made donations of £1,000 or more in the year ended 31 March 2005 are as follows:
eloponhceT hgrubnidE eloponhceT hsittocS laruR ytreporP & ssenisuB noitaicossA labolG MF labolG hcraeseR llehS KU dtL Scottish Association for Marine Science Sir Walter Gibley Scottish National Heritage Statoil ASA
25 Analysis of Net Funds At 31 March 2005 Cash Flows At 1 April 2004 £ ££ Cash at bank 377,985 303,726 74,259 Deposits - Restricted funds 118,341 (90,614) 208,955 - Designated funds 681,659 90,614 591,045 - General Fund 8,500 8,500 - 1,186,485 312,226 874,259
51 Review of the Session 2004-2005
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2005
seitivitcA niaM62 seitivitcA 50/4002 2003/04 Number Number Meetings Lectures 20 22 Symposia/Conferences/Seminars 6 10 Debates/ discussion fora 4 1 Workshops 3 3 International activities Exchange visits- bilateral ( weeks) 8 18 Exchange visits- open ( weeks) 37 19 murof noissucsid dna sranimeS dna noissucsid murof 4 3 stsilairtsudni saesrevo yb stisiv -yrevocsid fo segayoV fo -yrevocsid stisiv yb saesrevo stsilairtsudni - 2 Science Scotland international magazine (issues) 2 2 Visitors to/ from overseas institutions 7 9 Young People's events Science Masterclasses 36 32 Maths Masterclasses 16 12 Schools Lectures 16 13 Christmas Lectures 2 2 Discussion Forum 1 1 RSE Roadshow 2 1 sessalcretsam scisyhP sessalcretsam - 4 Science summer camp 1 1 Publications (issues) Proceedings A 6 6 Transactions 6 3 Directory & Review 2 2 ReSourcE (/RSE News) 3 3 RSE Fellows Number of Fellows 1410 1385 Candidates for Fellowship 192 216 Research Fellowships and Scholarships Postdoctoral Research Fellows in post 21 15 Support Research Fellows 6 5 European Visiting Research Fellows 7 7 Enterprise Fellows in post 26 23 Applications for Research Fellowships 103 119 detnioppa spihstnedutS detnioppa 41 41 Prizes and Grants Royal medals 2 3 Prizes awarded 4 2 Grants awarded 23 23 Gannochy Trust award 1 1 Policy evidence and advice seiriuqni rojaM seiriuqni - 1 Position papers 1 - Submissions to Government and public agencies 26 24 Central Administration External events held at RSE 22-26 George Street 163 130
52 SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS - - Value Market Closing
-1,014 111,643 -1,209 133,365 -2,465 78,086 79 8,249 - 39 132,860 54 5,037 9,868 60,180 12,580 77,010 1,986 62,308 6,724 63,968 312 133,497 449 66,920 15,732 122,820 1,440 62,775 9,520 113,220 16,815 114,000 7,100 52,900
2,741 53,410 2,672 - 51,791 25,365 -510 4,275 50,850 Cost Proceeds Sale on Year for Market 49,050 No. Closing Opening Purchase Sales Gain/(Loss) Revaluation 130,000 132,899 - 50,738 4,632 - 4,983 8,500 - 50,312 130,000 134,574 4,984 21,480 850 913 913 2,889 25,219 130,000 133,185 105,000 112,657 27,600 107,088 11,824 45,529 11,715 34,000 103,700 14,000 20,262 46,209 7,716 - 8,170 Value ££££ £ £
Investment Current Holdings Current
Royal Society of Edinburgh Schedule of Investments- movements at valuation. Year Ended 31 March 2005 Prudential Royal Bank of Scotland Ord 25p 3,700 38,963 21,359 Treasury 5.75% 2009 7.25% Treasury 2007 Legal & General Group Ord 2.5pLloyds TSB Group 68,000 64,430 Gilts 7.5% Treasury 2006 Provident Financial Investment & Unit Trusts Aberforth Geared Cap & Int TrustAberforth Smaller Co Trust plcDuneden Income Growth Inv Trust 45,000Murray International Trust Scottish Mortgage & Trust 57,000 10,000 72,450 97,185 45,800 Other Fixed Interest Fixed Other R B of Scotland 7.387% 2010/49 70,000 80,551 Treasury 5.5% 2008/12 Treasury 5% 2014 UK Balanced Property Trust Treasury 5% 2012 Financials Barclays HSBC Holdings Ord US$ 0.50Land Securities Group 7,500 40,450 20,885
53 Review of the Session 2004-2005 - 38,921 - - Value Market Closing
959 -8,697 38,873 -7,659 36,964 -1,142 37,353 1,488 59,680 6,011 47,707 2,474 81,800 5,081 41,598 4,632 39,811 5,427 30,519
9,460 - 34,104 1,843 - - 14,007 3,680 2,888 13,215 5,215 -1,090 5,228 37,775 Cost Proceeds Sale on Year for Market - 32,261 8,100 25,920 12,042 14,200 47,570 No. Closing Opening Purchase Sales Gain/(Loss) Revaluation - - 1,734 1,810 76 - - 35,750 1,053 46,263 8,176 1,200 496 3,350 25,092 8,485 36,120 397 3,850 20,655 3,282 33,108 2,071 20,000 35,029 44,297 13,037 38,852 - - 437 465 28 - 8,000 37,577 20,615 7,142 38,495 1,772 44,153 470 Value ££££ £ £ Investment Current Holdings Current Royal Society of Edinburgh Schedule of Investments- movements at valuation. Year Ended 31 March 2005
Telecommunications BT Group Vodaphone Group Utilities National Grid Transco Scottish Power BAA Firstgroup GUS Services Associated British Ports Holdings £0.25 Sainsbury (J) Ord 25p Reed Elsevier Scottish & Southern Energy Glaxo Smith Kline Ord 25p Rank Group Unilever Ord 1.4p Pharmaceuticals Astrazenica Consumer Diageo
54 Schedule of Investments
------Value £2,138,780 Market Closing
7,875 48,641 £130,414 6,075 34,950 11,124 45,496 3,555 30,570
£19,886
£244,098
Cost Proceeds Sale on Year for £262,803
Market £1,969,774
No. 997,796 Closing Opening Purchase Sales Gain/(Loss) Revaluation - - 383 383 - - 7,500 28,875 8,868 38,760 2,006 3,000 27,015 - - 795 795 - - - - 870 870 - - - - 1,395 1,395 - - - - 291 291 - - - - 554 554 - - - - 1,956 1,956 - - - - 519 519 - - - - 1,059 1,059 - - - - 289 289 - - - - 595 595 - - - - 672 672 - - - - 1,303 1,377 74 - Value ££££ £ £ Investment Current Holdings Current
Royal Society of Edinburgh Schedule of Investments- movements at valuation. Year Ended 31 March 2005 Resources BP Ord US$0.25 Shell Transport & Trading Org 25p Lord Fleck of Saltcoats Bequest 9,578 Systems BAE 32,351 2,021 Rotork Ord 5p Industrials BOC Group BG Group BHP Billiton British Land Co Compass Group Compass Imperial Tobacco Next Northern Rock plc Reed Elsevier Reed Rentokil Initial Rio Tinto Wolseley tesco TOTALS
55
PRIZE LECTURES Gannochy Trust Innovation Award Prize Lecture Dr Ian Underwood FRSE Director of Strategic Marketing, MicroEmissive Displays Ltd 7 March 2005
Over twenty years of research and electronic products such as digital innovation, which have led to the still cameras, digital video cameras creation in Scotland of a world and personal viewers for mobile record-breaking technology, were devices. recognised in October 2004 when MED’s screens typically use at least Dr Underwood was named winner 70 per cent less power than of the Gannochy Trust Innovation commonly used LCD microdisplay Award of the Royal Society of modules, and it is anticipated that Edinburgh. The coveted title went this development will lead to to Dr Underwood in recognition smaller, lighter cameras with of the contribution he has made longer battery life. MED’s technol- throughout his career to the ogy can also produce a highly development of ground-breaking magnified viewable virtual image optical and display devices here in in space, as is the case in electron- Scotland. ic viewfinders of the type found in Ian Underwood’s work has camcorders or digital cameras and centred around two distinct in wearable or headset displays. technologies – Liquid Crystal on There is also potential for this Silicon (LCoS) from the mid 1980s advanced technology to be a until the late 1990s and, since market enabler for hands-free and then, Light Emitting Polymer on wearable headset displays that Silicon (LEPoS). LEPoS actually will allow users hands-free access emits light and does not require to information, infotainment and sunlight or a lamp to illuminate it. entertainment on the move, In 1999, Dr Underwood co- probably in conjunction with a founded MicroEmissive Displays mobile phone or other wireless (MED) Ltd. with former RSE devices. Personal wearable Enterprise Fellow, Dr Jeff Wright. displays are likely to have applica- MED designs and produces ultra- tion in fields including medical, miniature television-quality professional, security and industri- screens based on light emitting al environments. polymers (LEP) for use in consumer
57 Review of the Session 2004-2005
Gunning Victoria Jubilee Prize Lecture Professor Peter G Bruce FRSE Professor of Chemistry, University of St Andrews 9 May 2005 ENERGY : A CHALLENGE FOR MATERIALS CHEMISTRY The Gunning Victoria Jubilee Prize Lectureship was founded in 1887 by Dr R H Gunning, who spent his much of his life in Brazil and was particularly noted in the words of our General Secretary, “for his generosity”. This particular award is made quadrennially in recognition of original work by scientists resident in or connected with Scotland. Professor Peter Bruce is Professor of Solid State Chemistry at the University of St Andrews. He was born and educated in Aberdeen, completing his PhD at Aberdeen University before moving to Oxford where he spent four years in the Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory. His first permanent academic post was at Heriot-Watt University, here in Edinburgh. In 1991 he moved to the University of St Andrews, where he established the St Andrews Centre for Advanced Materials and was for six years, head of the Chemistry Department. Peter Bruce was elected to a Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1995, at the age of 38. He has held research fellowships from the Royal Society, the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Leverhulme Trust. He is a recipient of: several Royal Society of Chemistry awards, including the Materials Chemistry Award, the Bielby Medal, the Interdisci- plinary Award and the John Jay Lectureship and Medal. He also received a Royal Society Wolfson Merit Award in 2001, one of the first in Chemistry. He has published more than 200 papers in leading journals, including Nature and Science, and he holds several patents on materials for energy storage and conversion. Peter Bruce, is awarded this Prize in recognition of his expertise in two major fields of solid state chemistry. He has pioneered methods for elucidating the structures of molecular compounds using power x-ray diffraction, greatly extending the technique so that the structures of large and complex molecular solids may now be determined. He has also made major advances in the field of energy-related materials, designing new solid-state batteries for use in computers, mobile telephones, etc. He has developed new materials for electrodes (some based on lithium manganate are now being commercialised) and he has made special contributions both to the understanding of how the polyelectrolytes used in these batteries work, and to the design and production of new more effective electrolytes. This has included discovering an entirely new class of crystalline solid electrolyte.
58 Prize Lectures
What I want to do today, is to Many people will lose their tackle one of the greatest prob- homes; many people, of course, lems facing humanity in the 21st will lose their lives. This is very Century, and that is global much the area that the recent warming. Indeed Sir David King, tsunami disaster was in, and I the Chief Scientist Advisor to the have to say that was almost really UK Government, has described just a foretaste of what the effect this as the greatest challenge of global warming would be in ahead of us, and he got into some these regions. It is a major hot water for doing so, but I have problem facing humanity. We live to say that I agree with him. If in a global village, so although you look at this dispassionately, it the problems appear to be here, really is the greatest threat to they of course affect us all humanity in this century. throughout the world. Chemistry and materials chemistry Now there are two approaches to hold the key to developing new tackle this. You can either, try and devices that can generate and roll back technology, going back store electrical energy in a safer, to an earlier era of low energy cleaner more sustainable fashion consumption, which I think is and I plan to expand on this over unrealistic and unlikely to be the next 40 minutes or so. acceptable to the majority of Hopefully, this is a reasonably people in the western world, or non-scientific slide, to start off you can try and develop new with. This is, as you can see, a technologies. New technologies map of the world, and we see that will generate and store these regions shaded in red. electrical energy in a cheaper, These regions will be flooded by cleaner more sustainable fashion than has been the case with using 2080, if we don’t mitigate CO2 emissions. If we don’t slow fossil fuels. So that is the target that we have to address. production of CO2 in its current and its projected levels, then this This is the other side of the fossil would be the result. The blanket fuel energy coin. Here you see a of CO2 which arises of course plot of the production of fossil from burning fossil fuels, largely fuels versus time, starting from to produce energy, creates the the 1930s and projected up to greenhouse effect, warms the 2050. As you can see production planet. The ice caps melt, and the of fossil fuel has risen throughout water levels rise. Right through this period of time. You can see a the Indian subcontinent, through peak here at around year 2010, Malaysia and Indonesia, the and then fossil fuel production flooding will take place as a result. will fall. I think, there are certain
59 Review of the Session 2004-2005
doubts that we can all have about is very important because our the exact position of this peak. It economy has a significant propor- will probably shift to the right, tion of fossil fuels at its heart. this is what generally happens. I put this rather amusing picture Interestingly enough, speaking as illustrating the use of wind power, someone who grew up in Aber- a windmill rather than a wind deen in the early 70s, and turbine, for two reasons. First, to witnessed the development of oil remind us that this is a well exploration off-shore there, the proven technology, it has been projections at the time were that around for many centuries and it there would be no oil in the North works. But it is also interesting Sea by the turn of the century. that the technologies of several Now, clearly, that is not the case, hundred years ago become things there is still oil there. This peak of beauty. Wind turbines of today will often move to the right, and are regarded as a scourge that no you will always find a little more one wants in their backyard. oil, but eventually there will be a downturn. Solar power is another source of clean energy, although perhaps This is a valuable and finite not here in Scotland, but certainly resource, we should be using this in other parts of the world. We to make new materials and also have other technologies, like chemicals and pharmaceuticals, fuel cells and nuclear power. not burning it simply to produce Nuclear is perhaps the most energy. So, again, we have to contentious of these technolo- develop new ways of generating gies, but I think it is true to say and storing electrical energy. that if we are going to plug the Here are some ways of generating energy gap over the next 20-40 electrical energy in a cleaner and years, we will probably have to more sustainable fashion. We build new nuclear reactors. Even if have wave power and wind power, we develop cleaner forms of these resources of clean energy energy, and we should, it is are in abundance in Scotland. And unlikely that we would be able to indeed Scotland, which of course cover the gap between supply and has been a major player in the demand, with these alone. I am conventional fossil fuels area, has not enthusiastic about expanding the potential to become a major the nuclear power sector, but I player in clean energy too. In think it is probably a reality. It is a clean energy economy, and clean reality that Government has not energy science and technology, if been able to declare as yet, but we make the right decisions then this is going to be reviewed in the we can do well in this context. It House.
60 Prize Lectures
These are generating technolo- 30% of CO2 emissions from fossil gies, and the problem with all of fuels arises from transportation, them, particularly wind, wave and and if you look at the phenome- solar, is that they don’t generate nal growth of the car ownership energy according to consumer in China, there are one million demand. The sun doesn’t shine at more cars this year than last year. night, and we want energy to This is going to grow at a signifi- light homes, etc, and the wind cant rate, thus it is a worsening doesn’t necessarily blow when we problem which is becoming more need the power. So the reality of and more significant. We have to these clean energy technologies tackle emissions from transport if for generation, is that they place a we are going to make a significant far greater demand on the need impact on CO2 emissions. I would for energy storage. A far bigger propose and contend that the demand would be to store dominant technology that will electrical energy, and this has impact on this over the next been proven true in the past. twenty to forty years will be the In the last two or three years of hybrid electric vehicle. For the euphoria over renewable sources next twenty years, it will be a of energy, the generating technol- petrol/battery hybrid, and after ogies have been focused on, but that, probably, a fuel cell/ battery people are now beginning to hybrid. Hybrid cars are already on appreciate a holistic solution, the road, you can buy them here what is important is getting in Scotland and throughout the energy from a clean source to the world. This is a Toyota Prius here. consumer. It is no good generat- You don’t plug this car in, it is not ing a lot of wind energy, just a true electric vehicle, the battery because the wind happens to be inside here is charged by the blowing, if the consumer demand petrol engine, and it reduces isn’t there at the same time. So emissions by around 85 - 87% you have to buffer these two compared to conventional things with storage. Storage is a technologies. This is already a key issue if we are going to deliver proven technology that works and clean energy. is likely to become a dominant force. Let me take a couple of slides to look at the role that storage plays These devices have two power in the future of clean energy. We sources, a petrol engine or fuel can divide things into transport cell and a battery. The difficulty is and static applications of clean that that adds more weight to the energy. Let us look at the trans- car, and it also takes up more port applications first. Around space within the vehicle, so you
61 Review of the Session 2004-2005
want the battery to be as small be the way for the future, particu- and lightweight as possible, and larly in remote communities, so it this means that we have to is important for Scotland. You may develop advanced batteries. well see even sizeable communi- The other area is the static ties having their own local application, the one that I have generating capacity, wind power already touched on when discuss- for example. Again, storage is ing the use of wave power, for critical because there is no other example. These generators tend to way of supplying the energy when be smaller than the large fossil the wind isn’t there. fuel power stations. They tend to Now, there are various ways in be more diverse in the nature of which you can store energy, but their generating technology, wind, one of the most attractive is a wave, solar, a plethora of different rechargeable battery. It is a ways of generating electricity, and quintessential example of an are more distributed geographi- electrical energy storage device. cally. You first pump electricity into the These generators are intermittent device and then you extract it in supply and this means that when you want to. One of the storage is required. It is also true most promising technologies in that nuclear power stations are that regard is a rechargeable not particularly well suited to lithium battery. This device is switching on and off, again important because it can store up storage can be important for them to three times the amount of too. In the future, beyond 2025, energy in the same size and photovoltaics may become more weight of a conventional re- efficient. The problem with chargeable battery, such as a lead photovoltaics is the conversion acid, nickel cadmium or nickel efficiency from sunlight to metal hydride battery. electrical energy is rather low. If So you have a significant advance that can be improved over the in energy storage. This is in an next couple of decades, then area of energy storage technology photovoltaics, solar energy power, which would normally measure may be a greater contribution to improvements in terms of a few other parts of the world, but percent. This is not like the again storage will be important. situation with semi-conductors As a measure of the grid applica- where you can have 10-fold tion, we are all used to being advance in 18 months. Neverthe- connected to the commercial grid, less, it is a very substantial leap but that is probably not going to forward for the performance of technology. Indeed, I think it is
62 Prize Lectures
true to say that rechargeable When you charge up the battery, lithium batteries are probably the lithium ions move from between most successful electrochemical these layers of this compound, technology in the last several and cross the electrolyte and hundred years. become inserted or intercalated These are green batteries, they between the graphite layers, here. don’t have any heavy metals like On discharge, the reverse process lead or nickel cadmium. They are will occur. So if you are talking on high voltage devices, you can your mobile phone, or typing on replace three conventional your laptop computer, think of all rechargeable batteries, like lead the tiny lithium ions are making acid batteries, the sort of thing their way out of the graphite you have in your car, with one across this electrolyte and insert- lithium battery. ing back into these two small slabs of cobalt oxide. This is a schematic representation of what is inside a rechargeable This is what is happening within lithium battery. Virtually everyone new technology. It is a beautiful who has a mobile telephone or a example of materials chemistry, of laptop computer will have one of solid state chemistry in action. The these batteries inside. Like any properties of this material are battery, it consists of two elec- critical for the performance of the trodes, a negative electrode down device. In fact, this material was here, and a positive electrode over developed in the UK, not by me here, and we have an electrolyte but at some of the early stages I separating these two electrodes. was also involved in this area, and The negative electrode in a lithium it has made millions of pounds for battery in a mobile telephone or the UK economy in licensing this laptop computer, contains technology. There is manufactur- graphite. Here you see the ing plant of AEA Technology up in hexagonal arrangement of the Thurso producing lithium batter- carbons, the sheet structure, the ies based on this technology. layered structure of graphite. The It is a major technology worldwide material of the positive electrode – 109, that is one (American) is lithium cobalt oxide. This is also billion, cells were sold in 2001 a layered compound that consists alone. Typically the production of slabs of cobalt oxide, here doubles each year, so we are shown with blue and red, with talking about massive volumes of these layers of lithium ions which production of this technology. can see here between these cobalt The technology is really dominat- oxide layers. ing portable consumer electronics now, these are some of the
63 Review of the Session 2004-2005
examples. Mobile telephones I with a pacemaker, because you have mentioned before, laptop need a lot more energy than could computers, i-pods, PDA’s, cam- be delivered by any battery that corders, all of them almost you could implant. This means exclusively powered by rechargea- that you will have to replace it ble lithium batteries, because of every few years and it will only last the benefit that these are small, a week or two on a single charge. lightweight batteries that can It has to be rechargeable, and store a lot of energy. with lithium batteries it means That is the present, that is where that it could be lighter and we already are with this technolo- smaller. Potentially it could be gy. What about the future, what located subcutaneously and about energy storage in the recharged through the skin. context that I have discussed, not I have been also involved in a related to consumer electronic different programme involving products? Before I go into that, liver pumps. This picture over here let me just take a little step aside, is the picture of a liver of someone for one slide, and talk a bit about who has suffered from cirrhosis. I the potential applications of have to say that cirrhosis is not a lithium batteries in medicine, disease which most of us will get which is appropriate in view of through the more pleasurable our Chairman’s interests. Over the pastimes of our youth of too next twenty to thirty years, there much alcohol abuse. Most people will be a considerable increase in in the world suffer from cirrhosis the use of implantable medical as a sort of consequence of devices, electro-mechanical hepatitis, maybe 800,000 people devices implanted into the human each year. If you have cirrhosis of body. All those devices need the liver, the only real option is a power, often significant power, transplant, and as with everything and that will come from recharge- else, there are insufficient donors. able lithium batteries. One But in collaboration with our example, here is a picture of an colleagues at Hammersmith artificial heart. The heart is just a Hospital in London, we discovered pump, and one of the major that if you forced blood through killers of the elderly in the West- the liver in this condition, you ern world is heart failure. If we could recover some liver function. can replace that organic pump by To do that you have to locate a this mechanical pump, you need a pump in the portal vein of the power source to drive it. You liver, which is somewhere around couldn’t just put an ordinary about here. The pump is to be no battery inside the body as you can more than 7mm in diameter and
64 Prize Lectures
20mm long, has to rotate at charge and discharge, much 20,000 revs per minute, and faster. For the mobile telephone or pump 1.5 litres of blood at about laptop, you can charge and 40mm mercury pressure. It is a discharge them relatively slowly considerable challenge for the from taking relatively small engineers, I can tell you, but it current. For this sort of applica- also requires a battery to power it. tion, if you are thinking about a So that is where we come in. car, you have to charge that Another application is a limb battery rapidly and have to actuator. I thought I would show discharge it again rapidly when you this little video. Some of you you are accelerating, so that is a might remember this. This is an step change or a magnitude extract from a television series in change in performance. These the 1970s called the “Bionic batteries will have to last a lot Man”. He was involved in some longer, which means that instead horrific accident and he was of 4/500 discharge cycles you reborn, if you like, with all these might need 10,000 cycles. They various electro-mechanical also have to be cheaper and safer. implants, ocular implants, etc. Petrol is a remarkably cost- This of course is fiction, certainly it effective way of moving us was in the 70s, but this sort of around, it is a very cost-effective thing will become more of a technology. That is why it is very reality in the future. All of these challenging and difficult to things will require devices such as replace it in a cost-effective lithium batteries. manner. The cost is a serious issue. The technology, which is Let’s go back to the energy issue. fine for mobile telephones and Why can’t we just take those nice laptops, has got to come down in lithium batteries that people are price by orders of magnitude if we making around the world for are going to make it competitive, mobile telephones, and make and it has to be safer, there are them bigger for cars, and use safety issues and I shall show you them for static energy storage? some of those. Well it is not just an issue of scale. You can’t use the same materials, How do we address this? Well the the same electrodes and electro- key to this lies in chemistry, and lyte materials, and just scale especially materials chemistry. We everything up. There are funda- need new and innovative develop- mental challenges which have to ments in materials chemistry, new be addressed in developing this materials with new properties, technology for these applications. new combinations of properties, You need batteries which you can that haven’t been available to us
65 Review of the Session 2004-2005
before, in order to address these to tell you, is a recipe for prob- sorts of challenges. We need to lems. innovate in terms of the negative Lithium battery technology which electrode, the positive electrode is used in consumer products is and the electrolyte. What I want relatively very safe, but there have to do now, for the rest of the talk, been accidents, particularly in the is to show you some of the things early years of development. Safety that we have been trying to do in issues, like fires, arose because of St Andrews in Scotland in order to the reactive nature of this material address these problems for the when you charge the battery. This future of energy storage. problem is multiplied by an order So let us start with the positive of magnitude when you try to electrode that is a lithium cobalt make devices for clean energy oxide compound. Here is one of storage. Also, you can move and the problems with this com- insert only half a lithium per pound, which will become a cobalt, and the more lithium you serious deficiency in larger can move and insert, the more batteries. In 2004, the price of charge you will store, the more cobalt was $12 per pound, in energy you will store, the better 2005 that is already up to $20, the battery will be. The limit of and projected to go up to $50-60 half a lithium is something we next year. That is a very hefty price have to address. hike, it is a major factor in the cost These are just some of the of this technology, and it must be deficiencies. I haven’t listed all of brought down. them for the materials used in the This material is not toxic in current generation of rechargea- comparison with lead or cadmi- ble lithium batteries. um, but is more toxic than we This is the one of the materials we would like it to be. There are also developed in order to address the safety issues because in this problem, lithium manganese compound the charge of cobalt oxide. Now the sharp eye will atoms is 3+. If you take lithium notice that on paper transforma- out of this compound, cobalt has tion from lithium cobalt oxide to to convert to cobalt 4+, in order to lithium manganese oxide simply maintain charge balance. Cobalt involves rubbing out cobalt from 4+ , as my chemistry colleagues in the structure, and putting manga- the audience know, is a strongly nese in its place, it is very easy. We oxidising ion. It is a very reactive wished it was as simple as that. ion and it is sitting bathed in an What seems to be a very simple organic electrolyte and that, I have paper exercise is not quite as
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simple in terms of experimental So here is some data, I shall just chemistry. You cannot make this take you through this briefly. material using the same methods What we have done here, is we that are used for many years to have made a battery with lithium prepare lithium cobalt oxide. We cobalt oxide, a conventional were fortunate to be the first to battery that you can buy when you discover how to make this go to the local electronics shop, material using a different route. and we have measured the Lithium manganese oxide is a amount of lithium that you can crystalline material, as can be seen remove and insert in lithium from the arrangement of the cobalt oxide, and that is what atoms shown here. We have layers plotted here. Each of the points of oxygen, layer of manganese, on the graph corresponds to a another layer of oxygen. And charge/discharge cycle of the there we have layers of lithium, battery, from zero to fifty. From these red circles correspond to here what we see is we can positively charged lithium atoms remove and insert a little less than sitting there in sheets. So it is half of the lithium per cobalt in similar in structure to the lithium this material. cobalt oxide, but crucially replac- This other curve is for lithium ing cobalt, which is where the manganese oxide. Here we can problem lies, with manganese, remove and insert 0.75 lithium and manganese helps us a great per each manganese. This means deal. that more charge and more Manganese is around 1% the cost energy can be stored. That is a of cobalt, so it reduces the costs. significant improvement. And you It is safer because, when you can see that the line is very flat remove lithium from lithium which means that there is no manganese oxide, you form drop-off in performance during manganese dioxide. Manganese cycling. After fifty cycles you can dioxide has been around from all store the same amount of energy over the environment for many, as after one cycle. That is a very many years. You can dredge it out important feature. The material is of the ocean bed, silt, the white cheaper, safer, less toxic than the cliffs of Dover, believe it or not. It cobalt-based material. We have is quite a benign material which is now licensed it to a couple of much safer than cobalt oxide. companies who are investigating Toxicity is also lower, and you can of how to scale up the produc- remove and insert more lithium, tion. In the laboratory we make which means better energy maybe one or two grams of storage. material while every commercial
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lithium cell contains nearly 20 is very reactive. Again, we have an grams. You can do your mathe- important safety issue here. 9 matics, 10 x 20 grams, it is a lot How are we going to address this of grams of this material, so you problem? We have to move away have to make this stuff in large from graphite but what are we quantities. going to use? It turns out that Let us move to the other elec- perhaps nanomaterials will hold trode, the negative electrode. The the key to this problem. At the negative electrode is something moment there is a lot of talk we are all familiar with since it is about nanomaterials in many graphite. Here is the crystal areas. It is true to say that they structure of graphite, a hexagonal have a unique role to play in arrangement of atoms in graphite energy devices. Nanomaterials are forming sheets, as you can see. materials which have at least one This other picture is a very high dimension on the scale of 1,000- magnification view of a grain of millionth of a metre. Simply by graphite extracted from a lithium making materials very small, you ion cell after cycling. You can see can have a profound influence on the layers there, but you also see their properties. Perhaps the most that they are not nice and flat and famous nanomaterial of all is
parallel to each other. They are all Buckminsterfullereine, the C60 crinkled and curved. What has molecule, shaped like a football happened here is exfoliation. The with sixty carbon atoms. Harold liquid electrolyte penetrates Kroto with his colleagues won the between those carbon layers, Nobel Prize for discovering that prising the graphitic sheets apart material. and causing their fragmentation. Perhaps a more useful material That is a serious issue which would be carbon nanotubes? In reduces the life time of a battery. nanotubes, graphitic sheets are The other problem is that the folded forming hollow cylinders potential difference at which while preserving the hexagonal lithium is inserted into graphite is arrangement of carbon atoms. very similar to the voltage at which There is a lot of interest in carbon you can plate lithium metal on the nanotubes. Unfortunately, carbon surface. You are familiar with nanotubes are not sufficient for electroplating of, say, silver which what we need because of the has been around for a long time. same problems as with graphite. In this case though, this is not We have to move further away silver but lithium which is being from graphitic structures and plated on the surface, and lithium work on the nano scale but with
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more complex inorganic materials, ions will move across the electro- like titanium dioxide. lyte, and insert into those tiny You are all familiar with titanium little tubes the, and they will move dioxide. You appreciate it because in the opposite direction when if you are using a white paint you discharge the battery. around the house, it is titanium This is perhaps one of the most dioxide which makes it white. It is technical slides, but let me take a well known and well under- you through it briefly. What we stood material which is already in have done here is we have made the environment and has been for an electro-chemical cell, a battery a long time. On this slide you see if you like, and we are charging a rather different form of titanium that battery, with lithium ions dioxide, a nanomaterial form. going into those titanium dioxide What you see on the left here, is a nanowires. The potential of this very high magnification image electrode is shown on the vertical from a transmission electron axis. You can see a nice smooth microscope. It shows you nano- curve here that shows us we can tubes of titanium dioxide. We are insert and take out 0.9 lithiums looking at tubes which have been per titanium. Remember that in slit down along their axes. The the cobalt oxide we couldn’t even parallel lines represent the walls, get half of lithium? Here we are which are built from titanium able to remove and insert 0.9 dioxide, and there are hollow lithiums per titanium, so there is a centres. The diameter of each lot more lithium storage in this tube is 100-millionth of a metre. material. On the left you see titanium This curve simply shows that you dioxide wires which are solid can take lithium out and put it objects. They have similar diame- back in many times and very ters. These are new forms of efficiently. This material is also titanium dioxide which were not cheap and safe. One of the things available to us before. It turns out about nanomaterials is that many that these materials have very of them are being produced in attractive properties as electrodes milligram quantities, maybe gram for lithium batteries, because you quantities. A lot of nanomaterials can insert a lot of lithium into are being made by rather exotic or these materials and take it out difficult methods, which are again. Here is another schematic difficult to scale up in order to representation of a lithium battery produce larger quantities. Here is but with the graphite replaced by a method, which I don’t have time titanium dioxide nanotubes. As to go into, which would make this you charge the battery, lithium
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material cheaply and in relatively same size and weight of the cell. large quantities. This is a picture of a polymer Let us turn to the last part of the electrolyte. It looks like a piece of lithium battery, the electrolyte. As a plastic, but this material can I mentioned already, the electro- conduct like a liquid electrolyte. lyte is made from an organic How on earth is that possible? material, an organic liquid. The You can understand how ions can problem with organic liquids is move around in a liquid. You take that they tend to be flammable common table salt, add it to water and volatile, so they can escape and the ions in the salt break up. from the battery. You need a The sodium ions and chlorine ions mechanical separator, some sort can float around in a solution, it is of coarse membrane, to keep the not difficult to understand how two electrodes apart in order to ion motion might be relatively avoid short circuiting. The separa- easy. How does this solid polymer tor can be then impregnated by conduct? Here is my representa- the liquid electrolyte. It would be tion of ion transport in a solid very nice if you could replace that polymer. Polymer is made up of liquid by a solid, particularly a long chain molecules, with atoms solid polymer. A polymer would strung together in great long be ideal because it has the right chains; imagine ‘snakes’ of mechanical properties. It is solid, polymer chains. You can see these so you can keep the electrodes snakes are pretty disordered; you apart, and it is soft and flexible so can’t really spot any regular that it can give good contact with arrangement here. That is true in the electrodes. amorphous polymers, which have The Holy Grail of lithium ion no regular structure. batteries is to replace the liquid An important characteristic for electrolyte with a solid polymer amorphous polymers is the glass membrane. There are various transition temperature. Glass advantages of a solid polymer. No transition temperature is the point liquids to leak out, no problem at which the chains start moving with flammability, no need for a around, sliding over each other, mechanical separator. The polymer pretty much like the snakes in the does everything; it separates as picture. As this happens sites will well as conducts the ions. You open up randomly in this polymer can also have a solid state con- matrix, in which ions will be struction which is attractive, and randomly distributed. Once the again for reasons I don’t have chains create new pockets, new time to go into, you get a higher holes, new sites for the ions to energy density, more energy in the move into, the ions will start
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moving through the polymer. there was no fundamental reason Thus the ion transfer is facilitated why crystalline polymers, where by the motion of polymer chains, the chains are in a regular order by local dynamics of polymer arrangement, should not conduct. chains. For the last 30 years these crystal- For the last 30 years everyone has line materials were believed to be believed, as the text books will tell insulators, look in any of the text you, that this is the only way that books and that is what they tell ions transport through polymers. you. We didn’t actually believe Polymer has to be amorphous, it that, so our view was somewhat has to be above its glass transition heretical, to say the least, at the temperature, it has to be in this time. We wanted to go back and state, like the snakes. look at crystalline polymers although they were written off all By making amorphous polymers, those years ago. as we have over the last 30 years, we have gained improvements in What of course happens in the conductivity of these electro- science is you have some innova- lytes, because good conductivity is tion, you have a logical an important criterion for applica- development of that innovation, tions. and eventually you come to a point at which the innovation and Here you can see conductivity logical development just don’t plots as a function of tempera- work anymore, you reach a brick ture. These are for several wall when using established amorphous polymer electrolytes, it thinking. At that point you have doesn’t matter what they are, but to look in different directions. As the important thing is that after I said, the different direction we 30 years of hard effort of many looked in was to consider crystal- groups we have crawled our way line polymer electrolytes. up to the level of this curve here. But we have reached a ceiling, and We looked at several crystalline that ceiling is set, unfortunately, polymer electrolytes where the too low for many applications. It chains are arranged in a regular has proved very difficult to break order, and one of those turned through this barrier, and we need out to be this material here. This to be up in this white space here is a simple polymer which is made for many applications. in many tonnes every year. It is called poly(ethylene oxide). The In science, when this sort of thing chains consist of carbon; carbon; happens, you have to start oxygen, repeated again carbon; looking for new avenues and carbon, oxygen. In this polymer directions. It was our view that we have trapped this salt, LiPF6.
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By putting the polymer and the the data for one of the best salt together in a 6:1 ratio you get amorphous polymer electrolytes this crystalline material. The as well, the best after some thirty picture is of the crystal structure of years of effort in the field. This this compound. The green and top curve here is for one of our the red lines represent polymer recent crystalline polymer electro- chains, those are the six oxygens. lytes. By modifying these Each of those chains folds back materials, we can substantially and forth to form a half cylinder raise the conductivity in the and then two half cylinders crystalline state, and this is after interlock to form a tunnel. In the just a few years of working with middle of that tunnel you see crystalline materials. This demon- these blue spheres, which are strates that new directions are lithium ions. often a promising way to go. Once we solved this crystal So I hope I have shown you in this structure, we immediately thought talk that global warming is an this compound could transport important issue; that storage will ions. I will show you a little video be a very vital part of addressing which demonstrates the transport this critical issue facing humanity lines down these polymer tunnels. over the next 50 years; and that by The graphics are not great but, I developing new solid state think, you can see what is hap- materials with new properties and pening here. The yellow spheres combinations of properties, we are lithium ions, and the red ones can begin to address the key are oxygens. You can see this issues that will contribute to clean lithium ion making its way down energy generation and storage. the tunnel. There are also breath- Finally, I must acknowledge the ing motions of the polymer, it is people who are really doing the dynamical even in a crystalline hard work, people in my research state. Crystalline polymers do group who have been involved in indeed conduct! some of this work over the last Here is a plot of conductivity few years. I am indebted to them versus temperature. The red circles for their efforts and that gives me represent conductivity of the the opportunity to come along material that I have just shown here and take up your valuable you. You can see that it conducts, time, telling you about what is an contrary to the established exciting time over the last 5-10 wisdom. But it doesn’t conduct years. Thank you very much for terribly well, so it is important your attention. scientifically but not a competitive material technologically. Here are
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Discussion Session Thank you very much for your first What size of storage are you comment in particular. There are looking towards? many trends in science, that that come and go. If you go back in Well, for the hybrid electric history, you will find lots of vehicles you are talking about examples there. Nano science and something which would be nanotechnology are not one of perhaps in the volume of several those. They are here to stay. After of the lead acid batteries that we all they are not new; Faraday made are used to having in our cars at colloidal gold quite a few years the moment. For the application, ago. The impact of nanoscale on which I suspect is behind your the properties of materials and question, in static energy storage biological systems is so great that we are talking about much larger they are, undoubtedly, here to installations. The benefit of stay. I couldn’t possibly address lithium batteries for that is, the whole range of applications of because the energy density is nanomaterials, only one small part higher, you can have a storage of it. medium which is a third the size of a battery that you would In the energy area, they will be require if it is based on conven- important for lithium batteries tional technology. To give you and fuel cells. They will be some sense of that, a lithium important in a whole lot of other battery 10 metres x 10 metres x 10 applications in the energy sector metres stores over 400 mega watt of the future. There is also, of hours of energy. It is going to course, a concern, and rightly so, have at least a factor of 3 or 4 about the safety issues of nanote- smaller footprint than in the case chnology. People are concerned of a lead acid or nickel-cadmium about these very small particles. system. So it has less environmen- These issues should be examined tal impact for that reason. and considered alongside the technology, and that is being As a retired research scientist, I done. Of course we are already would like to personally say: what using nanotechnology in sun- an absolutely fascinating lecture. I screens. If it is a sunny day you will would like to ask you about the be using titanium dioxide in a part that nanotechnology could nanoform. So, in fact, you are play in chemistry, and also the part used to having nano particles in that it could play in future energy, our consumer products. which is one of my interests, in spite of my age. Because of my past history, I happen to be a member of the pro-Nuclear Group. Would you
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like to comment on how the involved both transport and, I nanotechnology is trying to affect understand, reactors. Have you the design and evolution of any contacts in America? nuclear power plants? Yes, there is no doubt that the The short answer to that is ‘no’, hydrogen economy will play an because I wouldn’t profess to important part, I think, in the have enough knowledge to make energy scenario of the future. As I an intelligent comment on that, mentioned in the lecture, you will so I would pass on that particular see a greater diversity in generat- one, if you forgive me. The only ing technology. But, and it’s a big thing I would say, as I have already ‘but’, there are two critical mentioned in my lecture, is that I problems that have to be ad- think that we are going to revisit dressed before hydrogen nuclear fission, hopefully one day economy can become a reality. fusion. For citizens living in the One is how you produce the south of England, it is really not hydrogen, and the other is how sensible to be too concerned you store it? There is a lot of hype about safety issues building a about hydrogen economy, and if nuclear reactor in the south of you want the cynical view, the England, when just across the hype is there for those who know Channel, the French have 77% it is hype, and those who know it electricity generation from nuclear is not a technology that is just energy. The greatest danger of about to deliver instantly. They nuclear power is, undoubtedly, in would like to propose it because the former Soviet Bloc. If we are they know it is yet to happen. really concerned about the Do you know about methanol? dangers of nuclear power we ought to be giving money to Yes, there are obvious attractions those countries, for them to clean in trying to use methanol directly up their old nuclear reactors for a in fuel cells, which is probably safer generation of power. what you are thinking about. If you can solve the catalytic prob- If you will allow me just one final lems on the electrodes to make question, I did read a while ago that happen, that won’t be a that we were moving towards a problem. Of course the problem hydrogen economy. I don’t know with methanol is that you are whether this is true or not, going to generate pollutants of possibly it’s across from America methanol, which of course or from the Kyoto; and this is the hydrogen would not. So hydro- way in which, they say, some of gen is an important player, it the money was going, to the rightly should be having research hydrogen economy, which
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and development in that area, I They are not afraid to make the think my colleagues in the area of investment, to develop things, fuel cells, I would say have actually they know that not all of them will suffered over 20 – 30 years from work, but some of them will, and this area when the tap was turned those that will, will pay for those off and no-one put any money that don’t. into it, and then suddenly it is the I don’t think it is going to happen solution to everything, and the from industrial funding. I think tap was turned on again. That is that in reality it will have to come not the way forward for develop- from the tax payer. I know that ing science or technology. here in Scotland the Intermediary Who is, or should, be providing Technology Institutes are trying the finance to make your work hard to bridge that gap. I certainly financially viable? applaud these initiatives and hope Well, unpicking out your question that they will work, and we will a little bit, I suppose the real see in the course of the next five problem is that, unlike in Japan, in to ten years whether they do. Europe and in the States we are That is putting public money into very poor at bridging the technol- promising technologies that will ogy gap, taking new ideas and hopefully deliver in the future. turning them into commercial I have to ask the same question in success. The reason is that it takes another way, the chicken and egg maybe ten years from laboratory scene. As you say your work is to the market place. The reality of mission-oriented, and driven on in the way that our economy works, a way which is really very remarka- is that industry will be unlikely to ble, but that doesn’t really count invest funds that are necessary to in the higher echelon of science, bridge that gap. and I believe that Mr Brown, for The Japanese take a different view. example, is determined to put a I visit there often, and their lot of money into pure science, research programmes run for ten because that’s somehow is how it years, my research programmes should be done. I think your work run for about two or three years at has shown that is not a very good best. Their development pro- idea. grammes will run for a similar Well, a degree of controversial length of time, and that radically sentiment down there. I think changes the scene, because I think that one has to have both of these the single biggest factor in why things working in parallel. I have the Japanese are so successful at always endeavoured to carry out commercialising their technology. fundamental research alongside
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Well again, some countries, research that is more mission- Iberian countries and Japan, orientated as you say. I haven’t recycle rechargeable batteries. You talked about it here today, can certainly recover materials because for a general audience from within batteries, and in fact the sort of energy theme is one it is often economically advanta- that is attractive and interesting. geous to do so. People have We have developed new methods actually made the point: is their for determining the crystal enough lithium in the world to structures of molecular solids in have lithium batteries? Of course ways which were not possible the reality is you don’t throw the before, which you could say is thing down the drain, you recycle really very much pure science. For these things, so that addresses me, applications are equal to pure both the problem of the finite science. The reason we got into nature of the resource and the doing that work on the structures recycling. of these compounds was driven by an interest in understanding I am not really for the use of more polymer electrolytes in greater energy than is absolutely unavoid- fundamental depth. We went off able, and I go along with Sarah and spent two years developing Parkin, who said some years ago this technique to solve crystal now, that we all have to do far, far structures, and as a result of the more with far, far less. crystal structures we then identi- To address your first point, which I fied those which might conduct, know is a critical issue, you are and then we came back to look at absolutely right to say that, to put a more technologically focused it differently, you should do as aspect of conductivity. For me much as we can do with what we these things have always moved have got. In other words, we side by side, and I have never had should be efficient. Yes of course a difficulty with that. I would say we should be efficient. Now, that the widened view for our there is a lot that we can do to funding agency would be to address some of these global recognise the worth of both warming issues by making every fundamental science and applied unit of fossil fuels to go as far as science. possible, and we should clearly do You mentioned what the aims of that. So I think you are right in the batteries use are. I was what you say, an efficiency should wondering, would you put be the first thing that we should batteries on the sustainability look at, and that is of course scale? happening, I think globally, or at least in Europe and Japan, less so
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perhaps in America. But, that can First of all, it always a nice thing to only take you so far, you then have say some complementary things to go to new technology. Howev- about Peter Bruce and his work. er, that is a fair point. Also just about a year ago, Peter Where do you see the applications was visiting Heriot-Watt, and was may be first coming, in a practical in fact in my office, when he took way? a phone call telling him that he was awarded the Gunning You mean the technology that I Victoria Jubilee Prize, so there is a have discussed here today? I certain symmetry about that. think that the most likely first application of these technologies How do you describe a global will be in vehicles, in private problem, and describe it incredibly vehicles. There is an intense effort well? We also have a problem for rechargeable lithium batteries that is well known now, in for vehicles, and I believe that will academic chemistry in particular in happen. We will see lithium Britain, with the closure of a batteries in heavy vehicles in number of departments, and perhaps a five year timescale. really departments of quite high standing. Our response to that Are you thinking of private has to be to demonstrate that we vehicles, rather than say public can do research which is several transport, aeroplanes and all the things, attractive and inspirational rest of it? to young people, while at the Not entirely. Another area that is same time be of benefit to society of interest is trains. It is probably and of relevance to industry, and uneconomical for us to extend our all of this assuming that it has to electrification system in the UK, it be of the highest academic and is too expensive. One way to intellectual standing. Peter address it would be with electrical Bruce’s work is all of these things. power trains, or even hybrid So ladies and gentlemen, we have trains, similar to the cars that I enjoyed this afternoon, a beauti- mentioned. fully presented lecture, on a really very important topic by an Vote of Thanks by Professor Alan international expert in the field. Welch: Well I was very pleased to Would you please join with me in be asked to propose this vote of thanking Peter Bruce in the usual thanks, for a couple of reasons. way.
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BP Prize Lecture Dr Rebecca Kay Department of Central and Eastern European Studies, University of Glasgow 5 September 2005 RUSSIA’S FALLEN HEROES: MEN’S EXPERIENCES OF POST-SOVIET CHANGE In 1990, BP provided an endowment to create a Prize Lectureship in the Humanities. The first Prize lectureship was awarded in 1991. It is awarded biennially to a person under 40 working in a Scottish Higher Education Institution. It is awarded sequentially in the following subject areas: Language, Literature and the Arts, Archaeological and Historical Studies, Social Studies, Philosophy, Theology and Law. Dr Rebecca Kay has been fascinated by Russia, its people and their lives since she first visited Moscow on a school exchange programme in 1989. Since that time she has been travelling to Russia on a regular basis and her love for and interest in its culture and society has continued to grow. Since the early 1990s, her research has primarily focused on gendered identities and the ways in which women and men experience and respond to changes taking place in the country, away from the capital cities of Moscow and St Petersburg. Rebecca has lived and worked in several provincial towns and areas, most recently in Kaluga region, in European Russia to the south-west of Moscow and in the Altai region of Western Siberia. Her PhD research on the activities and aims of grassroots women’s organisations was published by Palgrave as Russia’s Women and their Organisations 1991-96 and won the American Association of Slavic Women’s Studies, Barbara Heldt Prize for Best Book in Slavic Women’s Studies 2000. She is also co-author with Sue Bridger and Kathryn Pinnick of No More Heroines? Russia, women and the market, which won the same prize in 1996. Rebecca’s most recent research has been a Leverhulme Trust-funded study of Russian men’s experiences of and responses to post-Soviet change. Rebecca and her co-researcher Dr Sue Bridger are currently working on completion of a monograph arising from this project, to be published in 2005.
Attitudes towards and media gramme of profound economic, images of Russia have undergone social and political change was a series of profound shifts in the initially met, waned as the Soviet last two decades. The euphoria Union began to disintegrate. This with which Gorbachev’s pro- was followed by a new surge of
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enthusiasm for the new post- their problems, ‘at the bottom of socialist Russia in the early a bottle’ (Kuznetsov 2002) and nineties, however this too was not that if Russian women see to last. As Russia has faced up to marriage to foreign men as an the very substantial problems left attractive option, it is because of in the wake of a struggling ‘the catastrophic situation with planned economy, the western men inside our country’ media have consistently focused (Kondrat’eva 1999: 22). on the wretched and the squalid, Behind many such statements lies the hopeless and the incompe- the premise that men have been tent. In popular discourse there unable to adapt quickly enough is a prevailing sense that or effectively enough to the social, Russia is a disturbing, if not economic and political changes frightening, place to be, a country occurring in Russia. This, it is which is somehow incapable of argued, has led to a crisis of male pulling itself out of the hole it is identity and an increasingly in. apathetic and irresponsible Within this shifting picture, an response from many men. These overwhelmingly negative portrayal suggestions are in fact not of Russian men has become dissimilar to debates about a almost commonplace. It is as if the ‘crisis of masculinity’ which have degeneration of a nation can best become popular in many western be typified by the image of the societies, including our own over self-pitying drunk, defeated by the past 20 years. Whilst a quick circumstance, spiralling into an glance at Russian health statistics early grave. Headlines in British confirms that there are very newspapers, for example, have significant problems with male declared that Russian men are, health and lifestyle choices, the ‘dying of drink and despair’ purpose of the research on which (Traynor 2000). Yet reporting such this lecture is based has been to as this in the western media does explore a little more deeply what no more than reflect popular has been happening to men in opinion within Russia itself. A Russia since the break-up of the sense that there is something Soviet Union. intrinsically hopeless about the Certainly, the basis for deep state of men in Russia has been a concerns about Russian men and recurrent theme in the Russian their abilities to cope well with media over the past decade. Russia’s social, economic and Russian journalists and reporters political upheavals is far more have also commented that men than simply anecdotal. In Russia, always seem to find solutions to as in the UK, health issues figure
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high on any list of male problems ed by the International Family and the evidence of crisis here Research Institute in Moscow in seems particularly compelling. 1997 – 2000 found that in two- Changes in male and female life thirds of male mortalities in the expectancy over the reform period 20 – 55 age group, the man was offer some of the most indisputa- drunk at the time of death ble evidence that men have been (Traynor 2000). Men’s heavy less able than women to cope drinking also exacerbates other with post-Soviet change and the negative social phenomena pressures and challenges it has including accidents and absentee- brought. Whilst male life expect- ism at work (Kalinin 2002a), ancy has fallen by some five years increased rates of foetal alcohol from 63.8 in the mid 1980s, to 59 syndrome (Martynova 2001), in 2000, female life expectancy in marital breakdown and family the same period has fallen by just instability (Vannoy et al. 1999: 12, under two years from 74 to 72.2 31, 123) as well as the incidence (Notzon et al. 2003: 47). of violent crime. Some 30-40 per Research has also shown that cent of all serious violent crime in increased mortality rates are due Russia now takes place within the primarily to deaths in the young family: each year approximately and middle-aged population (25– 14,000 Russian women die at the 64 years) (Notzon et al. 2003: 10). hands of their partners, a figure Cardio-vascular diseases are the which those working in the field biggest killers, especially of of domestic violence have com- middle-aged men, whilst deaths pared with the 17,000 fatalities from injury, accident and poison- which occurred during the ten ing take second place, claiming years of the war in Afghanistan some 3–400,000 lives each year (Kostenko 2003b: 19; Osukhova (Gerasimenko 2001). Over 2003). 100,000 deaths annually are the The problems concerning Russian result of suicide or murder men, therefore, are clearly not to (Gerasimenko 2001) with men be taken lightly. However, simply over seven times more likely to blaming men for the difficulties commit suicide and six times more they face or even for the often likely to be murdered than women negative behaviours they may (Notzon et al. 2003: 50-51). adopt in response, is both Alcohol abuse clearly plays a insufficient as an explanation for significant role in premature the complex social and cultural deaths, both as a direct cause and processes at work and unhelpful as an indirect or contributory in seeking a constructive solution factor. A three-year study conduct-
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to some of these deeply troubling administrative centre for an issues. agricultural district which is Studying men’s experiences of currently in a state of decline and and responses to post-Soviet as the home of a scientific change research institute which is strug- gling to emerge from near The research which I refer to here collapse following the withdrawal was carried out in 2002-3 in two of state financing. The town itself, provincial areas of Russia: the city situated in an area of considerable of Barnaul, capital of the Altai natural beauty, has a very rural Region in western Siberia and a atmosphere: minutes from the small town in Kaluga Region, potholed streets around the south-west of Moscow. The city of central square, livestock roam Barnaul itself is remarkably freely between the houses in European in feel with a tree-lined summer. central boulevard which is dotted in summer with pavement cafes In both of these areas I inter- and where the most notable viewed men from a range of buildings were designed by backgrounds, age groups and architects from St Petersburg. It family situations. I looked at what has a population of over 600,000 they told me about their lives, and a rich industrial history within families and work in the context a region whose economy has of wider attitudes to men and been overwhelmingly based on their roles in Russian society. I agriculture. Despite considerable built up a picture of these by post-Soviet decline which has reading articles in the Russian particularly affected the remaining press, by looking at the ways in large machine-building plants and which those in positions of a wide range of smaller factories, authority or responsible for in recent years a growing array of providing social services to the retail and service sector businesses Russian population talk about has sprung up. men, and by listening to the things which both women and By contrast, research in Kaluga men in the areas where I was Region was based in what is still a working said were ‘true’ about largely underdeveloped town and men, their attitudes, abilities and two outlying villages in a district problems. Some of the aims of with a population of some this research were: to see what 11,000. There has never been any models or stereotypes of male significant industrial development attitudes and behaviours are part in or around the town and it of contemporary Russian culture; continues to function as an to look at the extent to which men
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actually fitted into these stereo- workers have had continually to types and what room for adapt to rapidly changing circum- manoeuvre they might have in stances in both practical and choosing not to; and to think ideological terms (Filtzer 1994). At about where the triggers for some the most tangible level, the of the troubling developments Russian economy has witnessed which I have just mentioned the collapse of substantial might lie. sections of heavy industry and There is not time in this lecture to agricultural production where vast look in detail at all the issues numbers of men were previously covered by this research, nor to employed. Delays in the payment discuss all its findings. I have of wages, payments of wages in chosen therefore, to look at two kind, temporary stoppages and areas of men’s lives which came arbitrary dismissals, whilst across as being particularly certainly not as widespread as a important to the men whom I decade ago, continue to trouble interviewed: work and father- certain regions and sectors and hood. These areas are also have damaged the confidence of particularly interesting in the light considerable sections of the of what I have just been saying workforce in terms of their because in relation to both of economic and employment them the men involved in this security (Ashwin & Clarke 2003: study expressed views and 152-174). Simultaneously, wages behaved in ways which did not in many areas of the economy necessarily conform to widely-held have failed to rise at anything like negative stereotypes and general- the same rate as inflation. This has ised expectations of male been exacerbated by the removal behaviour. of universal subsidies, the intro- duction of a private market and of ‘What kind of a man doesn’t charges for a variety of services provide for his family?’: making including health, education and ends meet in the new labour public transport. As a result market poverty has become widespread There is no doubt that the and has remained a deeply changes which have occurred in problematic issue throughout the Russia since the late 1980s have post-Soviet era (Silverman & had an enormous impact on the Yanowitch 2000: 50). Russian labour market. Ever since ‘In Russia the husband was economic restructuring and always the breadwinner’: reform began in earnest under the attitudes to gender and expec- Gorbachev regime, Russian tations of male employment
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A very public promotion of more had a specific impact on male and strictly divided roles and responsi- female employment. From the late bilities for men and women has 1980s onwards, calls for women also been an explicit part of the to return to primarily domestic agenda for social, economic and and family-oriented roles, com- political change in contemporary bined with the persistent erosion Russia. Since the collapse of the of what was once accepted as the Soviet system the idea that Soviet Soviet social wage have placed an attempts to ‘enforce’ gender increased emphasis on the equality were at best ‘mistaken’ importance of men’s role as and at worst ‘cruel’ and ‘pervert- providers. Indeed, this has been ed’ has become extremely popular. interpreted more or less explicitly In this context it is frequently in media and public debate, as asserted that whilst the primary well as in everyday discussions of focus of women’s lives and gender, as men’s key role, the activities should be the private counterpart to women’s role as sphere of home and family, men mothers, and the marker of a should be concerned above all good husband and father (Alma- with activities in the public sphere zov & Iushkevichko 1993; and particularly with waged Kiblitskaya 2000: 69; Zdravomys- employment. A wide range of lova 2003: 85). studies have been conducted Russian women interviewed showing the negative repercus- during the 1990s frequently sions for women of such shifting argued that to provide materially attitudes to gender (Buckley 1997; for the family was a man’s primary Bridger et al 1996; Posadskaya function. Even women who had 1994). Yet, relatively little research made a career for themselves, as has been conducted on their doctors, lawyers or test pilots for implications for men and there example, still insisted that: ‘Of has been a generalised assump- course, it is a man’s place to tion that men stand primarily to support the family and earn gain from a return to more rigid money for it’, ‘A woman should gender roles and divisions. Yet, as be provided for so that she can we shall see, uncompromising choose to stay at home and look views on gender difference have after the children if she wants to’ particular, and not necessarily and that, ‘[In Russia] the husband positive, repercussions for men in was always the breadwinner.’ Yet terms of their position as fathers in both media discussions and and expectations regarding the during interviews with Russian extent and nature of their involve- women, such assertions have ment with children. They have also frequently been followed by the
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complaint that men are either and considerable employment unwilling or unable to live up to insecurity, clearly regretted that he this responsibility, leaving the had never married or had children, burden to women instead. but explained. ‘It was kind of like Commenting on Russia’s falling to begin with I didn’t want to, but birth rate, for example, one media then later I didn’t have the means commentator laid the blame firmly to.’ Thus, at least for some men, on men and their failure to the right to start a family has been provide for their families: seen as dependent on the ability The problem is not that women to provide for one. Meanwhile, like to slave away from morning the process of marketisation has until night instead of giving birth placed men in a double-bind to children. The problem is that it where such provider roles are is hard for a woman to survive concerned. As the buying-power without a career. Men are weak; and stability of their wages has there is not much point in relying fallen, living expenses have risen on them. They don’t know how to and expectations of what proper earn money themselves and material provision for a family anyway they can’t wait to run off comprises have also increased with someone else. So our women (Kiblitskaya 2000: 63; Meshcherki- have to be able to survive on their na 2003: 97). This trend is own. (Kuznetsova 2002) encouraged both by the removal of the ideological and practical The overwhelming majority of constraints on consumerism men involved in the study I carried which were inherent in the Soviet out in 2002-3 in fact also actively system, and by the revival of supported the idea that men have attitudes to gender which empha- a non-negotiable duty to provide sise a division of labour within the materially for their families. Many family where men provide and men stated this simply as a matter women fulfil domestic roles. of fact, for example by quoting sayings such as: ‘A father is not a ‘A man should be a true profes- father if he doesn’t feed his son sional’: work as a source of until his pension.’ Some men who male identity and pride had never married explained that In addition to the importance of this was not due to a lack of earning money and being able to desire for a wife and children, but provide for a family, however, both because they had not been in a women interviewed in the 1990s position to provide properly for a and men interviewed in 2002-3 family. A man in his mid forties, viewed work as having an intrinsic who had experienced prolonged value for men, and being a source periods of low and delayed wages of male identity, self-esteem and
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personal fulfilment. In Russia, as don’t know! I loved books, the in many other modern, industrial- library was my favourite pastime, ised societies, work and and that’s stayed the same too. … professional status are frequently I went to work in a research assumed to be at the centre of institute. I soon started to work male identities and sense of self- seriously, started to publish and I worth (Meshcherkina 2003: 92). started to win competitions for This view is reinforced by a young scientists. I was working reading of the post-Soviet press in on low temperatures in liquids which positive images of men which is all fairly difficult, it’s like focus overwhelmingly on men’s another planet.” work-based activities and initia- For men who did not feel that tives. This stands in stark contrast they had a particular ‘calling’ to to reporting on women where one specific profession, taking family issues, domestic achieve- pride in a job well done and in the ments and skills are frequently range of their interests, skills and discussed with considerable abilities was also important. A emphasis, even where they have man who had done various skilled no direct relevance to the particu- and semi-skilled, manual and lar focus of a given article (Kay technical jobs explained his 2000: 43-45). attitude to work as follows: During interviews, many men “I like my job when I am doing it talked with great pride about their well and in principle that applies work and stressed the importance to any job. That’s my attitude. of doing a job properly, being a Basically, I have tried my hand at ‘real professional’ and working at various kinds of work and when it a job which a man would feel was works well, then it’s good and I ‘for him’. Men of all ages de- like it. For example, I also tinker scribed their work as an extension around with my car, well and of personal interests and hobbies that’s like, it’s not that I don’t like and vice versa. For example, a man the car, of course I like it, but who had devoted his entire when you have fixed it yourself working life to scientific research then you like it twice as much!” spoke with great enthusiasm about his work and described his Thus, whilst for some men, path to this career as directly especially those who had invested linked to his character, identity considerable time and energy in and broader interests: prolonged training or higher education, work-based identities “Science was my goal in life, and might be linked to a specific it’s amazing but I still have it now profession, for others what was – I like it when there’s something I
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important was to work diligently Lots of people lose themselves in and efficiently and to know that these situations. There are so they were good at their job. many male suicides. Men are more ‘If a man loses the work he hurt by these situations than loves, it’s a great loss’: Men and women.” the threat of unemployment During interviews conducted in Women interviewed during the 2002-3, men also described mid 1990s saw this close identifi- unemployment, financial insecuri- cation with their work and the ty and an inability to provide central role jobs played in men’s properly for their families as lives as a source of potential phenomena which had been vulnerability in the context of extremely difficult for many men widespread socio-economic to deal with. Men who had change. The threat of unemploy- themselves managed to stay ment and reduced earning power afloat, despite the difficulties of could be deeply damaging for the post-Soviet economic environ- men, they argued: ment, frequently expressed sympathy and a degree of under- “Men give a lot of time to work. It standing for others who had been uses up a lot of their energy, both less able to cope. As a rural sports physical and emotional ... This is teacher and former army colonel why men die younger. If a man put it: loses the work he loves, it’s a great loss. They immediately lose their “What’s a man to do if there is no sense of purpose in life.” reliability that you get paid or how much? So maybe they give you Other women asserted that, since 100 roubles, what can you buy men’s only valid role in the family with that? You can’t buy your was that of provider, if they lost child a uniform or even a football. the ability to fulfil this they So instead a man will go and buy became nothing but a burden. a bottle and he won’t even go to Men’s awareness of this, they the shop because he’ll be econo- argued, made the loss of employ- mising, so he’ll get homebrew ment potentially fatal: instead, and by the time he comes “Now, well not everyone is able to home he’ll be in a complete fulfil this role [of breadwinner] state.” and so in some ways it’s easier Men making such comments were without a husband. … I know of a not necessarily condoning or lot of examples of husbands who excusing these tendencies. Indeed can’t earn enough to live on, even they often went on to point out though they are well educated that this set a bad example to the and have a professional job. …
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younger generation and was described made it clear that behaviour unworthy of a ‘real flexibility and adaptability had man’. On the other hand they become very much the order of recognised that for many men the the day. Far from having the luxury ability to provide, at least as much to insist on working only in one as the job itself, was closely linked narrowly specialised area, many to issues of self-respect. The sense men said that the contemporary of uselessness and loss of identity labour market demanded a range which accompanied a failure to of skills and a preparedness to fulfil this role adequately, they felt, undertake a wide variety of jobs offered a ready explanation for both within one and between the descent into depression and several places of employment. patterns of destructive behaviour Younger men, whose only so widely visible. Nonetheless, experience of work had been in they pointed out, widespread the post-Soviet era, appeared to though such a response might be, accept a demand for flexibility as by no means all men behaved in simply part of the reality of a this way; many men, they insisted, competitive labour market. They continued to do all that they stressed that it was vital to be able could to ensure their ongoing to respond immediately to new employment and to provide for demands and circumstances and their families to the best of their saw no point in expecting a more abilities. stable or unchanging working ‘I work as hard as I can and I try experience. As one man in his to find more’: Men’s strategies early 20s explained: for dealing with the new world “It’s all so unpredictable here that of work sometimes you may have to For the overwhelming majority of change your profession very respondents in this study rigidity quickly. If one thing doesn’t work and resistance to change were out you have to be able to switch simply not an option. Their very quickly to doing something overriding sense of responsibility else. Otherwise you will just fall to provide for their families, down a complete hole.” combined with their view of work Despite widespread age discrimi- as a crucial part of their own nation in the post-Soviet labour identities and roles as men, made market and a generalised assump- the development of strategies for tion that those who grew up and dealing with the new world of began their working lives under work an issue of paramount the Soviet system will be particu- importance. Moreover, the larly resistant to change, many of strategies and experiences they
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the older men in this study had employment and one which often proved beyond doubt their ability overrode considerations of to be adaptable. They were clearly personal preference, professional both willing and able to convert training, or previous work experi- skills and experience gained ence. As one man put it: “it’s not during the Soviet era into a basis a question of whether you like it for finding or developing new or not, you just go where they pay forms of employment in the post- the most money”. Soviet context. Former agricultural Many of the men who took part in specialists took on labouring jobs this study had taken on multiple at factories and warehouses. Men jobs, shifted from skilled-manual who had worked as works’ drivers or white-collar work, to unskilled and factory mechanics became taxi and physically demanding manual drivers and private car mechanics. labour, or accepted work long Others used their artistic skills and distances away from their homes hobbies to set up craft and design in order to secure higher wages. A based businesses. Far from man in his late thirties, providing viewing their working lives as over for a large family, explained that when the enterprises they had he had been forced, out of worked for collapsed or refusing financial considerations, to seek to seek alternative employment employment in a city, 100 kilome- even when their current place of tres from his home, despite the work ceased to pay them properly, added pressures of a long these men sought out or created commute on public transport and new forms of gainful employment frequent separation from his as a matter of course. family: The difficulties of finding work in “There simply isn’t any alternative. the post-Soviet labour market, Hard or not, it’s just, well I worked particularly work that pays well here for a year, but we had enough to support a family, has borrowed money to buy a flat and forced men to think flexibly about we had to pay the money back, employment not only in terms of but here, you just can’t earn what sort of work they can and enough, it’s practically impossible. will do, but also in terms of where … So that’s what it’s like, and you and when they are willing to do it. have to do what you have to do.” In discussing their current work- ing arrangements many For other men, making enough respondents referred to wage money to ensure that they and levels and the importance of their families could live comforta- earning enough to live on as a bly meant working extremely long decisive factor in their choice of hours and combining formal paid
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employment with informal work worry about the need to earn through subsistence farming, enough money for their families’ trading or ad hoc employment in survival. Many men stressed that the private sector of home and car their health was the only thing maintenance, as hired manual they had left to rely on and in the labour, or as impromptu taxi words of one very hardworking drivers. Clearly none of these respondent: “Heaven forbid if strategies are without their anything were to happen to your problems. Working away from health. That would be the end.” home may put considerable strain Men in this study had developed a on family relationships as a district variety of strategies in order to registrar of births, deaths and continue working and to provide marriages in Kaluga region, whom for their families. Some strategies I interviewed during this study, were certainly more successful was at pains to point out. A shift than others, not only in terms of into self-employment and/or a the level of income they were able combination of low paid formal to secure, but also in terms of employment and additional their sustainability, both physically earnings in the informal economy and emotionally. In some cases, limit men’s rights to sick pay, strategies which men had devel- pensions and other social bene- oped with the aim of ensuring a fits. Many of the men in this study family’s well-being and material expressed concerns about their comfort, had in fact introduced position in the future regarding a new vulnerabilities in terms of pension and described the damage to their health or their prospect of any form of pro- physical removal from the family longed ill-health as potentially for prolonged periods of time. disastrous. Taking on multiple Whatever approach they choose jobs, often involving shift work to pursue, men’s experiences of and manual labour takes a toll on work in the post-Soviet era were men’s physical health. Where taking place in the context of an those who already have a record unstable labour market where of ill-health see no alternative to there could no longer be any continuing strenuous formal or guarantee of long term job informal work the results may be security in formal employment fatal. Many of the men involved in with a clear set of benefit and my research complained of high pension rights. Yet they insisted levels of stress, sleeplessness, that it was crucial for men to fatigue and poor diet caused by a continue to work, whether lack of time for sufficient rest or formally or informally, both in proper meal breaks and constant order to provide for their families
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and because they viewed work as are highly developed and, indeed, a defining source of male identity saturate Russian popular culture, and dignity: ‘What kind of man the notion of what a father is, or doesn’t work to provide for his should be, is far more hazy, family?’ was a frequent comment sometimes, effectively, to the in both interviews and more point of non-existence. The way in informal conversations. This view which parenting and upbringing was also closely reflected in media are portrayed in Russia frequently discussions and women’s com- conveys the sense that every child ments on men’s roles and has a mother but may or may not responsibilities. The difficulties of have a father. What this boils the post-Soviet economy may be down to in practice is the view acknowledged and the potential that in each child’s life there risks for men of such a singular should be a man who provides, focus plus an unrelenting pres- who should perform a duty, but sure to provide recognised. Yet, may not necessarily form or even where these issues are raised maintain a relationship. As one as potentially contributing to Russian sociologist has expressed various forms of male ‘crisis’, this: ‘The exclusion of fatherhood discussions are only very rarely from social discourse in Russia is taken one stage further to a an absolutely obvious fact’ (Gurko questioning of the stark gender 1999: 221). divisions which underpin much of This emphasis on motherhood as this state of affairs. a vital part of any woman’s life ‘I couldn’t live without my kids’: and dismissal of the idea that fatherhood as a contested fatherhood might be of similar identity importance to men is not new to It is, of course, over the question the post-Soviet era. In late Soviet of providing materially for a family society, a renewed cult of mother- that the interface between men’s hood was the subject of massive public and private roles is at its official propaganda. In support of most visible. This may also, at least the state’s attempts to encourage in part, help to explain the value women to bear more children, ascribed to this activity. There is no newspapers, magazines and doubt that it remains the most popular literature, all of which widely acknowledged and socially were still under control of the approved contribution men make state censor at that time, were put to the family and, in particular, to to work to persuade women of the well-being of their children. their unique ‘calling’. An extract For, whilst understandings of from a perestroika-era school what a mother is, or should be,
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textbook illustrates the tone of These gender specific attitudes much of this writing: did not only relate to parenting ‘Every woman is a mother or a skills however, they were con- future mother. She knows feelings cerned with emotions too. which even the most devoted Women were convinced that men father cannot experience. … were quite simply incapable of Motherhood makes women caring as much as a mother would beautiful and wise. … For every about their children. As one woman who is a mother, all woman put it: “A mother’s heart people, including her husband, aches more for her child.” become to some extent her own Yet, in the course of my study of children.’ (Sukhomlinskii 1987: Russian men, in virtually every 74-5) interview and through much of Women whom I interviewed in the the observation which accompa- mid-1990s continued to employ a nied them, men made clear the good deal of the language and very strong emotional bonds they imagery used in these Soviet era had with their children and the campaigns, much of which has importance of these relationships been repeated and reinforced by in their lives. The significance of post-Soviet discussions of the these ties frequently emerged ‘natural differences’ between men through body language: the way and women. For these women the in which a man’s face would light idea that good parenting was up as he talked about his children something which came naturally or grandchildren or proudly to mothers but might never be showed off their photographs or understood by fathers seemed to the profound tenderness with be simply a case of common which he might describe his sense. In interview, they made it experience of fatherhood - “Who clear that they did not really can say I haven’t achieved any- believe men had it in them to be thing when I have grandchildren adequate, never mind good, like these?” It was particularly parents, especially with small noticeable, in a society in which it children. They frequently made is often assumed that men are categorical statements that men incapable of dealing with small lacked the patience to deal with children, how often men de- children and were simply incapa- scribed their feelings, for example, ble of looking after babies. As one about a birth, about taking a new- woman explained it: “You can born home from hospital, about educate a man as much as you having a toddler in the house, in like, he still won’t be able to bring unmistakeably emotional terms. up a child the way a woman can.” As one father of an 18 month-old
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baby girl described it: “it’s potential financial drain as something inexplicable. You just formerly free provision had can’t explain it. It’s like a little disappeared. As one man with wonder that’s running around the two children summed it up: “You place”. have to pay for everything now. In describing their own experienc- You have to have a lot of money es of being fathers, men often for children.” Having children, for explained the roles they played in these men, clearly implied a relation to their children and commitment to provide for them discussed what they felt a good long-term but, in the current father should be. Not surprisingly climate, men had no way of perhaps, providing for children in knowing what their long-term material terms topped the list, circumstances might be. however, transmitting skills, One of the results of these new instilling discipline and offering economic pressures on men who guidance were also seen as took their family responsibilities important paternal roles. Moreo- seriously was, therefore, to place ver, in all areas the underlying them in a Catch 22 situation. issue of the deep emotional ties Because they cared about their between a man and his children children, they believed that they remained paramount. should be providing all they could ‘You have to have a lot of for them; because it had now money for children.’: providing become more difficult to provide as a father’s role the amounts necessary, men were likely to find themselves seeing far The men in this study overwhelm- less of the children they cared for. ingly portrayed their children as a As one father of two put it: source of joy, but, at the same time, as a massive responsibility, “Well, of course today it’s possible one which continued well into that fathers are excluding them- their adult lives. In the face of selves from the family. Because post-Soviet economic change, the with us, what is it that’s expected scale of this responsibility had of a man – wages! You are increased dramatically and was supposed to support your family. clearly a source of substantial So some men hardly ever see their anxiety. Ensuring their children’s families, because they don’t have health, enabling them to fulfil any time. ... People work as much their intellectual potential and as they can, even in several jobs setting them on their feet in their simultaneously if they can.” own homes with their own young families had become a huge
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‘My Dad showed me how to do expressed quite overtly. A father of everything.’: transmitting skills one adult son and a teenage to children. daughter explained that in his When men were talking about view, “A son and a daughter are passing on skills to their children, different things of course. You can they often began by speaking in a love a daughter but a son has got predictably stereotypical way about to become independent. Learn to engaging in DIY or basic mechanics do things yourself and then with boys. Some men who had everything will be fine.” The daughters began by saying that expectation in statements such as perhaps it would have been easier these was clearly that a son, like for them if they had had a son: his father, would be expected to “Maybe to talk with him or he provide, not to be provided for. A could help me for example if I was father’s role, therefore, was seen doing DIY at home and hammer in this light as being about nails with me or hold things for preparing children, but perhaps me.” Men who talked in this way especially boys, to meet the often reminisced about how they demands of life in the public had been taught skills such as this sphere. A father of two children, by their own fathers. Yet several one male, one female, both in men who talked about this had in their late teens, said of his son: fact moved far away from such “I tell him … everyone has to traditional gender stereotypes in know their trade. … In the future practice. An older man, for example, you’ll see you’ll have kids of your described with huge enthusiasm own and then there’ll be an the summer visit of his grand- inheritance and so on. And so the daughter, the highlights of which thread will continue and you have were when he took her to visit his to work in that direction. ... It’s workshop and “she spent lots of clear, I tell him, no-one will come time there banging around with a and hand it to you on a plate, no- hammer and made herself toys and one else will … lead you by the things”. hand to anywhere useful. It’s all For some men, however, this up to you now, I say. You have to question of transmission of skills try for yourself.” was less about practical tasks and ‘Society can’t influence children more bound up with imparting the way their parents can’: knowledge or a way of thinking exercising discipline and offer- analytically which would stand their ing guidance children in good stead in the In these exhortations to older future. In this, some clearly felt a children to find their own way in gender bias which might be
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life there was unmistakeably an punishment and I brought up my element of anxiety about their family the same way, so that there future. In part, as suggested would never be any fear that their above, this related to insecurities father would use any kind of about providing them with the force.” necessary opportunities. But it With small children also men also, inevitably, related to the often underlined the need for influence of broader cultural firmness, suggesting that they changes on their lives. At its most saw their role as an antidote to obvious, there were concerns fussing or mollycoddling, espe- about drugs and alcohol and, cially by female relatives. Most of interestingly, a great deal of all, this was described as being concern about smoking, perhaps about a need not to see their child reflecting the extent to which becoming spoiled. Not all men, Russia has been bombarded with however, were able to maintain cigarette advertising since the this position, even if they thought demise of the USSR. Men were it desirable. Some responses made also clearly concerned about peer it clear that discipline is very much group pressure, the influence of an individual matter and is not ‘the street’ on their children, but automatically gender-defined. For believed that they themselves some men, the degree of besot- could and should be the most tedness they were describing with important influence in their the small child in their life might children’s lives. make discipline problematic, even Yet what came across very clearly if they thought it was what a man in many of these interviews was should be doing. One man with a an enormous disapproval of any very young daughter laughed form of physical chastisement of sheepishly as he explained his children. Whilst this runs counter situation: “My wife, she’s much to much of what appears in the more strict than me, I’m the one press about male attitudes, men who’s a softie and I might forgive who raised this issue were something or feel sorry for her, adamant about the need for but my wife makes her do things children to learn discipline, to with military discipline and will know where the boundaries lay, put her in her place.” but that this should be based on ‘The kids know I’m all for them’: reason and personal authority, not love for children - fatherhood on violence and fear. A man who and beyond was raising three teenage children alone said, “In my family I was As these examples suggest, for brought up without physical the men in this study who
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discussed being a father, it was family. Some engaged in activities clearly not only a very active role with broader groups of children but also one in which a great deal or had adopted children. of emotion was invested. Several For others, a broader involvement described how much they valued with children might be part of the communication they shared their job but could then involve with their children, the openness them in intensive activities which between them that they experi- they themselves had chosen and enced. Men described listening to developed: their children’s opinions, never treating them with condescen- “I really love children. Every year – sion, being ‘like an older friend, I’ll do it this year as well – I get a like a comrade maybe’. In talking group of children together and about this, some men chose to we go off into the forest for two make clear the depth of the bond or three weeks. We live in tents, they felt, often in a way which was pick mushrooms and cook them, the antithesis of the stereotypical- we don’t take lots of food with us ly distant, disinterested or, at best, but we collect things. Or we’ll go sternly disciplining father. In the to a farm and help an old lady words of one father of two with her potatoes and she’ll give teenage sons, “They’re my us some, things like that. The kids children, it’s my blood, if they’re know that I’m all for them and doing something I can’t not pay they repay me with the same kind attention to them.” Meanwhile, a of loyalty.” single-father spoke of the impor- Men were clearly able to talk tance of having a close and about a sense of parental respon- trusting relationship with his two sibility and concern, about love young daughters: and affection for children which “I really want to instil in them the went far beyond any notion of understanding that any problem, obligation. In the opinion of the that they should always share it men in this study, all of this with me and there will never be formed part of the question of anything like: ‘I don’t have time,’ what made a good father and, or anything like that. I say: ‘I will indeed, a good man. For them, it always listen.’ I don’t know. I just was about offering guidance, love them.” providing protection, preparing children to cope with the world Interestingly, men who felt this outside and to be ready to make sense of emotional engagement their own positive contribution. with their children, did not Yet, other elements of this study necessarily restrict its expression showed that men’s attitudes and within the confines of the nuclear
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wishes might count for little when The men interviewed in the course measured against the overwhelm- of this study were in no sense part ing weight of widespread of a successful or privileged elite, assumptions that only women are indeed the majority were in some designed by nature for parent- way or other struggling to deal hood. In a country where divorce with the circumstances in which rates have been rising steadily for they found themselves. Nonethe- over 30 years, the reflection of less, none of them could have such opinion in court practices been described as apathetic, and social service provision can irresponsible or in any way cause tremendous pain to both despairing. All of them, without men and their children when they exception, consistently empha- are separated by force (Kay 2004). sised a need to be self-reliant and Conclusions: Some new perspec- responsible, above all for the sake tives on men in contemporary of their families, and they sought Russia to explain how they themselves were striving to live up to this The research which I have, in part, ideal. In giving voice to these men, described here seeks to contribute I have hoped to draw attention to to extending awareness of the the details of men’s lives, attitudes ways in which Russian men have and relationships and in doing so been affected by post-Soviet to reveal a more intricate picture change. One of the central aims of which is frequently lost because it this research has been to reveal is assumed that widely accepted some of the less widely acknowl- stereotypes tell the whole story. edged aspects of men’s experiences and their responses to Many of the problems and processes of socio-economic and difficulties which were raised by cultural transformation in contem- the Russian men in this study are porary Russia. The study’s findings not, in fact, unique to post-Soviet challenge some of the negative Russia. In the UK, and perhaps assumptions about Russian men particularly in Scotland, there has which are such a widespread been growing concern in recent feature of both western and years about male health and Russian media. In particular, they mortality. In particular, the contradict the overwhelming consequences for men’s health of sense that there is nothing to be a culture of extremely long hoped for from Russian men, that working hours, stress, problematic they have, en masse, simply given lifestyle choices and a reluctance up, on themselves, on their to prioritise preventive health care responsibilities and on the wider have attracted attention (Mitchel society of which they are a part. et al 2000; Hartley-Brewer 2000).
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Meanwhile, in the private sphere, it as a movement seeking to men in western societies, who secure rights for women and with have in recent years become far very little to offer men apart from more actively engaged in parent- a demand that they relinquish ing, have become increasingly their privileges and power. One unwilling and vocal in their refusal aspect of this rejection of the to accept widespread assumptions feminist agenda stems from an about the primacy of the mother’s assumption that feminism role, particularly when marriages positions men exclusively as break down (Pyke & Verkaik 2004). ‘winners’ who invariably stand to It seems unlikely that men in any gain from the perpetuation of an society will be able to overcome unequal status quo. Such assump- the kinds of problems and tions overlook the fact that many restrictions highlighted here activists and advocates of gender unless there is a far more general equality have called for an end to attempt to redress gender confrontational approaches and a inequalities and to challenge recognition that gender equality stereotypical divisions of roles, will be more readily achieved responsibilities and spheres of when men and women are seen activity. The problems women as allies not enemies in this have faced in attempting to process (Wolf 1994; Alibhai- challenge such stereotypes and Brown 2005). A recognition that the debates and political activism the question of achieving gender which emerged from second-wave equality is crucial to and in fact feminism have shown that it is not likely to be advantageous for both possible to resolve single issues of men and women may therefore discrimination without addressing have a contribution to make in wider gender inequalities which moving forward debates on and lie at their root. Yet, on-going developing effective challenges to popular resistance to feminism gender discrimination not only in continues to be based, at least in Russia but in other countries and part, on a common perception of societies, including, perhaps, our own.
Bibliography Almazov, B. & Iushkevichko, V. (1993) ‘Kartochnyi “domik schast’ia” sem’iu ne ustroit’, Rossiskaia gazeta, 25 February, 2. Ashwin, S. & Clarke, S. (2003) Russian Trade Unions and Industrial Relations in Transition, Basingstoke and New York: Palgrave. Bridger, S., Kay, R. & Pinick, K. (1996) No More Heroines? Russia, Women and the Market, London: Routledge.
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Buckley, M. (1997) Post-Soviet Women: From the Baltic to Central Asia, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Filtzer, D. (1994) Soviet Workers and the Collapse of Perestroika. The Soviet Labour Process and Gorbachev’s Reforms 1985 – 1991, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Gerasimenko, N. (2001) ‘Pochemu my tak malo zhivem?’, Moskovskii komsomolets na Altae, 9-16 August, 12. Gurko, T. (1999) ‘Fenomen sovremennogo ottsovstva’, in I. Semashko and R. Sverdlovskaia (eds) Muzhchina i zhenshchina: meniaiushchiesia roli i obrazy, Vol 1, Moscow: Institut etnologii i antropologii RAN. Kalinin, A. (2002a) ‘Rabota b’et na poval’, Sel’skaia nov’, (10), 5-6. Kay, R. (2000) Russian Women and their Organizations: Gender, Discrimina- tion and Grassroots Women’s Organizations, 1991-96, Basingstoke: Macmillan. Kay, R. (2004) ‘Working with single fathers in Western Siberia: a new departure in Russian social provision’, Europe-Asia Studies, 56, (7), 941- 962. Kiblitskaya, M. (2000) ‘Russia’s female breadwinners: the changing subjec- tive experience’, in S. Ashwin (ed.) Gender, State and Society in Soviet and Post-Soviet Russia, London: Routledge. Kondrat’eva, O. (1999) ‘Zamuzh za inostrantsa ili devushka kak predmet rossiiskogo eksporta’, Sel’skaia nov’, (3), 20-22. Kostenko, M. (2003b) ‘Otechestvennyi zarubezhnyi opyt resheniia proble- my semeinogo nasiliia: muzhskie perspektivy,’ in M. Kostenko, N. Kostenko and S. Saklakova (eds.) Muzhchiny i zhenshchiny v sovremennom obsh- chestve: problema domashnego nasiliia i puti primireniia, Barnaul: AKOO ‘Muzhskoi razgovor’. Kuznetsov, S. (2002) ‘Poshekhonskie amazonki’ Sel’skaia nov’, (10), 2-4. Kuznetsova, E. (2002) ‘Aleksandr Lapin: “Ukhodia iz sem’i, ostav’ zhene kvartiru i mashinu”’, Kaluzhskii perekrestok, 4 - 9 January, 20. Martynova, N. (2001) ‘P’iut vse dazhe deti v utrobe’, Sel’skaia nov’, (2), 68. Meshcherkina, E. (2003) ‘Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniia maskulinnosti: muzhskoi pol v publichnosti i privatnosti’, in ILO (ed.) Gendernoe raventsvo: poiski resheniia starykh problem. Sbornik statei, Moscow: Mezhdunarod- naia organizatsiia truda.
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Notzon, F., Komarov, Y., Ermakov, S. et al (2003) Vital and Health Statistics: Russian Federation and United States, Selected Years 1985–2000 with an Overview of Russian Mortality in the 1990s, Vital Health Statistics Series 5, Number 11, National Centre for Health Statistics. Posadskaya, A. (1994) Women in Russia. A New Era in Russian Feminism, London: Verso. Osukhova, N. (2003) ‘Muzhem bytaia’ Sel’skaia nov’, (6), 30. Silverman, B. & Yanowitch M. (2000) New Rich, New Poor, New Russia: Winners and Losers on the Russian Road to Capitalism, Second Edition, Armonk, New York: M.E.Sharpe. Sukhomlinskii, V. (1987) Pis’ma k synu, Moscow: Prosveshchenie. Traynor, I. (2000) ‘Russia dying of drink and despair’, The Guardian, 30 June, 12. Vannoy, D., Rimashevskaia, N., Cubbins, L., Meshcherkina, E., Malysheva, M. & Pisklakova, M. (1999) Marriages in Russia. Couples During the Economic Transition, Westport: Praeger. Zdravomyslova, O. M. (2003) Sem’ia i obshchestvo: gendernoe izmerenie Rossiiskoi Transformatsii, Moscow: Editorial URSS.
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Presidential Address Lord Sutherland of Houndwood KT FBA PRSE 19 September 2005 THE LISBON EARTHQUAKE: 250 YEARS ON AND COUNTING
On 1 November 1755, All Saints However the most lasting and Day. Lisbon and its inhabitants dramatic consequences of the experienced a massively destruc- destruction, which are still with tive earthquake. Most of the city us, focus on the attempt to was reduced to rubble by the assimilate the ghastliness of these triple shocks and consequent events into our thought patterns huge tidal waves and fires. and discourse. What if anything Estimates of the death-toll range can be said of such horror, from 30,000 to 100,000. suffering and evil? Shocks and destruction were also Voltaire was in no doubt that it set experienced in Spain, France and at nought the claims of the poet North Africa, and remnants of the Pope, and behind him the tidal wave reached England and philosopher Leibniz, that this was spread further to Jamaica within the best of all possible worlds, hours. and that if we could only see it The events in Lisbon were de- God’s manifest goodness was scribed in graphic detail, and present even in such pain and speedy reactions varied from suffering. His first public response letters of comment from Malta, to was in his Poem on the Lisbon articles in the London Press and Disaster or an Examination of the even to the publication of three Axiom ‘All is well’. articles on the physical causes of Rousseau responded, but the earthquakes by Immanuel Kant in lasting literary legacy is undoubt- his local newspaper in Koenigs- edly Voltaire’s Candide, with its burg. cast of characters who live Scientists began further research through and beyond the Lisbon and speculation on the geophys- Earthquake. ics of the event, and the politician And so a debate was set running Pombal grappled with great skill which changed the face of with the processes of the re- European thought, and which planning and reconstruction of accelerated the direction of the the city. Enlightenment towards secular- ised, and even anti-theistic, patterns of thought.
100 Prize Lectures
Its significance is as much, was a pointer to western thought however, in the implicit attack that human insight, knowledge upon absolutism in all its forms – and wisdom are circumscribed, whether the absolute judgements limited, and far from comprehen- which are the stock in trade of the sive. The mistakes which arise demagogue, whether political or from ignoring this fact are seen all religious, or the absolute certainty too clearly in our own contempo- with which claims to wisdom are rary world, where we are still enunciated from the same coming to terms with the lessons sources. The Lisbon Earthquake that it taught.
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LECTURES Professor David Purdie, Consultant, Edinburgh Osteoporosis Centre 8 November 2004 Osteoporosis: African Genesis - European Nemesis
Professor Purdie’s aim for his The realisation, Professor Purdie lecture was to discuss one of the explained, that all Europeans are most difficult problems faced by of African descent has prompted a Western Societies, that of the major research drive to determine increasing fragility of our bones as why the black skeleton is so much we age, and continue to age. Life more resilient and stronger than expectancy for women in the UK is the white. African and African- now 82 years, and it is upon American women have much middle-aged and elderly European lower rates of osteoporosis and females that the principal burden fracture than their white cousins of osteoporosis continues to and the reasons for this, when descend. uncovered, may well provide a Professor Purdie went on to point major lead in the hunt for effec- out that the condition now costs tive means of prevention and the NHS some £1.7 billion per treatment. annum and that figure does not Professor Purdie outlined the account for the loss of economic anthropological thesis; the activity among both the patients ancestral wave of H. sapiens left and their younger relatives Africa some 100,000–120,000 required to care for them. Oste- years ago, dark skinned heavy oporosis onsets usually after the boned and relatively short lived. menopause when the central In the higher latitudes of Europe, bone-protection hormone, selection pressures led to the estradiol, ceases production in the divergent phenotypes seen today ovaries. By age 75 fully 50% of when Europeans are compared to UK females are osteoporotic and the surviving ethnic group nearest at risk of fracture after minimal to the ancestral population – the trauma. The means to detect San Bushmen of the Namib. Euro- osteoporosis, DXA bone scanners, Africans exhibit lighter skin colour and the means to treat it are to conserve Vitamin D production, available, but have only been straight hair to conserve warmth deployed in certain areas, leading and lighter bone structure, for, at to postcode preference instead of present, no detectable biological the required blanket coverage. advantage. It may be that the light skeleton conferred no
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disadvantage, provided individu- our design specifications have als died young. But the uniquely fitted us. combination of a gracile skeleton Professor Purdie drew his lecture and high longevity may have to a close by stating that oste- contributed to the present oporosis is a silent stalker of problem faced by Western women. It arrives undetected and societies with aged populations. unrecognised by patient and Thus the disease, Professor Purdie doctor alike, until it manifests in concluded, which robs women, height loss or in fracture after a and some men, of their height, simple fall. Its detection requires stature, good health and some- the positioning of bone densito- times their lives, may have its meters (bone scanners) in ultimate origin in our childhood hospitals within the reach of all as a species and in the fact that UK general practitioners, for only we no longer hunt, scavenge and then will the tide of fractures and gather – the activities for which their associated misery among our elderly, begin to abate.
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Professor David Hamblen, Emeritus Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Edinburgh Professor Hamish Simpson, Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Edinburgh, Professor Joe McGeough FRSE Regius Professor of Engineering, University of Edinburgh 6 December 2004 The Challenge of the Ageing Skeleton
The lecture was presented by two principles developed by John orthopaedic surgeons and an Charnley. This required the engineer, respectively Professor introduction of new inert bioma- David Hamlin CBE Emeritus terials for the bearing surfaces, Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, both metals and polymers, with University of Glasgow, Professor low friction and wear rates. It also Hamish Simpson, Professor of necessitated new methods for Orthopaedic Surgery and Trauma, fixing these artificial materials to University of Edinburgh, and bone using either methylmethacr- Professor Joe McGeough, then ylate cement or textured surfaces Regius Professor of Engineering, to allow macro or micro-interlock. University of Edinburgh. The The successful results with former two first presented the conventional hip and knee clinical background to the ageing replacements now exceed 90% skeleton that they encounter after 10 years. Despite this work orthopaedic surgery. With continues to improve on these increasing need for manufacture with improved materials for the of prostheses the engineer can articulation, such as ceramic-on- complement the work of sur- ceramic, and the re-introduction geons. of metal-on-metal surface replace- An outline of the anatomy and ments to minimise bone removal. structure of the failing arthritic Bone porosity increases with age joint provided the basis to for both males and females, with understanding the history of its a significant rise occurring in surgical treatment. The evolution women over the age of about 70. of joint replacement was traced Bone fracture mainly arises road through its beginnings in the traffic accidents (about 58%), with interposition arthroplasty and simple falls accounting for 19% hemiarthroplasty to the present were for women above the age of day success of total joint arthro- 70 there is a dramatic rise in the plasty based on the engineering likelihood of wrist fractures,
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compared to men. 6,500 hip stability is achieved from initial fractures per year occur in Scot- mechanical stability, by press-fit or land, 80% occurring in women cementing of the knee replace- over 70 years of age; about 10% ment. of hip replacements require The final part of the lecture dealt revision surgery within ten years. with sheltered housing and Loosening of bone contacting nursing homes and the introduc- implant is a major problem. New tion of Smart technology. coating technology is needed for Research into non-obtrusive hip prostheses, which can pro- Intelligent flooring was described. mote adhesion between living It gives position, and direction of tissue cells of the human bone movement and can detect heart- and the implant. Computer-aided beats. design and manufacture can be used to produce design the In summary, engineers working prostheses needed. The average with orthopaedic surgeons can age for total knee arthoplasty provide cross-disciplinary solu- (TKA) is 68 years: 5 to 10 per cent tions to questions posed by the require revision surgery within 10 latter. These solutions can be years. Long term biological based on existing technology.
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Professor Ian Wilmut, OBE, FRS, FRSE Principal Investigator, BBSRC, Roslin Institute 9 December 2004 at Pitlochry Festival Theatre Why Clone? Cloning in Biology and Medicine Public Lecture following the RSE Schools’ Christmas Lecture
Speaker’s Abstract There is much confusion when have been produced in several people see the words ‘clone’ and species, sheep, cow, mouse, pig, ‘cloning’. Cloning (also known as goat, cat, rat, rabbit and horse. nuclear transfer) involves the However, despite considerable transfer of the genetic informa- effort by experienced laboratories, tion from a cell to an unfertilised no offspring have been reported egg, from which the genetic from the rhesus monkey or dog. information has been removed. There are many limitations to this The cloning technique involves technology, but also many several complex steps and is potential applications, for exam- carried out by specialists in the ple, copying our most productive laboratory. In 1996, ‘Dolly the farm animals, producing organs Sheep’ was created, the first for transplantation or treating animal cloned from a cell taken conditions such as spinal cord from an adult mammal. Offspring injury.
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Professor Roland Jung Chief Scientist, Scottish Executive Dr James Robson National Team Medical Co-ordinator, Scottish Rugby Union 21 January 2005 The Health and Psyche of the Scottish Nation (In association with the Edinburgh Lectures Partnership)
Obesity has become the most cardiovascular disease. Heart important nutritional problem of disease has become the second the new millenium, affecting not highest cause of death in Scot- only developed but also less land, killing 12000 people each developed nations. There has year. Obesity is also involved in been a rising tide in obesity in the development of cancer, adults from 1980 to 2002 as the metabolic complaints (such as number of obese women has gout and gallstones), sleep trebled, and in men the figure has apnoea and osteoarthritis, as well quadrupled. A recent Scottish as various other conditions all Health Survey showed that 62% with major health, societal and of men and 54% of women are economic consequences. It was now medically obese. One of the reported in 2002 that the cost of major problems is the lack of the managing obesity and related awareness. Parents who are obese diseases cost the NHS Scotland an often fail to recognise the prob- estimated 172 million a year. lem in their offspring and as a Prevention is not easily imple- result childhood obesity has mented, with the energy reached an alarming level. Obesity expenditure of the average person in children aged 2 to 4 years has much reduced since the 1970s doubled and in 6 to 15 year olds because of the changing nature of trebled over the past two decades. work, lost activities, increased It is a disturbing fact that already sedentary activity, etc, and chang- 50% of 12 year olds are over- es in eating habits, (i.e. larger weight or obese. There is a risk portions, ready meals, take outs that if this pattern of obesity is etc.). continued into adulthood it could reverse the increase in longevity Treatment is difficult with limited achieved in the last three decades approaches dependent on diet by improvements in health. motivation. Drug therapy is still in its infancy and bariatric surgery Obesity is the major reason for the is effective, but limited in availabil- rise in diabetes mellitus, itself ity. associated with subsequent
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Professor Ian Wilmut, OBE, FRS, FRSE Principal Investigator, BBSRC, Roslin Institute 25 February 2005 To Clone or Not to Clone? The Peter Wilson Lecture (Joint ECRR/IoB/RSE Lecture)
Professor Wilmut began by artificial insemination where we acknowledging the following are familiar with the fact that funding agencies, the Research efficiency is low, and there are Councils now known as the some abnoramilities (which are BBSRC and DEPRA, and MAF not normally seen); to the more (previously the Scottish Office). recent approaches, such as the Funds were also received from the use of lentiviral vectors, using European Union, the Californian viruses to carry DNA which have Biotechnology Company and the shown startling efficiency in Jone Corporation. introducing precisely what you Cloning has the potential to be want, in exactly the place you used in a great variety of different want to insert it. In the research ways; Professor Wilmut’s lecture involving lentiviruses, experiments looked at ways in which nuclear- have been done with sheep and transfer might be used in pigs, with no adverse effect on the agriculture, concentrating primari- animals themselves. ly on genetic modification. Why Professor Wilmut concluded that might you wish to make genetic as experience shows you cannot changes in livestock? Some really predict the outcome of concepts (current and evisaged) research or the practical applica- are: producing proteins in tions, Dolly had not been animals, not just for nutrition but considered until the year before also for medical use; organ she was born. In an agricultural transplantation; to impart resist- context, artificial insemination in ance to some diseases, such as livestock which is hailed because foot and mouth; and for pure of its contribution to animal research. breeding, was in fact initially It is important to note the differ- developed to stop the spread of ent approaches that have been venereal disease. used for making genetic change over the last 25 years. From
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Ms Alice Walker British Geological Survey 8 March 2005 at Dingwall Academy Earthquakes at Home and Abroad RSE Roadshow Public Lecture
The Indian Ocean Boxing Day who study them (see UK earth- tsunami in 2004, highlighted the quakes, below). increasing vulnerability of people Larger earthquakes can cause across the World, to the impact of landslides, tsunamis and even natural disasters. In this case, cause the ground to turn to liquid more than 50 countries suffered for a while with buildings sinking the deaths of their nationals, and toppling. They can rupture some 280,000 in total. Addition- gas or water mains, causing ally, economic losses from natural raging fires, and block access for disasters, which are measured in emergency services. The great fire £billions, have been rising in San Francisco following the exponentially for 5 decades, which 1906 earthquake lasted three is a situation that cannot be days, was more damaging than sustained. the shaking itself, and resulted in Earthquakes occur everywhere in 80% of the damage. the world, although most are The Italian earthquake on 31 along the edges of the great October 2002, illustrated the plates that make up the Earth’s importance of protecting public outer skin and which move at buildings through sound engi- about the speed our fingernails neering practices. It killed 26 grow. Each year the globe is schoolchildren and teachers when shaken by about 800 ‘moderate’ the school collapsed despite earthquakes, (magnitude 5-5.9 on registering only 5.6 on the Richter the Richter scale), 120 ‘strong’ Scale; about 270 quakes of this ones (magnitude 6-6.9) and size or greater happen each year, around 20 ‘major’ earthquakes of worldwide. TV images showed magnitude 7 or greater. One the extent of the school’s destruc- point up on the scale means 32 tion and the minimal damage times more destructive energy, so elsewhere, clearly revealing poor two points is about 1000 times construction and a tragedy which more. There are many more should never have happened. The smaller ones but most go unno- Kobe (Japan) earthquake in 1995, ticed except by the seismologists yielded an example of poor
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planning, when the only bridge to Around the Pacific Ocean, tsunami the hospital from the main warning is routine, with a coordi- population centre failed. nation centre in Hawaii where The Indian Ocean tsunami was potential tsunami-genic earth- caused by a magnitude 9 earth- quakes are located within minutes quake which happens on some (seismic waves travel 50 times plate margins about once every 10 faster than tsunami waves), and years but not always with a where the surrounding countries tsunami and the scale of destruc- have systems to warn people of tion experienced in 2004. To the danger, often many hours cause a tsunami, the earthquake before the wave arrives. Fortunate- has to be under the sea and ly, global organizations like shallow enough so that the fault UNESCO, have responded to the causing it breaks the seabed and Indian Ocean disaster by instigat- displaces the overlying column of ing a warning system for that water. This generates the tsunami region (already being constructed) which is a long wave, less than 1 and consideration of similar ones metre in height and only noticea- for the Mediterranean and ble when it arrives in shallow Caribbean seas. water where the height rises to It is clear that for all disasters, many metres with a kilometer or there is a cycle of relief and two of wave behind it that keeps recovery followed by a period of coming in. There may be 2 or 3 normality, then a repeat of the more waves behind the first. disaster. The only way to break Travelling at the speed of a jet this cycle is to invest in prepara- plane over the ocean (about tion, immediately after the relief, 800km/hour) the tsunami struck so that the next time the earth- the nearest shoreline of Banda quake, flood or storm happens, Aceh, in Indonesia, within 15-20 buildings, infrastructure and minutes, Thailand in 1 hour, Sri warnings protect people instead Lanka in 2 hours, and the east of failing. As well as making coast of Africa in 7-8 hours. There humanitarian sense, this strategy was, therefore, an opportunity to is also economically sound. provide a warning but, sadly, there Studies have shown that £1 spent was no system in place to deliver it on preparation saves £7 in relief in time, except for Kenya where needed. only 1 person was killed. In The UK is not immune from neighbouring Somalia, 176 lost earthquakes. There are around their lives. 200 each year but people only notice about 20 of these. The largest, in 1931, had a magnitude
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of 6.1. Fortunately, it was centred the internet to determine, within on Dogger Bank, 100km out in two hours, the location, magni- the North Sea, and caused only tude and nature of an event minor damage on the east coast (earthquake, explosion, sonic of England, where many chimneys boom, or mining-induced seismic- fell down. Onshore, the largest ity) within two hours. The results earthquake in the last 140 years are widely disseminated, with occurred in North Wales on 19 Government, industry, academia, July 1984 with a magnitude of the media and the public often 5.4. It was felt over most of intensely interested. England, throughout Wales, and Around Dingwall and Inverness, even into Scotland and Ireland. It there have been very few earth- caused minor damage as far as quakes detected by the BGS Liverpool, 120km from its epicen- seismic stations over several tre. Over the past 15 years, the decades. None of these have been most damaging earthquake was felt by people. But a magnitude centred on Dudley, in the West 2.7 earthquake shook Aviemore Midlands, on 23 September 2002. on 28th August in 1995, and It woke up people from Dublin to when we go back over 100 years, the east coast of England, and we find strong shaking in Ding- from Yorkshire to the south coast wall and earthquake damage in and Devon. At the epicentre, there Inverness. In 1901, an earthquake was much alarm and some of magnitude 5.1 caused damage damage to chimneys and roofs, around the city. Fifty smaller with plaster cracking on interior aftershocks were felt during the walls, indicating a maximum year but none since then. The intensity of six on the European Inverness Journal reported that Macroseismic Scale (which bells rang for nearly a minute and describes the degree of shaking in that the spire attached to the jail an earthquake). BGS received was “completely rent and twisted some 8,000 responses to ques- several inches round”. tionnaires which we distributed nationwide through the media So, in Britain, where we want to and internet. understand the risk from earth- quakes, we must go back in time, The British Geological Survey, in before sensitive instruments were Edinburgh, operates a network of invented, to capture reports of our 146 seismometer stations to shaky historical past. monitor earthquakes around the world and at home. Data is For more information visit transferred via telephone lines or www.earthquakes.bgs.ac.uk.
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Dr Robert Hawley CBE FREng FRSE Deputy Chairman of the Foundation for Science and Technology 11 March 2005 Engineering and the Creative Arts : A New Frontier? (Joint Lecture with the Royal Academy of Engineering) Part of National Science Week.
Extracted from full published report, available on the RSE Website, or in hard copy from the Publications Office.
Introduction need of an upgrade and redesign Since the late 1970s, the influence for the twenty-first century. It is a of technological advances on topic that creates a lot of interest Man’s lifestyle and well-being has and is worth exploring even in a increased beyond all predictions very scant and amateurish way in and yet this is not appreciated by the hope this will at least start a the majority of people inhabiting broader debate elsewhere. our planet. In some cases out of The Engineering profession itself, ignorance and, in many cases, with a critical role to play in a because they have yet to benefit changing ‘knowledge-based’ from technological advances. economy, faces problems of I marvelled at the engineering and recruitment, change and future technology involved in staging direction. and delivering, to a global This paper suggests some ideas audience, the two concerts from on the way ahead but, to set the the grounds of Buckingham scene, I have chosen a few Palace to celebrate the Queen’s examples of the many remarkable Golden Jubilee. ways in which, throughout history, In the recent past I have explored engineers and artists have worked two bridges, the bridge between together in many fields such as Science and Engineering and the painting, sculpture, theatre and bridge between Engineering and film. the City. However, there is yet It always helps when discussing a another bridge to be examined bridge to define the two sides and strengthened, that between between which the bridge Engineering and the Creative Arts stretches. and through the arts into the creative industries. Engineering has been defined in various ways, quite often using a This bridge has a long and lot of words, but the simplest honourable history, but it is in definition is that it is the process
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that converts basic science, via which is in the ability to communi- technology, into wealth creating cate with the rest of humanity, products. although there are those in the The term creative arts covers many arts who have their own commu- areas such as painting, graphic nication problems. design, advertising, music, dance, The so-called creative industries designer fashion, the performing are emerging as the critical arts, film and video, communica- battleground for the new econo- tions, television, radio and my and wealth-creating society of architecture. the future. Successful economies The Oxford English Dictionary depend increasingly on the defines creative as “having the creation and the communication power or ability to create things: of, and the understanding and showing imagination and origi- use of, ideas and images. Be- nality as well as routine skill” and cause of rapidly increasing arts as “subjects (e.g. languages, technological advances engineer- literature, history, etc) in which ing has a key role to play as never sympathetic understanding plays before. So there is much to be a great part, as opposed to the gained from strengthening the sciences where exact measure- bridge between the two disci- ment and calculations are used”. plines. Those in the creative industries So what are the creative indus- depend on engineers, not only for tries? These have been defined their infrastructures and equip- as “those which depend on the ment (heat, light, electricity, water, creation of original intellectual roads, building and communica- property by individuals and teams tion systems) but, in partnership for their added value; which have with each other, for the develop- creativity at their heart and which ment of new techniques, such as have the potential for wealth and digital graphic displays. job creation”. This could also be another possible definition for For their part engineers turn engineering. creative ideas into reality by creative design. Engineers need The component parts of the imagination both to be able to creative sector, as officially think laterally but also to put defined, are: visual art, design, themselves on the other side of a fashion, advertising and graphics, discussion. film and broadcasting, the music business across the spectrum, So engineers have a great deal to digital software, theatre, dance learn from those in the arts, and live performance, museums perhaps the biggest lesson of
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and galleries, the heritage ic technologies – most particularly, business and publishing. The the Internet. Department of Culture Media and Talent and skills are, and always Sports’ Creative Industries Task have been, the key to the future of Force estimates that the creative the creative industries. industries employ more than 1.3 million people, contributing £8.7 Much more needs to be done if billion to the balance of trade, our creative industries are to 7.9% of GDP and growing at the remain competitive in the digital rate of 9% between 1997 and era. Much, much more must be 2000. There was an inward done if we are to have any chance investment of £22m in 2001/ of creating an international 2002 into the UK Creative industry, operating on a sufficient- Industry sector. ly attractive cost-base, to be seriously capable of competing on As Lord Puttnam has so fully and the world stage. Our only clearly stated“These industries are competitive advantage lies in the the key to the future; not just for innovative quality and cost- those who work in the sector, or effectiveness of our workforce. those who merely enjoy its products, but to our collective That means talent and skills right future; that is to say our collective across the board, not just design- future as an economically and ers, writers and software culturally sustainable nation in the engineers, but also that new globalised economy of the 21st generation of creative entrepre- Century.” neurs and managers with a serious interest in marketing and He continues, “However broadly finance”. or narrowly we may choose to define the creative industries they Conclusion are essential to our future as a I have only touched on some of modern, competitive trading the many areas of the arts in a nation. We would also probably most superficial way and, no agree that their importance can be doubt, left out many that should measured every bit as much in have been included. But my terms of the contribution to the purpose was to highlight the balance of payments as in their growing need and interests in ability to provide pleasure and more broadly educating engineers enjoyment for millions of people in the arts and humanities and to all around the globe; and that the point out the benefits to both future development of these disciplines of so doing. industries is intimately bound up with the development of electron-
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Undoubtedly there are already ment, science, technology, health many areas where such collabora- and environmental studies, over tion is taking place, but much time a wide range of courses, more needs to be done; not only spanning a whole range of at undergraduate level, but also at subjects, could be made available. the many interfaces of engineer- Perhaps the most exciting pros- ing and the arts in order to pect is that the same platform produce the creative engineers used to gain technical expertise and industries so vital to the and subsequent continuing future economy of the UK. In professional development could addition, those who study the arts also open up the world of the and humanities need a basic arts. understanding of science, as To quote John Maeda “More than future developments will depend ever we need people who can lead on partnerships between engi- humanity towards technology that neers and the users of the new improves society rather than technology. technologies that simply improve It is a major step forward that the our technology itself”. Arts and Humanities Research Finally let me quote from my Board has been redesignated as Bridge Lecture : the Arts and Humanities Research Council and will shortly take its “But in addition to the existing place alongside the other Re- Bridges between engineering and search councils under the Office the City and between engineering of Science and Technology. This and science there is one fascinat- will include further cross- ing Bridge to be more strongly fertilisation between science, built and used in the future, that engineering, the arts and the between Engineering and the humanities at the research level. Creative Arts. In addition, one future opportuni- Whilst the thought processes of ty should be provided by UK the individuals involved can be eUniversities, a company created different, the Creative Arts by the UK Government to enable depend on engineering for the UK universities to deliver their production of their output whilst high quality courses on line across Engineering, particularly in the the world. UK eUniversities will design field, still has much to not offer its own degrees but will learn from those involved in the provide them from established UK Arts. Building this Bridge will universities. While the initial strengthen the foundations of the focus will inevitably be on subjects other two Bridges”. such as business and manage-
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My purpose has been to highlight already in mid-career and also, in the need for more open, two-way, the new socio-economic climate, interactions between engineers working independently. I am alert and the arts and humanities and to the significance of their creative to celebrate some of the rich needs. legacy of achievement on which For this reason, I have taken an we can build. increasing role in the Creative We have, however, a very serious Value Network organisation set up conjunction of challenges; on the by Ralph Windle. We are close to one hand, a growing awareness launching a sustained, inter-active of the critical economic relevance programme of events, working of open bridges between arts/ projects, research and communi- humanities and engineering and cation links; aimed precisely at the sciences; and on the other, a stimulating the freer exchange of clear need for a more robust creative ideas and experience industry/university/Government across disciplinary boundaries. programme to address both the This programme is known as The attraction and creative content of Janus Programme, one part of educational provision for new which is to stimulate more arts/ entrants to the profession. engineering interaction. It is The situation urgently requires named after the Roman God of action to secure the future. By the open door and I hope by definition, there are a very large means of this paper I have number of professional engineers succeeded in opening the door wider.
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Professor Noel Sharkey FIEE FBCS Professor of Computer Science, EPSRC Senior Media Fellow, University of Sheffield 4 April 2005 The Robot in your Head
Speaker’s Abstract A lively walk through the history the stark reality of the develop- of robots and their relationship to ment of real robots today animals. The audience heard illustrated by his public projects about the automata of the and museum exhibitions. Since ancients (280 BC- ) and how they the 17th century, the idea has gradually developed into the become increasingly strong that robots of the 20th century. we humans and other animals are Following clips of Noel’s favourite mere machines or automata. But robots in the movies, he examined do you believe it? Are you a robot?
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Professor Ricardo Uauy Professor of Public Health Nutrition, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine 20 May 2005 at Rowett Research Institute, Aberdeen New Concept of Food Quality: Beyond Safety and Sensory Properties Scottish Agriculture & Biological Research Institute Joint Lecture
Professor Ricardo Uauy is one of subsidies. Although these the most eminent and distin- changes in diet may have contrib- guished scientists in international uted to improved child health and nutrition today. He is a highly growth in some countries, we respected advisor to the UN, WHO now find that nutrition-related and FAO and his expertise is wide- chronic diseases such as heart ranging and includes basic disease, diabetes and cancer are nutritional science, applied the main killers in developing biomedical research, and popula- countries undergoing rapid tion-based intervention changes such as China, India, programmes. Brazil and Mexico. In his lecture, Professor Uauy Professor Uauy currently holds the described how current trends in Chair of Public Health Nutrition at lifestyles towards energy-dense, the London School of Hygiene high-fat diets and low levels of and Tropical Medicine, University activity, are risk behaviours that of London, a post which he took travel across countries and are up following eight years as transferable from one population Director of the Institute of to another like infectious agents, Nutrition and Food Technology affecting disease patterns globally. (INTA), Chile. In September 2005 He went on to say that great he becomes President of the changes have swept the entire International Union of Nutrition world since the second half of the Sciences. Professor Uauy is a twentieth century, producing highly respected advisor to the major modifications in diets, first UN, WHO and FAO. “Quality food in industrial regions and more should not only look, smell and recently in developing countries. taste good and be free from Traditional, largely plant-based harmful chemical and microbial diets have been swiftly replaced by contaminants, it should be high-fat, energy-dense diets, wholesome in terms of current accelerated by low prices of high and long-term health and well fat and high sugar foods, ex- being,” said Professor Uauy. plained in part by agricultural “Promotion of this idea of food
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quality is an essential component per each $ spent on promoting of preventive health policy, but to the healthy choice. Governments successfully promote healthy diets need to practice what they preach, and active lives we need to go particularly in their institutional beyond individual education. This feeding programmes in places is almost a lost battle, with the such as schools. In essence, we spend on marketing of unhealthy need to make the healthy choice, foods being around $500-1000 the easy choice.”
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Professor Harry Burns Director of Public Health Glasgow NHS Board 13 June 2005 How Safe are Vaccinations?
Immunisation - the process of inducing immunity in an individual by administering a vaccine, toxoid or antibody-containing preparation.
Professor Burns emphasised that relationship between smallpox as a Director of Public Health, he and cowpox, when Benjamin had a responsibility for making Gesty contracted smallpox from sure that interventions which his cows and this led to Jenner’s would improve the health of the attempt to protect humans from population were available, while smallpox by scarification with the also ensuring that the public was cowpox virus. One hundred years protected from interventions went past and Pasteur showed which might harm them. There is that you could grow viruses and a balance between effectiveness bacteria in an attenuated form so and risk, as the question is not, that they were less pathogenic “are vaccinations completely and could be caused to produce safe?” - any kind of intervention an infection in humans that has a risk attached, even if that would protect them through the intervention is as basic as drinking more pathogenic virus. Dissent a cup of tea - but “do the benefits has always gone hand in hand outweigh any risks or downsides with these developments – that may be apparent in terms of Vaccination Acts were passed in vaccination?” 1840, 1853 and 1867 and the Vaccination has a long and anti-vaccination league was chequered history, from Indian founded in 1853. Publications Buddhists in the 7th century who such as the Anti-Vaccinator and tried to protect themselves against the National Anti Compulsory the effects of snake venom by Vaccination Reporter were drinking it, to the process of cirulated and there are reports of variolation; injecting dried demonstrations with 150,000 smallpox pus into the skin, people attending them against introduced into England in the the notion of compulsory vaccina- early part of the 18th Century. By tion. The Vaccination Act of 1898 the late part of the 18th Century it abolished penalties for people became clear that there was some who objected to compulsory
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vaccination and that 1898 circumstances, those antibodies Vaccination Act was the first time may kill the vaccine before it has the phrase “conscientious the chance to stimulate some kind objector” came into the English of memory in the baby. language. Can vaccines harm you? It all There are two types of vaccine; depends on what you mean by live, attenuated vaccines which harm. There is no question that provide a response close to that of vaccinations have some side naturally acquired protection and effects. Many of these vaccines the inactivated vaccine, where involve the injection of life often the cell wall of an organism attenuated organisms with an aim is broken down and some kind of of creating a clinical syndrome antigenic fraction extracted. This that stimulates the body’s re- is then used to stimulate an sponse to those organisms. So, it immunological memory in the would be unusual not to have a body. It can’t cause an infection proportion of patients who are because there is not a live organ- vaccinated who don’t get a ism there, and it is also less temperature and it is not correct immunogenic because there is not to try and give the impression that a live organism there. Sometimes there are no consequences of you need several doses per vaccination. immunity and often boosters in Professor Burns discussed the subsequent years. MMR controversy and other Can you still get a disease if you vaccination related studies from have been vaccinated against it? Finland, Sweden and Japan and Generally the vaccinated popula- concluded that he saw no signifi- tion is less likely to be affected by cant trends for vaccines being a condition. Some immune harmful, and could see significant systems are not pure enough to trends that convinced him that it respond with T-cell responses and is very important to vaccinate the in the elderly or the chronically ill, population. Failing to vaccinate to there may be a weakened immune the required level does result in system, which cannot respond oubreaks, and consequently appropriately. Therefore vaccina- individuals are harmed. By tion in these circumstances may choosing not to vaccinate you are be ineffective. Sometimes storage making a decision which affects is inadequate or the vaccine has the wider community. expired. Breast-fed new-born “I think the answer to the original babies are taking in immunoglob- question is that side effects are ulins and antibodies in the rare, and generally slight, al- mother’s milk, and in those though not always and it would
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be wrong of us to deny that example, in vaccines is now almost tragedies can occur. We don’t completely phased out. I think know the future, but in the vast there is no doubt that vaccines majority of cases, side effects are have contributed significantly to slight. The vaccines are effective advances in life expectancy and in protecting against the diseases quality of life in this country, and I that they are designed to mimic, am very pleased to be part of a and the system that allows public health system that has vaccines to come into common helped to generate these improve- use is one in which great care is ments in life circumstances taken to respond to public particularly for our children.” concerns. The use of mercury, for
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Professor John Mitchell OBE FRS Chief Scientist, The Met Office 11 July 2005 Climate Change: Apocalyptic, Much Ado about Nothing or Cause for Concern
Professor Mitchell looked at six sea. Collectively they all show the broad areas relating to climate same trend and pattern of the change: gradual rise in global warming. i) what is happening to the Other evidence is taken from what climate? is happening to glaciers - most of the world’s glaciers are receding. ii) recent observations Why is this happening? One iii) the physics of the climate hypothesis is that it is due to an iv) how do we know climate increase in greenhouse gases, change is due to human which warm the atmosphere. activity or do we indeed know There has been an increase in that? carbon dioxide, as well as other greenhouse gases such as v) what would happen in the methane and CFCs. future and when? How do we know climate change vi) the speculative changes is due to human activity? Firstly, covered often by the media. the natural factors affecting the What is happening to our cli- climate must be taken into mate? There is a general trend of account. But, when we add those warming, but with some varia- effects of human activity which tions. There was warming early in increase the greenhouse gases the twentieth century, followed by (i.e. factors including aerosols etc.) a period of little change with we find that they corrolate with cooling particularly in the North- this very rapid warming over the ern Hemisphere, and then a much last three decades. more pronounced warming over What will happen in the future the last three decades. What is and when? Over the next hundred causing the longer term trend, is it years the weather will become natural variability or is it some- more extreme. Sea levels will rise, thing else? temperatures will rise, some areas Recent observations have included will become drier (particularly the independent sets of temperature Mediterranean) and rainfall will measurements of surface, air and eventually become more extreme.
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Extreme weather conditions that of uncertainty as to the extent of were once sporadic will become it. Even if we do reduce emissions more frequent. there are still going to be substan- Professor Mitchell concluded that tial climate changes. One can there isn’t any uncertainty about certainly rule out some of the there being substantial future doomsday scenarios, but it’s not climate change, but there is a lot much ado about nothing, it is a cause for concern.
A video of Professor Mitchell’s lecture and his Powerpoint presentation can be found on the RSE website.
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Professor Sally J Macintyre OBE, FRSE Director, MRC Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow 3 October 2005 Who You Are or Where You Are? Social and Spatial Patterning of Health
Interest in the impact of the social standards and also control of and physical environment on environments, and an increased health dated from the classical interest in lifestyles and behaviour. Greek and Roman periods, as A White Paper from all the UK seen in Greek and Roman medical Health Departments in 1976, thought and embodied in Roman Prevention and Health, Every- public health architecture. The body’s Business, tried to put the attention paid to the environment spotlight back onto individuals as an influence on health had also and their lifestyles. been particularly important in Professor McIntyre described nineteenth century public health findings from her own work on thinking in industrial societies. health-promoting and health- The response to poor living damaging features of local conditions was not to target environments in the west of individuals but the environment, Scotland, with particular attention resulting in a sanitary movement to the poor living conditions in which involved things like water- Glasgow in the 19th Century. She works in Loch Katrine producing suggested that we need more fresh water; sewerage etc. focused research on specific Attention to the environment had pathways, such as how the waned with the epidemiological environment influences physical transition from infectious to activity and diet, or the social chronic diseases, and much recent factors which influence mental public health thinking focused on health. She concluded by sug- personal lifestyles and responsibil- gesting that “who you are” and ities. What came to be seen after “where you are” both matter for the Second World War was the health, and both need to be taken chronic disease of affluence rather into account in public policy- than poverty. There were consid- making. erable improvements in living
126 CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS, SYMPOSIA, SEMINARS AND DISCUSSION FORUMS Conference Current Research in Mathematical Biology Joint Conference with the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences at the Kelvin Gallery and Hunterian Museum, Gilmorehill Campus, University of Glasgow 25 November 2004
The concept of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Royal Swedish Academy of Science co-hosting this conference was born during a coffee break conversation with a Swedish colleague in the course of a meeting on stem cells in Scotland House, Brussels. We both work in the field of cancer research, and discussed the need for a greater quantitative contribution to our own work and to the exciting developments in stem cell research we were hearing about in Brussels. On returning to Scotland, it was encouraging to find from mathematical colleagues that they were equally enthusiastic to establish and extend such a dialogue, and contact with the Royal Swedish Academy of Science confirmed that Nordic colleagues shared this view. The conference itself exceeded expectations. Fields covered included modelling of the degree of risk to life from aortic aneurysms, the quantita- tive relationship between plankton stores and fish stock in the Atlantic, evolutionary theories, mathematical calculations to accurately target tumour cell load in cancer chemotherapy, cell movement and resultant soft tissue modelling, and branch theory in population ecoloty. The formal presenta- tions were accompanied by lively and informed discussants both from invited panellists and the audience. Informal comment from delegates who ranged from enthusiastic under- graduates to more mature but no less enthusiastic Nobel Prize winners indicated that the chosen topic was an exciting growth area, and one which merits revisiting over the next few years. Professor Rona MacKie, CBE, FRSE. International Convener, The Royal Society of Edinburgh.
Over the past 25 years Mathemati- government policy on conserva- cal Biology has become an tion and infectious disease control increasingly important research issues investigating the mecha- area. It is a wide ranging subject nisms by which tumours grow or which has seen success in many wounds heal. This one-day practical and applicable problems, conference aimed to bring from helping to determine together experts in several
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different areas of mathematical speaker was Dr Douglas Speirs. biology to present talks and to The chairman remarked that hold open discussions on what historically mathematical ecology has been achieved to date and can be split into three branches (i) what we would like to achieve in Ecosystem Ecology which looks at the future. how energy flows and is trans- Professor Brian Sleeman opened formed into ecosystems, (ii) the conference by discussing Population Dynamics which looks contributors to mathematical at how populations vary over time biology in the last century, and space, and (iii) Evolution, the including AL Hodgkin and AF short term processes of adapta- Huxley (physiology), John Maynard tion to competitors and the Smith (Genetics and Ecology), environment. Alan Turing (morphogenesis) and Professor Nick Barton and Profes- Jim Murray, whose work ranges sor Siv Andersson were the widely over the field of mathemat- speakers for the session Applica- ical biology. Professor Sleeman tions of Mathematics in also touched on some current Bioinformatics and Genetics. problems in mathematical biology Professor Barton discussed how including immunology, climate there have been many contribu- change, plankton dynamics, tions to this field from statisticians understanding things at the gene and computing scientists. The level, cell biology and bioinfor- area is not just technological; it is matics. about how to understand large Professor Nick Hill discussed bodies of data. Professor Anders- mathematical modelling of son started by discussing genome vascular disease. Current and projects. He then went on to future problems include (i) global present several possible evolution- circulation models (ii) flow in ary theories: the tree of life (the collapsible tubes (iii) fluid struc- neutral theory of evolution); and ture interactions; and (iv) structure the Web of Life, in which each and material properties of the gene has a unique history. arterial wall, looking specifically at In the session Efficacious Mathe- the example of the abdominal matical Modelling: Chaos, aortic aneurysms. Complexity and Calculus Can Cure The session Mathematical Ecolo- Cancer, Professor Mark Chaplain gy: From Plankton to Fish: introduced biological hierarchy: Ecological models on the Ocean Ecosystem–population–family– Scale was chaired by Professor whole organism–tissue/organ– Torbjorn Fagerstrom and the cell–organelle–nucleus–chromo- some–gene–RNA–protein sequence–
128 Conferences, Workshops, Symposia, Seminars and Discussion Forums protein 3D structure–molecular biologists and mathematicians. function. The speaker was Professor Peter Soft Tissue Mechanics to Cell Jagers who discussed population Motion: Mathematical Modelling modelling and calculating the of Cell Motion was introduced by probability of extinction. Professor Jonathan Sherratt by The final part of the day was an saying that cell motion is impor- open panel discussion chaired by tant in wound healing. There are Professor Sean McKee, question- two ways of modelling this: (i) ing what were the main looking at the individual cell and challenges mathematical biology how it moves and (ii) looking at and where is mathematical the collective behaviour of the biology now? whole cell population. The Professor Jagers of the Royal speaker for this session was Swedish Academy of Science Professor Brian Sleeman who expressed his satisfaction at the went onto explain the movement quality of all the scientific contri- of cells in more detail. butions and suggested that the The session Branching Processes dialogue established in Scotland in Biology was introduced by could perhaps be continued in Professor Eric Renshaw advocating Sweden at a future meeting on a research interplay between similar topic.
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Discussion Forum HIV and AIDS in Scotland: Beyond the 1980s 8 December 2004 Dr Gordon Scott Department of Genito-Urinary Medicine, Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh Mr Neil Gerrard MP Chair, All Parliamentary Group on AIDS
A Discussion Forum at the Royal All the data indicate how short- Society of Edinburgh lead by Mr sighted it would be to regard HIV Neil Gerrard MP, Chair of the All as a problem which we in the UK Party Group on AIDS and Dr do not have to worry about, that Gordon Scott of the Genito this is an issue for the developing Urinary Medicine Department at world but not for us. the Western General Hospital in Africa is currently the centre of Edinburgh. Chaired by The Right attention in relation to HIV. But Reverend Richard Holloway FRSE. new epidemics are springing up. Neil Gerrard began the discussion In Central and Eastern Europe and by presenting the large audience the Commonwealth of Independ- with an international overview of ent States (mostly the former the AIDS pandemic. By the end of USSR) UNAIDS estimate as many 2003 an estimated 53,000 people as 280,000 people contracted the were living with HIV in the UK. virus in 2003, bringing the total New diagnoses have been rising infected to as many as 1.8 million. steadily since 1998. There were This region includes several over 6,600 new diagnoses in countries which are either EU 2003, more than double the 1998 members, or will be soon. total. In the earlier years of the The Russian Federation, Latvia, epidemic men who have sex with Ukraine and Estonia are experienc- other men were consistently the ing some of the fastest growing largest group diagnosed, but in HIV epidemics in the world. each year since 1999 they have Injecting drug use is the main been outnumbered by infections driver, but with an HIV prevalence acquired through heterosexual rate approaching 1% of the sex. The majority of the new population Russia, and other East heterosexual infections are European states, are at the point believed to have been acquired in where this could tip over into a sub-Saharan Africa, but the trends generalised epidemic. are bad for virtually every group of people at risk of infection.
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It is not only Eastern Europe tries which have large numbers of where there are dangers. Ap- people infected now that HIV has proaching 5 million people are devastating effects not just on infected in India. China has a health, but on the economy, on all growing problem. Some of the public services, and on security. worst estimates for new infections Can we sit back and ignore the in these countries over the next possibility of these effects devel- ten years, if nothing is done, are oping in the countries now horrendous. starting to be seriously affected, In some of the worst affected or should we be doing all we can countries the response so far to to help them address their the epidemic has been at best problems? patchy, and in some countries Dr Gordon Scott followed Neil politicians have been unwilling to Gerrard with a snapshot of HIV acknowledge how serious the epidemiology in Scotland. The problems are. The consequence is first case of HIV-related illness in that policies to prevent HIV Scotland was seen in 1983. infections are poorly developed. Initially it was anticipated that our So how will this affect us and how epidemiology would be similar to should we respond? The rise in that seen in the USA and England, heterosexual infections originat- with gay men being affected ing in countries outside the UK predominantly. However, when has lead to calls for mandatory testing for HIV became available in testing of those coming to settle early 1985 as a research tool, the or work in the UK, with the virologist in Edinburgh tested implication that a positive test some samples from intravenous would lead to the denial of entry. drug users (IDUs) attending health Calls for testing ignore the care facilities, and found to his potential public health impacts surprise and horror that approxi- and the effects on the individuals mately 50% were positive. Thus concerned. We know that the the Edinburgh IDU outbreak was stigma attached to HIV infection is uncovered. one of the major drivers of the In 1986, there were 257 new worldwide epidemic. People who cases of HIV infection in Lothian, are fearful of being identified as of whom 206 were IDUs. As most having HIV are much less likely to IDUs are heterosexual, this led to test. They then are much more significant numbers of cases likely to pass on the infection, a being transmitted to sexual clear public health risk. partners. Some pregnant women There is another dimension to this infected with HIV had the addi- question. We know from coun- tional tragedy of passing on the infection at childbirth. 131 Review of the Session 2004-2005
Harm reduction interventions Our challenge now is to develop including needle exchange and efficient services for the growing prescription of oral opiate number of people living with HIV substitutes such as methadone in Scotland, whilst offering all led to a dramatic fall in needle- assistance to colleagues working sharing HIV transmission, and by in resource-poor settings. the end of the 1980s sexually An extremely useful discussion, transmitted cases of HIV predomi- informed by the high level of nated. knowledge represented by the Throughout the 1990s, the mainly professional audience, number of new cases of HIV followed the presentations from diagnosed in Scotland each year Neil Gerrard and Gordon Scott. was remarkably consistent at 150- Among the topics discussed were 180. However, in 2002 and 2003 Methadone maintenance pro- there were 250 and 257 cases grammes, the fundamental respectively, and there have been importance of getting prevention 274 new cases in the first nine messages over, the nature and months of 2004. We now have a effectiveness of the new drug similar pattern to the rest of the therapies that had had such a UK, with the two major groups dramatic effect in the UK, the affected being gay men and those possible importance of research infected in Sub-Saharan Africa. into micro-biocides and the Heterosexual acquisition in complex role that culture played in Scotland continues at low level, impeding effective preventive but currently there are almost no messages to populations. new cases acquired through drug In his vote of thanks, the Chair use noted how it would be easy to be Advances in the management of depressed by the statistics of the HIV such as antiretroviral therapy pandemic, with 30 million (ART) have now made this an infected world-wide, the biggest eminently treatable condition, health catastrophe in history: but with life expectancy now meas- we had also been given enough ured in decades. ART use in data to support a more optimistic pregnancy can also significantly view. We know that this is a reduce the risk of mother-to-child health crisis that can be dealt with transmission (MTCT). Although by a combination of highly these advances are available to effective drug therapies and those living in the developed changes in culture and life-style in world, most HIV-infected people the prevention sphere: what is worldwide have no access to ART. needed is appropriate political leadership and a new ethic of resource allocation. 132 Discussion Forum … but Cuckoos don’t nest, do they? Neurosurgery for Mental Disorder in the 21st Century 17 January 2005 Professor Keith Matthews Head of Psychiatry & Behavioural Science, University of Dundee. Speaker’s Abstract Originally introduced as a treat- purpose of surgery was to modify ment for schizophrenia in the era behaviour by its effects on before the discovery of effective psychological processes within drug treatments for mental illness healthy brain tissue. This no (the 1930s), the frontal or pre- longer reflects appropriately our frontal lobotomy came to be understanding of the neuro- widely used as a treatment for a science of mental disorder, nor the broad range of poorly specified therapeutic aims of what has mental and behavioural distur- more appropriately become bances. These crude and known as Neurosurgery for destructive freehand procedures Mental Disorder (NMD). were overused, with an absence of NMD has been defined instead as, critical appraisal of their efficacy “a surgical procedure for the and adverse effects. Without destruction of brain tissue, for the question, many individuals were purposes of alleviating specific damaged and disabled as a result mental disorders, carried out by a of over-zealous and unjustifiable stereotactic or other method clinical practise. Although the capable of making an accurate most unsavoury aspects of the placement of the lesion”. This history of what ultimately became definition emphasises important known as ‘psychosurgery’ are conceptual shifts: familiar to many, the potential value of such treatment approach- 1. in the manner in which es in the 21st century is much less psychological processes are widely recognised. now considered to be located within, and a product of, In 1976, the World Health specific brain circuitry, and; Organisation defined psychosur- gery as, “the selective surgical 2. in the explicit focus on the removal or destruction of nerve alleviation of the symptoms of pathways for the purposes of specific mental disorders. influencing behaviour”. Implicit Just as the symptom burden of within this definition, was the neurological disorders such as assumption that the primary Parkinson’s disease can now be
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effectively and reliably modified by subject to appropriate clinical the targeted interference in governance arrangements. function of specific brain circuitry Indeed, it is only within such a through neurosurgical methods, clinical framework that the ‘third- there are selected forms of chronic wave’ of neurosurgical treatments and otherwise untreatable mental for mental disorder, for example illness that can benefit from electrical deep brain or Vagus stereotactic neurosurgery. Such nerve stimulation, may be ex- procedures have been available in plored. Dundee since 1992 for a highly In my presentation, I shall review selected group of patients with the history and present status of chronic, severe and otherwise neurosurgical interventions for intractable illnesses. We believe mental disorder, I shall consider that the ethical and effective some of the key ethical issues and application of such NMD tech- I shall describe the activities of the niques is possible, provided that Dundee Advanced Interventions / treatments are offered within a NMD service. multidisciplinary setting and
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Conference Europe’s Hidden Coral Worlds Organised Jointly with the Scottish Association for Marine Science 23 February 2005 Extracted from the published report (ISBN 0 902 198 54 8) which is available on the RSE website The term ‘coral reef’ is normally Seabight, to the west of Ireland. associated with shallow-water Cold-water corals are also found tropical seas, but recent develop- to colonise smaller seabed ments in the technology used to mounds. Examples are found in survey the deeper waters of the the Rockall Trough, to the north- continental shelf and slope have west of the UK, and include the revealed dramatic and diverse Darwin Mounds, described as coral ecosystems. These are ‘sand volcanoes’ capped with formed by relatively few coral coral colonies. The majority of species, often referred to generi- reefs described so far in the north- cally as deep-water or cold-water east Atlantic are found along the corals. These ecosystems represent Norwegian continental shelf. an exciting habitat in the depths All speakers began by demon- of the oceans but their true extent strating that knowledge of is only now being fully realised. cold-water corals in the north-east This one-day conference, which Atlantic stretched back 150 years, attracted some of the leading with some of the earliest work international figures in this field, published by the Royal Society of focused on key areas of geology Edinburgh. Dr Jean Pierre and biology, as well as conserva- Henriet discussed the formation tion and management. of carbonate mounds. He asked if Cold-water corals are found along cold-water corals play a role in this the European continental margin process and suggested that where they can develop reef mound formation occurs at the structures, colonise seabed interface between external and mounds and are intimately internal processes. Professor associated with large carbonate Christian Dullo spoke of the mounds. The two main species are importance of oceanographic the framework-forming Lophelia conditions on the distribution of pertusa and the frequently cold-water corals. Professor associated species Madrepora Andre Freiwald provided an oculata. A large number of overview of the key cold-water carbonate mounds have been coral species around the world discovered in the Porcupine and highlighted important
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aspects of these communities. Dr records to understand past Jan Helge Fosså gave an overview variability and predict the results of research in Norwegian waters of future environmental change. and the impact of the fishing He also felt that statistical model- industry. He went on to show how ling techniques using the growing some areas have been protected database of cold-water coral and what he believes needs to be occurrence and associated habitat done to safeguard cold-water requirements should be devel- corals. Dr Mark Tasker gave a oped to allow predictive mapping national conservation agency’s of deep-water coral areas to be perspective on how to protect developed. There was also a clear cold-water corals. He detailed the need to increase the involvement problems that are faced and of all marine stakeholders from suggested some solutions to the fishing and oil industries to overcome them. the general public. Dr Martin Hovland spoke of his To conclude, Dr Roberts highlight- experiences in the oil industry in ed the need to understand and terms of surveying areas of cold- integrate larger-scale processes to water corals in Norway. He appreciate fully the ecological presented evidence that the significance of cold-water coral occurrence of corals may be reefs. However, the lack of unified related to methane seepage from methodologies remains a barrier, the sea floor. which can only be overcome by an Dr Murray Roberts of the international and interdisciplinary Scottish Association for Marine approach. He suggested there is Science, summarised the day’s also a need to unify methodology proceedings. He mentioned the and definitions. He also suggest- need for our biological knowl- ed we learn from the edge of cold-water coral reefs to shallow-water coral community as develop to a similar level to our well as striving to continue the geological understanding. He efforts in basic ocean exploration emphasised the exciting potential and mapping. All of these of the project to drill the Chal- elements are vital to design lenger Mound to understand the appropriate conservation meas- genesis of carbonate mounds and ures. A final point that he felt how close interdisciplinary came across from the conference collaborations were essential to was that the expertise, technology gain full benefits from any deep- and areas of the ocean described water research efforts. Another were almost exclusively from the important point that Dr Roberts developed world. There is now a noted was the use of palaeo- clear and urgent need to transfer this knowledge and expertise to the developing world. 136 Conferences, Workshops, Symposia, Seminars and Discussion Forums
Discussion Forum The Ethics of War 1 June 2005 Professor Richard Sorabji CBE FBA Emeritus Professor of Philosophy, Kings College, London Professor John Kelsay Richard L. Rubenstein Professor of Religion Florida State University
Regime Change. Professor A little later, Marsilius of Padua Richard Sorabji CBE FBA who lived in the thirteenth to Who have been against regime fourteenth centuries, made the change, other than the regimes power of kings and Popes depend threatened with change? upon the people, so that the Pope had no power to depose a king.3 Early thinkers This initially suited Ludwig of Aristotle in the 4th century BC Bavaria who had himself crowned explained how to avoid regime by the Roman people without the change in Book 5 of his Politics, Pope’s sanction and then deposed because civil war had been such a the Pope. But when the Roman curse for the Greek city-states. people deposed Ludwig in turn, Freedom from civil war may be hoist by their own petard, he and more important, he thought, than Marsilius were forced to flee. whether the regime under which The most impressive of the early one is living is one of the better discussions was that of the types. Spaniard Vitoria, who in 1539 In the thirteenth century AD, wrote against regime change by Thomas Aquinas did not mention his fellow-Spaniards among the regime change as one of the American Indians, except under possible motives for a just war. two rather particular circumstanc- But he thought the assassins of es.4 Even if injustice can only be Julius Caesar justified, because rectified by invasion, it does not Caesar got power illegitimately follow that regime change is through violence.1 Further, justified. Further, he declared in tyrannicide is not seditious, unless the same year that the American it creates suffering out of propor- Indians had the right to rule tion to any benefit; it is the tyrant themselves, unless they could be who creates sedition, by failing to shown to be like orphans who serve the common good.2 needed someone to rule them, but that would have to be for
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their own good.5 Vitoria was also 20th Century the first to rule out religion as a Vitoria’s idea about orphans was possible justification for war. His revived in the form of trusteeships successors, such as Grotius, were in the 20th century. But Noah more opportunistic about regime Feldman has argued that the change. Hague Conventions envisaged English kings and a philosopher returning an invaded country after James I, King of England from a period of trusteeship to its 1603-1625, was confronted by original owner, whereas the the Gunpowder Plot in 1604, and League of Nations envisaged made all Catholics in the realm returning things after a period of swear an Oath of Allegiance, trusteeship only to the developed according to which they would nation, not to the original ruler. not kill him, if the Pope declared The latter idea was resuscitated in him deposed. King Henry IV of connexion with the invasion of France was assassinated in 1609. Iraq in 2003, after a period of So the Spanish Jesuit Suarez chose disuse, when first a longer period a sensitive time in 1613 to publish of US military rule was discussed against James his Defence of the and then a shorter period decided Catholic Faith Against the Errors on of military rule by a ‘Provisional of the English Sect. The book was Authority’ consisting of the USA burnt in London and Paris. and Britain. Following Thomas Aquinas, it In 2002, The British Attorney allowed the killing of a ruler who General, however, warned the came to power illegitimately. But British Prime Minister that regime as regards a legitimate ruler like change was not legal in interna- James, it allowed killing only after tional law as an end in itself, but a legitimate sentence had been could only be justified if shown to declared on the grounds that the be the sole means to some other ruler was not serving the common legitimate aim. good, which in natural law was Two thought-provoking ration- the basis of the ruler’s power. And ales for regime change: (1) among further safeguards there Philip Bobbitt was also Thomas Aquinas’ insistence on proportion – not In The Shield of Achilles (Knopf doing more harm than good 6. 2002) Philip Bobbitt gives a highly Charles I of England was executed original account of European War later in 1649 only after a formal going back to the ancient Greek sentence had been passed. historian Thucydides, and adorned with the most wonderful poetry. I write with admiration in
138 Conferences, Workshops, Symposia, Seminars and Discussion Forums spite of expressing disagreement. training on a large scale. Thirdly, I Bobbitt argues that the sovereign myself believe that we will live in a nation state came to an end in more peaceful world, if instead of 1990, with the end of the Soviet having such market states, we regime, and its demise was made respect sovereignty unless certain apparent in the former Yugoslavia things are wrong. The Western by the failure of the United tradition has for long concentrat- Nations, the society of nation ed on one example of this; states, to prevent massacre in satisfaction for injustices when Srebenica and by the subsequent that cannot be obtained except by invasion of Kosovo, part of what invasion, with or without regime had once been regarded as a change. But more recently, there sovereign country; an invasion has been concern with preventing vetoed in the United Nations, but imminent and massive human led by the USA. catastrophy and still more recently The nation state, on this view, has with the legitimacy of secession, been replaced by the market state. like the recent secessions of The market state cannot offer smaller countries from the Soviet security, which in the modern Union. There are a number of world is no longer available, but it different forums in which the can offer opportunity to conquer- ‘unlesses’ may be hammered out ors and conquered. It needs and agreed on. But I do not legitimacy, but this is provided by believe this approach should be its bringing democracy. The superseded. The advantages of bringing of democracy implies the market state may seem less regime change. attractive in the West, if we imagine, let us say, China, soon To mention three disagreements, I becoming the most powerful believe that legitimacy requires market state. attention not only to opportunity, but also to justice. Secondly, for a Rationales (2) Noah Feldman market state to have legitimacy, it Noah Feldman is, for a start, a will need to be seen as just even wonderful scholar of attitudes in by those it may be invading. And medieval Islam and Judaism to this requires it to have a reservoir war and conquest, having written of people with an intimate about those two contemporaries understanding of the history, Averroes and Maimonides, who outlook and religion of those who belonged respectively to the may be invaded and of people conquering and the conquered with the ability to communicate at communities of 12th century every level, which presupposes a Spain. But he has also been Senior tradition of intensive language Adviser to the US Government on
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the Iraqi Constitution. This constraint. I am also not sure that expertise lies behind his book, governments always try to act What We Owe Iraq (Princeton principally in their own interests, 2004) in which he makes a or that the invasion of Kosovo a suggestion whose thoughtfulness little earlier was principally I admire, even though I disagree motivated by the invaders’ with it. interests. The huge cost and It is too much to ask, on this view, difficulty of the subsequent that the main motive for an nation-building was surely invasion should be the benefit of foreseen. At most, there may have those invaded, because everyone been a balance of costs between is motivated by their own inter- action and inaction, but the ests. The benefit of the others salient point was the certain and should be required as a constraint imminent human disaster if action on pursuing one’s own interests, was not taken. Nor was regime rather than as the primary motiva- change a primary purpose. tion. Democracy does constitute a Admittedly, the invasion was benefit, and the bringing of this illegal, because it had been vetoed benefit presupposes regime by Russia at the United Nations, change. and illegality is a very serious consideration, given the kind of My first doubt about this proposal world in which I believe it is best is that if the introduction of to live. But given the imminent democracy is always a benefit, and certain human disaster, I do then it is too easy to believe that not myself believe that the Kosovo the constraint is being met, so invasion was immoral as well as that it will not act as a sufficient illegal.
Notes 1In Sent. 2, dist.44, q2, a2. 2 Summa Theologiae 2.2, 42.2, ad 3. 3 In Defender of the Peace. 4 On the Law of War Q 3, a 9 and in 1537 On the Dietary Laws 1.5. 5 On the Indians Q 3, a 8. 6 I have benefited from Harro Höpfl, Jesuit Political Thought, Cambridge 2004, Ch 13 and from a draft chapter on Suarez, which Terry Irwin was kind enough to show me from his forthcoming history of ethics.
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Regime Change in Islamic notion. For that matter, I think a Tradition. Professor John grasp of the moral attractions of Kelsay. regime change is necessary when Professor Sorabji’s précis of thinking about the power of the remarks begins with these lines: idea in our own time. “Regime change was such an Muslim scholars saw regime attractive idea. Was anyone ever change as a means of dealing opposed, except the victims?” with tyranny. Two passages from I should like to organize my the Qur’an provide insight into comments around these lines. this. Qur’an 79:15ff. begins with From the standpoint of Islamic the question: “Have you heard tradition, regime change was, and the story of Moses?” The passage indeed remains, an attractive idea. proceeds as a recitation of the It is so because the problem of tale: tyranny. At the same time, “His Lord called out to him in the particular cases of regime change sacred valley of Tuwa: ‘Go to are complicated. Thus, Muslim Pharoah, for he has exceeded all scholars suggested that responsi- bounds, and ask him, `do you ble regime change requires want to purify yourself? Do you answers to several questions: want me to guide you to your Who has the right to authorize Lord, so that you may hold him in regime change?; When is regime awe?’” change advisable?; and most Moses follows this invitation with importantly, how is regime change the performance of miraculous to be accomplished? deeds. Nevertheless, Pharoah The attraction of regime refuses the offer of guidance: change He turned away and hastily In considering those things that gathered his people, proclaiming, make regime change attractive, it ‘I am your greatest Lord,’ so God is important to focus on the moral condemned him to punishment in attractions of the idea. One the life to come as well as in this should not deny that regime life. The passage concludes that change possesses other sorts of “there is truly a lesson in this for attractions. It is or can be a way of anyone who stands in awe of amassing wealth, increasing land God.” holdings, winning fame and glory, Unfortunately, tyrants do not or pursuing power. However one stand in awe of God, or indeed of will not understand regime any other power. Pharoah change in Islamic tradition, apart illustrates this, in that he ‘exceeds from the moral attractions of the all bounds,’ a phrase indicating
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that he violates the limits of moral ed by their attempts to suppress propriety. With tyrants through Islam. The chronology of the the ages, Pharoah regards the struggle is given in the works of people and land for which he has Muslims historians. Their ac- oversight as ‘his own.’ He does counts correlate with a reading of not rule for the common good; the Qur’anic verses dealing with rather, Pharoah rules for personal fighting. From these accounts, we gain. He tells his people “I am learn that Muhammad, like your greatest Lord,” meaning that Moses, first confronted tyranny there is no other to which they with preaching. When that failed, may appeal. The vocabulary is a he turned to military means. At Muslim vocabulary, but the image 4:75, the struggle is reaching its is familiar to all. Islamic tradition crescendo, and thus we read: regarded government as a “Why should you not fight in necessity, and good government God’s cause and for those as a blessing. Indeed, Muslim oppressed: men, women, and scholars generally argue that even children who cry out, ‘Lord, rescue bad government is usually better us from this town whose people than the alternative. But some are oppressors! By your grace, governments are tyrannical, and give us a protector and helper!’? one should strive to change them. In this text, tyranny is identified In Qur’an 79:15ff., Moses tries to with oppression. Most commen- deal with tyranny through tators suggest those ‘who cry out’ preaching. Islamic tradition are Muslims prevented from typically prefers that regime practicing Islam by the leaders of change occurs by this means, viz., the Quraysh. They may also be that the ruler who ‘exceeds all people desirous of hearing the bounds’ recognizes the error of message of Islam. In either case, his ways, and repents. In Pha- the attraction of regime change is roah’s case, as in many others, this clear. It is a way of dealing with will not work. Thus one must turn tyranny, and thus of restoring to a second passage, in which God-given rights of justice and fighting is commanded. Qur’an dignity to those who suffer. 4:75 occurs in the context of the long struggle between the early The complexities of regime Muslims and the Quraysh, the change most powerful tribe in Arabia This moral attraction of regime during the sixth and seventh change is a constant in Islamic centuries C.E. From the Muslim tradition. As people say, however, point of view, the leaders of this the ‘devil is in the details.’ When tribe were tyrants, as demonstrat- Muslim scholars addressed the
142 Conferences, Workshops, Symposia, Seminars and Discussion Forums particulars of regime change, they leader will command a war that expressed a number of concerns. will drive out tyranny for a For example, who has the right to thousand years. In the interim, authorize regime change? From Shi‘i scholars through the centu- the time of Muhammad’s death in ries delimited the right of rulers to 632 C.E. to the middle of the ‘imposed’ wars. In recent times, eighteenth century, the answer of the Ayatollah Khomeini put the majority (Sunni scholars) went forward the controversial idea that as follows: the right of regime religious scholars might lead the change belongs to the Caliph or people in a campaign to depose a sovereign head of the Islamic rule whose record reveals him as a State, in consultation with rebel against Islam. Khomeini recognized religious authorities. argued that the record of Shah By contrast, the right of regime Reza Pahlavi fitted this descrip- change does not belong to private tion, and thus justified regime citizens. Muslim scholars under- change. Similarly, the war be- stood that the idea of regime tween Iraq and Iran in the 1980s change carries anarchic tenden- was interpreted as one in which cies. The idea is attractive, and Saddam Hussein rebelled against may in some cases be considered Islam by attacking an Islamic State. a moral imperative. Yet human Khomeini and other Iranian beings make mistakes, and it is leaders hoped to depose Saddam, therefore best to limit the right of and thus to create space for the implementation to those assigned Iraqi people to form a new to rule. government. That this did not occur was a disappointment, The minority (Shi‘i scholars) which Khomeini described as pressed the question: What if the “worse than drinking poison.” ruler is unjust? In the Shi‘i view, only the divinely appointed Imam Despite their differences, both or leader has the requisite Sunni and Shi‘i scholars avoided knowledge and character to assigning the right of regime authorize regime change. As change to private citizens. Con- history shows, the various Shi‘i temporary Islamists (most Sunnis) groups found it difficult to agree argue differently: If there is no on the identity of the leader. ruler able or willing to secure Further, for the largest group, the Islamic interests, the right of twelfth Imam was taken into regime change falls to the people, hiding by the will of God in 873/ or to a vanguard who will lead 74, where he will remain until them. This argument, put forward God orders his appearance. At by Usama bin Ladin and like- that time, the rightly-guided minded persons, gives many
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Muslims pause. The idea of enemy’ and the ‘far enemy,’ which regime change is morally attrac- might map onto a distinction tive. But if anarchy or something between regime change in one’s worse results from the own country and in someone effort…what then? else’s. Yet diverse instances of In addition to asking ‘who may tyanny can be connected, and authorize regime change?,’ thus al-Qa‘ida’s program is built Muslim scholars worried about on the notion that fighting when regime change is advisable, against unjust regimes should be and how it will be accomplished. carried out on multiple fronts: ‘in With respect to when, the majority any country where it is possible, argued that a non-Muslim regime by anyone who has the means.’ should be invited to acknowledge As to how regime change should Islam. Should the target govern- be accomplished, we have the ment decline, that is proof of its most longstanding set of limits tyranny. Here it is important to placed on regime change in note that the majority did not Islamic tradition. For Muslims consider wars aimed at changing through the ages, fighting in the non-Muslim to Muslim regimes as path of God requires observance ‘conquests.’ These were wars of of distinctions between civilian “opening,” based on the notion and military targets. This holds that Islam is the natural religion of for both Sunni and Shi‘i scholars. humanity and that non-Muslim The type of fighting called for by regimes are preventing people Usama bin Ladin and others, in from enjoying God-given rights to which there is a settled policy of hear and respond to the call to indiscrimate warfare, is most faith. unusual. Further, classical Sunni From the Shi‘i point of view, the and Shi‘i literature worries about practice just described holds only the use of certain weapons, on when the divinely appointed the grounds that their use may leader is present. In his absence, cause unacceptable levels of as noted, it is possible for the damage. In such cases, a scholar religious scholars to authorize like al-Mawardi says quite clearly regime change if a ruler resists that Muslim forces must discon- Islam by force. In the contempo- tinue fighting; they must strike rary Islamist discourse, the idea is the best treaty possible, and come that governments unable or back to implement regime change unwilling to implement God’s law when circumstances suggests a are illegitimate, and should be higher probability of success. The removed. Some Islamists make point is twofold: one may not distinctions between the ‘near employ immoral means in the service of a moral end; and one
144 Conferences, Workshops, Symposia, Seminars and Discussion Forums must take care, even in the oppressed Muslims, and that the struggle for justice, that one’s Iraqi Shi‘a should welcome US and actions do not result in more UK help in deposing the tyrant harm than good. Saddam. The Ayatollah Sistani’s Concluding remarks view is similar. However the Shi‘i ‘welcome’ comes with a proviso: The current struggle in Iraq American and British forces must provides the occasion for this not reinstate colonial rule. This discussion. Iraq presents special proviso is one of the roots of the features for Muslim scholars, since opposition of Muqtada al-Sadr, the deposition of Saddam comes who from the beginning has been from the ‘outside.’ Many expres- more suspicious about US and UK sions of Muslim opinion focus on motives than other Shi‘i leaders. this. Thus the Qatari scholar Yusuf al-Qaradhawi argues that I conclude that Islam makes the the presence of US, UK, and other attractions of regime change very forces presents a cause of war, clear. It does so by focusing and every Muslim should support attention on the problem of the Iraqi resistance. Al-Qaradhawi tyrannical rule. At the same time, is joined in this opinion by the Muslim scholars dealing with Shaykh al-Azhar and other Sunni particular cases addressed authorities. In terms of Islamic questions regarding who has the tradition, the worry here is over right to attempt regime change, who has the right to authorize as well as when and how regime regime change. It is important to change should occur. With note, as well, the vigorous and respect to how, Islamic tradition is ongoing debate among Sunni particularly clear: one must never scholars regarding the tactics of employ immoral means in the those involved in resistance to US service of regime change, and one and UK forces, which again must further ask whether regime reflects traditional concerns change may in some cases bring regarding the how or means of about more harm than good. To fighting. put it another way, one can always wonder whether, in a given case, a The opinion of Shi‘i scholars is change that may in some sense be different. The Lebanese Muham- right, will also prove wise. These mad Husayn Fadlallah declares strike me as good questions for all that Islam allows for non-Muslim of us to ask, whether or not we forces to come to the aid of are Muslims.
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Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Quincentenary Congress Co-sponsored by the Royal Society of Edinburgh Surgery; Lessons from the Aviation Industry. Transferring aviation psychology research on safety to surgery. 30 June 2005 at EICC
Chairs: Professor Rhona Flin not primarily due to technical (University of Aberdeen) failures or poor flying skills; Mr Simon Paterson-Brown (RCSE) instead both human error and Speakers: Dr Judith Orasanu organisational factors were the (Aviation psychologist, NASA prime causes of aircraft losses. Ames) Pilots’ Judgements and Consequently, resources were Management of Risks directed at gaining good diagnos- tic data on when and why errors Mr Michael Woldring (Aviation occurred and what could be done psychologist, Eurocontrol, Paris) to trap them or minimise their Organisational and Operator effects. Three eminent aviation Errors in the Uberling Air Disaster specialists took part: Dr Judith Dr Sandy Mitchell (747 pilot and Orasanu, an aviation psychologist consultant anaesthetist; IFALPA) from NASA Ames in California, Human Error in Aviation Michael Woldring, a human factors specialist from Eurocontrol Aviation workplaces, such as flight (air traffic safety) in Paris and decks and air traffic control Captain Sandy Mitchell, a 747 centres are very different environ- pilot and consultant anaesthetist. ments from hospital operating theatres, yet from a psychological Orasanu outlined data gathering perspective, the behaviours techniques used in aviation required to maintain safety and psychology, such as cockpit voice maximise performance are recordings, simulator experiments, strikingly similar. One of the surveys/ interviews and accident symposia at the Quincentennial analysis. She showed that pilots’ Congress of the Royal College of decision errors were a major Surgeons of Edinburgh (organised causal factor in modern aviation on behalf of the Royal Society of accidents, although these were Edinburgh) illustrated aspects of often accompanied by secondary aviation research and practice that errors when the other pilot failed had potential applications for to monitor and / or challenge the reducing errors in surgery. Thirty action. One particular decision years ago, the aviation industry failure was a ‘plan- continuation’ realised that many accidents were error, when pilots were reluctant
146 Conferences, Workshops, Symposia, Seminars and Discussion Forums to deviate from their plan, even tional questions in relation to air though the situational risk had traffic safety management that increased. This became more likely were now being addressed. when they were to close to Mitchell showed how this kind of completing the flight. She had research and accident analysis also examined pilots’ perceptions data were fed into a range of of different types of risk – show- practical techniques used by the ing that co-pilots were particularly airlines to monitor and manage concerned with professional safety. Nowadays this includes (career) risk, as well as other routine safety audits based on threats; possibly explaining their flight deck observations and the reluctance to challenge captains’ regular tracking of flight technical errors. performance. With very few Woldring presented a detailed accidents to analyse, he empha- analysis of the Uberlingen sised the importance of collecting accident when a cargo jet and a incident and near miss data passenger jet (carrying Russian through mandatory, as well as children) collided in mid-air. He confidential, reporting systems - revealed not only the complexity the latter allowing much deeper of decisions facing the pilots (who data capture than the anonymous had contradictory advice from the systems. controller and the electronic traffic Research at Aberdeen University is warning system on the aircraft) now applying aviation psychology but also how the degraded methods to study surgeons’ non- working conditions of the technical skills controller on duty created a fatal set of error enforcing conditions. (see www.abdn.ac.uk/iprc/NOTSS). This had raised many organisa-
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Discussion Forum Artificial Intelligence: In your Life Today 05 August 2005 Professor Aaron Sloman Professor of Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Science, The University of Birmingham Professor Wolfgang Wahlster Director and CEO of the German Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence DFKI, Saarbruecken, Germany and Professor of Computer Science at Saarland University, Germany
Abstract Science fiction books and recent direct, beneficial impact on the movies focus on intelligent lives of countless people. How do robots, but Artificial Intelligence we build systems which can covers a much broader scope: we undertake intelligent activities? study human and artificial minds, Where are these systems, and how aiming to produce intelligent can they change lives for the computing systems which have a better?
148 Conferences, Workshops, Symposia, Seminars and Discussion Forums
Wellcome Trust Research Workshop
The Use of Brain Imaging Technology University of Stirling, Department of Phsycology August 2005 Organised by Dr David I Donaldson The topic of the Workshop was provided an opportunity for the the use of brain imaging technol- more junior speakers to showcase ogy (Event Related Potentials) and recent work and to elicit discus- its utility for understanding how sion on how best to proceed. the mind works (Memory, Lan- The addition of the key-note guage, Attention). The workshop speaker was extremely sucessful, was a huge success – it was very providing a very high quality well attended, and appeared to example of ERP research methods strike a positive note with all – students in particular were very concerned. impressed by the added Interna- Speakers were invited from across tional flavour. the UK, and participants came The meeting was also organised from a diverse set of institutions to facilitate networking and including all of the major Scottish interaction between laboratories. Universities, along with a number Ample time was given for formal of English and Welsh Universities. discussion sessions, along with Each Principal Investigator informal tea and coffee breaks for brought along several post- individuals to meet. Students doctoral researchers or visiting from relatively isolated postgraduate research students, laboratories were particularly some of whom also gave presen- pleased to be able to compare tations. In addition, a key-note notes with other students, and speaker, Professor M D Rugg, was several good connections be- invited from the University of tween laboratories were formed. California, Irvine. Finally, it is worth noting that the The workshop was focused meeting had such a large impact around a series of very impressive (highly visible and clearly a great talks and interactive discussion success) in the department of sessions. Senior speakers present- Psychology that there are now ed a range of presentations, plans to host similar meetings covering issues such as how best (covering a range of topics) over to analyse ERP data and what the coming year. sorts of assumptions can be made from it, and the meeting also
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Discussion Attracting, Retaining and Recognising Scotland’s Research Talent In Association with Scotland’s Futures Forum The Scottish Parliament 2 September 2005
Foreword by The Rt Hon George Reid MSP, Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament & Professor John Coggins, FRSE, RSE Vice-Presi- dent “Our nation is world-renowned for its pioneering legacy of invention and innovation. Research and technological advances in areas such as medicine, agriculture and communications have transformed the lives of millions. Scotland’s expertise in R&D and the enterprising spirit of many researchers and entrepreneurs have made a major contribution to our economy. With increasing international competition, it is essential that we continue to produce and attract top people. We have particular opportunities in the medical sciences, the physical sciences, in engineering, and we need to link all of these together. Collaboration must be key to Scotland’s future prosperity and so we were delighted that The Royal Society of Edinburgh and Scotland’s Futures Forum were able to work in partnership on this event which took place in The Scottish Parliament on September 2.“
The consensus among Scotland’s Scotland can also promote an research talent is that the country attractive quality of life, including has much to be proud of and affordable housing, spectacular much to celebrate in terms of countryside and a thriving cultural research excellence and innova- scene. But universities themselves tion. Within the UK, it attracts a need to make more effort to disproportionately high level of improve conditions for young research council funding, has a researchers, who may otherwise disproportionately high number seek posts in other countries or of world-leading research depart- move out of higher education ments, and is among the world completely. The transition from leaders in terms of research temporary to permanent status is publications per capita. Yet it fails critical, and it is important that to broadcast its achievements Scotland provides young research- adequately, a potentially damag- ers with secure career pathways so ing omission in an increasingly that they and their families have competitive global market.
150 Conferences, Workshops, Symposia, Seminars and Discussion Forums confidence that they can stay in a springboard for specialist higher education. research. Scottish higher educa- tion should maintain enough A recent innovation which is flexibility to respond to promising already proving a draw for both research whenever and wherever it young and established researchers emerges. And Scotland has the is research pooling. Scotland’s possibility of promoting itself as a small size means that individual centre of excellence on the university departments struggle to international stage. achieve the necessary critical mass to produce outstanding research. Ireland has been increasingly The pioneering pooling strategy proactive in determining priority aims to overcome this by bringing areas it wishes to support by together departments across a creating research posts. Scotland range of universities. Physics and does not have the same room for chemistry are in the vanguard of manoeuvre: many of its research these alliances, which will allow priorities are determined at a UK researchers to work beyond the level. But this can be of benefit in boundaries of a single institution. forging UK-wide research partner- ships, and Scotland already These research pools may well punches above its weight in UK develop into centres of excellence, terms. attracting international funding. The healthiest way for centres of But links between higher educa- excellence to grow is through the tion and industry are not as good enthusiasm of academics them- as they should be, despite a selves, rather than being externally growing willingness in universities planned. It is important not to be to encourage researchers to create too prescriptive about subject spin-out companies. Industrial areas, since these drop in and out research and development lags of fashion. It is valuable to nurture behind the UK average, and a number of subject areas, such as applied research has suffered life sciences and medicine, but it is from a lack of recognition com- of crucial importance to maintain pared to pure research, despite its a broad, solid educational base as importance to the economy.
Summary Event Rapporteur: Olga Wojtas, Scottish Editor, Times Higher Education Supplement.
A full report of the Discussion is available on the RSE website, or can be obtained from Stuart Brown at the Society.
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PUBLICATIONS Proceedings A: Mathematics
Transactions: Earth Sciences
ReSourcE : Issues11 and 12. Royal Society of Edinburgh Directory 2005 (Session 2004- 2005) Royal Society of Edinburgh Review of Session 2005 (Session 2003- 2004) Other Publications RSE Annual Review 2004-2005. Conference and Enquiry Reports
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THE SCOTTISH SCIENCE ADVISORY COMMITTEE The Scottish Science Advisory and attract the best scientists and Committee (SSAC) was estab- engineers. New initiatives will be lished in May 2002 to provide required to provide the basis for independent advice to the better career progression, and Scottish Executive Ministers on rewards, to ensure that there are strategic scientific issues. The flexible opportunities for the best Committee, chaired by Professor researchers already working in Wilson Sibbett, Wardlaw Professor Scotland. of Physics at the University of St The recommendations contained Andrews, is an independent voice within this report are designed to for science in Scotland. attract, retain and develop the very The Committee is uniquely placed best, internationally competitive to take a broad overview of the scientists and technologists who diverse scientific landscape in will be magnets for the growth of Scotland and it would wish to clusters of international scientific place this within an international excellence. These will be powerful perspective. It takes a medium to attractors for inward investment long-term, horizon-scanning and by research-intensive industry and strategic view in formulating its be a world-leading resource for advice on science strategy, science innovation by established Scottish policies and science priorities – industry. with an overall aim of improving The recommendations, in priority the social, environmental and order, are: economic prosperity of Scotland. 1. Create a number of high level The Committee membership specialist support packages for represents a breadth of expertise selected professorial level and experience, and it is intended appointments, to attract that the SSAC will be well placed world-leading and inspiration- to provide expert advice across a al scientists to Scotland; number of relevant policy areas. 2. Maintain and, where possible, Over the past year, the SSAC increase, funding for research produced two key reports: programmes to allow Scot- Investing in Scientific Talent land’s scientists to reach their The impact and quality of the full potential; science undertaken in the science 3. A prestigious and flexible base and industry is determined fellowship scheme for out- primarily by the calibre of the standing young scientists who scientists working there. It is have the potential to be the essential that Scotland has scientific leaders of the future; effective mechanisms to retain
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4. Maintain the number of the recommendations from the Research Council-funded PhD Lambert Review. studentships, using 1999- The highlighted issues (listed 2000 as the baseline, and below) in the report are directed make a commitment to at those individuals and organisa- clearing a proportion of tions, “the enablers”, who will student debt for successful assist in feeding the pipeline of and timely completion of a new technology-based compa- PhD programme; nies, and those who can expand 5. A new fellowship scheme to the capabilities of established promote exchanges between Scottish industrial organisations. industry and academia; and § The SSAC believes that the 6. Increased longer-term con- Scottish Executive, in conjunc- tracts for scientific support tion with Universities Scotland staff. and SHEFC, must consider The Scottish Executive is currently with due urgency the process- looking at how it can best take es and mechanisms that ought these recommendations forward to be put in place for the in conjunction with the Scottish Lambert Review to be taken Funding Councils, the SSAC, the forward in Scotland. RSE, Universities Scotland and § Given the recognised distinc- Scottish Enterprise. tive objectives within their Knowledge Transfer: Science to existing frameworks, it is Scottish Businesses imperative that the Scottish Executive, Scottish Enterprise This position paper was intended and SHEFC work together to to contribute to the creation of a better identify the overall clearer vision for an overall shared aspirations and implementa- agenda for knowledge transfer tion timescales for Scotland in from the science base in Scotland. relation to KT. The SSAC believes that there is a need to create a process of § The Scottish Executive, discussion between key stake- working through Scottish holders, in which the role of the Enterprise, is urged to priori- science base in knowledge tise and enhance transfer can be more fully exam- proof-of-concept and seed ined in relation to the range and level technology funding, and effectiveness of initiatives that are the continued funding of underway in Scotland and schemes such as the RSE/SEN elsewhere. This will be crucial to Enterprise Fellowships. the implementation in Scotland of
156 SSAC
§ To be most effective, knowl- recognises that they should be edge transfer funding to HEIs, based around economic and Research Institutes and other societal impacts, rather than bodies must come with full- just on numbers of patents, cost recovery to the host spin-outs etc, as currently institutions. measured. § The SSAC welcomes the new § For the overall benefit of SIE initiative, www.university- Scotland, third stream, or technology.com, that equivalent, KT funding should promotes a selection of be extended to all Scottish technologies for licensing or research organisations and for collaboration with industry. parts of the public sponsored The SSAC view is that the science base, including Further provision of a “one-stop Education Colleges. This will shop” for all of Scotland’s require a proportionate research capacity should be increase in allocated resource. regarded as a key objective. § Spin-out and start-up compa- § The SSAC supports the ITI nies originating in the science initiative. To maximise its base are crucial to the devel- success and ensure that it opment of a knowledge becomes a significant engine economy in Scotland. The for invigorating the Scottish legislation in the Finance Act economy, the SSAC believes 2003 must therefore be that the Scottish Executive, changed urgently to avoid working through Scottish inhibiting the formation of Enterprise, must create an new spin-out and start-up environment that supports the companies. Scottish Enter- new initiatives and the prise and the Scottish fledgling companies generat- Executive are urged to make ed from ITI Scotland. appropriate representations to § The SSAC supports the the Treasury to ensure that this development of metrics and legislation is amended.
Further information about the SSAC and copies of the Reports can be found at www.scottishscience.org.uk
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Scottish Science Advisory Committee - Members
Professor Wilson Sibbett CBE, FRS, Professor Peter Morgan FRSE FRSE (Chair) Professor Richard Morris FMedSci, Professor Steven Beaumont OBE, FRS, FRSE CEng, MIEE, FRSE Dr John Nicholls Professor Geoffrey Boulton OBE, Professor Stuart Reid MRCVS, FGS, FRS, FRSE FRSE Professor Muffy Calder FIEE, FRSE Professor Jonathan Seckl FRCPE, Professor Sir Kenneth Calman FMedSci, FRSE KCB, FRCS, FRCP, FMedSci FRSE Dr Barbara Spruce MRCP Professor John Coggins FRSE Professor Joyce Tait CBE Professor Julie Fitzpatrick MRCVS Professor Chris van der Kuyl FRSE Professor Peter Grant FREng, FRSE, Eur Ing Graham Wren FIEE, FIEEE Dr Stuart Monro CGeol., FGS, ILTM, FRSSA
Scottish Science Advisory Committee - Staff
Dr Avril Davidson, Head of Ms Tracy Rickard, PA/Administrator Secretariat
SSAC Staff are employed by the RSE.
158 EVIDENCE, ADVICE AND COMMENT The Society submitted evidence, advice and comment on the following reports during the Session:
November 2004 Scottish Executive Enterprise and Future of the National Institute for Lifelong Learning Department Medical Research. House of How the UK should manage Commons S&T Committee radioactive waste. Committee on Future Directions in Farm Animal Radioactive Waste Management Genetics & Genomics. BBSRC July 2005 December 2004 The Draft Animal Health and UK Honours Degree Classification Welfare (Scotland) Bill. Scottish System. Quality Assurance Agency Executive Environment and Rural for Higher Education Affairs Department January 2005 Role of BBSRC in Biodiversity Research. BBSRC Long-term radioactive waste management. Committee on Systems Biology. The Academy of Radioactive Waste Management Medical Sciences Extending the Authority to Credit A Universal Ethical Code for Rate. Scottish Credit and Qualifi- Scientists. Council for Science and cations Framework Technology February 2005 August 2005 Review of the Scottish Climate Simplification of the FP7. EU Change Programme. Scottish Commission Executive Environment Group 7th RTD Framework Programme. April 2005 EU Parliament Committee on Industry, Research and Energy Sustainable Business Growth. Scottish Parliament Enterprise and September 2005 Culture Committee Impact of ICT on Health and June 2005 Healthcare. Royal Society Cross Border Student Flows: Science for Sustainable Marine Higher Education Tuition Fees. Bioresources. NERC
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Position Papers Science Information Service” in During this session, the RSE collaboration with the Royal undertook to produce a series of Society of Chemistry (RSC), the position papers to help inform Scottish Parliament Information debate on a wide range of issues Centre (SPICe) and participating by providing a clear summary for affiliated organisations. The goal the non-specialist of the RSE’s of this service is to ensure that all position on a variety of topics. Members of the Scottish Parlia- ment have access to reliable, rapid RSE Position Paper 1: Climate and impartial information on Change and the Management of science, engineering and technol- Scotland’s Natural Heritage. ogy-related issues in order to help February 2005 inform Parliamentary debates on Scottish Parliament Science scientific issues; raise the profile Information Scheme of science in the Parliament and help ensure MSPs are informed by Following a pilot period, the RSE appropriately knowledgeable committed to continue its partici- experts. pation in the “Scottish Parliament
160 INQUIRIES During the 2004-2005 Session impact on ecological and other the RSE initiated an inquiry into natural resources, including waste Scotland’s Energy Supply Chaired management and landscape; and by Professor Maxwell Irvine, social consequences of energy Professor of Physics, University of generation and distribution on Manchester and former Principal employment opportunities, & Vice-Chancellor of the Universi- health, affordability and risk ties of Aberdeen and Birmingham. implications. The inquiry, which is expected to During this Session, the Commit- complete in the summer of 2006, tee travelled and heard evidence aims to review the options for from areas around Scotland, Scotland’s energy supply, taking including Forres, Stornoway, into account the economic issues Aberdeen, Orkney, Shetland, of capital investment and distribu- Glasgow as well as travelling to tion infrastructure, together with hear witnesses in Finland. The the impact of energy availability Inquiry also received over 150 on commerce and industry; written submissions and heard environmental concerns about oral evidence from over 60 global climate change and the witnesses.
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EVENTS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE Talk Science School Visits Hendry, talks for schools as part of 10 November 2004 Soap Bubbles the Caithness Science Festival at and Membranes by Dr Ciaran Wick and Thurso High Schools. As Ewins at Pitlochry High School, part of National Science Week. Perth and Kinross. Christmas Lectures 24 November 2004 Death, Drugs 9 December 2004 Why Clone? and Dynamite! by Professor Allan Cloning in Biology and Medicine Jamieson at Beeslack High School, by Professor Ian Wilmut OBE FRS Penicuik, Midlothian. FRSE at Pitlochry Festival Theatre, 2 December 2004 DNA Profiling: Perth and Kinross. There was a Its Use in Famous Cases by Dr talk for local school students as Adrian Linacre at Elgin Academy, well as a talk for the public. Moray. Professor Wilmut’s thought- provoking talk discussed the 15 December 2004 What Does ethical and moral concerns over your Granny have in common with potential applications of cloning a Spaceman? by Dr Val Mann at technology. James Watt College, Greenock Campus and Kilwinning Campus RSE Roadshows for local school students. Workshops and talks for primary 15 December 2004 Bubbles, and secondary students, as well as Gases and Cells by Dr Ciaran the public. Ewins at James Watt College, 8 & 9 March 2005. Dingwall Greenock Campus and Kilwinning Academy and cluster group Campus for local school students. primaries, Highlands. Alice 24 January 2005 Black Holes and Walker of the British Geological Big Bangs by Dr Alan Heavens at Survey talked to S1 and S2 Lochgilphead High School, Argyll students about earthquakes. and Bute. Meanwhile, a team from Glasgow University revealed the role 16 February 2005 Chemistry is Computer Science plays in our Magic by Dr Christine Davidson at every day lives in a workshop for Langholm Academy, Dumfries and S4 and S5 students entitled Galloway. Computer Science Inside…the 7 March 2005 Black Holes and mobile phone. Following their White Rabbits by Professor John popularity at the Arbroath Brown FRSE at Dornoch Academy, Roadshow in October 2004, a Highlands. team of postgraduate students from Edinburgh University once 15 March 2005 One Small Step, more gave P6 and P7 students the Many Giant Myths by Dr Martin opportunity to answer the
163 Review of the Session 2004-2005
question Do I eat DNA? In a e-Discussion Forum workshop where children extract- In tandem with the 2005 Discus- ed DNA from strawberries and sion Forum, this pilot project kiwi fruit. expanded the format to enable On Tuesday 8 March Alice Walker students from throughout gave a public talk, Earthquakes: at Scotland to access the resources home and abroad, in which she associated with the event. A CD- discussed the cause and impact of Rom, including video material of earthquakes in the UK and further all the presentations, resources for afield, including the Boxing Day teachers and a student debate Indian Ocean tsunami. pack was sent to all schools in Discussion Forum Scotland. Schools have been invited to feedback the results of 21 June 2005. Climate Change: their debate to the RSE and results the greatest threat facing Scotland received will be compiled in a and the World? At St Andrews report. University. This resource is also available on After presentations from climate the RSE Website. change experts, S5/S6 students from Fife and Dundee debated the Summer School ethical, political and economic Workshops and talks on science, considerations of climate change. technology and maths subjects, 90% of students present said they but also on transferable skills and would be willing to make changes advice for those not sure about to their own lifestyle in order to continuing into higher education. reduce emissions and reduce the Run in partnership with Heriot- risks for others. However, stu- Watt University, supported by dents felt that it may be a greater Edinburgh City, East Lothian, West challenge to convince the general Lothian and Midlothian Councils. public to make such changes. 25 – 29 July 2005. For S5/S6 The students’ conclusions have students East Lothian and West been compiled in to a report, Lothian which has been published and 1 - 5 August 2005. For S5/S6 distributed to decision-making students from Midlothian and the bodies including the Scottish City of Edinburgh parliament, so that the opinions of the young people who took part can be heard. Copies of the report can be downloaded from the RSE Website
164 Young People
Maths Masterclasses 12 March 2005 Saturday morning games and 19 March 2005 puzzles for P6/7 students to University of Dundee encourage an interest in mathe- 6 November 2004 matics. Run in partnership with 13 November 2004 Aberdeen City Council, the 2 December 2004 University of Dundee and Heriot- 11 December 2004 Watt University. and Aberdeen City Council 7 May 2005 23 April 2005 14 May 2005 7 May 2005 21 May 2005 21 May 2005 4 June 2005 4 June 2005 University of Glasgow University of Dundee 20 November 2004 7 May 2005 27 November 2004 14 May 2005 4 December 2004 21 May 2005 11 December 2004 and Kelvinside Academy, Glasgow 30 April 2005 15 January 2005 7 May 2005 22 January 2005 14 May 2005 29 January 2005 21 May 2005 5 February 2005 Heriot-Watt University Queensferry Primary School, 6 November 2004 Edinburgh 13 November 2004 6 November 2004 20 November 2004 13 November 2004 and 20 November 2004 23 April 2005 27 November 2004 30 April 2005 Startup Science Masterclasses 7 May 2005 Saturday morning workshops for St Andrews University S1/S2 students, emphasising the 13 November 2004 role of science, engineering and 20 November 2004 technology in society. Run in 27 November 2004 partnership with organisations 4 December 2004 throughout Scotland. and 23 April 2005 University of Aberdeen 20 April 2005 26 February 2005 7 May 2005 5 March 2005 14 May 2005
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Annual Inspiration Awards - ed to Dr Christine Davidson, 2005 University of Strathclyde; Dr Ciaran Contributors to RSE Young Ewins, University of Paisley; and People’s activities are inspirational Professor Alan Heavens, University role models for young scientists in of Edinburgh, who have made schools from the Borders to the exceptional voluntary contribu- Highlands. Inspiration Awards for tions to the Young People’s Session 2004-2005 were present- activities.
166 RESEARCH AND ENTERPRISE AWARDS The following awards were made in Session 2004/05:
RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS CRF Personal BP Personal Dr Tobias Bast. Hippocampal Dr Sarah Hinchley. Determination substrates relevant to episodic of structures of unusual, unstable memory: differentiation and and reactive species. School of integration of functions along the Chemistry, University of Edin- septo-temporal axis of the burgh. hippocampus. Division of Neuroscience, University of CRF European Visiting Edinburgh. Outbound Dr Carole Torsney. 5-HT2c Dr Natalie Adamson. School of Art receptor regulation of AMPA History, University of St Andrews. receptor function as a basis for Visiting Paris. increased excitability of spinal cord dorsal horn neurones during Dr Peter van Dommelen. Depart- neuropathic pain. Moving from ment of Archaeology, University Columbia University, New York to of Glasgow. Visiting Italy and Centre for Neuroscience, Universi- Ibiza. ty of Edinburgh. Dr Andrew M Godfrey. School of Scottish Executive Personal Law. University of Glasgow. Visiting Germany. Dr Rosalind Allen. Rare events in non-equilibrium systems. School Dr Jens Timmermann. Department of Physics, University of Edin- of Moral Philosophy, University of burgh. St Andrews. Visiting Germany. Dr Alan Kemp. Advanced Disk Inbound Lasers: A New Horizon in Solid- Dr Joan C Maixe Altes. Depart- State and Semiconductor Laser ment of Applied Economics, Design. Institute of Photonics, University of La Coruna. Visiting University of Strathclyde. University of Glasgow. Dr Keith Mathieson. A Retinal Dr Martin Ivanov. Bulgarian Prosthesis for the Blind. Depart- Academy of Sciences. Visiting ment of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh. University of Glasgow. Dr Ilenia Ruggiu. University of Cagliari. Visiting University of Glasgow.
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Scottish Executive Support Scottish Enterprise Dr Dominic Campopiano. De- Electronics fensins – structure and function of Dr Ayse Goker. AmbieSense: an man’s natural antibiotics. School infrastructure to provide personal- of Chemistry, University of ised, context-sensitive information Edinburgh. to mobile users. School of Dr Alison N. Hulme. Chemical Computing, Robert Gordon Biology Approaches to Tagging University. and Imaging in Biological Sys- Mr Faheem Mir. Digital Wireless tems. School of Chemistry, Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) University of Edinburgh. Measurement System. Depart- Dr Graham Kirby. Self-Managed ment of Electronic & Electrical Reliable Location-Independent Engineering, University of Strath- Distributed Storage. School of clyde. Computer Science, University of Dr Sonia Schulenburg. Evolving St. Andrews. Artificial Traders for Successful ENTERPRISE FELLOWSHIPS Market Trading. Centre for BBSRC Enterprise Management, Universi- ty of Dundee. Mr Riccardo Matjaz Bennett- Lovsey. Development of a Dr Andrew Sherlock. PartBrowser. company for logic-based drug School of Engineering and discovery. Faculty of Life Sciences, Electronics, University of Edin- Imperial College, London. burgh. Dr Mark Eccleston. Responsive Energy Biopolymers for innovative Mr Tong Teh. Electrochemical diagnostic and therapeutic Sensor Technology. School of delivery. Department of Chemical Engineering and Physical Sciences, Engineering, University of Cam- Heriot-Watt University. bridge. Life Sciences Mr Ian Shadforth. GAPP: Trans- Dr Richard McHugh Cannon. forming proteomic data into Improved Method of Male Fertility commercial knowledge. Depart- Testing. Department of Aerospace ment of Analytical Science and Engineering, University of Glas- Informatics, Cranfield University. gow. Dr Martin Wickham. The IFR Dr John B. March. Bacterial Model of Human Digestion. The viruses for antiserum production Model Gut Exploitation Platform, services and vaccine delivery. Institute of Food Research. Department of Bacteriology, Moredun Research Institute. 168 Research and Enterprise Awards
Dr Margot McBride. A Computer- Ms Katharine G. Johnston. A ised Method of Positioning and search for starlight reflected from Simulating Patient Positioning for tau Bootis b. School of Physics Diagnostic Radiography. School and Astronomy, University of St of Health & Social Care, Glasgow Andrews. Caledonian University. Miss Rachel Natalie McInnes. Dr Congo Tak Shing Ching. Magnetic Pumping in Oscillating Development of a portable/ Solar Flare Loops. Department of wearable monitoring system for Physics and Astronomy, University non-invasive monitoring of blood of Glasgow. glucose levels for diabetic pa- Cormack Undergraduate Prize tients. Bioengineering Unit, 2004 University of Strathclyde. Mr Thomas Barber. The Age of Optoelectronics Galaxies. Institute of Astronomy, Dr Gordon McAllister. Commer- Royal Observatory, University of cial Pose Estimation and Tracking Edinburgh. Software. Division of Applied Cormack Postgraduate Prize Computing, University of Dundee. 2004 RESEARCH SCHOLARSHIPS Dr Rejean Dupuis. Setting upper AND PRIZES limits on the strength of periodic Cormack Vacation Research gravitational waves from PSR Scholarship 2005 J1939+2134 using the first Mr Edward Bloomer. The Search science data from the GEO 600 for Burst Gravitational Waves from and LIGO detectors. Department Pulsar Glitches. Department of of Physics and Astronomy, Physics and Astronomy, University University of Glasgow. of Glasgow. Miss Christina Helen Walker. The Miss Amy Cowan. Ultrafast Structure of Brown Dwarf Circum- Rotators as a Signpost for Kine- stellar Disks. School of Physics matic Associations in the Solar and Astronomy, University of St Neighbourhood. School of Andrews. Physics and Astronomy, University Lessells Travel Scholarship of St Andrews. Mr Sachi Arafat. Creating Novel Mr Charles Gentry. Alfven wave Paradigms for Information propagation near coronal mag- Retrieval to Rid It of Its Ad Hoc netic null points. Division of Nature. School of Information & Applied Mathematics, University Management Sciences, University of St. Andrews. of California at Berkeley. Universi- ty of Glasgow.
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Mr Allan Jardine. Combined ence of gas wells. School of the research of cooperative diversity Built Environment, Napier Univer- protocols with ETH, Zürich. sity. Institut für Kommunikationstech- Dr Dimitri Mignard. Organo- nik, Swiss Federal Institute of metallic Polymer Electrocatalysts Technology. University of Edin- for the Chemical Synthesis of burgh. Alcohols and Hydrocarbons from
Mr Ravindran Manoharan. Novel CO2. Instituto di Chimica dei nonlinear dynamics method for Composti OrganoMetallici NDT of ground anchorages. (ICCOM), University of Florence. Research and Development University of Edinburgh. Institution: MP Interconsulting. Ms Alexandra Price. Application University of Aberdeen. of Neural Control Techniques to Mr Rafael Martin. Gas production Wave Energy Conversion. Labora- under aged-waste and field toire de Mecanique des Fluides, confirmation of radios of influ- Nantes. University of Edinburgh.
170 Research and Enterprise Awards
Research Fellows in Post During the Session
RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS Dr Paul McKenna BP Personal Dr Abbie Mclaughlin Dr Sarah Hinchley Dr Annette MacLeod Dr Benjamin Hourahine Dr David F Manlove Dr Patrik Ohberg Dr Keith Mathieson Dr Darrel A Swif Scottish Executive Support CRF European Visiting Professor Mark Ainsworth Dr Natalie Adamson Dr Jacques D Fleuriot Dr Joan C Maixe Altes Dr Ian Philip Gent Dr Martin Ivanov Professor Desmond J Higham Dr Jens Timmermann Dr Xavier Lambin Dr Peter van Dommelen Dr Colin R Pulham Lloyds TSB Foundation for ENTERPRISE FELLOWSHIPS Scotland Personal BBSRC Dr Ashley L Craig Mr Riccardo Matjaz Bennett- Dr Anna Dickinson Lovsey Dr Margaret Lai Dr Mark Eccleston Dr Val Mann Mr Ian Shadforth Scottish Executive Personal Dr Martin Wickham Dr Richard Blythe PPARC Dr Kirsten Dickson Dr Christopher Doran Dr Timothy Drysdale Mr Ian Latham Dr Sonja Franke-Arnold Scottish Enterprise Dr Nikolaj Gadegaard Electronics Dr Alun Hubbard Dr Ayse Goker Dr Nigel M Kelly Mr Faheem Mir Dr Alan J Kemp Dr Andrew Sherlock Dr Linda A Kirstein Dr Sonia Schulenburg Dr Gail McConnell
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Energy John Moyes Lessells Scholar- Mr Matthias Durr ships Dr Alan Feighery Mr Sachi Arafat Ms Susanne Olsen Mr Robert A F Currie Mr Tong Teh Mr Blair Fyffe Food and Drink Mr L Darren Graham Dr Kyu Namkung Mr Allan J Jardine Life Sciences Mr Ravindran Manoharan Mr Paul Ajuh Dr Dimitri Mignard Dr Richard McHugh Cannon Ms Natalie Plank Dr Margot McBride Ms Jana Urban Dr John B. March Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland Research Students Optoelectronics Mr Stephen Butler Dr Rayne Longhurst Paula Cox Dr Gordon McAllister Mr Charles Duffy Dr Martin O’Dwyer Ms Claire Fitzsimmons Dr Andrew Willshire Mr Alan Gow RESEARCH STUDENTSHIPS AND SCHOLARSHIPS Ms Carly S Rivers Robert Cormack Bequest Ms Beth Wilson Scholarships Mr Edward Bloomer Ms Amy J Cowan Mr Charles Gentry Ms Katharine G Johnston Ms Rachel N McInnes
172 MEDALS, PRIZES AND PRIZE LECTURESHIPS Bicentenary Medals Gannochy Trust Innovation 8th Award. 2004 Award Sir Laurence Hunter, CBE, FRSE, 3rd Award. 2005 Other 2004 awardees were Mr John Harrison. Surfactant reported in the 2005 review. Technologies Ltd. Bruce Preller Prize Lectureship Neill Medal 36th Award. 2004 63rd Award. 2004 Professor Jason Reese. Depart- Professor Mike Hansell. Division ment of Mechanical Engineering, of Environmental and Evolutionary University of Strathclyde. In Biology, Institute of Biomedical recognition of his contribution to and Life Sciences, University of Engineering Science. Glasgow. For his two publications W S Bruce Medal Birds Nests and Construction 28th Award. 2004 Behaviour, Cambridge University Press and Animal Architecture Dr Michael Bentley. Department Oxford University Press. of Geography, University of Durham. For his outstanding Royal Medals work on Antarctic glaciers and ice 6th Award. 2005 sheets in relation to global climate Humanities and Social Sciences: change. Professor Sir David Edward KCMG CRF Prize Lecture QC FRSE, for his outstanding 16th Award. 2005 contribution to the law both in the European Union and in Professor Ronald McKay, Scotland, to the legal profession NINDS (National Institute of in Scotland, and for his contribu- Neurological Disorders and tion to public life. Stroke), Porter Neuroscience Research Center, National Institute Life Sciences: Professor William of Health, Bethesda, USA. Hill OBE FRS FRSE, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Life Sciences and particularly to the theory of quantitative genetics and its applications to animal breeding.
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CRF Prize Lectures. Further to the 10th Award 1998-99 - Dr Iain W detection of a numbering error in Mattaj (lecture April 2000) the 1999 Yearbook, we have 9th Award 1997-98 - Sir Roy produced a complete list of CRF Strong (lecture April 1999) Awards to date, as follows: 8th Award 1996-97 - Professor CRF PRIZE LECTURESHIP Maynard Olson (lecture October 17th Award 2005-06 - Baroness 1998) O'Neill of Bengarve (lecture May 7th Award 1995-96 - Douglas 07) Cardinal (lecture May 1997) 16th Award 2004-05 - Professor 6th Award 1994-95 - Professor Ronald McKay (lecture May 06) Stanley Prusiner (lecture May 15th Award 2003-04 - Joan 1996) Bakewell (lecture October 05) 5th Award 1993-94 - Professor 14th Award 2002-03 - Professor George Steiner (lecture June Joan Steitz (lecture May 04) 1995) 13th Award 2001-02 - Professor 4th Award 1992-93 - Professor D Richard Holmes (lecture May Metcalf (lecture June 1994) 2003) 3rd Award 1991-92 - Professor H 12th Award 2000-01 - Dr Lewis Galjaard (lecture April 1993) Cantley (lecture April 2002) 2nd Award 1990-91- Professor W 11th Award 1999-00 - Sir John Gilbert (lecture May 1992) Keegan (lecture never given due to 1st Award 1989-90 - Professor H illness) E Varmus (lecture April 1991)
174 GRANTS COMMITTEE The Grants Committee considered 22 applications and a sum of £11,762 was awarded to 19 applicants. Approximately 61% of this sum was awarded as travel assistance.
Travel Assistance Professor K J Oparka, for Plas- Professor K Brown, for travel to modesmata 2006. £750 China. £460 Professor E M Scott, for Isotope Professor M C R Davies, for travel (radiogenic, cosmogenic and to Japan. £950 stable) and noble gas analysis in Quaternary research. £600 Professor J Dickson, for travel to Austria. £500 Professor J Skorupski, for The Unity of Reason. £600 Professor W Firth, for travel to Uruguay and Argentina. £750 Visiting Lecturer Professor T Goodman, for travel to Professor R Elliott, to allow Dr Spain. £350 Michael Rossman, Hanley Distin- guished Professor of Biological Professor C A Greated, for travel Sciences, Purdue University, USA, to India and Belarus. £850 to visit the University of Glasgow. Professor S Kuksin, for travel to £350 Spain. £450 Professor S H Ralston, to enable Dr R Milne, for travel to Nepal. Professor Stephen Krane, Harvard £662 Medical School, to give a lecture at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. Professor A Ranicki, for travel to £350 Canada. £790 Research Visitor to Scotland Professor A B Smith, for travel to Switzerland. £500 Professor C J van Rijsbergen, to enable Professor W Bruce Croft, Professor J Speakman, for travel to Department of Computer Science, China. £900 University of Massachusetts, to Support for Meetings visit the University of Glasgow. Professor B Main, for The Globali- £750 zation of Labour Markets and the Consequences for Economic Policy. £600 Professor J Neil, for the 15th International Conference on the Runx gene family. £600
175
INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMME International Exchanges Outgoing to Taiwan: During the 2004-05 Session, the Mr James Ritchie, Heriot Watt following awards were made: University. Bilateral Programme Dr Jessica Chen-Burger, University Outgoing to China: of Edinburgh. Professor Christopher Jefferies, Dr Geoff Elliott, University of University of Abertay. Dundee. Professor Peter Robertson, Robert Dr David S Robertson, University Gordon University. of Edinburgh. Dr Gail McConnell, Strathclyde Professor Kenneth Turner, Univer- University. sity of Stirling. Outgoing to Poland: Open Programme Dr Ivan Crozier, University of Argentina – Outgoing from Edinburgh. Scotland: Dr David McKee, University of Dr Maria de la Paz Vaqueiro- Strathclyde. Rodriguez, Heriot Watt University. Incoming from Poland: Australia – Incoming to Scotland: Professor Alan Barnard of the Professor Raj Bhopal CBE of the University of Edinburgh hosted a University of Edinburgh hosted a visit by Professor Marian Kempny. visit by Dr Michael Morrissey. Dr Bernard Cohen of the Universi- Professor Anthony Edward Fallick ty of Glasgow hosted a visit by Dr FRSE of the Scottish Universities Maria Bitner. Environment Research Centre hosted a visit by Dr Russell Professor Patricia Connolly FRSE of Drysdale. the University of Strathclyde hosted a visit by Dr Dorota Australia – Outgoing from Pijanowska. Scotland: Dr David Kilpatrick of the Scottish Dr Dilys Freeman, University of National Blood Transfusion Service Glasgow. hosted a visit by Dr Anna Dr Lorna Dawson, Macaulay Swierzko. Institute. Dr David Kilpatrick of the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service hosted a visit by Dr Maciej Cedzynski.
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Belgium – Outgoing from Scot- Germany - Incoming to Scotland: land: Dr Carol Trager-Cowan of the Dr John Jones, Scottish Crop University of Strathclyde hosted a Research Institute. visit by Dr Aimo Winkelmann. Brazil - Incoming to Scotland: Hungary – Incoming to Scotland: Dr Wamberto Vasconcelos of the Dr David F Manlove of the Univer- University of Aberdeen hosted a sity of Glasgow hosted a visit by visit by Dr Flavio Correa da Silva. Dr Tamas Fleiner. Bulgaria - Incoming to Scotland: Dr Alison Lees of the Scottish Professor Nikolai Zhelev of the Crop Research Institute hosted a University of Abertay hosted a visit visit by Dr Jozsef Bakonyi. by Professor Vili Stoyanova. Italy - Incoming to Scotland: Chile - Incoming to Scotland: Dr Roland Billen of the University Professor Peter Anthony Davies of Glasgow hosted a visit by FRSE of the University of Dundee Professor Eliseo Clementini. hosted a visit by Professor Yarko Italy - Outgoing from Scotland: Nino. Dr Volfango Bertola, University of China (Open) - Incoming to Edinburgh. Scotland: Dr Daniel Cuthbertson, University Professor Iain M Young of the of Dundee. University of Abertay hosted a visit Dr Barbara Webb, University of by Professor Li Ren. Edinburgh. Croatia – Incoming to Scotland: Japan - Outgoing from Scotland: Professor Alan Prior of Heriot Watt Professor Grant Jordan, University University hosted a visit by Dr of Aberdeen. Sonja Butula. Jordan - Outgoing from Scotland: Denmark – Outgoing from Scotland: Dr Zoe Shipton, University of Glasgow. Dr Gordon Cramb, University of St Andrews. Dr Christopher Brett, University of Glasgow. France – Outgoing from Scotland: Laos - Incoming to Scotland: Dr Cristina Persano, University of Glasgow. Dr Mark Newman of the Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh hosted a visit by Dr B. Svengsuksa.
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Latvia – Incoming to Scotland: Russian Federation - Outgoing Professor Carole Gray of Robert from Scotland: Gordon University hosted a visit Dr Tara Marshall, University of by Aija Druvaskalne-Urdze. Aberdeen. Latvia - Outgoing from Scotland: Slovak Republic - Outgoing from Professor Carole Gray, Robert Scotland: Gordon University. Dr Uhrin Dusan, University of Lebanon – Outgoing from Edinburgh. Scotland: South Africa - Outgoing from Dr Christopher Brett, University of Scotland: Glasgow. Dr Maria Stuttaford, University of Netherlands - Outgoing from St Andrews. Scotland: Spain – Incoming to Scotland: Dr Tobias Bast, University of Dr Javier Perez-Barberia of the Edinburgh. Macaulay Institute hosted a visit Dr Stephen Martin, University of by Dr Ramon Soriguer. Edinburgh. Spain – Outgoing from Scotland: New Zealand - Incoming to Dr Javier Perez-Barberia, Macaulay Scotland: Institute. Professor David Eckersall of the Thailand – Incoming to Scotland: University of Glasgow hosted a Professor Paul Michael Bishop visit by Dr Adrian Molenaar. FRSE of the University of Glasgow Dr John McDougall of Napier hosted a visit by Niran Chaimanee. University hosted a visit by Dr Turkey – Incoming to Scotland: Mark Milke. Professor Mark Jerome Steedman New Zealand - Outgoing from FRSE of the University of Edin- Scotland: burgh hosted a visit by Dr Cem Dr Lorna Dawson, Macaulay Bozsahin. Institute. Ukraine - Incoming to Scotland: Nigeria – Incoming to Scotland: Dr Ashok Adya of the University of Professor David O’Hagan FRSE of Abertay hosted a visit by Dr Oleg the University of St Andrews Kalugin. hosted a visit by Dr C. Isanbor.
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United States – Incoming to Organised by The Royal Society of Scotland: Edinburgh, in partnership with Dr Iain Richardson of Robert the UKRO, the UK National Gordon University hosted a visit Contact Point for Marie Curie by Professor Maja Bystrom. Actions. Dr Randall Stevenson of the 26 November 2004: Current University of Edinburgh hosted a Research in Mathematical Biology. visit by Professor Brian McHale. See page 127. Professor Pat Monaghan of the April 2005: A joint British Council University of Glasgow hosted a - RSE Science Communication visit by Professor Robert Ricklefs. seminar was held as part of the Edinburgh Science Festival. Dr Min Zhao of the University of Aberdeen hosted a visit by Dr 31 May 2005: the European Christine Pullar. Commissioner for Science and Research, Commissioner Janez United States – Outgoing from Potocnik visited the RSE. Presen- Scotland: tations were given by Professor Dr Iain Richardson, Robert Wilson Sibbett, Professor Peter Gordon University. Downes and Dr Ian Underwood to the Commission and a specially Dr Colin Campbell, University of invited audience about the current Edinburgh. status of research and develop- Dr Murray Roberts, Scottish ment in Scotland. Commissioner Association for Marine Science. Potocnik outlined his goals for his Events five-year tenure as European Commissioner for Science and 25 November 2004: Marie Curie Research, and especially highlight- Information and Proposal Writing ing his approach to the EU budget Day. The day focused on the new for research and development. In Human Resources and Mobility addition, the Commissioner had Work Programme, providing an an opportunity to meet members outline of the key changes as well of the business community. As a as lessons learned from the first consequence of this discussion, round of deadlines. The event was the President and President-elect divided into two separate sessions wrote to the Prime Minister to (morning and afternoon). Each express their serious concern session provided a brief outline of about the cut to the research the Marie Curie Actions, the budget proposed by the Council benefits of the fellowships, of Ministers. The Prime Minister guidance on preparing proposals replied in encouraging terms, and feedback from the first calls.
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noting “I couldn’t agree more on May 2005: the RSE hosted a the importance of Research and delegation from Korea and Development for building the discussed amongst other things knowledge economy which the Enterprise Fellowships and the Europe needs if it is to compete commercialisation of research in with the USA, China and India”. general, within the Scottish Mr Blair went on to pledge “As context. EU Presidency, we will work hard June 2005: representatives from over the next five and a half the National Natural Science months to move towards agree- Foundation of China visited the ment on a budget for the next RSE as part of a trip to the UK. Framework Programme”. June 2005: Professor Barbara 5 October 2005: Dinner held at Crawford FRSE visited Norway to the RSE for delegation from the progress the RSE’s relationship European Parliament’s Industry, with the Norwegian Academy of Research and Energy Committee, Arts and Sciences and to explore during which there was an the potential of future joint interesting discussion centring activities. mainly on the future direction of Europe, particularly in relation to July 2005: A Cuban delegation research and its economic poten- visited the RSE to meet with tial. Michael White and to listen to the “Climate Change: Apocalyptic, Visits Much Ado about Nothing, or December 2004: Dr Kasturirangan Cause for Concern”, a public of the National Institute of lecture delivered by Professor John Advanced Studies, Bangalore, Mitchell OBE FRS, Chief Scientist, India, visited the RSE as part of a Met Office. visit to the UK to give the Jagdish Relations with Sister Academies Chandra Bose Memorial lecture at the Royal Society of London. 25 February 2005: the RSE hosted a visit by the staff of the Norwe- December 2004: Lord Sutherland gian Academy of Arts and met with the President of the Sciences. Chinese Academy of Sciences for dinner at the House of Lords. 30 May 2005: a bilateral agree- ment was signed by the RSE and December 2004: Professor Rona the Academy of Sciences of the MacKie and Dr William Duncan Czech Republic (ASCR). The ASCR visited the Academy of Sciences of representatives (Professor Jan the Czech Republic, including two Palous, Head of the International of their research institutes. Council for International Affairs at
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the academy and Mr Andrzej 21 September 2005: a bilateral Magala, International Department agreement was signed by the RSE Officer responsible for the UK) and the Hungarian Academy of were given a tour of the Royal Sciences, during a brief visit to Observatory Edinburgh as part of Budapest by Dr Ferenc Antoni their visit and attended the FRSE and Frances Fowler (RSE meeting with Commissioner International Relations Manager). Potocnik (see above). 22-25 September 2005: Professor 16 September 2005: an informal Andrew Miller FRSE and Michael agreement was signed by the RSE White (former RSE International and the Norwegian Academy of Activities Manager) visited the Science and Letters, agreeing to Cuban Academy and a number of communicate and liaise regularly Cuban institutions. During the and where possible to work visit, an informal agreement was jointly. signed between the RSE and the Cuban Academy.
182 FELLOWS’ SOCIAL EVENTS Fellows’ Reception Fellows’ Coffee Meetings There was no Fellows Reception Weekly Coffee Meetings were during the Session. held throughout the winter and Triennial Dinner spring months. Speakers at the monthly lecture meetings were : The Triennial Dinner to mark the end of the Presidency of Lord 2 November 2004. Thwarting and Sutherland of Houndwood KT FBA Origin of Speech. Professor Eric A FRSE was held on Friday 24 June Salzen 2005. The dinner took place in 7 December 2004. How we Think. the grand surroundings of Sir Michael Atiyah Edinburgh University’s Playfair 11 January 2005. The Ups and Library Hall. Nearly 200 Fellows Downs of Natural Populations. and their guests attended the Professor Jonathan A Sherratt dinner. During the evening Sir Laurence Hunter CBE FRSE was 1 February 2005. Why Educate? awarded the Bicentenary Medal. Professor Sally A Brown The reply to Lord Sutherland’s 1 March 2005. Geological Toast and a toast to the society Hazards. Mr John H Hull was delivered by the Society’s The Royal Society Dining Club guest Lord Oxburgh KBE FRS This Club was established on 3rd FREng. January 1820, with the view of New Fellows’ Induction Day promoting the objectives of the 2005 Royal Society of Edinburgh. In An Induction Day for New Fellows Session 2004/2005 meetings was held for the first time on 2 were held as follows : May 2005. Fellows met Council 831st dinner - 6 December 2004 and Executive Board Members for Praeses: Professor John Laver lunch where they were welcomed Croupier: Professor A D I Rolfe to the Society by RSE President, Lord Sutherland. Chairman of 832nd dinner - 4 April 2005 Trustees of the RSE Scotland Praeses: Dr Brenda Moon Foundation, Professor Andy Croupier: Professor Carol Duffus Walker provided New Fellows with 833rd dinner - 6 June 2005 an overview of the Society’s Praeses: Professor Andrew Miller activities. Prior to the ceremony of Croupier: Dr Lesley Glasser admission to Fellowship, there 834th dinner - 3 October 2005 was an opportunity to meet the Praeses: Professor David Saxon Society’s Staff and to find out the Croupier: Professor J M M many ways in which New Fellows Cunningham might make a valuable contribu- tion to the life of the Society.
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Fellows’ Golf Challenge The 2005 Golf Challenge was held on 22 August 2005 over the Balcomie Links course at Crail Golf Club, Fife. The Stewart Cup was won by Professor Wilson Sibbett, for the second time.
184 GRANTS, SPONSORSHIP AND DONATIONS The society is grateful to the following organisations for their continuing support during the Session:
BBSRC Lloyds TSB Foundation for BP Research Fellowship Trust Scotland British Council GM Morrison Charitable Trust Caledonian Research Foundation Gannochy Trust Lord Fleck Will Trust PPARC Lessells Trust Scottish Enterprise Scottish Executive
and also to the following for their support for specific events and activities:
Aberdeenshire Council Institure of Biology The Binks Trust Institute of Physics Buccleuch Estate James Weir Foundation Charities Aid Foundation The Rowett Research Institute The Darwin Trust of Edinburgh Royal Meteorological Society Edinburgh Centre for Rural Scottish & Southern Energy Research Scottish Enterprise Grampian Sir Walter Gibbey Scottish Association for Marine Halifax Bank of Scotland Science Health Foundation Shell UK Heriot-Watt University Statoil Highlands & Islands Development Total E & P UK plc Imperial College London The Wellcome Trust
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CHANGES IN FELLOWSHIP DURING THE SESSION DEATHS REPORTED TO THE SOCIETY Fellows
Gerald Oliver Aspinall George Scott Johnstone Ivor (Ralph Campbell) Batchelor Eric Duncan Grant Langmuir Richard Alan Beatty Angus McIntosh Lindsay Sutherland Bryson John Drake Matthews John Barklie Clements Robert William Milne William Murray Cormie Bertram Desmond Misselbrook David Daiches Autar Singh Paintal Morrell Henry Draper Francis David Penny Peter Stephen Farago Lord Polwarth William Ewart John Farvis Hubert Lloyd David Pugh Charles Arthur Fewson William Devigne Russell-Hunter John Robert Stanley Fincham Richard Malcolm Sillitto William Hugh Clifford Frend David John Tedford Alexander Norman Jeffares Edward (Maitland) Wright
Honorary Fellows Jack St Clair Kilby Joseph Rotblat Saunders MacLane
ELECTIONS
Honorary Fellows David Frederick Attenborough John McCarthy Michael Victor Berry Michael E Porter
Corresponding Fellows Orley C Ashenfelter Knut Helle Malcolm Harold Chisholm Elizabeth Loftus Bruno S Frey Ralph M Steinman Cameron McAllan Gordon
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Fellows
Robin Campbell Allshire Peter David Keightley Robert David Anderson Andrew Ramsay Knox Alan Langskill Archibald David Alan Leigh Christopher Jon Berry Kenneth Iain Muir McKinnon Wendy Anne Bickmore William Henry Irwin McLean Susan Margaret Black Gilleasbuig Iain MacMillan George Cooper Borthwick John Duncan MacMillan Daphne Jane Bower Iain Duncan MacPhail Alistair James Petersen Brown Susan Lindsay Manning Steve Bruce Andrew Alexander Meharg Doreen Ann Cantrell Duncan Michael Michael Elmhirst Cates Alan Millar Stephen Kenneth Chapman Gordon Douglas Murray Patricia Connolly James Henderson Naismith Edward James Cowan Anthony Aubrey Nash Anthony Terence Doyle Anne Neville Allan Mackay Findlay Jeremy Alastair Peat Mary Gibby James Ivor Prosser Evelyn Glennie Stuart Hamilton Ralston Lesley Anne Glover Robert Paul Reid Alison Jane Patricia Goligher John Michael Rotter Andrew William Goudie John Stewart Savill Istvan Janos Gyongy Ethel Marian Scott John Williams Hancock Mona Siddiqui John T S Irvine Garry Lindsay Taylor Eve Cordelia Johnstone Philip Lee Wadler Paul William Jowitt John Bainbridge Webster Michael James Keating
188 STAFF CHANGES DURING THE SESSION Arrivals Departures Ms Frances Fowler, International Ms Sarah Gilmore, Events Co- Relations Manager ordinator Mr William Hardie, Energy Enquiry Mr Gary Johnstone, Accounts Administrative Assistant (tempo- Assistant rary post) Mr Michael White, International Mr Robert Hunter, Evening Activities Manager Caretaker
Other Staff in post throughout the Session
Ms Christel Baudere, Personnel Mr Graeme Herbert, Director of Assistant Corporate Services Mr Stuart Brown, PR and Commu- Mr Robert Lachlan, Accounts nications Manager Officer Mrs Roísín Calvert-Elliott, Events Mrs Jenny Liddell, Research Manager Awards Co-ordinator Ms Jennifer Cameron, IT Support Mr George Pendleton, Facilities Manager and Communications Assistant Officer Mr Frank Pullen, Central Services Dr Lesley Campbell, Fellowship, Manager Policy, and Education Manager Dr Marc Rands, Policy Officer Dr William Duncan, Chief Execu- Dr Harinee Selvadurai, Education tive Officer Ms Zoë Eccles, Receptionist/ Mr Brian Scott, Technical Support Telephonist Assistant Miss Kate Ellis, Director of Finance Mrs Sheila Stuart, Administration Ms Emma Faragher, Education Assistant Assistant Mrs Margaret Tait, Receptionist/ Mrs Anne Fraser, Research Awards Telephonist Manager Ms Susan Walker, Events Officer Ms Jean Finlayson, International Mrs Doreen Waterland, PA to Relations Officer Chief Executive and Officers Ms Kirsteen Francis, Conference Mr Duncan Welsh, Events Officer Centre Co-ordinator Mrs Vicki Hammond (formerly Vicki Ingpen), Journals and Archive Officer
189
OBITUARY NOTICES Sir Kenneth (John Wilson) Alexander ...... 192 John Graham Comrie Anderson ...... 197 Edward Raymond Andrew ...... 204 Frederick (Derick) Valentine Atkinson ...... 207 Terence George Baker ...... 211 Cecil Arnold Beevers ...... 213 John Berry ...... 217 Hermann Alexander Brück ...... 222 Malcolm Murray Campbell...... 225 William Ewart John Farvis ...... 228 John Robert Stanley Fincham ...... 233 William Whigham Fletcher ...... 237 Kenneth Boyd Fraser ...... 243 Sir John Currie Gunn ...... 246 Neil Hood ...... 250 Eric Duncan Grant Langmuir ...... 253 Sir Cyril Lucas ...... 260 William Hepburn Russell Lumsden ...... 262 Charles William McCombie ...... 269 Sir Harry (Work) Melville ...... 273 Christina Cruickshank Miller ...... 278 Ian Robert Mackenzie Mowat ...... 282 Mary Jessie McDonald Noble ...... 286 Cecil Wilfred Nutt ...... 290 John Stewart Orr ...... 293 Lord Polwarth ...... 296 Hubert Lloyd David Pugh ...... 300 John Alan Richardson ...... 302 James Henderson Sang ...... 305 Dame Sheila Patricia Violet Sherlock ...... 310 Norman Willison Simmonds ...... 311 Thomas Stevens Stevens...... 315 Sir Frederick Henry Stewart ...... 319 Professor Peter Alan Sweet...... 323 Paul Egerton Weatherley ...... 326 Maurice Hugh Frederick Wilkins ...... 328 Sir Alwyn Williams ...... 332 Peter Northcote Wilson ...... 338 Thomas Wilson ...... 342
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Sir Kenneth (John Wilson) Alexander 14 March 1922 - 27 March 2001
Kenneth Alexander was a man of tions for membership of this his time: academic, social scientist, Society. political activist, businessman, Educated at George Heriots, and administrator and statesman. In Dundee University, he researched the turbulent years from 1950 to at Leeds and lectured at Sheffield 2000, he was in the thick of it. and Aberdeen before becoming Throughout, he was big enough Professor of Economics at the to meet the challenges, to ride out then new University of Strathclyde. the storms and to rise above the He was the first dean of the first gratuitous jealousies, pettiness business school in Scotland. and crossfire that attend all men of action, especially academic men Not bad for one life but there was of action. much more in store. Unlike many academics of his day, he sought to Sir Kenneth was an academic and put his talents and his experience educator prepared to apply his to useful purpose. As a reformer knowledge to the outside world. he knew that to get anything He was also a socialist and, when done it was essential to step into it was not popular to be so, an the political arena. There his keen advocate of the Scottish dimen- brain, clear head and good heart sion. He stood for change, for drew him into the cockpit of evolution and carried into the Scotland’s post-war agonies. He Highlands and Islands of Scotland became a board-member of the his convictions that the future Clydeside shipbuilding compa- held not fear but promise. He nies, Fairfields and Upper Clyde finally took this experience and shipbuilders. Later still, he became warmth of character into the then Chairman of Govan Shipbuilders. new University of Stirling. In his Here indeed was a bed of nails long life, he saw the comings and and an intellectual challenge goings of many new Jerusalems, second to none. How was job culminating in Scotland’s devolu- security to remain wedded to tion to a near independent market forces? Given the deeply nation. A Keynesian economist, he held prejudices of everyone was never a toady to theory and involved in this titanic struggle never afraid to stand his ground there was no solution to this or to in defence of what he believed to any other of Britain’s industrial be true. He had all the qualifica- problems. Somewhere along the
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line the analytical brains of the another aspect of the regenera- political theorists had broken tion of Scotland. He was an loose from the social experience advocate of its music and other of the work force. For all his arts. This was to be a turning trying, Kenneth Alexander's point and out of the seeds sown beliefs in the promise of new there would emerge a stemming technologies and unionmanage- of the then population outflow, ment cooperation were to be together with the enhancement of frustrated by the familiar conserv- further education and, in the end, ative forces of the left and right. the creation of the embryonic However, because of his senti- University of the Highlands & ments, he was the obvious choice Islands. for another workforce to lead the He was the obvious choice to pilot Campaign for the Defence of the HIDB. He knew the Highlands and Steel Industry in Scotland. That he was well schooled in develop- also came to nothing, those mental economics. Again there opposing him having already would be opposition to top-down made up their minds that Raven- efforts to revitalise ancient scraig should close. Was it customs and ancient attitudes and necessary for Scottish manufactur- there was a new prime minister on ing industry to haemorrhage to the warpath. death? Kenneth Alexander After four years of economic thought not and in that persist- planning, Sir Kenneth, as he now ently positive frame of mind, he was, left the Highlands to take up was appointed to succeed Sir yet another challenge which Robert Grieve as Chairman of would involve all his political HIDB, the Highlands and Islands skills. In 1982 he was appointed Development Board, there to leave Principal & Vice-Chancellor of the his mark on another episode of still new University of Stirling. It Scotland's 20th Century. The was not a good time to be Highlands and Islands had always entering university administration. been on the fringe of a nation, The infamous letter from the itself on the fringe of its big University Funding Council, which southern neighbour which in turn sealed the fate of the older, is on the fringe of Europe. benign University Grants Commit- Distance had not yet been tee, imposed massive financial conquered by the information cuts which were arbitrary and technology and communications selective. A young university still revolution but Kenneth Alexander finding its feet was vulnerable. brought a new face, fresh opti- There were whispers of closure of mism and humanity to bear on more than one Scottish university.
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This clumsy act destroyed a manage. A far cry from the collegiality which had held the Glasgow shipyards. In his life, university community together Kenneth Alexander served many over the centuries. It required bodies and gave much advice. In someone of Sir Kenneth's confi- between times, and to enshrine dence and experience to steer his academic credentials, he wrote Stirling into safer waters, which he several books and articles about surely did. And then there was an industrial change and political even more far-reaching discussion economy. He received many to which he was a party. In the distinctions and was elected a mid-1980s the Scottish Office had Fellow of the Royal Society of established a new body, the Edinburgh in 1978. Throughout, Scottish Tertiary Education he was knowingly supported by Advisory Council (STEAC). Chaired his consort Angela who was by Sir Donald McCallum, it sought always at his side but seldom in the view of the Scottish universi- the footlights. She and their five ties as to whether they should children gave Kenneth Alexander look south to London for succour the greatest pleasure. He led a and inspiration or north to consummate life which was a Edinburgh. Option 6 of the study personal denial of the allegation, which advocated closer ties with often levelled at academics, that home was supported by only they are irrelevant, if not useless, three of the eight universities, to the outside world. Kenneth namely Stirling, Strathclyde and Alexander had no inhibitions. His Glasgow. The option was there- fellow academics could ‘tut tut’ fore defeated but the arguments but he was always ready to stand for a more Scottish university his ground. Polymaths are now system were noted and minuted. out of fashion; perhaps they They would resurface 20 years always were. On his own terms, later when devolution swept up Kenneth Alexander was such a the whole of Scottish education person. into a North-of-the-Border Sir Graham Hills empire. Still some universities look south for salvation, but Kenneth Sir Kenneth Alexander was a wise Alexander did not. and practical man for all the people. He once said: “walking When he stepped down from the streets of the towns and Stirling it was to climb one more villages of your native land keeps rung of the academic ladder to your feet and your thoughts firmly become Chancellor of Aberdeen on the ground of reality”... So it University, another prickly patch was in his life as Student, Lecturer, but well within his ability to Director, University Chancellor,
194 Obituary Notices
and, not least, as a caring hus- serious difficulty to be solved, band and father. But, irrespective especially where politics intruded of his work at any time, he was and widespread agreement was above all a practical educator, and required, the call went out for the man and his role came Professor Alexander. The 1960s together in harmony. and 70s were an uncertain time After his wartime service in the for shipbuilding. He was appoint- R.A.F. he studied at Dundee’s ed a non-executive director of Bonar School of Economics, Fairfields (Glasgow), and did much culminating in an outstanding to help it continue in business. external degree from London When the Government took it University (1949). Marriage over it was no surprise that he followed, and then he became, in should become Chairman from order, a research assistant at 1974 to 1976. Leeds, a lecturer at Sheffield, a In 1976 he was given leave from lecturer at Aberdeen, before being Strathclyde to chair the Highland appointed to a new chair of and Islands Development Board. economics at Strathclyde and The major (and continuing) Dean of the Scottish Business problem was highland land use, a School. matter which never seems to In his teaching of economics he attract solutions. Helpfully Sir was sceptical of the undue Kenneth (Knighted 1978) had the emphasis that was being placed strength of acceptance across the on mathematical certainty; not political spectrum, not least surprisingly, what was increasingly because of his belief in rational regarded as his desirable com- argument and his honesty of monsense in solving practical purpose. These qualities were problems was quickly recognised. equally required when he became Principal and Vice-Chancellor of The Trade Union movement had Stirling, at the time a fine-looking noted this early in his career, and, University with an uncertain as an example, it seemed quite reputation. Sir Kenneth, with a natural that Kenneth Alexander splendid grasp of the circum- should represent miners on the stances and his wise and steady National Coal Board’s industrial leadership, did much to save from relations Tribunal: or that he extinction what is now a substan- taught members of the Transport tial jewel in the education crown. and General how to use a slide This was yet another example of rule! his ability to get things right, and It soon became widely accepted in mirrors his report on adult Scotland that if there was a education in Scotland which is the
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guiding light for community Helpfully, Sir Kenneth did not learning in Scotland. neglect the private sector, al- Then followed, from 1986, a though his directorships were few decade as Chancellor of the and carefully chosen. In his busy University of Aberdeen. It was a life he was a positive contributor return to a seat of learning for to Scottish Television, the Scottish which he had a great regard. Like Daily Record and Sunday Mail so many universities, Aberdeen group, and Stakis Plc. was going through a trying period The amazing amount of work Sir arising from a reduction in grants; Kenneth was asked to undertake in his inimitable way he prodded and successfully completed, often the University to plan fully and under difficult circumstances, is sensibly for its quincentenary. In clear proof of his dedication to his between times Sir Kenneth gave fellow men and women. What willingly and vigorously to the should never be forgotten is how work of a large number of public kindly, courteous and good- bodies, among them the Scottish humoured he was in the midst of Development Agency, the Techni- all his remarkable achievements. cal Change Centre, the Saltire Needless to say in everything he Society and the National Muse- did he was greatly helped by ums of Scotland. marrying the right lady and having a supportive family. Sir Campbell Fraser
Kenneth (John Wilson) Alexander. Kt, DL, BSc(Dundee), HonLLD (CNAA, Aberdeen, Strathclyde, Dundee), DUniv(Stirling, Open), Hon DLitt (Aber- deen, Heriot-Watt). Born 14 March 1922; Elected FRSE 6 March 1978; Died 27 March 2001. RSE Council Service: Councillor, 1990-93; Vice-President, 1993-1996.
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John Graham Comrie Anderson 26 April 1910 - 20 February 2002
Emeritus Professor J. Graham C. as Glasgow University then Anderson, who died at his home offered Honours Science students in Lisvane, Cardiff, on 20th the opportunity to take a pass February 2002, aged 91, was born degree in an Arts Subject and in the Hillhead area of Glasgow Graham took French. He never lost on 26th April 1910, the son of his pronounced Glaswegian bluff Edmond Archibald Anderson, at manner and accent and his origin that time an aerated water was always immediately recognis- manufacturer, and Annie Maude able, even if sometimes the Anderson, née Comrie. His meaning of his words, especially mother was born in Rothesay, the to students unfamiliar with the daughter of James K. Comrie, a dialect, was somewhat puzzling. Glaswegian stockbroker, and his His geological work was mainly in Irish-born wife Mary J. Comrie. the fields of petrology, tectonics The family lived in Cardiff before and, with time, increasingly in moving to Glasgow, but they also engineering geology. had a second home in Rothesay. Supervised by Bailey and Tyrrell, His paternal grandfather was whose influences are apparent in Secretary, i.e. General Manager, of his choice of subject, he stayed on the Callander and Oban Railway in Glasgow University to com- from its beginning until 1910. plete, in 1935, a PhD entitled Graham attended Glasgow Contributions to the Caledonian Academy and entered Glasgow igneous geology of the SW University in 1928. He was taught Highlands. This was unusually his first year geology by Professor forward-looking in being com- J.W. Gregory FRS, this being the posed of the drafts of three last year before Gregory retired in distinct papers, two of which were 1929. More influential on even published in 1935. One was Graham were Professor E.B. Bailey on the marginal intrusions of Ben FRS, a tectonic geologist, who Nevis including the Coille Lianach- succeeded Gregory and under ain complex, another on the whom Graham graduated MA, Arrochar intrusive complex and BSc (with 1st Class Honours in the third, on the SE margin of the Geology) in 1932, and G.W. Etive Granite complex, was Tyrrell, the renowned igneous subsequently enlarged to include petrologist. Graham Anderson the whole of the Etive Granite, spoke and wrote French fluently, whilst Graham was a Carnegie
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Research Fellow in Glasgow, and emerged first while he was a published in 1937. With com- student, as shown by two papers mendable industry, he also published in the Quarry Manag- published in 1935 a paper on the ers’ Journal in 1934 and 1935. Dalradian succession in the Pass Whilst with the Survey, he pub- of Brander. This no doubt repre- lished a lengthy study on Scottish sented field work done on low Sands and Gravels among other ground, from his camp near Loch applied subjects with the Institute Awe station, on days too misty or of Quarrying, and was made an wet for work on the nearby high Honorary Member of that Insti- ground of Ben Cruachan, with its tute. He also published, often bevy of Munros and Corbetts jointly, in the Wartime Pamphlet (near-Munros). Field work in the Series of the Survey on limestones, summers of 1932, 1933 and silica rocks, slates, sands and 1934 involved some very long gravels and also in applied hikes and camping, which suited a Memoirs such as The Granites of young man keen on mountain Scotland (1939) and The Lime- walking who had been trained by stones of Scotland (1949). Indeed, Bailey. Eventually, before he left he actually did only limited Scotland, he had climbed no less mapping during his time in the than 218 of Scotland’s Munros - a Survey, partly because it was very considerable feat, especially mostly wartime and the Survey as, without a motor car, some then worked largely on strategic involved in-and-out walks total- geological materials. In the Survey ling tens of kilometres. In 1936 he he was popular and regarded as a joined the Geologists’ Association good colleague, although like the and was a member for 66 years, writer, he was not a smart dresser, only slightly longer than his 1937 especially with wartime clothes Life Fellowship of the Geological restrictions. Typical field gear was Society of Edinburgh. He spent a an aged Trench coat with a rear year (1936-37) as a temporary hacking cut, riding breeches, Lecturer in geology at the Univer- sometimes perforce repaired with sity of St Andrews before being safety pins, an old ‘Biggles’-type appointed in 1937 to HM Geo- airman’s helmet with the ears cut logical Survey of Scotland, based out and boots which alarmingly in Edinburgh. quickly became worn through at the soles; on one such occasion In the Survey he worked in the forcing a longer walk back along Scottish coalfields and the the sleepers of the West Highland Lothians oil-shale field as well as Railway to avoid the sharp heather in the Scottish Highlands. In of the shorter way across the particular he developed a flair for Moor of Rannoch! Later he was engineering geology which had
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seconded from the Survey to Edinburgh Geological Society. His advise on the crucial aspects of major work was on the Dalradian the engineering geology of five rocks of the Highland Border, and major projects, those of the Sloy, he published on those in Angus, Cruachan, Shira, Nant and Kincardine, Bute and Arran, and Grampian Hydro- Electric eventually, in 1947, on the whole Schemes, which gave him excep- Stonehaven to Arran belt in an tional expertise in the engineering important paper in the Royal problems associated with dam Society of Edinburgh’s Transac- foundations, tunnelling, fractures tions (Vol 61, pp 479-515). This and joints and slope stability. He firmly (‘‘not a shred of valid obtained a DSc from Glasgow evidence’’) disposed of the University in 1945, was made a Gregory concept of the ‘Lennoxi- Fellow of the Geological Society of an’ in which Gregory erroneously London in 1944 (becoming a considered the southern Dalradi- Senior Fellow in 1994) and was an to be Lower Palaeozoic rocks elected FRSE in 1947, being a unconformable on the Dalradian. Fellow for 55 years. He rose to Graham’s paper, submitted in May become a Senior Geologist in the 1945, was the first to describe in Survey and, like several of his some detail the Aberfoyle anti- Geological Survey contempories, cline, initially identified by (e.g. S. E. Hollingworth who went Henderson in 1938. Unequivocal- to University College London; F. W. ly, Graham considered the Cope, Keele; W. D. Evans, Notting- anticline to ‘close upwards’, ham and J. H. Taylor, Kings although perceptively, he did College London), he later moved realise that such a NW-facing fold to academia. In 1949 he was was inconsistent with the SE- appointed to the Chair of Geolo- facing structures identified by gy at University College, Cardiff, Clough and elaborated by E.B. succeeding Professor A. H. Cox, Bailey, but was unable to deduce a and remained there until retire- satisfactory solution. Nevertheless, ment in 1977, being Head of the conundrum posed by Gra- Department for 28 years. ham’s 1947 paper did spark the interest of Robert Shackleton, His main mapping in the High- whose brilliant solution of a lands was largely undertaken downwardfacing Aberfoyle outside of his Survey duties in his anticline not only elucidated the own time, apart from time spent closure of the whole Tay Nappe in some quarries, and the field structure, but whose method in so work was helped by the award of doing revolutionised the mapping a grant from the Clough Memori- and interpretation of folds in al 2 Research Fund of the metamorphic rocks. Graham never
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accepted Shackleton’s solution. By a vast wild area 30 x 60 km. He a curious coincidence, Anderson retained his resilience and ability and Shackleton were both elected to walk long distances for many to the Council of the Geological years. His final foray in Ireland was Society of London simultaneously to study the Wenlock rocks of and served for the period 1958 to South Mayo (1960). 1962. He did not take to the mid-50s In view of the interest of his advances in structural geology, mentor, E.B. Bailey, (who was with the new emphasis on Director of H. M. Geological mapping multiple folding in Survey from 1937-45), in extend- metamorphic rocks and noting of ing the knowlege of Dalradian structural information. Graham stratigraphy and structures into was a ‘broad brush’ mapper, not Ireland, it was understandable given to intricate data recording that Graham, probably on Bailey’s or looking at every outcrop, and suggestion, should have also with his large, rather clumsy turned to Ireland, and in papers in handwriting, which almost 1946 and 1947, again completed embossed the paper, his field outside Survey duties, he correlat- maps were notable for broad ed the enigmatic rocks south of generalisation of ground walked Lough Derg with the Moine rocks over quickly rather than examined of Scotland, their first recognition in detail. But many of his walk- outside Scotland. This was an over surveys filled in urgently important discovery which he needed information (eg for a carefully argued, based on 370 proposed hydroscheme) where no km2 of mapping. Later in 1954, as geological mapping existed. After Professor, he went on to reconnai- the 1950s, most of his work was sance-map the Slieve League in engineering geology or in Peninsula in Donegal and extend- simple pre-plate tectonic geology ed the claimed area of Moine summaries such as The Pre- rocks to include the whole of the Cambrian of the British Isles Killybegs Group, which was not (1965), The structure of the British generally accepted. The problems Isles (1968; with T. R. Owen); and of the Moine-Lower Dalradian The structure of Western Europe contacts, which his Irish work only (1978). He was not enthusiastic emphasised, encouraged a return about building a school of to the Highlands and his last graduate research students, but paper in the Society’s Transactions W. R. Church worked on the Irish (1956), was on the Moinian and Moines, T. E. Smith on the Laggan Dalradian rocks between Glen Roy district in Scotland, D. Powell on and the Monadhliath Mountains; Dinorwic in Wales, G.G. Lemon (a
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staff member in Cardiff) on the Ox equipment for the Department of Mountains, Co Sligo and J. M. C. Geology so that local engineering W. Baker (also staff) on the geology problems in the South Rosslare Complex, and all were Wales valleys, such as depth clearly influenced by Graham. through ‘the drift’ to rockhead, could be established, often to the During his long tenure of the chagrin of the Departmental Chair in Cardiff he progessively technicians who did the drilling. became more and more involved He and Dr C. R. K. Blundell in consulting as an engineering published such a map for the geologist and less concerned with Cardiff district in 1965. Graham academic geology. Indeed, he was became a most successful engi- interested in practical things and neering geology consultant and with his blunt down-to-earth he summarised some of the pronouncements and way of expertise acquired through his speaking, he projected the wide experience in a most reada- antithesis of a ‘head in the clouds’ ble book, jointly with C. F. Trigg, academic don. As his engineering Case-histories in Engineering reputation spread, he was Geology (1976), which is still used increasing in demand, not only in today. This includes summaries of the UK, but also abroad in the dangers of steep valley slips problems related to dams, tunnels and tip failures, based on experi- and cuttings associated with ences in South Wales, as well as a reservoirs and hydro-electric general review of building dams, projects. He was consulted over tunnels, bridges, cuttings, the Clywedog Dam, the Ffestiniog foundations and harbours. and Dinorwic Pumped Storage and the Rheidol Hydro-Electric Inevitably, with anyone expected schemes, the Craig Goch project, to be Head of a Department for the Kielder Dam and tunnels, the 28 years, during which the Calder Reservoir and tunnels in Universities changed almost Renfrewshire, the Irvine Bay unbelievably, Graham found some sewage tunnel and abroad the changes hard to adjust to, such as Volta River (Ghana) scheme, the staff involvement in policy-making Kariba North Bank Power station and implementation through staff (Zimbabwe-Zambia) and the meetings. Such consultations Kotmale Dam, Sri Lanka. He were almost unknown in British became a Member of the South Universities before the 1950s and Wales Institute of Engineers, was Graham did not readily adapt to awarded a medal by this Institute, them even when new University and served as President in 1976-7. regulations required them. He He obtained diamond drilling suffered from unusually poor co-
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ordination and so never learnt to which eventually led the College drive and this, together with his to the point of bankruptcy. He phenomenal walking ability and a oversaw the enforced move of the deep interest in railways and train Department from Newport Road travel, prompted him to continue to the splendid Natural History to take field classes by train for a Wing which completed the long time, although coaches were impressive Main Building in Park also used. Extended walks, Place in 1962, although initially unthinkable today, between the space allocated to geology in widely-scattered teaching locali- the new building was minimal, as ties on day-trips from Cardiff, more ambitious Professors were common, such as from exploited his lack of politicking Pontypool Road to Usk and and his reticence to insist on a beyond and Bridgend to South- reasonable space allocation. erndown, with diversions and This memorable move prompted back, 16 km minimum. His Graham and D. Bidgood, follow- Honours student excursions to the ing an invitation from the Director French Alps and the Massif of the Geological Survey of Central were remembered not Norway, Sven Foyn, to organise a only for the geology but also the summer expedition in 1962 to education in French life and the Porsangerfjord in Finnmark, Professor’s expertise in the French Norway, to commemorate the language. He was noted for his opening of the new Departmental extremely modest requests to the accommodation. From this small University College for Departmen- beginning, the first Cardiff Arctic tal capital and running costs, and Norway Expedition was launched he was most reluctant to apply for under Dr R A. Gayer in 1966. new equipment for staff research Graham supported this mapping (although he early acquired a project, led by Dr R A. Gayer, and range of geophysical equipment). although he himself did not This, together with his lack of undertake any research in Norway, interest and encouragement for this was the main academic forging new scientific develop- project he encouraged over many ments in the Department, caused years, and he nominally super- considerable staff discontent and vised many of the postgraduates. eventually left the Department In 1967 he participated in a week- weak in research. However, this long excursion across Finnmark has to be understood against a into Russia. He also attended background of extremely limited several International Geological funds in the College and of poor Congresses, including Prague, administration of what there was, 1968, (disrupted by the Russians),
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and Sydney, 1976. He enjoyed wild surroundings, about which photography and in retirement he little or nothing is heard because was an enthusiastic leisure they were so soundly built on traveller. In 1983 he published the secure foundations. first single volume field guide to He married Margaret Firth in 1938 geological excursions in England, and they had two children, Alison Wales, Scotland and Ireland, Field and Neil. Alison’s two sons, Iain Geology in the British Isles, which and Andrew Lovejoy are Graham’s unfortunately was not well only grandchildren. In 1990, he received. married Joan Truman, whom I In a sense, the most impressive particularly thank for assistance and lasting memorials to him are and information, together with J. not in the University but in the M. C. W. Baker, H. Bartlett, C. J. permanently stable dams and Burton, J. W. C. Cope, R. A. Gayer, tunnels, robustly constructed, in G. S. Johnstone and J. W. Leake. Bernard Elgey Leake
John Graham Comrie Anderson. MA, BSc, PhD, DSc (Glasgow), FGS. Born 26 April 1910; Elected FRSE 3 March 1947; Died 20 February 2002.
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Edward Raymond Andrew 27 June 1921 - 27 May 2001
Raymond Andrew was one of the educated at Wellingborough first physicists in the UK to get School, where he was head boy, involved with the technique of before going up to Christ’s nuclear magnetic resonance (nmr), College, Cambridge in 1939, developed just after the second obtaining first class honours in world war in the USA. His career in both Part I and Part II of the this subject spanned the years Natural Sciences Tripos, and from 1948 until his death. His taking a BA in 1942. His college contributions included the tutor here was the novelist and development of the technique as two cultures polemicist C P Snow. a structural tool in organic solids, Sir Lawrence Bragg FRS was the the invention of the magic-angle Cavendish Professor at this time method of narrowing the reso- and other supervisors included nance lines in solids, an David Shoenberg FRS and Norman understanding of the effects of Feather FRS. Thereafter followed the nuclear quadrupole moment three war years as a Scientific on both the static and dynamic Officer at the Air Defence Re- aspects of nmr, and an early search and Development recognition and development of Establishment in Malvern, where the application of the technique his project involved the effects of to biological studies. This later gunflashes on X-band radar. work included a contribution to 1945-48 were years as a research the massive success of Magnetic student at Pembroke College and Resonance Imaging (MRI), now the Cavendish, working with widely used in most hospitals as David Shoenberg on problems of an imaging technique for the the penetration of magnetic fields human body. He held Chairs in into Type I superconductors and a the Universities of Wales in PhD ensued in 1948; Kapitza Bangor, Nottingham and Florida, having been Shoenberg’s PhD Gainesville, during his career and supervisor, Andrew later won a wrote the first textbook for nmr, USA-wide competition for the published in 1955, with a Russian most distinguished academic translation following shortly after. ‘parentage’. A Commonwealth Born in Boston, Lincolnshire, the Fund Fellowship then took him off only child of English parents, but to Harvard for a year’s ‘post-doc’ with some Scottish blood in the appointment, where he rubbed lineage of both parents, he was shoulders with the nmr pioneers
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around Ed Purcell. He collaborated The importance of this advance is closely with Bersohn on a paper difficult to overstate, although it concerned with the nmr lineshape took a while, maybe twenty years, of an interacting triangular array before its true significance for the of nuclei, the next step up in chemistry of materials was complication from the famous realized. Having solved all the Pake doublet due to a pair of technical problems of rapid interacting nuclei. He returned in spinning, the group even toyed 1949 to join former Cavendish for a while with the radical idea of and low temperature physics generating the same effective colleague Jack Allen FRS , recently narrowing by leaving the sample appointed to the chair at St static but rotating the main Andrews, where he set about magnetic field. About this time, in building up an nmr presence. the late 50s, funding became Early experiments with students available for a state-of- the-art and colleagues Bob Eades, Dan 60MHz commercial nmr machine, Hyndman and Alwyn Rushworth with AEI winning the contract. focused on dynamic effects on There followed many experiments nmr linewidths in organic solids exploring the effects of the such as cyclohexane and benzene. nuclear quadrupole moment on The broadening of the linewidths resonance lineshapes and on due to modulation in these relaxation; 30 years on, in the late continuous wave experiments was 80s, the high temperature quantified. superconductors needed these His appointment to the Chair at relaxation ideas to explain their the University College of North relaxation curves. Whilst at Bangor Wales, Bangor, in 1954, was he also became the founder followed rapidly by the publica- Chairman of a UK group, the tion of his nmr book (the first British Radio-frequency Spectros- monograph on the subject) and to copy Group, BRSG, which the development of the magic flourishes to this day. 1964 saw angle spinning technique. him move to the Lancashire- Andrew and Eades developed the Spencer Chair of Physics in idea, that if a solid sample is spun Nottingham, succeeding the fast enough in the main nmr magneticist L F Bates; nmr flour- magnetic field, and at the magic ished there under Raymond’s angle, the resonance line will leadership for the next nineteen narrow markedly in a way that years, and he appointed several mimics the sharp narrowing in others who became prominent resonance that occurs when solid team leaders. He continued to samples are melted into liquids. forge ahead with his own experi- ments. It was in the early 70s that
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he began using nmr as an the magnetic resonance world. He application to biological topics, was the President of the Groupe- such as amino acids and proteins. ment Ampere from 1974-80, and A short step here took him into presided over a very successful the then new field of nmr imag- Ampere Congress in Nottingham ing, the now common-place in 1974. From 1976-79 he was imaging method used in hospitals the UK Chairman of the Standing known as M R I . Nottingham Conference of Professors of became an important centre for Physics, and from 1983-86 he this application of nmr, and is a presided over the International world centre to this day. His early Society of Magnetic Resonance. colloquia on this topic used to Journal editorships included feature a slice through a lemon, Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, where the pip could be clearly Physics Reports, Journal of distinguished. His lecturing Magnetic Resonance, Chemical method was admirable; he always Physics Letters and the Bulletin of seemed able to gauge the Magnetic Resonance. Honorary audience’s abilities and adapt his Degrees were awarded by Leipzig, exposition accordingly. Poznan, Turku and Wales, and he An offer of a research chair in won the Wellcome Foundation Florida with no retirement Medal and Prize in 1984. The stipulations tempted Raymond to Distinguished Service Medal of move in 1983 and he continued the Society of Magnetic Reso- there as the Graduate Professor of nance in Medicine was awarded in Radiology, Physics and Nuclear 1991. Elected to the Fellowship of Engineering until his death. The the Royal Society of Edinburgh in themes of his work in Florida 1952, he became a Fellow of the continued those of his later years Royal Society in 1984. in Nottingham. He published in all He first married Mary, with whom circa 300 papers in his working he had twin daughters; Mary died lifetime. He was a great traveller in 1965 and Raymond married throughout his career and this led Eunice in 1972. He is survived by on to many honours and partici- her and by his daughters, Patricia pation in the upper echelons of and Charmian. David Tunstall
Edward Raymond Andrew. Born 27 June 1921; Elected FRSE 3 March 1952; Died 27 May 2001.
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Frederick (Derick) Valentine Atkinson January 25 1916 - November 13 2002
Frederick (Derick) Valentine ship. While a Tabardar at Queen’s Atkinson, scholar, enthusiastic he was secretary of the Chinese teacher and gifted researcher Student Society and also a passed away on November 13, member of the Indian Student 2002, after a long illness, in Society. Although it was not well Toronto, Canada. A native of known, he was fluent in many Pinner, Middlesex in England he languages including English, saw light on January 25, 1916, Latin, Ancient Greek, Urdu, the elder son of George Arthur German, Hungarian, Russian with Atkinson and Dorothy Boxer. His some proficiency in Spanish, father was a journalist and film Italian and French. His fluency in critic for the Daily Telegraph; his Russian was all the more remarka- mother’s grandfather was Admiral ble given that he never (officially) Lord Boxer, Harbourmaster of the followed a Russian course at City of Québec during the 19th Oxford. He also played the Century. Atkinson read books accordion and the piano with a about Calculus at age 12 and passion and a pleasure that was mathematics came easy to the remarkable. During the years of young Derick. Atkinson’s stay in Oxford, A.E.H. In June 1929, he attended the old Love, FRS, held the Sedleian Chair and legendary St. Paul’s School in of Natural Philosophy and it is West Kensington. Here he spent well known that Augustus Love his formative years, 1929-1934, in inspired G.H. Hardy, FRS FRSE a place that educated the minds (Hon), into reading Camille of the poet John Milton, the Jordan’s Cours d’Analyse, a book diarist Samuel Pepys, the mathe- that would eventually lead to maticians J. E. Littlewood, FRS, (of Hardy’s own monograph (A Hardy and Littlewood fame) and Course of Pure Mathematics) G.N. Watson FRS, among scores of thereby forever changing the face others. When Atkinson was 15 of pure mathematics in the UK. the High Master of St. Paul’s This connection with Augustus wrote: “Extremely promising: He Love may have led Atkinson to should make a brilliant mathema- work with his later mentor, E.C. tician”, prophetic words that Titchmarsh, FRS, (the Savilian would echo into his future. He Professor of Geometry) with entered the Queen’s College, whom he took his D. Phil. in Oxford, in 1934 with a Scholar- 1939. His dissertation comprised
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the finding of asymptotic formu- University College (now part of lae for the average value of the Australian National University) to square of the Riemann zeta become Head of its Department of function on the critical line, a Mathematics. After a brief stay in work that is still under scrutiny Canberra he departed (1960) for today. He was fond of recounting his final destination, the University to students and colleagues alike of Toronto, Canada, where he was that his final Examining Board at a Professor until his retirement in Oxford consisted of G.H. Hardy, 1982 and Professor Emeritus until J.E. Littlewood and E.C. Titch- his death in 2002. Among his marsh! many honours and activities we Appointed Senior Demy at cite: his election as a Fellow of the Magdalen College, Oxford, in Royal Society of Canada (1967), 1939-1940, his appointment was UK Science Research Council cut short by WWII. In 1940 he Visiting Fellow at the Universities accepted a commission into the of Dundee and Sussex (1970), Intelligence Corps and he worked British Council Lecturer to UK in the Government Code and universities (1973), Consulting Cypher School at Bletchley Park. Editor of the Proceedings A of the He met his wife and great love Royal Society of Edinburgh (1974), Dusja Haas, some time during this Honorary Fellow of the Royal appointment. He was promoted Society of Edinburgh (1975), Royal to Captain in 1943 and achieved Society of Edinburgh Makdougall- the rank of Major in the British Brisbane Prize recipient for Intelligence Corps some time in 1974-1976, 29th President of the 1945. Offered an appointment in Canadian Mathematical Society late 1945 (declined) as an Assist- (1989-1991), and Von Humboldt ant Professor in the Department Prize recipient (1992). of Mathematics at Marischal Atkinson was the author of two College, in the University of books and more than 130 Aberdeen, he opted instead for a papers1. Among these we find 13 Lectureship in Christ Church, articles in the Society’s Proceed- Oxford, his first (accepted) formal ings A, including joint papers with academic appointment until Society members J.B. McLeod, 1948. During the period 1948- M.S.P. Eastham and W.N. Everitt 1955 he was a Full Professor in among others (see references). He Mathematics (as well as Chair, and is best remembered for his classic Dean of Arts as well) at University text on discrete and continuous College, Ibadan, in Nigeria. He left boundary problems (1964), and Nigeria in 1955 for Australia, his seminal contributions to where he joined Canberra differential equations (e.g.,
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Atkinson-Wilcox Theorem in Derick is survived by his wife Dusja ellipsoidal geometry and his and three children, Stephen, generalization of Fredholm Vivienne and Leslie, the latter two operators currently known as having joined the ranks of Atkinson’s Theorem). His kindness academe as professional psychol- and humility was legendary. ogists, and his sister Ann Harland. Angelo B. Mingarelli
Frederick (Derick) Valentine Atkinson. Born January 25 1916; Elected Honorary FRSE 3 March 1975; Died November 13 2002.
References [1] On some results of Everitt and Giertz Proc. Roy. Soc. Edinb., 71A (13) (1972/73), 151-158. [2] On second-order differential inequalities Proc. Roy. Soc. Edinb., 72A (8) (1972/73), 109-127. [3] The area function for non-linear second-order oscillations Proc. Roy. Soc. Edinb., 72A (10) (1972/73), 135-147. [4] Limit-n criteria of integral type Proc. Roy. Soc. Edinb., 73A (11) (1974/ 75), 167-198. [5] (with M.S.P. Eastham and J. B. McLeod) The limit-point, limit-circle nature of rapidly oscillating potentials Proc. Roy. Soc. Edinb., 76A (1977), 183-196. [6] A stability problem with algebraic aspects Proc. Roy. Soc. Edinb., 78A (1978), 299-314 [7] (with W.N. Everitt) Bounds for the point spectrum for a Sturm-Liouville equation Proc. Roy. Soc. Edinb., 80A (1978), 57-66. [8] On the location of Weyl circles Proc. Roy. Soc. Edinb., 88A (1981), 345-356. [9] (with W.D. Evans) On the exponential behaviour of eigenfunctions and the essential spectrum of differential operators Proc. Roy. Soc. Edinb., 92A (1982), 271-300. [10] On bounds for Titchmarsh-Weyl m-coefficients and for spectral functions for second-order differential operators Proc. Roy. Soc. Edinb., 97A (1984), 1-7.
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[11] (with C. T. Fulton) Asymptotics of Sturm-Liouville eigenvalues for problems on a finite interval with one limit-circle singularity, I Proc. Roy. Soc. Edinb., 99A (1984), 51-70. [12] (with L.A. Peletier) Bounds for vertical points of solutions of pre- scribed mean curvature type equations I Proc. Roy. Soc. Edinb., 112A (1989), 15-32. [13] (with C.T. Fulton) Asymptotics of the Titchmarsh-Weyl m-coefficient for non-integrable potentials, IV Proc. Roy. Soc. Edinb. 129A (1999), 663-683. 1 See a detailed account of his scientific works in the recent paper “A glimpse into the life and times of F.V. Atkinson” by Angelo B. Mingarelli, Mathematische Nachricten 278 (12-13), (2005), 1364- 1387
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Terence George Baker 27 May 1936 - 22 February 2006.
Professor Terry Baker was the son the University of Edinburgh, of George William John Baker of 1968-1975. He was promoted to Lymington, Hants and Eugenia, a Senior Lecturer in Obstetrics and née Bristow. He was born on 27 Gynaecology in the University of May 1936 and was educated at Edinburgh in 1975 and became Coventry Technical Secondary the Professor and Head of School and the University College Department of Biomedical of North Wales, Bangor where he Sciences at the University of obtained his BSc. He got his PhD Bradford in 1980. He spent some at the University of Birmingham time as Dean of Natural and and his DSc at the University of Applied Sciences and later, he was Edinburgh. He also obtained an Pro-Vice-Chancellor, University of honorary Doctorate from the Bradford 1986-1989. From 1980 University of Ulster in June 2002 to 2001 he held the Established and another from Universiti Chair in Biomedical Sciences at Kebangsaan, Malaysia in August the University of Bradford, after 2003. He married Pauline, his which he became Emeritus childhood sweetheart, and Professor in the same Department daughter of Alfred Archer on 23 in 2001. As a man of vision, he August 1958. He had three sons, incorporated external research Paul Stephen born in 1960, Noel units within the Department, such Terence in 1961 and Martin as the Plastic Surgery and Burns Christopher in 1966. Unit after the Bradford City He was a Career Science Master at Football Stadium fire in the late Woodlands Boys School, Coventry, 80s. He also successfully estab- 1959-1961. He claims that his lished new degree courses in gift for university teaching came Bradford University in the School about as a result of teaching at of Life Sciences. He was external high school level. At the Universi- examiner for numerous PhD, MSc ty of Birmingham he was a and BSc students at various Research Student, 1961-1964 and universities in the UK and abroad a Medical Research Council (Australia, Ireland, Kuwait, Research Fellow, 1964-1967. He Malaysia, Malta, Sweden and became a Lecturer in Anatomy Zambia). He also won research with the University of Birming- grants from the UK and America ham, 1967-1968, and a Lecturer and was referee and assessor for in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in
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staff promotions at universities the Institute of Biology 1991. In both in the UK and abroad. 1992, he was instrumental in He was the author of numerous bringing Institutes involved in publications in international Biomedical Science education journals and contributed chapters together by helping found the to many books. He became a Heads of University Centres of Fellow of the Royal Society of Biomedical Sciences (HUCBMS) of Edinburgh in 1980, Fellow of the which in turn he has been Institute of Biology (1979), Fellow Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary. of the Royal College of Patholo- With all this academic and gists (1981), Fellow of the administrative activity, he still Institute of Biomedical Sciences found time to pursue other (1982) and Fellow of the Royal interests including wood-carving, Society of Arts (1994). photography, music, natural ‘Prof Baker’ also had a sense of history and computing. Above all, civic as well as national duty and he had a very kind, caring, warm, was a member of Bradford Health people–centred, gregarious Authority 1982-1986, and personality and was very much member of the sub-Committee on appreciated both by colleagues, Education of the Institute of young and old, and students. He Medical Laboratory Sciences had a keen interest in following 1985-1986. He became President the progress of his students long of Bradford Medico-Chirurgical after they left the University. He Society 1990-1991 and was also encouraged students from Deputy Chairman of the Research disadvantaged backgrounds and and Development Committee of with physical disabilities to pursue the Yorkshire Regional Health university qualifications. He was a Authority 1990-1994. As a good loyal friend and mentor to Governor of Bradford Hospitals young academics. Right up until Trust, he was an active participant the end he never lost his wonder- from 2004 until he died. He was ful and delicious sense of humour. Chair of the Yorkshire Region of Diana Anderson
Terence George Baker, DSc(Edin), HonDUniv(Ulster), HonDMedSci(Kebangsaan), FIBiol, FRCPath, FIBMS, FRSA. Born 27 May 1936; Elected FRSE 3 March 1980; Died 22 February 2006.
212 Obituary Notices
Cecil Arnold Beevers 27 May 1908 - 16 January 2001
The death of Dr C. Arnold Beevers, year. He remained in Edinburgh Reader Emeritus in Crystallogra- for the rest of his life, coming into phy at the University of Edinburgh his office in the Chemistry on 16 January 2001 was the Department for the last time less passing of a great man, who was than two months before he died. scientist, teacher, inventor, Arnold’s scientific contributions humanitarian and humorist in a were many. From his early days he rare combination. He was born in is most remembered now for the Manchester on 27th May 1908, Beevers-Lipson strips, and the but his family moved shortly technique by which they reduced afterwards to Liverpool, a city of the huge calculations of three- which he was always proud. He dimensional Fourier summations obtained a BSc in Physics from the to sums of manageable one- University of Liverpool in 1929, dimensional ones. These attractive and a DSc in 1933. While there he boxes of strips of card were was greatly influenced by Profes- produced in great quantity until sor Lionel Wilberforce, whose the digital computer became well-designed springs and clamps generally available in the late Arnold never tired of demonstrat- 1960s. The technique is still used ing. After graduation he was in many computer programs. asked to work in the relatively new Arnold’s earliest structural subject of X-ray diffraction, publication was a correct and together with Henry Lipson, a beautiful reinterpretation of the colleague and friend for many structure of beryllium sulfate years. The two of them made tetrahydrate as interpenetrating frequent trips to the University of 2+ tetrahedra of Be (H2O )4 and Manchester to get advice from 2- SO4 ions. Previously, a remarkably Lawrence Bragg, and Arnold imprecise treatment had found eventually moved to a post there. that the sulfate ions were planar! After a short appointment at Hull, Arnold rapidly became involved in in 1938 Arnold became Dewar determinations using Fourier Fellow in Crystallography at the methods and the new Patterson University of Edinburgh, a post method; important examples were offered jointly by the Departments the alums, copper sulfate pen- of Physics and Chemistry, and he tahydrate, and particularly the so was elected a Fellow of the Royal called b-alumina, NaAl11O17, which Society of Edinburgh later that he published with the late Dr
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Marion Ross. Originally studied as menter he delighted in demon-
a troublesome impurity in Al2O3 strations and younger colleagues production, it is now an important were surprised (to say the least) to solid-state ionic conductor, and see him showing the bones of his two sites in the structure are hand to visitors by using the direct known as Beevers-Ross and anti- beam from the lab X-ray genera- Beevers-Ross sites. tors. Again, his crystallography Arnold’s arrival in Edinburgh was lectures featured a collection of soon followed by the outbreak of plasticene elephants he used to the Second World War. As a occupy the sites of a lattice. He member of the Society of Friends also had a large assortment of and conscientious objector, he collecting boxes for Dr Barnardo’s was sent to assist Professor Homes for this purpose, frequent- Norman Dott at the Western ly pointing out that this was an General Hospital in work on excellent charity and that the electroencephalography. Arnold boxes had another useful func- threw himself enthusiastically into tion! this, particularly as it threw light Possibly his most lasting impact as on the nature of sleep, and this a teacher was in teaching chemis- interest remained with him for the try to dental students over many rest of his life. years. In 1946 he published an After the war, Arnold joined the elegant interpretation of the staff of the Department of structure of fluorapatite, the ideal Chemistry and built up an X-ray bone and teeth mineral, showing diffraction laboratory there, the function of the fluoride ions mainly with equipment he in holding it together. Thereafter designed himself. His generators he became devoted to the cause and cameras were characteristical- of improving dental health by ly robust and precisely adding fluoride to drinking water engineered. The arrival of Profes- supplies deficient in it and often sor E.L. Hirst and the growth of his spoke at rallies on this subject, carbohydrate group encouraged cheered on by his students. He Arnold to investigate the then was very proud to receive life daunting structures of sugars, membership of the Edinburgh including glucose and sucrose in University Dental Society on his the form of its sodium bromide retirement in 1978. adduct. Arnold was for many years active As a teacher, Arnold gave lectures in the Edinburgh Cripple Aid of a highly individual nature, Society and was much in demand which generations of students as a helper, particularly as Master found memorable. As an experi- of Ceremonies at plays and
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concerts. He was not fazed by public access to his ideas and events such as an epileptic seizure methods. The calculations affecting a leading lady and could required for drilling he carried out immediately take over, often manually, using a Wulff net for his leading the audience in communi- stereographic projections. From ty singing. He displayed similar the start, much of the work was ability at international scientific done by disabled workers, meetings and was particularly including at one time Brian famous for his version of “My Wilson, the world’s longest Bonnie lies over the Ocean” in surviving patient on renal dialysis which the singers must stand up (as listed in the Guinness Book of or sit down on each word begin- Records!) These workers clearly ning with “b”. Generally by the took great pride in their products, third chorus even a group of which are now found all over the scientists were coping with all the world from a school in Port “bring backs”! Moresby, New Guinea, to IBM His involvement with disabled Research. The Models were people was very important in eventually taken over by the Arnold’s last major scientific University and Arnold accepted contribution – now known as that lesser mortals would have to Beevers Miniature Models. use a computer even for drilling Moving away from structure calculations. The continuation of determination after 1960, as he the Beevers Miniature Models was never really happy with the Unit shows that he was right in advent of the digital computer, he thinking that, in museums, sensed the need for accurate ball- teaching or research, computer and-spoke models on a much modelling would not replace smaller scale than that of the inch completely the elegant, perma- to Ångstrom models then availa- nent model. ble, and developed precision Arnold’s deep faith in and with drilling machines to enable the the Society of Friends (Quakers) scale to be reduced to 1 cm per greatly influenced his approach to Ångstrom. After some experimen- science and to life. He was tation he fixed on the 7mm unswervingly committed to perspex spheres and 1mm steel humanitarian causes, particularly rod now used, being determined world peace, and strongly disliked that the models must be both any form of superstition or other accurate and elegant. Typically he obscurantism, and any sort of published his methods and did pomposity. His life was touched by not consider the idea of a patent tragedy, especially the severe which he saw as unfairly denying dementia which overtook his wife,
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Marjorie, in the late 1950s and grandchildren and five great- worsened progressively until her grandchildren. Many former death in 1992. Sadly, a similar students and colleagues world- problem affected Yvonne, his wide have joined in sending them second wife, who died in 1998. In their sympathy and happy memo- these circumstances his never- ries of a great and kind man. failing sense of humour was all From an obituary in Crystallogra- the more remarkable. phy News reprinted by kind Arnold is survived by his daughter permission of the Editor. Lois and son John and by four
Cecil Arnold Beevers DSc, FInstP. Born 27 May 1908; Elected FRSE 6 March 1939; Died 16 January 2001 RSE Council Service: Councillor, 1959-62
216 Obituary Notices
John Berry 5 August 1907 - 19 February 2002
John Berry, the longest serving John Berry’s mother died shortly Fellow of the Royal Society of after John was born, and he was Edinburgh, died in February 2002 brought up by devoted aunts. He at the age of 94. He was the son did not enjoy good health as a of a Fife landed family, and his child - indeed, throughout his father, William, an Edinburgh long life he was dogged by advocate, was deeply involved in illnesses. But his immense zest for the early stages of bird protection life and his great love of natural and nature conservation in history were evident even when he Scotland, to which John Berry was young. After his father found came ultimately to devote his life. him carrying horse droppings up He was born into a very different to his bedroom to feed his pet world from ours. In 1907, there dung beetles, he built him a little was no electricity in the family “bug house” in the garden at home at Tayfield, and there was to Tayfield, and in due course he be none for several decades. There graduated from keeping insects to were no pine trees on Tentsmuir, keeping wildfowl. Hampered by where he roamed as a boy and brittle bones and dyslexia, he accompanied his father on nevertheless prospered at Eton shooting and natural history trips. and later at Trinity College, There were no votes for women, Cambridge, where he shared digs but Miss Baxter and Miss Rintoul, with Peter Scott, and, of course, friends of the family, were laying shared a famous enthusiasm for the foundations of the modern geese, correcting the paintings of knowledge of birds in Scotland, his artist friend from his own and persuaded the Berrys to shoot greater knowledge of the anato- any bird for them on Tentsmuir my of wildfowl. “Gooseberry” that they could not otherwise they called him in those days. It identify. There was no such thing was at Cambridge that he met the as Town and Country Planning, sister of a school friend who was but that extraordinary polymath also another young birdwatcher, Patrick Geddes, father of town Bride Freemantle, at Girton; Bride planning, came over from Univer- knew all about the small brown sity College, Dundee, for tea and birds of Buckinghamshire, John taught little John botany on about the shore birds of the Tay. Tayfield lawn. Together they went off to study
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the waders on Fulbourne Fen, fell for important work in counter in love, and in due course married. intelligence. He was not a com- When John left Cambridge, his plete novice on this side of things, career began to prosper as a evidently having become involved researcher into fish biology, first at with the secret service in the University College, Dundee, then 1930s, and combining a scientific at the University of Southampton. trip to Germany and later to He attracted the attention of Hungary with intelligence gather- Professor D’arcy Thompson at St. ing in the national interest. He Andrews, who persuaded him to had nearly died of typhus on a trip enrol for a PhD there, and in 1936 down the Danube in 1935, and he was elected to a Fellowship of was to be rescued by gypsies after the Royal Society of Edinburgh, at he had already written farewell the age of 29. He was a Fellow for messages to his family. 66 years, a tenure of Scotland’s We shall probably never know all premier learned society of extraor- of what went on in those days of dinary length. From this period, the 1940s, and John himself, for too, comes his authorship of his all his love of a good tale, would only book. In collaboration with never speak even to his nearest Misses Baxter and Rintoul, he and dearest of most of it. But amassed the data for the Wild there is the well authenticated Geese and Wild Duck of Scotland story of the visit to Tayfield of a (1939), which for the first time for Spanish gentleman known by the any region of the world, described authorities to be a German spy, not only the distribution of who was entertained with lavish wildfowl but also gave a scientifi- butter, cream and eggs to show cally-based estimate of their there was no shortage of food in numbers. It was a Doomsday Britain; who found warships book, a classical and standard offshore and endless Spitfires account on which all further work screaming overhead (actually the of the group in Scotland came to same small number flying round) be based. to show how well defended Wild Geese and Wild Duck was Scotland was; who wanted to see published a month before the Leuchars but could not see past outbreak of the Second World the lines of army trucks drawn up War. If John’s fragile health outside, and who was persuaded precluded him from service on the by his genial host and by his front, he certainly served his German-speaking relations that country in other and remarkable the landed classes did not think ways. He was appointed press too badly of Hitler after all. When, censor but that was really cover some weeks later, Hess parachut-
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ed into Scotland in an attempt to nature conservation, where, both meet up with the Duke of Hamil- nationally and internationally, ton, the only man who did not there were exciting initiatives. In seem entirely surprised was John 1948 he was sent by the Secretary Berry. of State to Fontainbleau for the By this time, he had gained the founding meeting of what was to confidence and respect of Tom become the International Union Johnston, wartime Secretary of for the Preservation (later Conser- State for Scotland and later head vation) of Nature, and helped to of the fledgling Hydro Board, and draft the subsequent agreement. when the war came to an end He was to have much involvement John was appointed both as fish with IUCN in subsequent years scientist and head of public and made many friends in India, relations to the Board, posts he America and Eastern Europe neatly combined by designing the through its conservation commit- fish ladder at the new and highly tees. At much the same time he controversial dam at Pitlochry, so was approached to become the that people could enjoy the sight first Director of the Nature of salmon moving up river: a Conservancy in Scotland. The demonstration of his long-held Nature Conservancy was estab- belief that development, if well lished by the 1949 National Parks planned, did not have to harm and Access to the Countryside wildlife or spoil the pleasures of Act, but the new Scottish Director nature for people. There are also was actually in post before the NC stories that at this time his itself came into being. The counter-intelligence days were not Secretary of State was determined entirely behind him, and even not to be outflanked by London rumours that the early Hydro and made a pre-emptive strike to Board was secretly involved in the get Dr. Berry, a man he could trust, production of heavy water for in place first. John’s tenure as atomic weapons. We cannot know Head of Nature Conservancy in the whole truth of this, nor of his Scotland lasted until 1967, post-war visits to Eastern Europe eighteen momentous years in and the Caribbean as a govern- which the character of the ment scientist after the war, when organisation was formed and its he may once again have been sent operations became part of the to observe rather more than ducks fabric of Scottish government and and geese. life. It is difficult to over-estimate the importance of his contribu- In the post-war years, however, he tion, though he was again was moving closer and closer towards the world of professional
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dogged by debilitating periods of see the fruits of his vision. John’s ill-health. charm, his persuasive powers, his Perhaps his greatest and most love of a good story, his passion personal achievement of these for nature conservation combined years with the Conservancy, with his understanding of the however, was to get established world of landowning, shooting the great series of Scottish and farming, enabled him to National Nature Reserves, begin- move with great skill and consid- ning with Beinn Eighe in 1951. erable speed to secure the best The story of how he was sent to places as nature reserves. Critics negotiate the purchase of a pine will say that not all the agree- wood for £4,000 and returned ments were watertight, that not with the whole mountain has all the management was good, often been told. His superior in that chances were lost: and they London, Captain Diver, was will be right. But it is easy to be a furious at his presumption, and critic, difficult to be a man of John told him that if he did not action, and John worked with the like it, he, John Berry would buy it opportunities he had, with the as a private individual and resign knowledge that was available and from the conservancy and perhaps in a political climate that was sell Beinn Eighe to them later at a often downright hostile. I would higher price, once they had come say he achieved wonders, and the to their senses. Captain Diver did award of a CBE at the conclusion not last long, but was replaced by of his labours was some recogni- the much more sympathetic Max tion of this. ‘I am not a Scottish Nicholson. John and Max lasted a Nationalist’, he was wont to say, ‘I very long time, and John added to am a Scottish Naturalist’, and Beinn Eighe a whole stream of Scottish people owe him a debt other nature reserves - Tentsmuir for his stewardship of Scottish itself and Morton Lochs, of nature that is hard to calculate. course; Loch Leven; the Cairn- When he retired from the Nature gorms, by agreement with a range Conservancy, he threw himself of touchy and sensitive landown- into the activities of nature ers who lived in dread of a conservation world-wide, follow- National Park appearing there ing the contacts he had long instead; Rum, purchased from its forged with the IUCN, busy in wealthy lady owner over the India, in New Zealand, in Austral- horses at Newmarket,;and many ia, repeatedly making the point in more. Whether you go to Unst in his consultancies that develop- Shetland, to St. Kilda, or to ment could be made friendly to Caerlaverock on the Solway, you wildlife and that even failed
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development could sometimes be also a deputy Lord Lieutenant of simultaneously a boon to nature Fife. and the tourist trade. He retained When the time came for him to his links as adviser to the Hydro leave Tayfield for a home in the Board at home and to the South grounds with fewer stairs, he built of Scotland Electricity Board until himself a new bug house and he was over 80; he furthered bred tropical butterflies. There I marine research on the Tay; he remember him in his last years, so was a member of Court of friendly, so talkative, so amusing, Dundee University for ten years, surrounded by books, so rightly and a delegate to the Common- proud of what he had done yet so wealth Universities Congress for unassuming in other ways, always eight years; he helped to found willing to help a student or pass Dundee Botanic Gardens; he the time of day with a naturalist of received Honorary Degrees both any description. Scotland and from Dundee and St. Andrews; he nature conservation have much to was busy everywhere with socie- be grateful for in the life of John ties that were involved in wildlife, Berry. He is survived by his wife, the Royal Zoological Society of Bride, and their two sons and one Scotland, the Scottish Ornitholo- daughter. gists’ Club and the Scottish Wildlife Trust especially. He was Thomas Christopher Smout
John Berry CBE, DL, MA, PhD, HonDSc, Hon LLD. Born 5 August 1907; Elected FRSE 2 March 1936; Died 19 February 2002
221 Review of the Session 2004-2005
Hermann Alexander Brück 15 August 1905 - 4 March 2000
Hermann Alexander Brück died on Brück became in time Assistant 4th March 2000. He had retired Director of the Observatories and from the joint post of Regius John Couch Adams Astronomer, Professor of Astronomy at the specialising in solar spectroscopy. University of Edinburgh and Here he taught a well–remem- Astronomer Royal for Scotland in bered course in classical 1975, having transformed the astronomy, and started the Royal Observatory Edinburgh into student astronomical society that a major player in world astronomy. has been nursery to many distin- Born in 1905 in Berlin, he attend- guished astronomers. ed the universities of Kiel, Bonn In 1947, at the invitation of and Munich. At the latter, working Eamon De Valera, he moved to amongst many of the great Dublin and took charge of the physicists of the twentieth century, moribund Dunsink Observatory, his doctoral studies - on the wave transforming it into the centre of mechanics of crystals – were a vigorous astronomy programme supervised by Arnold Sommer- as part of the Dublin Institute of field. His interest in astronomy Advanced Studies, where he had been ignited early in life, and enjoyed the company of Erwin in the new physics in which he Schrödinger. In 1950, the Observ- was immersed it was natural that atory, with the Royal Irish he should turn to astronomical Academy, hosted the first meeting spectroscopy. After completing his of the Royal Astronomical Society doctoral studies, he followed his furth of the United Kingdom, and friend A. Unsöld into this field by in 1955 the International Astro- securing a post at the Potsdam nomical Union held their triennial Astrophysical Observatory. There Assembly in Dublin. At this, the he joined the physics colloquium observatory demonstrated which included von Laue, Grotrian equipment for photoelectric and Einstein. photometry developed by M.J. In 1937 he moved from Potsdam Smyth, who had been Brück’s to Cambridge, via a short appoint- student in Cambridge; and the UV ment at the Vatican Observatory, solar spectroscopy which extend- to join the circle around Sir Arthur ed the Utrecht Atlas and formed Eddington, whom he regarded as part of the revised Rowland tables leader of the new astrophysics. of the Solar spectrum and in which work Brück’s wife (née Mary
222 Obituary Notices
Conway) had been a leading This went hand-in-hand with the figure. setting up of overseas observing He moved to Edinburgh in 1957 stations. Brück’s warm relations and immediately started the with astronomers at Rome transformation of the Royal University (particularly M. Cimono Observatory into an international- and L. Gratton) made it natural to ly-ranked research centre. He capitalise on good Italian weather collected a team of astronomers by siting a 16/24 inch Schmidt and engineers, headed initially by telescope at Monte Porzio near P.B Fellgett and later by V.C. Rome in 1967; later the UK Reddish, with the skills he Schmidt Telescope at Siding required for creation of new Spring in Australia would be automated instrumentation for operated from the Royal Observa- scanning spectra, for measuring tory Edinburgh. These star and galaxy images, and for developments put Edinburgh in operating telescopes remotely. the lead in the technological The first projects were the adapta- revolution sweeping through tion of instruments to scan astronomy. automatically the contents of In 1965, at a critical time for photographic spectra onto paper British observational astronomy, tape for processing by computer, and as the Anglo-Australian and the concomitant creation of Observatory was coming into software for data reduction. This being, Hermann Brück first technology enabled spectra to be proposed that a large (150-inch reduced in minutes rather than diameter) telescope be built in the months, changing the whole Northern hemisphere. The focus of astronomers’ work. deliberations over the possible The next major undertaking was organisation of such a facility by the design and construction of the Northern Hemisphere Review machines to scan the myriads of Committee during 1969-70 were stellar images on a photographic protracted, and constituted the plate, and the acquisition of only anxious period of his career, observing facilities that would when the future of the Royal produce high quality source Observatories appeared to be material. This programme gave under threat. Site testing was birth to a dynasty of scanning started and carried out under machines (GALAXY, COSMOS and Edinburgh management. The final SuperCOSMOS), and to the outcome was the Northern evolution of the use of Schmidt Hemisphere Observatory operated telescopes for precision mass by the Royal Greenwich Observa- photometry of stars and galaxies. tory on La Palma, only an island away from where Piazzi Smyth in
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the previous century had demon- This led to the definitive work on strated the excellent properties of the life of one of his predecessors, the atmosphere; and the UK Piazzi Smyth, The Peripatetic Schmidt telescope which, run by Astronomer, as well as a history of the Royal Observatory Edinburgh Edinburgh Astronomy, The Story (the project directed by of Astronomy in Edinburgh; and V.C.Reddish), completed an an extended paper in Vistas in internationally important survey of Astronomy describing Lord the southern sky. During this Crawford’s Observatory at empyrean phase, the Royal Dunecht, which was the parent to Observatory Edinburgh was the nineteenth century rebirth of charged with the commissioning the Royal Observatory Edinburgh. and operation in Hawaii of the UK Throughout his busy career he Infrared Telescope, the first four served as member and councillor metre class telescope devoted of the Pontifical Academy of entirely to infrared observations, Sciences, and was proud and which had a major impact on the delighted when at the age of 90 direction of astrophysical research. he was made Knight Grand Cross In parallel with this scientific of St Gregory the Great, the development, astronomy teaching highest possible distinction. He at the university expanded, with a was made CBE in 1966 for his new honours degree in Astro- work at Edinburgh and was physics starting in 1967. Brück awarded honorary degrees by the was an enthusiastic teacher and National University of Ireland encourager. (1972) and the University of St On arrival in Edinburgh, he started Andrews (1973). He was a the student astronomical society Member of the Royal Irish Acade- and gave it access to Observatory my, and a Member of the facilities, and the Astrophysics Akademie der Wissenschaften degree grew out of courses which und der Literatur, Mainz. he offered in the Physics degree at Despite his personal drive and the Edinburgh. For a period he served lasting success it brought, and as Dean of the Faculty of Science. despite his awe-inspiring and On his retirement in 1975, he and elegant presence, he was a his colleague and wife Mary modest and gentle man, seen to launched into historical studies of be best effect in the heart of his nineteenth century astronomy. family. Peter Brand Hermann Alexander Brück. CBE, D.Phil (Munich), D. Phil Habil (Berlin), Ph.D (Cantab), Hon D.Sc (NUI, St Andrews), MRIA. Born 15 August 1905, Elected FRSE 3 March 1958, Died 4 March 2000. 224 Obituary Notices
Malcolm Murray Campbell 22 August 1933 - 29 October 2001
Malcolm Murray Campbell, outset that he was an outstanding Murray to his family and Malcolm scientist with wide interests and to his colleagues and friends, was the energy and vision to make born in Glasgow on 22 August things happen. His arrival in 1943, the eldest of four children. Edinburgh coincided with the Both his mother’s and father’s appointment of the first Professor families came from Isle of Lewis of Organic Chemistry. Reorganisa- but his father’s parents migrated tion of lecture courses and to Canada after the First World practical classes was undertaken War. Malcolm’s father grew up in and Malcolm introduced a Canada and returned to Scotland number of innovations in the at the outbreak of war, becoming teaching of new experimental a gunner in the Royal Navy. techniques. A visit to the depart- Malcolm was educated at Bella- ment of Professor Olly Runquist houston Academy and took First from Minnesota led to the joint Class Honours in Chemistry at publishing of a programmed Glasgow University. As a Salters’ learning text Spectral Analysis of Scholar in Glasgow he joined the Organic Compounds in 1972. group of Professor Charles (C J W) Malcolm also played an active role Brooks in the developing new in the Open University. field of gas chromatography-mass Research funds were short in a spectrometry and obtained his small department and Malcolm PhD in 1968. In the same year he soon established links with the married Brenda Simpson, herself a pharmaceutical industry - Bee- graduate in classics at Glasgow cham, Organon and Pfizer in University, and after the award of particular. His research pro- his PhD they both went to gramme focused on the chemistry Madison, Wisconsin, USA where of beta-lactam antibiotics such as Malcolm undertook postdoctoral the penicillins and cepha- work on mechanistic organic losporins, together with steroidal chemistry with Professor Jerry (J A) amino alcohols. He was promoted Berson. to Senior Lecturer in 1978. In 1969 Malcolm Campbell was Malcolm spent six months on appointed to a Lectureship in secondment to Organon Labora- Organic Chemistry at Heriot-Watt tories in Newhouse and in University. It was clear from the 1979-80 had a further period of leave in Pfizer’s research depart-
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ment in Groton, Connecticut, Malcolm took a keen interest in USA. While there he was appoint- the progress, both academic and ed to the Chair of Organic sporting, of his students. He Chemistry in the University of Bath became Senior Resident Tutor at and at the time was one of the Eastwood Halls of Residence on youngest Professors of Chemistry the Bath campus from 1987-95, in the UK. which meant that both he and his In two periods as Head of the family were in day-to-day contact School of Chemistry in Bath with undergraduates. (1984-87 and 1990-93) Malcolm In character Malcolm Campbell Campbell was given the opportu- was inspirational. In scientific nity to modernise and upgrade conversation he sparkled with not only the organic chemistry ideas and was therefore much section but the whole School of sought after as a consultant in the Chemistry. The main emphasis pharmaceutical industry. He was on synthetic organic chemis- played a major role in organising try, his own interest, and he was Conferences in Medicinal Chemis- able to attract a number of very try and was Chairman of the bright young men who have since Organising Committee of the 4th made their mark in other larger Medicinal Chemistry Conference departments. He saw the potential held in Cambridge in 1986. He of both computational chemistry served on the Council of the and bioinorganic chemistry and Perkin Division of the Royal under his influence appointments Society of Chemistry, the Fine were made in these areas as well Chemicals and Medicinals Group as the establishment of a Chair of Committee of the RSC Industrial inorganic chemistry. Under his Division and on the Committee of dynamic leadership and with the the Biological and Medicinal active encouragement of the Vice- Chemistry Sector of the RSC. He Chancellor, the School was able to was a member of the Board of attain a Grade 4 rating in the Governors of Bristol Polytechnic. Research Assessment Exercise of In the University of Bath he served 1992. He himself carried out as a Member of the Long Term research on the synthesis of Planning Committee. phosphorus-containing and other Malcolm Campbell’s life was peptide mimics, shikimic acid, enlivened by his attraction, not to together with some antibiotics say addiction, to competitive and toxins. He actively encouraged sport. While at school he won his younger members of staff to medals for sprinting. He boxed at be independent and resourceful. Glasgow University and played chess to a high standard. He was a
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keen footballer and, for a time, retirement in 1996 and moved to played in an amateur league; he a croft in Lewis. He died on 29 became an accredited referee of October 2001. the Scottish Football Association. In his memory, the Biological and At Heriot-Watt University he was Medicinal Chemistry Sector of the an active member of the Chemis- Royal Society of Chemistry have try Department soccer team and of instituted the Malcolm Campbell the University Staff Golf Club. In Memorial Prize, which is open to Bath he was a stalwart follower of individuals or a team based in Bath Rugby Club and acted as a academia or industry. It is to be steward at home matches. Both of awarded biennially and consists of his sons played rugby and soccer a substantial monetary prize, and he was a tireless supporter at together with a medal and school matches. He helped to set certificate. up and run a village boys’ soccer team. He was a keen amateur On 7 December 2001, in the archaeologist and later developed Chaplaincy Centre of the Universi- an interest in fly fishing. ty of Bath, more than one hundred friends of Malcolm After his second term as Head of Murray Campbell met in a the School of Chemistry Malcolm celebration of his life. Contribu- suffered from ill health for the tions and recollections were given first time in his life. Although he by senior members of the Univer- remained active in the University sity, colleagues, friends and, most he was heavily involved in major movingly, by his daughter Janet. conferences with a European connection. In 1998 he was There emerged a man of many Chairman of the Organising talents, enthusiasms and achieve- Committee for the XVth Interna- ments who will be much missed tional Symposium on Medicinal by all who knew him. A tree was Chemistry, held in Edinburgh planted in his memory on the under the auspices of the Europe- campus of the University to which an Federation for Medicinal he had given so much. He is Chemistry. In the same year he survived by his wife Brenda and was on the Organising Committee their children Janet, Calum and for an International Meeting in Alasdair. I am much indebted to Dublin on Drugs from Natural Mrs Brenda Campbell for her help Products. Malcolm took early in the preparation of this memoir. J Grant Buchanan
Malcolm Murray Campbell BSc, PhD, DSc, CChem, FRSC, FSA(Scot): Born 22 August 1933; Elected FRSE 5 March 1984; Died 29 October 2001.
227 Review of the Session 2004-2005
William Ewart John Farvis 11 December 1911 - 12 October 2005
Ewart Farvis was born on 12th detect low flying targets. These December 1911 in Bristol and had been originally designed to educated there at the bluecoat detect high flying bombers. In school, Queen Elisabeth’s Hospi- this capacity he was located at tal. On leaving school he served a Dover where, under Pinkerton, he four-year engineering apprentice- installed the new antennae and ship. He entered Bristol University other radar parts behind the with a Merchant Venturers’ existing CH radar masts. Scholarship, graduating BSc(Eng) He subsequently met with in 1936 with First Class Honours Churchill’s scientific adviser, R V in Electrical Engineering and was Jones, and was asked to assist at awarded the Institution of Swanage in detecting the signals Electrical Engineers Prize for the from the new navigator aids best student in the class. He was which the enemy were using to elected to Fellowship of the Royal direct their bombers on to British Society of Edinburgh in 1958. He targets. This was achieved first by was awarded a CBE in 1978 and, finding the transmission frequen- towards the end of his career cy and modulation format they (1987) he was elected to an were using and then countering Honorary Fellowship of the with an appropriate jamming Institution of Electrical Engineers. signal to disrupt and disable the In 1937, he was appointed navigation aid. Lecturer in Electrical Engineering In May 1942 this very sensitive at University College, Swansea. By group was moved from Swanage, that time he had acquired experi- which was too close to occupied ence, notably at British France, to Malvern - where they Thomson-Houston (BTH) in Rugby, were offered House 6 of Malvern of power station operation and College as their laboratory. Ewart maintenance, and also of heavy- led the interception group, with current plant manufacture. He Martin Ryle in charge of the remained at Swansea until called associated radio jamming group. away in 1940 to war service. All this was coordinated by Dr Ewart Farvis was appointed to the (later Sir) Robert Cockburn. They scientific civil service to assist with were the kernel of the “scientific repelling the invasion forces. His intelligence” which assisted first task was to extend or modify the chain-home (CH) radars to
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Whitehall and MoD in operational cream of the Luftwaffe, to “thump planning. the box” as they suspected Ewart Farvis’ speciality was aerials equipment malfunction, rather and electromagnetics and his than the intentional jamming. group developed a multiband Thus many enemy bombing search receiver, flown by RAF 109 missions were completely ruined. Squadron in 1943, to locate and At the end of the war, Ewart went measure the frequencies of the to Germany and he debriefed the enemy transmissions. He also German equipment designers, designed and developed “bag- discovering exactly how “Benito” ful”, an automatic search receiver. operated and obtaining the This was flown by bomber detailed circuit diagrams. command during bombing These achievements were not missions over Germany, in order without substantial personal risk. to collect information on the He installed radars at Dover with electromagnetic transmissions an imminent invasion expected, which were being used. The and at Malvern he was once rather information was ultimately used close to a navigation jamming by Ryle and Cockburn to build the equipment when it was subject to necessary jammers. enemy bombing. Luckily the bomb One of Professor Farvis’ major that landed beside his wooden achievements was to counteract a shed did not explode! sophisticated new German As one of the extremely innovative navigation aid called “Benito” civilian defence scientists, he which used three tones. Alex clearly had a significant impact on Harley Reeves (the later inventor of enhancing the capability of our PCM telephony) deduced how the armed forces both in their system operated. Ewart Farvis was defensive and offensive capabili- sent to London and, with a ties. When demobilised, he made jammer built by Hardwick (an ex the decision to resume his EMI engineer), they switched on Swansea lectureship, as he felt and used the silent BBC sound that the Physics Department had transmitter at Crystal Palace to jam superior lecturers due to their the German navigation system. increased research activities. There Professor Farvis’ working knowl- he developed new, more appropri- edge of German was vital when, ate, courses in electronics and, while listening to the German far-sightedly, somehow found the bombers’ radio telephone traffic, time to earn an External London they heard the bewildered degree in Physics. German controllers asking the prestigious KG26, who were the
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Academic appointments at responsible for the design and Edinburgh University followed his construction of the ionospheric Swansea position. Initially as station in Shetland that moni- Lecturer in Applied Electricity tored solar blackspots throughout (1948), he pioneered these new the International Geophysical Year courses at Edinburgh, and was (1957-58). promoted to Senior Lecturer in On New Year’s Day 1961, Ewart 1952. Farvis became the first Professor In 1950 he was invited to put and Head of the new Department forward a plan to the UGC for of Electrical Engineering, on a setting up a one-year Postgradu- starting salary of £1080! Follow- ate Diploma course in Electronics ing this, his interests moved into & Radio. Southampton was the rapidly expanding field of similarly approached, but no other solid-state electronics. In 1964 he Universities. It is interesting, and took the bold move to follow the probably more than a coincidence, then emerging trend and build up that almost 30 years later, the two a successful, industrially-based centres selected for Microelectron- centre for solid-state devices and ics facilities were still Edinburgh materials science research at and Southampton. The immediate Edinburgh, by covering over the fillip from the launch of the courtyard to build the first Postgraduate Diploma in 1951 cleanrooms for semiconductor was an earmarked UGC grant of device fabrication. £5000 to appoint four Lecturers In 1969 a successful initiative by and the University provided four Professor Farvis resulted in the Diploma scholarships per year. setting up, with £130,700 of Around this time in the 1950s, he financial aid from the Wolfson concentrated on gaseous elec- Foundation, of the Wolfson tronics. His research work Microelectronics Liaison Unit included studying heavy-duty (WMLU), initially directed by James switch gear problems and associ- Murray, a former lecturer in the ated gas discharge phenomena Department. This was one of his and this led, amongst other initiatives to increase university– things, to a notable British Patent industry interactions. This for a novel circuit breaker of coincided with the first appoint- advanced design. He was closely ment of part-time paid visiting associated in ionospheric research Professors in a UK university, (in with the late Sir Edward Appleton association with WMLU). Later in when he was University of the 1980s WMLU expanded into Edinburgh Principal, and in an independent VLSI system particular, Ewart Farvis was
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design company under Professor catching on elsewhere, including David Milne. open-book examinations, individ- The final part of his University ual experimental project work and career was in the 1970s when he in-depth dissertation writing. He rapidly expanded the size of his also pioneered short modular Department. In 1970 he attracted courses for re-training engineer- back Jeffrey Collins from the USA ing graduates in modern to a SRC-funded Research Chair, technologies, with the participa- from which the two-professor tion of experts from industry and Department spearheaded further scientific civil service. He was expansion into microelectronics innovative too in moving the final devices, and initiated electronic honours’ examination diet from systems research and teaching. June to January, to achieve better student focus on project work. He Subsequently, with UGC support, became prominent in engineering he also played a key role in the education at national level with an development of the University’s outstanding record of service in Centre for Industrial Consultancy such national policy forming and Liaison. Improved liaison organisations as the Electrical between University departments Industries’ Training Board, the of engineering and the manufac- Science Research Council and the turing industry had long been a Institution of Electrical Engineers. prime aim of Professor Farvis, and Ultimately he was a Council it was with this motivation that he member of each of the latter two made individual project work an bodies. important feature of undergradu- ate courses leading to the BSc Held in high esteem within his Honours degree in Electrical profession and in Whitehall, Engineering. Professor Farvis has chaired or been a member of numerous During his career, Professor Farvis important committees. In particu- pioneered new undergraduate lar, he served on the CEI Board of courses appropriate to the rapidly Moderators; was a member of a changing needs of industry, and UNESCO International Working developed new forms of post- Group on Continuing Education; graduate training, both of young was President of the Education & engineers intending to go into Training Committee of the industry, and of mature engineers Fédération Européenne already in the industry. Many post- d‘Associations Nationales war innovations in the d’Ingénieurs (FEANI) 1974-1977; undergraduate curriculum were and was also Chairman of one of tried out at Edinburgh before the four official enquiries into the
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engineering profession in the church organist and choirmaster. 1970s. He was a good craftsman, and he He retired on 30 September 1977 would turn his hand when after 29 years of University service necessary to a remarkably wide and he is remembered each year range of DIY activities. He was by the award of The Ewart Farvis interested also in language and, Prize, funded by donations from as a good European, he could the Wolfson Foundation, industri- conduct professional business in al companies, former colleagues both German and French. We all and personal friends. This prize owe much to this notable pioneer commemorates a distinguished in electronics teaching and career and provides an incentive research. for potential recruits to the He is survived by his wife, Marga- electrical and electronic engineer- ret, his children, Sheena and ing industry. Keith, and grandchildren, Rachel Music was a major part of his life and Mark. from childhood throughout his Peter Grant life, and as a young man he was a
William Ewart John Farvis CBE, BSc, BSc(Eng), CEng, Hon FIEE. Born 11 December 1911; Elected FRSE 3 March 1958; Died 12 October 2005.
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John Robert Stanley Fincham 11 August 1926 - 9 February 2005
The death of John Robert Stanley tute in 1961. He remained at John Fincham on February 9th 2005 Innes until 1966 when he was marked the passing of an excep- appointed as Professor and Head tional academic who will be of the newly established Depart- remembered for his extraordinary ment of Genetics at Leeds. In dedication and intellectual 1976, John was appointed to the contribution to science, most Buchanan Chair of Genetics in particularly to genetics. Edinburgh and was head of the John’s university career began at Department of Genetics until Peterhouse College Cambridge. 1984 when he moved to take up He graduated in Botany in 1946 the Balfour Chair in Cambridge. and remained at Cambridge to He is the only person to have held complete his PhD in 1950. From both of these prestigious chairs. the outset of his career, John was On his “retirement” from Cam- recognised as having an outstand- bridge in 1991, John returned to ing intellect. In 1948 he went to Edinburgh where he continued to the California Institute of Technol- take an active part in teaching and ogy as an Agricultural Research research. Council Scholar where he worked The disruption that each new with George Beadle, Norman appointment must have brought Horowitz and Sterling Emerson in to John’s research did not inhibit what was a stronghold of Neu- his publications and writing. He rospora genetics. Shortly after he published well over 100 journal married Sterling Emerson’s articles from 1949 until 2004. In daughter, Ann, so John’s visit was addition he found time to write productive on both a scientific major monographs and text- and personal level. He was books. His first, Fungal Genetics, appointed to a lectureship in the originally written with Peter Day, Botany Department of Leicester remains the yardstick by which all University in 1950 and was made other texts on this subject are a Reader four years later. A year as judged, and went through several an Associate Professor in the editions and major revisions as Massachusetts Institute of the subject expanded. Four other Technology preceded his appoint- books followed; all single author ment as Head of the Genetics works, including a textbook on Division of the John Innes Insti- Genetics. He also edited symposi-
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um volumes and wrote influential could occur if the aggregation of reviews on several quite different two different types of alleles of topics. defective polypeptides generated John published on a variety of hexamers with some enzyme topics, including unstable pig- activity. mentation genes and transposons The discovery of allelic comple- in Antirrhinum, but his main mentation was the start of an research interest remained in-depth investigation of the am focused on genetics of fungi and gene using traditional genetics on the model organism Neu- and biochemistry. Many mutants rospora crassa in particular. His were isolated and analysed and research began with his doctoral the amino acid sequence of the work in the laboratory of David wild-type enzyme was determined. Catcheside in 1946. John’s initial In 1982 John went on to clone work demonstrated that several the gene using what was, at that species of Neurospora all had time, a novel approach. He used seven chromosomes. At this time information from compensatory the groundbreaking experiments frameshift mutations, and the fact of Beadle and Tatum, which led to that his group had determined the ‘one gene-one enzyme’ the amino acid sequence of the hypothesis, were pointing the way enzyme, to deduce a 17 base pair towards a combined biochemical nucleotide sequence. This was and genetical approach to the used to probe the Neurospora analysis of metabolic pathways, genome and isolate and identify and John was quickly involved in the am gene. The discovery that the analysis of mutants that were the stretch of DNA was interrupt- deficient in the enzyme glutamate ed by a sequence of bases that did dehydrogenase. These mutants not encode amino acids identified identified the am locus. In 1957, an intron in the am gene. This was he and his former student John only the second example of an Pateman made the unexpected intron in a protein-encoding gene discovery that some combinations from a lower eukaryote. John of alleles at the am locus were went on to characterise further am able to complement each other mutants by integrating what was and restore enzyme function. John known from earlier studies with Fincham provided the correct the DNA sequence information explanation for this observation, obtained following the successful and subsequent experiments from cloning of the gene. This provided his group showed that the active gratifying verification of earlier enzyme was a hexamer of identical conclusions based on comple- subunits. Allelic complementation mentation and enzyme assays.
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Latterly, John was anticipating the issues with his penetrating elucidation of the three-dimen- questions and insightful analysis. sional structure of glutamate This talent was never more evident dehydrogenase so that amino acid than after seminars when John, interactions he had predicted almost invariably, led off a from his earlier work would be discussion by a succession of verified. stimulating questions. He was a In Neurospora, transformants that geneticist of the old school; his contain duplicate DNA segments diligent reading of the literature undergo frequent mutation of often resulted in his alerting these repeat sequences when any colleagues to publications in areas transformant is crossed to another of genetics that were quite remote strain. This phenomenon, called from his primary interests. Repeat Induced Point mutation John was elected a Fellow of the (RIP), was discovered by Eric Selker. Royal Society in 1969 and made a John, who had always had an Fellow of the Royal Society of interest in gene instability, was Edinburgh in 1978. He was intrigued by RIP and investigated President of the Genetical Society the phenomenon. He analysed of the UK from 1978 to 1981. In disruption of the am gene in 1977 he was awarded the Emil transformants that contained Christian Hansen medal for his three copies of the gene. He contribution to research into found that RIP tended to disrupt fungi. two out of the three copies but Outside science, John had an there were some cases where all interest in music, mountaineering three copies had been disrupted, and many sports. He played rugby, leading to the conclusion that cricket, and squash and he there could be multiple rounds of continued playing the latter disruption during the sexual cycle. despite the handicap of a hip In addition to gene disruption replacement that affected his which produced non-functional ability, but not his enthusiasm, for alleles, John demonstrated that chasing the little ball about the RIP could produce new functional court. An incident at the time he alleles, which specified glutamate underwent the hip replacement dehydrogenase with altered heat operation illustrates his dedica- sensitivity and enzyme kinetics. tion to science. John cycled to the John always had a very range of Princess Margaret Rose Hospital interest in many aspects of and, after undergoing the pre- genetics, and stimulated discus- operation tests, persuaded the sion over a wide range of science medical staff that he was quite
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capable of not eating and obeying later when the operation was any other strictures placed upon more imminent! him just as well if he was in the John leaves a wife, Ann, a son and library as in the hospital bed. So three daughters. he was allowed to cycle away from the hospital to return a few hours Dr Jeff Bond, Professor Noreen Murray
John Robert Stanley Fincham, BA, PhD, ScD(Cantab), FRS. Born 11 August 1926; Elected FRSE 6 March 1978; Died 9 February 2005
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William Whigham Fletcher 11 August 1918 - 4 April 2001
Professor Bill Fletcher was a well- Resuming his studies in 1945, he known figure in the world of was able to graduate two years academia and beyond. He stood later with First Class Honours in above most of his contemporaries Botany. He then stayed on as in most things, as a larger-than- assistant lecturer and lecturer in life character whose achievements, the Department of Bacteriology at intellect and influence were quite Glasgow University to undertake simply outstanding, if not phe- research under the well-known nomenal, for his generation. authority Professor Carl Browning, Students at Strathclyde University, and later graduated PhD. There where he spent most of his career, followed a research study pro- recognised him as one of their gramme at Cornell University in own, always willing to listen to the USA under the newly-inaugu- their grievances and to right them rated Glasgow Council Exchange where appropriate. Fellowship Scheme. Bill spent the formative years of In 1952, he was appointed head his childhood and schooling in of the Botany Department of the the Burgh of Airdrie, and freely West of Scotland Agricultural acknowledged the value of his College, and ten years later upbringing in an unprivileged became a Senior Lecturer in family dedicated to education. His Biology at Glasgow’s Royal academic pedigree was to reach College of Science and Technolo- the heights. gy, soon to become the University From being school captain and of Strathclyde. His research dux at Airdrie Academy, he went interests lay in crop protection on to Glasgow University in 1937 and weed science. He published to read Botany, and joined the prolifically, and, after much Territorial Army in the summer of sterling work, he was appointed 1939. He was then mobilised in 1966 to the newly-created immediately for active service on Chair of Biology in the new the outbreak of war three months Department of Biology. Two years later. He served for six years as an later he became of the School of officer in the RAOC and the Biological Sciences. RAMC, much of that time over- Despite the weight of these seas in Egypt, Libya, Lebanon, administrative duties, he contin- Syria, Greece and Italy. ued to contribute to the field of
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Botany. His studies focused on a impact of pesticides on soil group of herbicides known as the microbial populations. In an phenoxyalkanoic acids which extensive authoritative review were, and still are, widely used in presented at an International agriculture. The phenoxybutyric Symposium held in Oxford in acid compounds (e.g. 2, 4-DB) 1960, he concluded that any were inactive per se, but on pesticidal effect on soil microbial âoxidation to the corresponding populations was transient. The phenoxyacetic analogue (e.g. 2, 4- microbial “vacuum” created was D) became active in plants which soon overcome by microbial possessed the appropriate â- invasion from adjacent unaffected oxidising enzymes. Legumes such zones. He saw little point in his as clovers were found to be continuing with these studies! tolerant since conversion of the Much more interesting to him was butyric to active analogue ap- the possible effect of pesticide peared not to take place. Thus, residues on developing embryos. cereal crops undersown with a He devised a simple, ingenious grass/legume sward could be test system which involved drilling sprayed with a phenoxybutyric a minute hole in quail or hens’ herbicide and the legumes would eggs, enabling the injection of a be unaffected. dose of test pesticide. Using this A major manufacturer of these system, he examined the in vitro herbicidal compounds, May & effect of pesticides on embryo Baker Ltd (later to become Rhône development. It was work of this Poulenc Ltd), was very interested type which helped to demonstrate in these findings, and thus began that teratogenic effects could the “May & Baker Studentship” result from exposure to certain which continued for the next pesticides. three decades. A succession of Another field of research interest postgraduate students studied concerned the “Chemical Control the mode of action of herbicides of Bracken” which was, and still in the Biology Department of is, a pernicious poisonous Strathclyde University achieving perennial weed of upland pas- the degree of PhD with May & tures in Scotland and elsewhere. Baker sponsorship. Bill Fletcher’s Bill commenced this work while research and wider vision helped Head of the Botany Department at many young people to achieve a the West of Scotland Agricultural firm foothold in their chosen College, and his interest contin- specialist field. ued at Strathclyde University. In Other fields in his range of association with a number of research interests included the agrochemical companies he and
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his colleagues carried out field Baker Ltd. From 1964-1988 he trials at representative sites in the was firstly their Consultant and West of Scotland. The perform- then Senior Consultant in the ance of candidate systemic field of agrochemicals. As such, he herbicides sprayed on trial plots served on their main scientific was assessed the following year advisory committee in Lyon, by growth analysis of the bracken France. In the 1980’s he was canopy. The results of each day’s chairman also of their Inter- work were written up in the Universities Committee on evening in some convenient “Diflufenican”- a revolutionary hostelry! These convivial sessions new herbicide which acted as a ensured lifelong friendships leaf bleaching agent thus inhibit- between ‘Prof’, his staff and their ing photosynthetic activity of industrial collaborators. susceptible species. The Commit- Bill Fletcher published many tee acted as a forum for the research papers resulting from exchange of academic research such studies, and he ensured that findings on this herbicide and the the findings reached the public implications for weed control in domain by his writing of popular cereal crops in the field. Another books such as The Pest War. He example of his breadth of vision was also co-author of specialist and keen perception of good volumes such as Herbicides and ideas with practical application lay Plant Growth Regulators and in his support for the formation of editor of monographs such as the subsidiary “May & Baker Bracken and its Control (proceed- Diagnostics” which he was ings of RSE Symposium). He was instrumental in having based in greatly in demand as a speaker at Glasgow. The Company was conferences in the field of ‘Weed formed to exploit aspects of the Science’, delivering his presenta- monoclonal antibody studies tions with style, humour and carried out in the Immunology punctuality. As a Session Chair- Department of Strathclyde man, he insisted on good University, and Professor Fletcher presentational style and good subsequently chaired the new time-keeping. company’s Scientific Advisory Board. Professor Fletcher’s shrewd perception of useful scientific In addition to being an outstand- effort and his ability to bridge the ing teacher and researcher, academic and practical worlds Fletcher built up his Department were recognised by several and helped shape the School of agrochemical companies, but Biological Science in which it was perhaps particularly by May & based. He steered his Department
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and School through stirring times of Scotland and sit on so many of achievement and change - and other important national scientific sometimes difficulty. His immedi- and education Boards and review ate colleagues considered groups; the time to found his themselves fortunate in having University’s staff club (where his someone so steadfast to work knowledge of wine was a particu- with and to guide them in these lar asset) and to oversee the heady, formative days. His advice development of its beautiful to colleagues was sparing but gardens at Ross Priory on Loch always crystal clear. It was never Lomond; the time to promote and overpressed and always fair. He enjoy his many club connections also contributed widely as a (particularly the Glasgow Art Club, prominent senior academic officer the XIII Club and the Town and in developing both the academic Gown “Working Party”). and corporate life of the “young” And still he found time to be a Strathclyde, and did more than his scientific correspondent for share in shaping its future under several Scottish newspapers and his mentor, and later very close journals, writing scripts for, and family friend, Sir Samuel Curran. taking part in, many BBC radio He was a great supporter and he programmes and STV. One could loved innovation in the broadest fill a book; and that may yet come. sense. His life was lived to the full, and One of the greatest legacies which the sheer depth and expansive- Bill bequeathed in his life was ness of his work has had time; the time he gave to people; repercussions far and wide. He not only to his wife and family, was, quite simply, an academic but also to an ever-expansive statesman of the first order - a network of students, universities, great credit to his family, his native academic and research institu- Scotland, his universities and his tions, and societies. For example, subject. the time taken to lecture regularly to American visitors on aspects of His friends will have many an Scottish life, and then produce anecdote that speaks of Bill. His books relating to these lectures warmth, his hospitality, his dry and on many other topics such as (almost arid sometimes) sense of Great Scots; the time to take on humour, and his modesty all the Vice-presidency of the Royal complemented his outstanding Society of Edinburgh and partici- skill as a scientist. Essentially a pate in the education committee Lanarkshire man in attitude and in of its London counterpart; the speech, he always had his wits time to lead the Botanical Society about him. One of the qualities
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that many people valued most to science. His home provided was his openness and down-to- hospitality over many years to earth approach, even though, on dozens of Polish scientists and occasion, he could be quite students who have never forgot- penetratingly assertive. ten this kindness. These governed matters temporal In academic life it is customary and spiritual. Who would have sometimes to speak of scholars as imagined that Bill would have “those who stand on the shoul- been the one at Strathclyde to ders of giants”. In this phrase, push for the great Scottish one is inferring that scholars are theologian, the late Rev. Professor often not original thinkers, great William Barclay, to be appointed men or women of learning, or there to a Visiting Professorship in figures of particular (historical) Biology and how their friendship importance. Rather, the scholar and association in philosophical may be simply an interpreter, and discussion would blossom into their perspective is gained by something phenomenal? climbing on and above their In odd conversations, Bill would subject. In Professor Bill Fletcher speak wryly of his Presbyterian we did not just have a scholar, but roots. For a scholar of the “struc- a veritable tower of wisdom and ture of life”, he was well aware strength. Yet more than that, he that there was more to life than has given many people in all walks chemistry and the compounds of life a “frame” on which they that construct our humanity. This can climb and gain clearer made him agnostic, but in a insights, deeper perspectives and profoundly spiritual way. He was a broader horizons. For the man genuine polymath, with his devoted to studying “the struc- interests and expertise in art and ture of life”, he therefore truly literature, with the international emerges as a master, because his bonds of research and friendship life-gifts enabled so many others. that he created and sustained, The picture then that we shall and in his dynamic skills as a always carry of Bill Fletcher is of an leader. upright, self-effacing man of great Of particular note was his associa- experience in the world of men tion over many years with Poland, and science, and with a real which led to a number of honours personality within and without. including the conferment of an He was a man of considerable Honorary Doctor of Science integrity with an unswerving degree and the award of the regard for the truth, pleasing or Polish Order of Merit for services otherwise. He was not a “trim- mer”, and had no room for
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bureaucracy. He sought neither did. A ‘Great Scot’ himself he was, power nor compliments, and in all to quote Burns, “a social, friendly, his services to his University and honest man” of sharp wit and other institutions, he was content great courage; and he also had all that his reward would be their the characteristics of Words- smooth and correct running. worth’s Happy Warrior: “Whose He will be remembered as a man high endeavours were an inward of dignity and integrity; indeed of light That made the path before the same highest standards that him always bright”. he wished for everything that he Ralph Kirkwood and David Tedford
William Whigham Fletcher OM(Poland), BSc, PhD, ScD, FIBiol: Born 11 August 1918; Elected FRSE 6 March 1967; Died 4 April 2001. RSE Council Service: Councillor, 1976-78; Secretary, 1978-83; Vice-Presi- dent, 1983-86
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Kenneth Boyd Fraser 10 March 1917 - 17 July 2001
Kenny Fraser was a noted virolo- in infectious mononucleosis. With gist who had a distinguished the help of a Nuffield Grant, he military record during the Second then spent two years from 1951-2 World War. He graduated in with Sir MacFarlane Burnet in the medicine from Aberdeen Universi- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute in ty in 1940 and joined the RAMC Australia studying recombination in 1941. He was posted to the in influenza virus: this resulted in Chin Hills in Burma where British brilliant series of experiments and Indian troops together with which enabled Sir Mac to predict forces from the local Highlanders, the segmented nature of influen- were holding outposts near za virus genome. Later he Japanese emplacements. In 1943, demonstrated phenotypic mixing he was awarded the MC for between the antigens of different gallantry in the rescue under strains of influenza virus – an early heavy fire of an injured sepoy example in a mammalian virus. whom he carried to safety – and Against Sir Mac’s advice, he to recovery – over exceedingly returned to academic life in his difficult terrain for a mile and a old department in Aberdeen half. In retirement, he published where he showed that the privately, a memoir of his time neurotropism of the NWS strain of there entitled, rather intriguingly, inflenza virus was due to its Don’t believe a Word of it!. localization in the Purkinje cells of Despite the apparent frivolity of the mouse cerebellum. In 1959, the title, this is a factual and he moved to the University of fascinating account of an area of Glasgow as Senior Lecturer in the the world and its village peoples Institute of Virology and it was which few can now have the here that he first developed his opportunity to see. The book is interest in immunology and, in dedicated to the Chin Highlanders particular, the technique of with whom he served. immunofluorescence. He was After return to civilian life, he awarded the degree of DSc in joined the Department of Bacteri- 1960 for his work on virus ology in Aberdeen University as genetics in the University of Junior Lecturer and, in 1950, was Aberdeen. awarded the MD with honours for work on the antibodies produced
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In 1966 he was appointed to the discipline in its own right by the Chair of Microbiology at the NHS in Northern Ireland, in large Queen’s University of Belfast. His part due to his foresight and contribution to the Department in encouragement. In teaching he Belfast encompassed research, his expanded an existing honours interest in the development of course in Microbiology for science immunology, and a major contri- students from which several bution to teaching in the Faculties graduates later became members of Medicine and Science. His of the academic and research staff research into the immunology of of the department. He was persistent virus infections was particularly enthusiastic about the initially based on his expertise in benefits of intercalated BSc immunofluorescence and centred courses for medical students and on the measles virus, for which, in made a major personal contribu- 1974, the Medical Research tion to this course in his own Council awarded a five-year department despite a heavy Project Grant to study the rela- commitment to the teaching of tionship between multiple medical and dental students. sclerosis and the immunology of Kenny did not enjoy administra- the measles virus. This was only tion yet approached it with the possible with the full involvement same rigour and honesty that he of clinicians and reflected the high brought to his scientific work, degree of mutual respect in which sometimes to the chagrin of Kenny and his clinical collabora- professional managers. During his tors held each other. His belief in time in Belfast the “troubles” the value of clinical science was were at their worst, but under seen in the number of junior Kenny’s leadership and ably medical staff from different supported by his Chief Technician disciplines who held research Mr Jimmy McAlister, staff mem- fellowships in his department and bers at all levels and from diverse were subsequently awarded MD backgrounds worked harmoni- degrees. ously together. Unlike his staff, He was very aware of the need to Kenny was very happy to work incorporate the new science of through the Christmas break: he Immunology into both the was unavailable at Hogmanay. In scientific and clinical fields so that 1948, Kenny married Leslie Fraser, the Department was later re- herself a doctor. They had a happy named Microbiology and home life and were the most Immunobiology. By the mid 1970s hospitable of hosts. Kenny was a immunology was accepted as a delightful companion with a dry,
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typically Scottish sense of humour near Tomintoul in the Highlands enhanced by his enjoyment of where, predeceased by her, he malt whisky of which he was a died on 17 July 2001. connoisseur. In 1982 he and Leslie Morag C Timbury, Thomas A retired to a cottage in Altnaha McNeill and Margaret Haire.
Kenneth Boyd Fraser MC, MB ChB, MD, DSc: Born 10 March1917; Elected FRSE 6 March 1961; Died 17 July 2001.
245 Review of the Session 2004-2005
Sir John Currie Gunn 13 September 1916 - 26 July 2002
John Currie Gunn was born in September 1945, first at Tedding- Glasgow on 13 September 1916 ton and then at the Mine into a well-known Glasgow family. Research Department attached to After being an outstanding HMS Vernon, Portsmouth. At both student at Glasgow University and Laboratories Gunn worked in a Cambridge University followed by group led by Harrie Massey first wartime scientific research and on counter measures to magnetic early academic posts, he was mines and later on design and appointed to the Cargill Chair of development of a series of British Natural Philosophy in Glasgow non-contact mines. Massey first University in 1949. He held that developed a high regard for post until his retirement in Gunn’s abilities at this time; it may September 1982 and thereafter be remarked that this group continued to live in Glasgow until included a number of young his death on 26 July 2002. physicists who later contributed significantly to pure science, the His early education was at Glas- most notable in that respect being gow Academy and Glasgow Francis Crick. Apart from the University, graduating in 1937 in operational research aspects, Mathematics and Natural Philoso- Gunn’s work involved much phy and winning the Logan Prize classical applied mathematics. as the best Arts student of the year. Wishing to enter research in This latter experience was one of theoretical physics he went to the influences in him accepting a Cambridge, then an outstanding Lectureship in Applied Mathemat- world leader in physics. From ics at Manchester University with 1937 to 1939 he took parts II and Professor S, Goldstein, rather than III of the Mathematics Tripos as a taking up the Research Fellowship Scholar of St. Johns College, at St. Johns College, Cambridge graduating and being awarded to which he had been elected in the Mayhew Prize. In autumn 1943. After one year at Manches- 1939 he started a brief three ter, giving ten lectures a week in months as a research student of term time and producing two the thermodynamicist R.H.Fowler papers on supersonic flow and before the war supervened. He turbulence, he moved to Universi- worked in the Admiralty scientific ty College London in 1946. There service from January 1940 to he was a Lecturer in Professor
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Massey’s Department for three 1953 Touschek went permanently years and moved his research to Rome where he notably interests from classical applied became the originator of electron mathematics to the quantum storage rings. Derek Pursey was mechanical subjects of nuclear also a Glasgow research student and particle physics. until 1951 and John Irving was a research fellow. Irving and Gunn Meanwhile, at Glasgow University, collaborated on the photo- with the advent of Philip Dee to disintegration of light nuclei, the Chair of Natural Philosophy, postulating configurations for the Department was undergoing a deuterium, tritium and helium transforming expansion into nuclei, which were known as nuclear physics - later branching Gunn-Irving wave functions. also into particle physics. The Cargill Chair in Applied Physics With the natural departure of all falling vacant, Dee was able to these people to pursue successful transform its subject into theoreti- academic careers action was cal physics. Here an opportunity, necessary. As a Professor - a post very much in conformity with his then carrying great weight - Gunn new interests in nuclear and was able to recruit research particle physics, presented itself to fellows and lecturers to form what Gunn and he was successful in resembled a sub-department being appointed to the Chair in (though never so called) of 1949. theoretical teaching and research, seamlessly integrated into the When the new Professor Gunn Natural Philosophy Department. arrived in Glasgow the other Besides teaching and administra- active researchers in theoretical tion Gunn pursued research and physics were few but able. One supervision of research students was his then research student, until the mid 1950s. But then Edwin Power, coming with him came a change which was to set from University College; another the rest of his academic life. was Bruno Touschek, who having miraculously survived through the Through Dee’s initiative, Glasgow war as a young scientist in Nazi then had a 300 MeV electron Germany, had been recruited by accelerator for particle physics. Dee in 1946. Gunn collaborated There were three particle accelera- with these two on the production tors in the UK, but a need for of mesons in protonproton more advanced particle accelera- collisions, one of the new found tors became apparent leading to phenomena signalling nuclear the construction of a proton physics generating the subject accelerator at the Rutherford- now known as particle physics. In Appleton Laboratory near Harwell
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and somewhat later to an electron particle physics, putting it for the accelerator at Daresbury in the first time on a level with American north of England. Gunn took a accelerator efforts in that field. notable part in the country wide Eventually in 1983 it led to the planning which led to these discovery of the W particle, which developments and especially to finally verified the great 1960s that of the Daresbury machine. theory unifying the weak interac- (Serendipitously the radiation tion with the electromagnetic coming from the accelerating interaction. electrons at Daresbury and later Gunn was a member of the similar circular electron accelera- University Grants Committee from tors proved to have practical 1973 to 1981. From 1973 to applications in many areas of 1976 he was Chairman of its science.) It was perhaps a second Equipment Sub-committee which best for Gunn that the electron dealt with all University requests accelerator was sited in the north for equipment money, both in of England rather than Scotland, science and arts subjects; de- but he and Dee obtained finance mands from the latter were to build a linear, rather than increasing with the rise of com- circular, electron accelerator for puting. In that role he gained and nuclear physics research sited near organised information which Glasgow; this had a long and persuaded the Government to successful research life. increase the grant to something Gunn’s influence increased with like a proper level using a model his appointment to the Science devised to reduce the subjective Research Council (SRC) from 1968 element in the assessment of to 1972. At that time the question need. He was awarded a CBE in of building a much bigger 1976. European proton accelerator at He then became Chairman of the the CERN Laboratory in Geneva Physical Sciences (physics, chemis- had arisen. The Nuclear Physics try and geology) sub-committee of Board of the SRC oversaw both the UGC from 1976 to the end of nuclear physics and particle 1981. He obtained a strong physics, and advice to the Govern- impression of the increasing ment on CERN came mainly via problem set by the skewed that Board and the SRC. Gunn academic staff age distribution in was Board Chairman (1970-72) at these subjects, to become evident the time the Government took the later in other subjects. So his sub- positive decision that Britain committee put a proposal to the should join in the new CERN UGC for so-called ‘new blood’ project. That project was an appointments to alleviate the enormous success for European
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situation. Its development and some changes of personnel, implementation became a matter continues very actively today. involving the dual support system In personal interaction, alertly for University research (support clever, he had a comprehension of both by the UGC and the Re- others; often people who only search Councils) of which he was met him once or twice comment- a strong proponent. John Gunn ed on this feeling that he gave. It was knighted in early 1982, nine showed itself in the clarity and months before his retirement. interest of his undergraduate All through his professorship he lectures; in fact he always did played a significant role both in everything thoroughly and well, the University and in the Depart- beyond the call of duty. Mingling ment and was regarded as a in the Department and University mentor by a number of experi- he had humour and lively and enced people both within and persistent conversation. From without Glasgow. Gunn was 1972 to 1982 he was the benevo- elected FRSE in 1959. He was lent Head of a remarkably happy member of the University Court Department. from 1969 to 1977, and was one A cello player, he had strong of the first two Vice-Principals musical interests; chess and (1972-1977). In the Department particularly golf (naturally) were he gave very strong support to the other recreations. In 1944 he and continuing Glasgow project to Betty (Russum) were married, she detect gravity waves coming from predeceasing him by only six the cosmos when it was initiated months, after many active years in by Ronald Drever in the 1960s, public life. Their son is a theoreti- providing much of the early cal physicist, a professor at impulsion to the present interna- Birmingham University. John tional work. And at about that Gunn was a man of outstanding time Gunn was able to recruit talent, which for most of his additional academic staff to help academic life he devoted to the form three distinct self-managing cause of science in British Univer- theoretical research groups. One sities, and many remember of these, appropriately that in affectionately the pleasure of his particle theory, naturally with company. Gordon Moorhouse
Sir John Currie Gunn CBE, MA (Glasgow, Cambridge); Hon.DSc (Heriot- Watt, Loughborough, Glasgow); Hon.DUniv (OU): Born 13 September 1916; Elected FRSE 2 March 1959; Died 26 July 2002.
249 Review of the Session 2004-2005
Neil Hood 10 August 1943 - 2 February 2006
Neil Hood had a remarkable particularly in the study of the career, spanning both the aca- subsidiaries of multi-national demic and commercial sectors in a enterprises, co-writing innumera- way that maximised the advantag- ble articles and book chapters, as es to all parties. Neil was born in well as complete texts, and 1943 and left school at 18, working closely with national and initially going straight into the international funders. His involve- steel industry. From there he left ment in the world of financial to go to Glasgow University to management also grew during read Regional Geography and this period, with several Director- Economic Development. On ships. In 1986 he was approached graduation in 1968, Neil joined by the Scottish Office to become first the Scottish College of Director of ‘Locate in Scotland’, Textiles and subsequently Paisley having been one of its advisors for College of Technology. He finally some years, and the University had left Paisley at the end of 1978 to the foresight to offer Neil leave of join the Government Economic absence, initially for two years and Service in Edinburgh as economic then extended for a third. His time advisor. This brief spell ended in at ‘Locate in Scotland’ was highly September 1979 when Strathclyde fruitful: Neil brought a keen University secured his services as understanding of the determi- Professor of Business Administra- nants of foreign direct investment tion, whilst encouraging him to to bear elegantly on the practical remain involved with the then business of actually winning Scottish Development Agency as inward investment projects, consultant in inward investment including the successful negotia- and small firm development. tions with Sun Microsystems. Neil rose rapidly through the During his secondment to ‘Locate academic ranks, becoming in Scotland’, Neil lectured on a Associate Dean in 1982 and Dean one-day-a-week basis in the in 1985. In partnership with university, and then agreed the Professor Stephen Young, he unusual but highly appropriate established the Strathclyde offer of a part-time position International Business Unit at starting in 1990, whilst also Strathclyde in 1983. He saw it holding the new post of Director develop into a highly regarded of Employment and Special centre of excellence for research, Initiatives within the SDA. This
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load included a part-time appoint- ate of Strathclyde University in ment as a special advisor to 2003. successive principals, initially to In January 2001 Neil became enhance the reputation of the Deputy Chairman of Scottish university and to help the profile Enterprise, a post he held until of the Development Office, and February 2004. His background as latterly to advise the principal on both a practitioner and a distin- matters of strategic importance; guished academic added advice that always proved im- considerable value to the work of mensely valuable. Scottish Enterprise, and he took Throughout the nineties, Neil’s the lead in reviewing the enter- involvement with the private and prise network’s project activities. A public sectors grew in parallel major success during his time with with his growing academic SE was his role as founding reputation. Neil’s attitude to those Chairman of Scottish Equity companies with which he became Partners Ltd., which developed involved was exemplary; he was quickly under his guidance into a not interested in short-term major venture capital house. More associations, believing that a recently he took up the role of minimum association should be Chairman of the Clyde Waterfront for three years. Faced with an Strategic Partnership Board, industrial problem, his first charged with driving the regener- response was not: ‘I have written a ation of the Clyde corridor. textbook in this area; have you The weaving of the three strands read it?’ but rather: ‘I have a set of of academic life, Government analytical skills that may be policy and direct involvement in helpful; can we work together?’ business was Neil’s life-work, but The experience he gained by this there was another strand to Neil’s approach not only enriched his life, equally important: Neil was a teaching but caused him to committed and active Christian, become wholly accepted by the seeing this as imbuing his whole commercial sector, his proudest life. As an undergraduate, though moment coming when one one from a family of strong faith, contact commented: ‘We had he fell under the influence of forgotten that you are an academ- writers such as William Barclay, a ic’. Neil had been elected as a man of immense erudition, who Fellow of the Royal Society of demonstrated that the Christian Edinburgh in 1987. In recogni- Life was entirely consonant with tion of his contribution to the the intellectual life. public and private sectors in Scotland, he was awarded the CBE in 2000 and an honorary doctor-
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Neil passionately believed in the supported strongly in his extraor- relevance of Christianity to all dinarily busy life by his wife Anna peoples at all times; he put his and his PA, Irene, and his debt to extraordinary skills to the benefit both is incalculable. He will be of many charities, including ‘Send remembered across the University, the Light Ltd’. He found his ethical by Scottish Enterprise and by very and moral principles to be the key many of his friends and business to many of his business decisions, partners not just for his broad and persuaded many a board not economic expertise and keen to adopt strategies that might be academic mind, but for his of financial benefit in the short integrity, his warmth and his term if they carried with them compassion. His untimely death long-term risks to the moral has deprived Scotland of one of reputation of both the company its most influential and remarka- and its directors. He also wrote a ble citizens; he represented the series of books in his final years, true embodiment of the Strath- distilling his unique blending of clyde University ethos of Useful Christianity and Business; the final Learning. book was written during his last Neil Hood is survived by his wife, illness, and completed only weeks Anna, whom he married in 1966, before he died. Its title, A Seeker’s and their two children, Annette Guide to Christ, perhaps summa- and Cameron. rises his own life of seeking and finding; it will be published in Andrew Hamnett August of this year. Neil was
Neil Hood CBE. MA, MLitt (Glasgow), HonDBA (Strathclyde). CCMI. Born Netherton, Wishaw, 10 August 1943; Elected FRSE 9 March 1987; Died Hamilton, 2 February 2006.
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Eric Duncan Grant Langmuir 3 May 1931 - 18 September 2005 (A fuller version of this obituary is on the Society’s web page)
Eric Duncan Grant Langmuir was pyrotechnic celebration of a life born in Glasgow May 3rd 1931, well-lived. the second son of Dr James Educated at Glasgow Academy Langmuir OBE. He died on (1936-1940), he was evacuated September 18, 2005, aged 74 and during the war, first to Achiltibuie, richly fulfilled, at his unique and then Callander where he attended uniquely hospitable home with its McLaren High School (1940-1943) wonderful views of the Cairn- moving on to Fettes College, gorms. He died peacefully, Edinburgh (1943-1950). He did surrounded by family, and still national service in the Royal able to join in an impromptu Artillery (1950-1952) and was ceilidh in his bedroom on the final commissioned in May 1951. He day. His funeral in Inverness on went up to Peterhouse, Cam- September 24th was attended by bridge in 1952 and in 1955 (MA about three hundred family, 1959) he graduated with an friends and colleagues gathered honours degree in Natural from the whole of Britain, paying Sciences (Geology, Zoology, their respects and fulfilling Eric’s Physiology). Subsequently Eric was own recipe for the best way to certificated by the General express one’s support in a be- Teaching Council of Scotland. reavement “I really think if you can possibly manage it, the best Eric’s interests lay in outdoor thing is to be there”. Well we pursuits, covering cross-country were there, with many more there running, potholing, canoeing, in spirit, but of course a lot more sailing, skiing, rock climbing, than mere physical presence is hillwalking, mountaineering, implied in Eric’s remark. conservation, adventure educa- tion, orienteering and above all Eric loved fireworks, despite the pursuit of safety while taking getting a nasty injury once when controlled risks – because the discharging a rocket from a bottle rewards justify those risks. Toby held in hand. His family had put Mallinson, old Fettes friend and together a spectacular display for climbing companion of nearly 60 his entertainment that final years, was witness to Eric’s claim weekend but events moved too to have made a 5-minute run fast. Instead, on the evening of down the 550 metre Stoneshoot the funeral, the inhabitants of the on Sgurr Alasdair in the Cuillin (in Spey Valley were treated to a the days before 1952 when it still
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had stones in it), and has com- of entering the college after mented on his phenomenal hours. coordination of eye, limbs and Eric’s quick and intuitive reactions balance. Bob Downes (Cambridge were certainly needed on the Mountaineering 1956, p.18) CUMC meet of 1955 in the French wrote “To try and race Langmuir Alps. Carrying coils and moving downhill is the surest lost cause in fast on easier ground during an mountaineering”. During his attempt on the Sialouze Arete on National Service he won the army the Pic Sans Nom, his companion, cross-country championship. Ted Maden (later also to be We first met at the opening elected to the Fellowship), was meeting of the Cambridge swept away in a major rock fall University Mountaineering Club in behind him. Eric jammed himself October 1952, finding that we into a crack, arrested the fall after were in the same college and some 30 metres, then marshalled beginning a friendship of 53 years his injured companion down to duration. Eric in due course safety in a further fifteen hours of became president of the Cam- intense concentration. bridge University Mountaineering After graduation Eric was em- Club in its 49th year and he was ployed as a field exploration present at the CUMC’s centenary geologist with British Newfound- dinner in 2005. He was an active land Exploration (1956-1957) and member of a substantial group of in Northern Ontario, British revolutionaries who wanted to see Columbia and Alaska with the women admitted to full member- Mining Corporation of Canada ship back in 1953 (Heavens, was (1957-1958). One product of this life really that stuffy?). He was a was a trio of bear stories. member of the Alpine Climbing Group, the Climbers Club, the He was awakened one morning by Scottish Mountaineering Club, the thunder of a highly adjacent and an honorary member of the gunshot, to find a dead bear just Club de Montagne Canadien. outside his tent. A few days later while mapping in the bush he was Cambridge colleges in the 1950s approached by the sounds of yet operated a 10pm curfew policy, another bear and took off at backed by the requirement to cross-country speed (Not ade- wear gowns after dark, and quate against bears and there was enforced by proctors, bulldogs, no companion to outrun!), porters and high walls topped by eventually shedding rucksack, rotating spikes. For Eric, the rules map-case and spare clothing in were merely theoretical, for he search of speed and made the found seemingly impossible ways shelter of the camp and the
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welcome presence of the rifle. He Edgar marina and sail training was joined soon after by a establishment on the Forth, and perspiring colleague bearing an had responsibility for the Hillend urgent message, his rucksack, Ski Centre, Britain’s largest map-case, etc. Then there was the artificial ski centre and ski training face-to-face meeting with a bear establishment. Ever youthful, ever when both fled in opposite fit, Eric achieved a reputation in directions. the Recreation and Leisure After his return from Canada he Planning Department for physical was employed as a science teacher prowess demonstrated by his at Wimbledon Independent ability to run up the stairs of the Grammar School (1958-1959) office from the ground to the 6th before being requested by Sir Jack floor much faster than anyone Longland, Everest mountaineer else. Junior members of staff and Director of Education for learned to jump to the side when Derbyshire, to take up the post as he was trying to beat his own Principal at the Whitehall Centre record. for Open Country Pursuits run by Enjoying life after 1988 included Derbyshire Education Committee being appointed to the Country- (1959-1963), where among side Commission in 1990, serving others he employed as instructors a term on the NE board when that Joe Brown and Bob Downes. After organisation became Scottish Whitehall he was appointed National Heritage and being a Principal at Glenmore Lodge member of the Cairngorm National Outdoor Training Centre Working Party 1991-93, entering at Aviemore, Inverness-shire a minority report with John Hunt, (1964-1970), then on to the Reserves Manager for the Royal newly created post of Lecturer, Society for the Protection of Birds, soon promoted to Senior Lecturer rejecting the voluntary partnership in charge of Outdoor Education at structure as a means of delivering Moray House College of Educa- good management, and playing tion, Edinburgh (1970-1975) and an important role in the eventual finally the post of Assistant foundation of the Cairngorms Director of the Recreation and National Park contrary to the Leisure Planning Department of initial inclination of the govern- the Lothian Regional Council ment in Westminster. which he held until his early From the earliest days his career retirement to enjoy life in 1988. In was deeply involved with the this latter post he was involved in improvement of instruction and setting up the Pentland Hills technique, with the particular aim Country Park, developing the Port that young people should be able
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to “Adventure in Safety”. He was safety by young people as a result a member of the original Moun- of his work? tain Leadership working party in His book Mountain Leadership, England 1962-1964 and later Mountaincraft and Leader- launched a parallel scheme for ship, is the official handbook of Scotland in 1964. He gained the Mountain Leadership Training extensive practical experience as Board of Great Britain. It was first leader of the Glenmore Mountain published in 1969, then extended Rescue Team 1963-1969 and as and revised in 1973, rewritten and rescue coordinator in the North- revised in 1984 and again in ern Cairngorms during the same 2004. It has become the bible, period. He was a member of the widely known simply as ‘Lang- Mountain Rescue Committee of muir’, for all who would go safely Scotland from 1964 and its among the British mountains and Chairman from 1968. especially for those who must be He studied avalanche prognosis responsible for the safety of and avoidance both in the others. The book has never been Cairngorms and in Switzerland out of print and has sold over with Andre Roch, later setting up 150,000 copies – it was available Scotland’s first avalanche warning in three shops in Aberystwyth programme and laying the when I checked last week. foundation for the Scottish In 1957 he married Maureen Avalanche Information Service. In Lyons, a Londoner whom he met the course of one search for an in Canada when she was working overdue party of schoolchildren for the Canadian Film Board and he and his party were swept six there are four children, Catriona hundred feet in an avalanche, and (now a journalist), Roddy (an was dug out only ‘at the true blue architect, who designed Eric’s stage’ as he put it wryly. retirement home), Moira (a How many lives have been saved geologist and now a DTI inspec- through Eric’s work and how tor) and Sean (now a ski coach in much grief avoided? Impossible to Canada). estimate but I have heard rumour Maureen died of cancer in 1980 of two expert estimates suggest- and her ashes were scattered by ing that the avalanche studies the family in the mountains they alone may be saving as many as all loved. It was a shattering blow thirty lives a season in these days but Eric enthusiastically took on of greatly increased access to the the extra housekeeping and hills. How much exhilarating parenting roles in addition to all adventure has been enjoyed in his other activities, and discharged
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them with distinction. The three Spartan Slab, the name given to younger children were brought up the 190 metre Very Severe route in a ski-rich environment and all first ascended on June 13 1954 by became expert ski racers who a party led by Eric Langmuir is in represented Britain internationally. that category and ranks today as At the time of his death he was one of the most popular climbs in delighting in his eight grandchil- Britain. dren. His partner Marion Eric’s best season in the Alps was MacCormick, an enthusiastic in 1955 when, after the club meet orienteer (of which more below) in La Berarde, Alan Blackshaw, joined him in 1989. Bob Downes, Geoff Sutton and he Eric was a pioneering rock climber went on to the Ecole Nationale de in Great Britain until family Montagne et de Ski in Chamonix. responsibilities curtailed his Highlights were ascents of the activities – and responsibility was South Face Direct (ED) of the Punta ever the name of Eric’s game. Gugliermina, and the first British 1954 saw the start of serious ascent of the North Face of the exploration of the climbing Badile (ED), significant contribu- potential of the Trilleachan Slabs tions to the post-war renaissance at the head of Loch Etive. Eric’s of British alpine climbing. attention had been drawn to the In October 1991, at the age of 60, slabs by his father, an enthusiastic he joined an expedition to the fisherman, mine had been Bhutan Himalaya where he made aroused in the course of a several first ascents, including that camping trek along the south of Wohney Gang, 5589m, with shore of Loch Etive in the spring George Band. of 1952. December 1953 saw the two of us washed out in a tent at Eric was a Grade 1 Ski Teacher the head of Loch Etive, but in the with the British Association of Ski summer of 1954 we made Instructors and a member of the multiple visits and attempted British Ski Instruction Council, several of the obvious lines. becoming its Honorary President Subsequently the Etive Slabs have in 1993. In 1964, together with become a climber’s playground, John Disley, John Peacock, Peter with 41 routes listed in the latest Steele and a guide he made one Scottish Mountaineering Club of the earliest traverses of the guidebook, ranging in standard Haute Route by a party of British from Very Difficult to Extreme 7 mountaineers. and in length from 100 to 460 With his partner Marion MacCor- metres. Four of those routes gain mick he began a serious, and as the top quality ranking of 4 stars. ever fiercely competitive, interest
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in Orienteering following his death issued by the Royal Society retirement. Together they set up of Edinburgh and was able to the local Spey Valley Orienteering assure friends that the reports club. He was the main organiser were ‘greatly exaggerated’. The of the Scottish Orienteering error was understandable – his Championship in the Spey Valley sister Marjorie Langmuir was a in 2003. He was the winner in his doctor practicing in Aviemore age class of the Scottish 6-day until her death the previous year, event in Lochaber 2001; was who also received literature from British National Champion in his the Royal Society of Edinburgh. age class in Northern Ireland 2002 When her clinic wrote to the and competed in international Society requesting that Dr Lang- events. muir of Aviemore be removed In 1973 the Royal Society of from the mailing list, it was Edinburgh sought to broaden its assumed that it referred to Eric. membership base in Scottish life The man had fantastic energy and beyond the dominantly academic. drive, celebrating his arrival into When Eric’s name was suggested his 70s in 2001 with an ascent of at Council it received instant Mont Blanc in the company of recognition and support around friends. That same year he made a the table. He was elected a Fellow traverse of the Cuillin Ridge in the in 1978 for his pioneer work on company of Andy Munro and his avalanche prognosis in Scotland children Moira and Roddy. These and for his publications and are two expeditions which personal contributions to outdoor mountaineers forty years his education and safety in the junior would have prized. Opti- mountains. He was awarded an mistic plans were afoot for a MBE in 1986 for his contributions fiftieth anniversary ascent of to safety in mountaineering and Spartan Slab in 2004 by the adventure training, but he had original team, to be led by greater and far more highly valued daughter Moira (I suspect that at rewards – the total respect and least one of us could no longer affection of the outdoor and have cocked his leg above his mountaineering communities. His right ear as required on the third enduring monument, however, is pitch). Only four weeks before his the strength and cohesiveness of death he spent three days with his family, a tribute to his parent- John Cook walking vigorously hood and an indication also of over the roughest Lakeland fells, just how sorely he will be missed. still impressing his companions In 1999 Eric had the rare experi- with his downhill technique over ence of reading notices of his screes.
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We had a twenty minute tele- Goodbye, Eric old friend. You did phone conversation the day all things well and it is my privi- before he died, marked by a deep lege to have known you. appreciation of all the good times Michael J O’Hara enjoyed, characteristic realism and a mutual absence of stiff upper lip.
Eric Duncan Grant Langmuir MA (Cantab), MBE. Born May 3 1931; Elected FRSE 6 March 1978; Died September 18 2005.
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Sir Cyril Lucas 30 July 1909 – 14 January 2002
Dr Lucas, as he always preferred, ments in commercial fish, and was elected a Fellow of the Royal how they might be mediated Society of Edinburgh in 1939. through endocrine and ion- He was a scientist who knew how regulatory systems. He suggested to work for government by I explore that field. working with administrative civil I needed extensive laboratory and servants. In particular, his partner- aquarium facilities and he met ship with John Aglen at the those needs with characteristic Scottish Office during the 1950s generosity, giving me sole use of and 60s was productive by reason his own laboratory, adjacent to his of the trust and respect in which office and a short step from the each held the other. aquarium. As usual in those days Lucas was Director of Fisheries I brewed coffee in a beaker over a Research for Scotland from 1948 bunsen burner and he was a to 1970 and was based at the periodic, questioning visitor – the Marine Laboratory, Aberdeen. He smell having percolated through a delegated day-to-day responsibili- crack in the shared wall. ties to Section Leaders, but no Years later, when we both served publication emanated from his on the Natural Environment laboratories that had not been Research Council, we travelled scrutinised by his critical eye. His north on the same sleeper train. It comments always improved the lacked a dining car and for about text and his criticisms saved many five years, we dined at least of us a statement, calculation or monthly “al fresco” in his sleeper indeed entire paper that we (where his mail was delivered). would have later regretted. In the We sat on suitcases and his bunk main his staff held him in awe, served as a table. He was partial not because of fear but out of to smoked salmon and rare, cold respect for his intellect, ability and roast beef. We shared a taste for integrity. gin, only slightly tainted with To me he showed interest and tonic and under its influence we kindness. He had selected me as a set the world to rights. Development Commission He was a thoughtful liberal with student and at interview we had clear ideas of right and wrong. He discussed the links between was an agnostic and humanist, external and internal environ- holding himself accountable for
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his own strengths and weakness- and sad at the demise of personal es. He was generous in his responsibility. He expressed regret forgiveness of others, but hard on at living quite so long; I among himself. Eventually he grew weary many others, find the world a of growing political correctness, lesser place without him. cynical of the worth of politicians Sir Frederick Holliday
Sir Cyril Lucas, CMG, DSc, FRS. DSc(Lond), HonDSc(Hull), HonLLD(Aberd): Born 30 July 1909; Elected FRSE 1939; Died 14 January 2002. RSE Council Service: Councillor, 1949-52; Vice-President, 1961-64
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William Hepburn Russell Lumsden 27 March 1914 - 13 May 2002
Scotland has a proud history of skaters by making scratches on nurturing distinguished contribu- the woodwork. tors to our understanding of After graduation with First Class disease in the tropics. Among Honours, Russell went on to these must be numbered Russell qualify in medicine at Glasgow Lumsden, medical entomologist, and wrote articles for Surgo, the virologist and parasitologist, but Glasgow University Medical above all a man with boundless Journal, acting as its editor in enthusiasm for the entire natural 1938. His companion in all his world. student activities was Alexander J Russell became a keen naturalist Haddow, (later FRSE, FRS): both while still at school. Born in Forfar were later to become world on 27 March, 1914, he moved authorities on mosquito-borne with his family to Darlington in disease. 1919 when his father became After receiving his medical degree Schools’ Medical Officer for in 1938, Russell was awarded a Durham County. He was educated Medical Research Council Fellow- at the Queen Elizabeth Grammar ship for work at the Liverpool School there, but in 1931 he was School of Tropical Medicine. The awarded a Carnegie Scholarship MRC wished to promote research to read Zoology at Glasgow on drug treatment (chemotherapy) University under Sir John Graham of tropical diseases, an endeavour Kerr. Russell took part in succes- in which the Liverpool School sive student expeditions to Canna under Warrington Yorke was in the Inner Hebrides and wrote particularly distinguished. So, detailed reports on the entomolo- after taking the Diploma in gy of these and on various Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, projects in marine biology. Russell began to look at the effect His dedication to natural history is of antimalarial drugs on the splendidly illustrated by a paper in development of mosquito- The Entomologist’s Monthly infecting stages of the malaria Magazine, recounting how, while parasite in the laboratory. But with sunning himself on a jetty at Lake the outbreak of World War II in Windermere after swimming, he 1939, of necessity his interest in found an old nail and kept a tally malaria became more directed to of the different prey of pond
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mosquito transmission of the Headquarters on Malaria in disease in the field. Malaya, in anticipation of the In 1941 he joined the Royal Army 14th Army attack, was equally Medical Corps on the staff of No breathtaking in its scholarship, 3 Malaria Field Laboratory, later but never put to use as Allied becoming its commanding officer landings were cancelled when the and rising to the rank of Lieuten- Japanese surrendered following ant Colonel. The main task of the the bombing of Hiroshima and Laboratory was to investigate the Nagasaki in August 1945. malaria hazard to troops advanc- After demobilisation in 1946, ing into new territory. As a threat Russell took up a MRC Senior to health and survival, malaria Research Fellowship in Medical assumes even greater importance Entomology at the London School in times of war. of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Russell saw active service in the Here he met and married Pamela Eastern Mediterranean, North Bartram, a librarian at the School, African and Italian Campaigns, who was to be his devoted ending up in India in preparation companion for the rest of his life. for the Allied landings in Malay- He continued work he had started sia. His duties required extensive in Liverpool on factors affecting travel, often on solitary expedi- the biting activity of Aedes tions to remote places, and on aegypti, the mosquito transmit- dangerous ones to forward areas; ting the virus of yellow fever in the in Sicily he miraculously survived urban environment. A year later when the truck in which he was he entered the Colonial Medical travelling was blown to pieces by Research Service and joined the a land mine. staff of the East African Virus Research Institute (EAVRI) in The extensive London School of Entebbe, Uganda, as entomolo- Hygiene and Tropical Medicine gist, alongside his friend of Memoir, Anophelism and Malaria Glasgow student days, Alex in Transjordan and in the neigh- Haddow, who later became its bouring parts of Palestine and Director. Syria that he later (1950) pub- lished (with Jacob Yofe), Yellow fever wreaks havoc in exemplifies Russell’s inexhaustable urban populations when Aedes capacity for amassing relevant aegypti is around to transmit it. data and the thoroughness of his EAVRI had originally been set up ecological approach to vector- by the Rockefeller Foundation to borne disease transmission. The answer the question “Where does report that he wrote for Advanced the virus of yellow fever hide
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between epidemics?” Based in In 1957, while serving as Assistant Entebbe and a field station in Director of EAVRI, Russell was Bwamba, just to the west of the appointed Director of the East Ruwenzori, the Institute was African Trypanosomiasis Research largely concerned with the Organisation (EATRO) and forsook investigation of the cycles of viruses for protozoan parasites. He maintenance of the yellow fever embarked immediately on a virus in the forest environment radical revision of the Organisa- and the avenues by which it tion’s activities. These covered the entered the human population. diseases caused by the tsetse fly- Russell was soon in his element as transmitted trypanosomes, a naturalist investigating possible blood-dwelling protozoa respon- transmission routes for the virus. sible for sleeping sickness in He studied the biting patterns of humans and the wasting disease forest canopy mosquitoes in nagana in livestock. For a start he relation to the behaviour of did not like EATRO’s activities monkeys and bush babies which, being split discipline-wise be- he demonstrated, served as tween three stations reservoirs of the human disease. geographically distant from one He also sorted out those mosqui- another. His EAVRI experience had toes that had a predilection for taught him that research on humans - and Aedes africanus vector-borne disease demands emerged as the main culprit. The close interaction of experts on Rockefeller had their answer! pathogen, host and vector, not Over time, however, his interests their isolation from one another, became more virus-centred. He so he concentrated all the Organi- learned techniques for the sation’s staff at Tororo in Uganda. isolation and identification of In addition, despite his entomo- viruses, and in the laboratory, he logical background, he believed isolated and characterised several that the time had come to break viruses of medical importance. A away from preoccupation with the WHO Fellowship for visiting virus tsetse fly vector and expand laboratories in Canada and the research on the trypanosome itself USA assisted his conversion. He and on the mammalian host’s came to regard concepts of immune response to it. This was a purification, standardisation and brave move. preservation of infective agents as In medical science, understanding essential prerequisites for critical of the mammalian immune study of their epidemiology - response was currently deepening conclusions that profoundly rapidly. But since pioneering work influenced the rest of his career as at the beginning of the century, it a scientist.
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had been known that while tions were truly frozen in time, trypanosomes induce a powerful thus preserving their antigenic antibody response to their character and infectivity indefinite- presence, these parasites can ly. In this way he solved the repeatedly change the nature of standardisation problem. He the antigen inducing the response became fascinated by the variable and so evade immune destruction. infectivity of trypanosomes and, In this way they give rise to a drawing on his experience in chronic relapsing infection in the virology, suggested that their blood. This ability of the parasite infective properties should be to undergo ‘antigenic variation’ measured as if they were invisible was seen as an insurmountable viruses. As a visiting researcher at barrier to much-needed vaccina- EATRO in 1960, the writer was tion against trypanosomiasis in enthralled by the atmosphere of both man and beast. The nature excitement and enthusiasm that of this variation was a complete the new director had generated in mystery. What little recent research the laboratories. had been done on it had been In 1962 Russell became a Member conducted on old laboratory of the Expert Advisory Panel on isolates, syringe-passaged Parasitic Diseases of the World through rodents for decades with Health Organisation. But Ugan- ever-increasing virulence. Such dan independence was looming, parasites bore about as much and in 1963 he had to make way resemblance to their wild ances- for a native African director. He tors as a chihuahua does to a returned to the UK and accepted a wolf. In addition there was the lectureship in the Department of problem of standardising test Bacteriology of the Medical materials to compare the antigens School, Edinburgh University. Here of trypanosomes at different he met the veterinarian John points in an infection. Herbert and they struck up an At EATRO, however, Russell had alliance to pursue the nature of ready access to recent trypano- trypanosome antigenic variation some isolates from patients and further. This was made possible by sick animals, and he quickly Sir Alex Robertson inviting Russell introduced the novel practice of to head an Applied Protozoology cryopreservation (deep-freezing of Unit in his new Centre for Tropical living material) to set up a bank of Veterinary Medicine at Easter such isolates, later termed Bush. ‘stabilates’. He devoted much time A basic question concerning to developing the technique so as trypanosome antigenic variation to ensure that stabilate popula- was whether it was due to survival
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of genetic mutants in the face of and spent three months as host antibody attack, or was the Visiting Professor in the School of result of phenotypic change in a Hygiene of the University of genetically constant population of Toronto before taking up the trypanosomes, possibly induced Chair of Medical Protozoology in by host antibody. Study of the the London School of Hygiene pattern of switching from one and Tropical Medicine. antigenic type to another in The Department of Medical relapsing clone infections was an Protozoology at the School had an obvious start to answering this outstanding history of seminal question. discovery, especially in life cycle Lumsden and Herbert in a series studies of malaria parasites, and of classic papers showed that these had had a profound effect backswitching in clones ruled out on the control of parasitic diseas- genetic mutation and that the es. Undaunted by this tradition, unrelapsed trypanosome popula- Russell again initiated profound tion was already heterogeneous changes. Creatively and imagina- with respect to antigenic type, so tively, he moved the department antibody induction of change was forward towards rigorous parasite unlikely. One of their most population studies and succeeded enduring contributions was the in establishing a reliable collection invention of a widely accepted of cryopreserved reference notation for describing different material, since used by various trypanosome populations and the research groups around the pedigrees of antigenic types. It globe. paved the way for our present With intense workshops support- concept of the mechanism of ed by the World Health antigenic variation - that it Organisation, he formalised involves the switching on and off nomenclature for isolates, clones of different variable antigen genes and other parasite populations from the clone’s repertoire further, and so laid the ground- (genome), but the mechanism of work for the broad research in switching contains the seeds of parasite variation and diversity genomic change (mutation) and which is very much in vogue today. so the repertoire is evolving In his personal research he continuously. developed a miniature anion In 1967 Russell addressed the exchange technique for diagnosis Royal Society of Edinburgh on of trypanosomiasis and filariasis in “Changing emphases in attempts patients. In all his posts he to control African Trypanosomia- expressed strong appreciation of sis.” In 1968 he was elected FRSE the contributions of technicians to
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research and encouraged them to personality that combined study for higher degrees. honesty, fairmindedness and Russell’s changes at the School encouragement of initiative with were painful and viewed by some rigorous and even ruthless as over-diligent; but they induced determination not to be diverted a necessary catharsis. He encour- from his aims. Courageous and aged and expanded existing outspoken at times, he was very interest in parasite immunology much the gentleman, loyal, and recruited additional expertise considerate, kind and caring with - David Evans in microbial metabo- an endearingly mischievous sense lism and David Godfrey in of humour. genotype identification by Russell retired from the Chair in isoenzyme electrophoresis. With 1979 and returned to Scotland. his first PhD student, Michael He continued research part time at Miles, the molecular approach to Dundee and Edinburgh Universi- epidemiology and the vexed ties, and wrote papers on an question of genetic exchange in amazing diversity of topics - from protozoa began to flourish. Under human venereal trichomoniasis to David Warhurst, he set up an bush baby behaviour and the exotic disease research group arrows of Zambian hunter- which evolved into the Malaria gatherers. He also edited the Reference Laboratory. With David Journal of the Berwickshire Evans he edited the two-volume Naturalists Club. He was never Biology of the Kinetoplastida short of hobbies: piping, Scottish (1976, 1979) bringing together a poetry, trout fishing, even DIY in vast variety of research on renovating cottages in the trypanosomes, leishmanias and Borders, all claimed his attention. related organisms; it remains a Throughout his eventful career, much-cited publication. There is Russell was supported by his no doubt that Russell was a man charming wife Pamela. Whether of vision who would have enthusi- living in a magnificent villa in astically embraced and Uganda or in a tiny flat in championed the current dramatic Bloomsbury, they enjoyed enter- progress in molecular biology, taining and were population genetics, phylogenet- much-appreciated hosts. They ics and evolution. were widely perceived as the idyllic He was also an energetic and able loving couple, with a life-long manager, blessed with administra- bond - and so it proved. They tive credibility attained in previous raised two sons and a daughter, appointments. In driving changes though sadly the latter died in in direction, he was aided by a 1985. Russell died in Edinburgh
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on 13 May 2002, after a long Mrs Pamela Lumsden, Dr W John illness following a heart attack in Herbert and Professor Michael 1999. He was lovingly tended by Miles for their comments and help Pamela to the end. I warmly thank in writing the above memoir. Keith Vickerman
William Hepburn Russell Lumsden. BSc, DSc, MD, FIBiol, FRCPE. Born 27 March 1914; Elected FRSE 4 March 1968; Died 13 May 2002
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Charles William McCombie 12 September 1926 - 25 February 2006
Charles McCombie was born in fluctuations, an ingenious Monifieth, Angus, in September amplification system involving a 1926. He was fortunate to be pair of back-to-back photocells in brought up in a close family the circuit of a second galvanome- where his parents, recognising his ter was designed. The analysis of ability and the value of a good the galvanometer amplifier education, gave him constant became McCombie’s PhD project encouragement. He won a place and, as is almost always the case, at Robert Gordon’s College, the crucial ideas in his thesis Aberdeen, where he gained many formed an important part of the distinctions culminating with the intellectual machinery that he was award of top place in his home to make use of in subsequent town’s University Bursary Compe- work: in his case the key element tition. Charles was an was the relation between damp- undergraduate at the University of ing and the fluctuating forces that Aberdeen from 1944 to 1948, operate on a system as it oscillates initially intending to take a degree around thermal equilibrium. He in Chemistry but switching to extended his PhD work in an Mathematics and Natural Philoso- important and substantial review phy at the end of his second year. of Fluctuations and Physical After graduating with First Class Measurement published in Honours in 1948 he continued in Reports on Progress in Physics. Aberdeen as a research student In 1951, after completing his PhD supervised by Professor R. V. he spent a fruitful summer at Jones. He started on a project in M.I.T. during which he had solid state physics but was soon preliminary ideas on two themes diverted into providing the that were to become important in theoretical analysis to back up his his later work: through discus- supervisor’s experimental study of sions, mainly with Gene Gross, he methods of enabling detectors to began to consider the role of achieve close to the ultimate limit imperfections in modifying the of accuracy set by inevitable vibrations of crystals and, as a thermal fluctuations. The detector result of attending an extended studied was a simple galvanome- course on probability, he discov- ter and, in order to detect the ered the value of casting physics small displacements of the optical problems in probability terms if lever spot corresponding to these possible. He also benefited in the
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next few years from attending the Physics was one that Charles Summer Schools introduced by Sir recalled with great enjoyment and Neville Mott at Bristol. He saw later he strongly supported his such schools as being of immense own research students in similar value to young researchers and enriching postdoctoral visits to later, in the 1960s, became other countries. strongly involved in the Scottish After his return to Aberdeen to Universities’ Summer Schools in rejoin the staff of the Department Physics. He continued to make of Natural Philosophy under contributions to vacation training Professor R. V. Jones, he initially and always encouraged and continued with his work on assisted his own research students fluctuations but, by the late fifties, to broaden their horizons by his main interest had become the attending such courses. optical absorption bands associat- In 1955 he was awarded a ed with electronic transitions at Commonwealth Fund Fellowship defects in crystals. The first defect to work at the University of he studied, helped by his research Illinois, the leading centre for students Sandy Murray and James Solid State Physics at that time. It Matthew, was the F-centre (an was suggested that he look at a electron trapped at a negative ion puzzling discrepancy that had vacancy) in alkali halides. The been found between theory and work was in many ways no great experiment for the ratio of departure from his earlier work: electrical conductivity to isotope the broad (essentially Gaussian) diffusion in silver chloride. The optical absorption band for the F- problem was not in an area that centre was interpreted as arising was familiar to him but he from fluctuating radial displace- succeeded in solving it by consid- ments of the neighbours. A new ering the migration of ions with feature however was the extensive the same care and clear-headed- use of computers to perform what ness that had been a hallmark of were at the time very ambitious his work on fluctuations. The calculations. Charles was always Fellowship was extended to allow happy to leave computations, or him to work with Charles Kittel at ‘brute force calculations’ as he Berkeley on resolving some often called them, to his research apparent inconsistencies between students. The ideas were devel- transport theory and the Onsager oped further in a study with relations. This period of visiting another student, John Slater, of other laboratories and discussing the absorption associated with a problems with some of the centre in diamond, in this case a greatest minds in Solid State
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sharp line with an attendant propose an improved theory, their structured band. ‘minimum surface’ theory. The diamond spectrum had been Charles did more than his share of measured at the Physics Depart- administration at Reading, in ment of the University of Reading particular as Head of Department and this made Charles an obvious between 1980 and 1984. Shortly choice for their newly created after this he took early retirement Chair in Theoretical Physics which with part-time re-employment. he took up in 1964. At Reading Later he did retire from teaching he continued with his studies of but continued to visit the depart- optical absorption at defects in ment several times a week. He crystals, looking at spectra from particularly enjoyed discussing transition metal ions in magnesi- physics with colleagues. Over the um oxide when I was his student last few years his interests turned and, with Roger Loader, returning to interpretations of wavefunc- to the optical properties of the F- tions in quantum mechanics. He centre which were, by that stage, was pursuing a little exploited much more fully measured. He suggestion by Einstein that an was elected a Fellow of the Royal ensemble interpretation of the Society of Edinburgh in March wavefunction would avoid the 1970. Later he returned to the conceptual difficulties that arise type of problem in defect dynam- from the Copenhagen interpreta- ics that he had first explored tion. As with much of his work at during his Commonwealth Fund Reading this remains unpub- Fellowship: with Arthur Every and lished. Shane Heaney he looked at His gift for reducing complicated questions in the re-orientation of problems to simple examples that defects and the entropies of retained the essential features of formation of defects and through the original problem made this became interested in the Charles an inspiring teacher and range of validity of the widely research supervisor and a valued used Vineyard theory for hopping colleague. I was lucky enough to rates of defects between their benefit in all three ways: as an possible sites. Along with his undergraduate in Aberdeen and Research Assistant, Manoj as his PhD student and colleague Sachdev, he compared the in Reading. He particularly Vineyard theory results for the enjoyed working on presenting hopping rates of a simple model physics to students in a way that defect with results found from was best suited to their level of computer simulation and from the skill. discrepancies they were able to
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Outside physics Charles had many restoration techniques. His interests. He played a prominent breadth of interests and gentle part in the social life of the manner made him a widely- University, particularly in the respected member of the Senior Common Room, where he University community at Reading was Senior Steward from 1971 to and also at Aberdeen, where he 1972, and at Windsor Hall, where maintained contacts through he was Senior Resident from its regular visits to his sister, brother founding in 1964 until 1991. It is and the community in which he fitting that a recent building spent his formative years. Charles extending the Hall has been is remembered fondly by his named in his honour. Many at his friends and colleagues not only as funeral in Reading were aware of a distinguished physicist but as a his skills on the ballroom floor, person of great humility and but were surprised to learn from integrity. his brother that as a youngster he In the last few years Charles had excelled at gymnastics. He McCombie devoted considerable had a life-long love of books and time to preparing and writing amassed an enormous collection obituaries for friends and col- reflecting his knowledgeable leagues. Perhaps with this in interests in art, literature, philoso- mind, he made available his own phy, religion, history, oriental rugs, hand-written notes for a lecture Arabic and, of course, physics. that he gave in Reading reviewing Having been introduced to the his life in science. I have made world of antique oriental rugs extensive use of these notes in during a stay in America, he writing this obituary. became a well-informed collector, even teaching himself some Michael Sangster
Charles William McCombie MA, PhD (Aberdeen). Born 12 September 1926; Elected FRSE 2 March 1970; Died 25 February 2006.
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Sir Harry (Work) Melville 27 April 1908 - 14 June 2000
The Society lost one of its most molecular structure and chemical distinguished and long-serving change by means of band spec- Fellows on 14 June 2000 at the tra’. age of 92 with the death of Sir His research supervisors were John Harry Melville, Fellow of the E. Mackenzie and Ernest B. Society from 1937, Bruce-Preller Ludlam, both Fellows of our lecturer (1943), Gunning Victoria Society. From the latter, whose Jubilee Prize (1952-56). research experience was in both Born in Edinburgh on 27 April chemistry and physics including a 1908, the only son of Thomas and period with the Nobel Prize Esther Cumming Burnett Melville physicist Philipp Lenard, Melville née Nicol), who resided in the would have been stimulated in his southside at 233 Dalkeith Road, development of a wide range of he went first to Preston Street physical properties applied to School before entering George problems of chemical kinetics of Heriot’s School in 1916. It does gas phase reactions. It does not not appear that his school appear that Ludlam’s deep pacifist recognised his abilities as the convictions, which had led to summary report on his leaving in several terms of imprisonment in July 1925 recorded “Average the first world war, had the same intelligence, fairly good worker, impact. quiet unassuming manner, always His first three years of research courteous”. Beneath this modest were highly productive and papers outward appearance was a young on the oxidation of phosphorus man of the highest ability. He vapour, the photochemistry of entered the Heriot-Watt College phosphine and of ammonia, the probably contemplating a career diffusion coefficients of gas in engineering and after a year mixtures, absorption spectra, entered the Chemistry Depart- surface reactions and reactions of ment of the University of atomic hydrogen were published. Edinburgh with a bursary and In addition to these, some other graduated with first class honours papers illustrated his ability to in 1930. He was awarded a design and build ingenious Carnegie Research Scholarship to apparatus to expedite experimen- undertake his PhD studies during tation at higher levels of accuracy. the years 1930-1933, the topic Unusually for a research student proposed being ‘Investigation of
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under supervision there were workers had to put them into many papers of which he was the effect by experimental methods sole or senior author. His PhD and in this particular aspect thesis The oxidation of phospho- Melville’s experience and inven- rous at low pressures was tiveness were invaluable to the awarded the Society’s Gunning- whole team of research students Victoria Jubilee Prize in Chemistry and post-doctorals. His colleagues in 1932. The award of an 1851 sought a ready sourcebook for senior exhibition took him to the experimentation to which they Colloid Science Laboratory in could refer whenever necessary. As Cambridge in 1933 to work with a result Harry Melville together Professor Eric Rideal. This labora- with a colleague Adalbert Farkas tory had research interests from the Hebrew University, spanning a wide range of chemis- Jerusalem took up the challenge. try, physics and biology and, Their method was to forego having a deservedly high reputa- drinks after dinner in the Senior tion, attracted some exceptional Common Room in Trinity and workers. write separate sections each in their own room. The following In Cambridge the range of his day, Farkas’ English having been research interests widened still corrected by his co-author, further. A Fellow of Trinity College material could be typed. Within a from 1933- 1944, he was ap- few months the manuscript was pointed Assistant Director of complete and then the authors Research at the Colloid Science went to Macmillan’s office in Laboratory in 1938. Recognition London. In the late 1950’s he told of his work came in the award of me “We were met by a young the DSc degree from Edinburgh in chap there called Harold. He’s 1935, the award of the Meldola come on quite a bit since then Medal of the Institute of Chemis- don’t you think?” try in 1936 and election to our Fellowship in 1937. He continued Experimental Reactions in Gas to study a wide range of gas and Kinetics duly appeared in 1939, surface reactions and his studies published by Macmillan and of explosion limits in gaseous became an invaluable book in the oxidation reactions won interna- laboratories where gas kinetics tional recognition. From 1936 was pursued. The print run was onwards his studies extended to soon exhausted in the war years polymerisation, a topic that was to and secondhand booksellers become the major focus of his would offer prospective buyers a research interests in subsequent place in a queue of twenty or years. Rideal’s strengths lay in his more hopefuls. abundant ideas but his co-
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Photochemical polymerisation of staff and a growing school of reactions were becoming his research students and post- major research interest and his doctorals in the areas of polymer growing reputation was apparent chemistry and gas kinetics. Those in his appointment to the Chair of working in other areas of physical Chemistry in the University of chemistry also benefited and Aberdeen in 1940 and his Melville’s support for the develop- election as a Fellow of the Royal ment of analytical chemistry in the Society in 1941 “for his outstand- department was invaluable to that ing contributions in the study of often neglected, but vital, study. gaseous reactions and of the His stimulus was also felt at mechanism of polymerisation”. undergraduate level where his The outbreak of war put a stop to lectures created enthusiastic most of his research work and in interest from his honours stu- 1940 he became Scientific Adviser dents. It is not surprising that his to the Chief Superintendent, 1958 Royal Institution Christmas Ministry of Supply from 1940-43 Lectures on “Big Molecules” to based mainly at Porton Down, and younger audiences were highly then became Superintendent of successful. the Radar Research Station at The award of the Royal Society’s Malvern 1943-45. Those who Davy Medal in 1955 and of the worked with him in later years Bakerian lecture in 1956 were a realised that he never spoke of his recognition of his standing and work in these posts. In 1941 and achievements but also, in 1956, in 1943 he gave review lectures the prospects of his continuing to on themes in polymer chemistry advance polymer chemistry and including industrial applications. gas kinetics in Birmingham with His return to academic life in 1945 his wise and stimulating leader- saw the beginning of new studies ship changed irrevocably with his in gas kinetics and in polymer appointment to the Secretaryship kinetics. In 1948 he was appoint- to the Committee of the Privy ed to the Mason Chair of Council for Scientific and Industri- Chemistry in the University of al Research. Birmingham, and was accompa- nied by his research group whose Henceforth he was to be an equipment, including glass administrator, though he never vacuum lines, was transported in ceased to be a scientist. His furniture vans. For the next eight commitments to Government and years the development of his other bodies were many and these previous research came to fruition had been made effective by his with an enthusiastic group of long-established and highly- lieutenants in the young members effective use of his time. He had
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been Chief Scientific Adviser on accompanied each DSIR research Civil Defence for the Midland studentship. Region, had served as a member A Whitehall reorganisation in of the Ministry of Aviation 1965 saw the appointment of Sir Scientific Advice Council, the Harry Melville (he had been Research Council of the British knighted KCB in 1958) to the Electricity Authority, the Royal position of first Chairman of the Commission on University newly formed Science Research Education in Dundee, in addition Council, a position which he held to service on the various commit- for two years before moving to his tees of the Royal Society, the last post as Principal of Queen Chemical Society and the Faraday Mary College, University of Society. Such duties were supple- London. In 1968 he gave the mented by his cultivation of Betts-Brown lecture in Heriot-Watt effective links with industrial University on Science and Govern- research in companies such as ment in which his careful analysis Dunlop. His new post brought and predictions offered a percep- with it responsibility for the tive guide to those academics who oversight of the fifteen or more wished to develop a realistic view governmental applied research of the policies necessary to laboratories, in addition to the support scientific research in support of pure research pro- universities for the remainder of grammes in universities through the twentieth century. grants to meet the cost of equip- ment and personnel. During his In his position as Principal of time at the DSIR there was a very QMC his administrative col- large growth in the financing of leagues found him to be scientific research by government. unflappable, open to argument Of prime strategic importance was yet decisive in judgment. Many the provision of research student- academic members of staff rarely ships. It was typical of Melville’s saw him; unlike his predecessor understanding of university he never went to the Staff Com- financing at a departmental level mon Room. His hard work, carried that, when asked by the Cabinet out behind the scenes, saw the Minister to whom he was respon- College grow in numbers with sible to suggest something that expansion in law and economics, would enhance governmental and particularly in developments standing with academics, he in pre-clinical medical education proposed the introduction of the where the linkage of QMC with St research training support grant Bartholomew’s and the London whereby an annual grant of £200 Hospital, the BLQ scheme of the
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1968 Todd Report, was made ended in 1956, his interest in possible through the acquirement polymer chemistry never ceased. of the adjacent Jewish cemetery He was the moving spirit behind for the construction of the the foundation and the work of necessary new buildings. The the High Polymer Research Group pioneering venture of QMC and regularly attended its annual Industrial Research Ltd in 1973, meetings in the Manor House, which came to fruition in later Moretonhampstead. For many years, was a further example of his years its Chairman, he last leadership and continuing contact attended as a guest with Lady with industry. Melville was deeply Melville in 1998. His marriage to concerned with the financial basis Janet Marion Cameron in 1942 of his college and considered that was a very happy one; they had in the division by Senate House of two daughters and he was known the block UGC grant made to the as a devoted family man. For those University of London, the needs of who worked with him he leaves QMC were not being met. His the memory of a stimulating efforts to change this through his personality whose gentle humour membership of the University was often evident. Court met with little success. I acknowledge with thanks His final service to the University discussions with and contribu- of London was his chairmanship tions from friends, colleagues and of the Council of Westfield associates, particularly Professors College from 1977 to 1983, a B J Aylett, J C Bevington, D C period marked both by further Bradley and T S West, the former cuts in the UGC block grant to Bursar of QMC, Mr W P Richards, universities and moves toward the Carnegie Trust and the amalgamation of some of the Headmaster of George Heriot’s smaller colleges. School, Mr A G Hector. Although his personal involve- Brian G Gowenlock ment in the direction of research
Sir Harry (Work) Melville KCB, BSc, PhD, Hon. LLD, Hon. DCL, Hon DSc (Exeter, Birmingham, Liverpool, Leeds, Heriot-Watt, Essex), Hon. DTech, FRSC, FRS. Born 27 April 1908; Elected FRSE 1 March 1937; Died 14 June 2000.
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Christina Cruickshank Miller 29 August 1899 - 16 July 2001
Christina Cruickshank Miller was year diploma course at the Heriot- born in 1899, and when about Watt, subject to provisos about five years old was very ill with ancillary subjects, and examina- measles and rubella, which tions to be passed. progressively and severely dam- Because of the war the three-term aged her hearing. At primary courses at the University were school she was a good allrounder, compressed into two terms, excelling in spelling and mental creating a very heavy workload, arithmetic. At her secondary exacerbated by the hearing school all pupils were taught problems, but in spite of this she chemistry and physics, so she produced first or good second never thought of science as a male class results throughout. She was prerogative. The initial science always first in chemistry at the teaching by untrained teachers Heriot-Watt, but was warned that resulted in mediocre work by at the University there were always Chrissie, but later tuition by first- some brainy men at the top. She class graduates improved her made no comment, but won the performance dramatically; and she class medal. She graduated BSc discovered how important an with special distinction and influence a well-qualified teacher gained a Vans Dunlop Scholar- can have. ship, giving her the means to For a female all-rounder good at undertake research for a higher mathematics, school-teaching degree. seemed the only career open, but She was so impressed by Professor was barred by her deafness. A Sir James Walker that she greatly magazine article suggesting desired to work under his direc- industrial analytical chemistry as a tion at the University, and saw him career for girls led to her choice of in 1920 while still taking the study. She was advised that the Heriot-Watt course. He told her to Heriot-Watt College gave better learn German and see him again laboratory training than the in 1921. She mastered the University, but an industrial language during her daily train chemist told her father ‘I wish to journeys between Edinburgh and God I had a university degree’. In her home in Kirkcaldy. In 1921 she 1917 she found she could obtained the Diploma in Applied combine a three-year university Chemistry and the Associateship course in chemistry with a four-
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of the Heriot-Watt College and responsible for the glow of had done some research on phosphorus. The first two years organic arsenicals and mercurials, yielded two publications, and the in which analysis played an Carnegie Fellowship was renewed important part. (unusually) for a third year, but on Sir James’s advice she renounced In 1921-24 she worked under Sir the Fellowship, to accept an James on diffusion in solution, assistantship in the Chemistry testing the validity of the Stokes- Department, as a means to Einstein Law. She had great achieve her goal of a DSc before difficulty in achieving reliable she was thirty. She bought a results, because the chemistry typewriter and taught herself to building was still under construc- type, with a view to typing her tion and the facilities were crude thesis. The assistantship involved or totally lacking. In the diffusion supervising third and fourth year work prevention of convection students in the Advanced Inor- currents was essential, for which a ganic Chemistry Laboratory under constant temperature room would Dr Kay, a zealot for accuracy and be desirable but was not available precision. until two years later. However, she learned a lot through having to The work on phosphorus trioxide use her own ingenuity, aided by continued, with final success in Mr Walter Murray, the chief preparation of the pure oxide, technician ‘a genius brimful of which did not glow, and demon- ideas’ who taught her glass- stration that the glow hitherto blowing (with soft soda-glass) so reported was due to traces of well that she was able to make dissolved phosphorus. In 1929 nearly all the special apparatus she was proposed for promotion needed. The research was success- to a lectureship and Sir James ful and resulted in a PhD and sole advised her to submit her DSc authorship of a paper in the thesis in good time. This thesis Proceedings of the Royal Society, was said by the external examiner London. to be the best he had ever read. She graduated DSc (at 29) and She had held a Carnegie Research was granted the lectureship with Scholarship in 1922-24 and was tenure. In 1930 she was awarded now awarded a Fellowship for two the Keith Prize by the Royal Society years, enabling her to conduct of Edinburgh for her work on independent research on a topic phosphorus trioxide. The citation proposed by Sir James, namely to for the award quoted the doyen find whether the glow exhibited of inorganic chemistry in this by phosphorus trioxide was country as saying “I regard Miss
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Miller’s contribution to our organic and/or inorganic microa- knowledge of this subject as the nalysis, and were also used to test most important advance made in the new methods developed by the last twenty years”. Her future Chrissie’s research students. All was now assured, but earlier in student reports were carefully that year a disastrous explosion in read and marked and the results further work on the trioxide had entered in Chrissie’s famous ‘Black cost her the sight of one eye, so Book’, a thick loose-leafbinder that line of work was abandoned. containing every result obtained She then turned to a new project from 1933 onwards, and used for in physical chemistry, but finding statistical appraisal, and assign- it too time-consuming to keep up ment of experiments to student with the rapidly expanding demonstrators. literature in both physical and Besides the teaching and research analytical chemistry she decided to load, Chrissie’s expertise was confine all further research to the much in demand for various latter, thus starting on what was purposes. During the war she the second high point in her prepared and equipped a labora- academic career, with a long series tory for rapid detection of war of very good research students. gases, devised a scheme for Emphasis was placed on exploit- twenty-four of these, prepared all ing reduction in scale of the reagents, and tested the operations in quantitative and scheme extensively to ensure qualitative analysis of inorganic reliability. She also analysed samples. This led to an extensive numerous materials for the War range of research and publica- Department, including samples of tions. German origin. Her experience in After Dr Kay’s death in 1933 microanalysis was often of use in Chrissie was appointed director of examination of trace amounts of the teaching laboratory, and materials found in archaeology. continuously updated the courses Her career was brought to an by introducing new instruments untimely end in 1961, when and techniques as they appeared, increasing hearing problems and so that all chemistry students family commitments (her mother received a thorough grounding in and sister were semi-invalids) led analytical chemistry, with empha- her to seek early retirement. sis on accuracy and precision. All honours students received As a teacher, Chrissie took endless training in micro or semimicro care to give everyone the best quantitative analysis, the best of training she could, spending them being offered courses in countless hours at home marking
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practical reports and correcting lectures. Her standing was errors in grammar, spelling and recognised in 1949, when she arithmetic. As a research supervi- was the only chemist among the sor she was enthusiastic and first five women elected to encouraging, appearing first thing Fellowship of the Royal Society of in the morning to ask the plans Edinburgh, and again in 1951 for the day, and returning in late when she was awarded Honorary afternoon to hear the results. She Fellowship of the Heriot-Watt had a quiet sense of humour, and College and was the only woman was unfailingly polite, helpful and among the 25 Foundation never seen to lose her temper Fellows. In 1945 she gave an (though she admitted to some- invited lecture entitled Quantita- times saying ‘Grhhh’). Her memory tive Inorganic Microanalysis for was prodigious to the end of her University Students, and in 1950 life and could yield the name, the Sir James Walker Memorial degree and year of graduation for Lecture to the University Chemical almost any student she had Society. taught. After Chrissie’s death, a There are many who feel that had 1958 graduate wrote ‘She she been less self-effacing she inspired logical thinking like no would have been one of Britain’s one else I’ve ever known; she first professors of Analytical would encourage endless debate Chemistry. To work with her was a and argument (reserving the privilege and a pleasure and to option of switching off her gain her approbation an accolade. hearing aid only in the most She is well worthy of her inclusion extreme of situations’). in the Rayner-Canhams’ book Chrissie was highly esteemed by Women Chemists of the Twenti- many internationally renowned eth Century. analysts and was noted for the Robert A. Chalmers clarity of her speech in public
Reproduced by kind permission of the Edinburgh University Graduates Association
Christina Cruickshank Miller BSc, PhD, DSc, FH-WC. Born 29 August 1899; Elected FRSE 7 March 1949; Died 16 July 2001.
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Ian Robert Mackenzie Mowat 20 April 1946 - 6 September 2002
The tragic death of Ian Mowat in a University as Assistant Librarian hill-walking accident in Glencoe under Alex Anderson, working in on 6th September 2002 at the the Social Sciences department age of fifty six shocked the world which was then housed in of librarianship and was a griev- Edinburgh city centre. In 1975 he ous loss to the academic was appointed Assistant Keeper at community in Scotland. the National Library of Scotland Ian Robert Mackenzie Mowat was where he was engaged in the born in Dingwall, Ross-shire, on compilation of the Bibliography of 20th April 1946, and educated at Scotland, and responsible for the Robert Gordon’s College Aber- publication of the volumes for deen. He read history at the 1976/77 and 1977/78. His University of Aberdeen (1964- research took him abroad across 1968), and history remained his Europe through Belgium, France, passion throughout his life, but Austria and Switzerland. In all from the start of his career his these posts he drew on his chosen profession was that of training as a historian and a librarianship. On graduation he bibliographer and became a well- took a post of graduate trainee known and popular figure in the for a year in Glasgow University library community in Scotland. Library, under Ogilvie MacKenna, In 1978 he returned to the before proceeding to the School university sector for his first of Librarianship at the University management post, as Sub- of Sheffield where he gained the Librarian in charge of Reader MA in 1969. His first professional Services in Glasgow University post was that of Assistant Librari- where Henry Heaney was now an in the University of St Andrews Librarian, and in 1983 he became under Dugald MacArthur, where Associate Librarian, responsible he worked on the Special Collec- for all aspects of collection tions (1970-1972). It was during management, from book selection this period that he began research to conservation. In Henry Heaney for the BPhil which he gained in he had an outstanding mentor 1972; this led to the publication and the regard was mutual. He of his book Easter Ross, 1750- began to play a part at a national 1850: the double frontier by John level, serving for example on Donald in 1981. He followed this committees of the Standing with three years at Heriot Watt Conference of National and
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University Libraries (SCONUL) and Europe, Greece, the Middle East of the University, College and and Indonesia, and maintained Research Section of the Library contact, especially with Romanian Association. In addition to his and Polish libraries, until his many professional involvements, death. He edited jointly with M. he made time for more academic Sliwinska Library Management: interests, in architectural history East-West relations published in and in Scottish history. 1995. This was one of numerous After eight years of fruitful work publications on professional there Ian Mowat was well topics. equipped for the senior post in a In 1991 he left Hull to become university library, and in 1986 at Librarian and Keeper of the Pybus the age of forty he became Collection at the University of Librarian at the University of Hull, Newcastle-on-Tyne, again suc- succeeding Philip Larkin who had ceeding a distinguished and died in post the previous autumn. popular Librarian, Dr Brian There could have been no-one Enright, whose sudden death in better fitted to rebuild the morale post came at a time of significant of a grieving staff and to refocus change for the Library. It fell to minds on new initiatives. His Ian Mowat to see through a major refreshing humour and friendly extension to the Robertson manner made him a congenial Library. He was back in a big-city colleague and with his strong environment, and used the sense of purpose he was an opportunities which it offered to inspiring leader. In Hull he was foster collaboration with other much involved in developing the higher education libraries includ- first automated library system to ing the new University of be installed there, and in the use Northumbria. On the national of electronic networks. It was in front he took the Library into the this period that he began to Consortium of University Research undertake work abroad on behalf Libraries (CURL) as one of the of the British Council and leading research libraries in the UNESCO which brought him a country, and he involved himself new perspective on the opportu- enthusiastically in the Online nities afforded worldwide, and Computer Library Center (OCLC), especially for developing coun- the world’s largest bibliographic tries, by information and utility, based in Dublin, Ohio, communication technologies. serving on its Members’ Council. During his career he undertook Shortly before his death he was lecturing, consultancies and elected to the Board of Trustees. reviews in Scandinavia, Eastern He chaired the UK Office for
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Library Networking (UKOLN) and be his last and longest tenure. In was a member of the Joint the event he had held it for only Information Systems Committee five and a half years at the time of (JISC) of the UK Higher Education his tragic death; yet his impact on Funding Councils, chairing the the Library and the University in sub-committee which monitored that brief time was immense. He the non-formula funding made moved the Library into a new available in the 1990s for research generation of technical advances; collections. He was much sought he responded strategically to the as a chairman by library and growth in student numbers, to academic organisations for his diminishing resources for higher quick grasp of issues, his sensitiv- education, to the impact of the ity to points of contention or of swing from bound volume to debate, his consummate diploma- online text in medical and biologi- cy and his ability to manage cal sciences, and to their meetings firmly yet with a light implications for staffing, buildings touch. and resources. He had a genius One of Ian Mowat’s great qualities for collaboration: when a new was his friendly relationship with computer system was needed he his staff. They admired, liked and worked jointly with the National trusted him. He always had time Library of Scotland to ensure that to listen and encourage, and took a shared system was purchased, to a practical interest in their careers. the advantage of users of both He too had ambitions: he always libraries. He secured major wanted to return to Scotland one funding under the Research day, and his prime ambition was Support Libraries Programme to become Librarian to the (RSLP) for projects relating to the University of Edinburgh. (In a cataloguing and conservation of conference interval once in the Special Collections in his own and early 1990s when a group of his other Scottish libraries; he generation was airing profession- improved the physical effective- al pipe dreams he turned to me, ness of the Main Library with then holding the coveted office, redesigned areas and improved with a typically mischievous air, publicity. In the counsels of the and said ‘I want your job!’, which University at large he played a pleased me greatly.) On my wise and effective role. retirement he was delighted to be Ian Mowat had a charismatic appointed to the position, and personality. He inspired trust and took up office in Edinburgh in affection in those with whom he February 1997 as Librarian to the worked. He had a cheerful, even University for what he expected to joyful, demeanour, a sparkling wit,
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an infectious laugh. He had a It was on a school trip to Paris at positive outlook on life: his the age of eighteen that he first enthusiasm and commitment met the girl who was to become made him a true champion of any his wife, Margaret Louise Jackson. cause which he espoused. His Four years later when he had knowledge and experience carried graduated from Aberdeen weight and brought conviction, University and she from Neville’s and if on occasion he did not win Cross College, Durham, they were the day, he did not let it rankle, married. The birth of a daughter, but sought new ways to his goal, Vari, and a son, Simon, completed which was always to improve the family in which he took great support for research and teaching. delight and pride. Throughout As the news of his death travelled his career he was quick to ac- by email around the world, knowledge the debt he owed to tributes came from Australia to their constant support. Alaska, from Poland to Pakistan. Ian Mowat was elected a Fellow of He enjoyed his work, but he also the Royal Society of Edinburgh in enjoyed life out with work. He 1998. It was a well-deserved had been a keen hill-walker from honour which he greatly appreci- his school days; he enjoyed travel, ated. and family holidays in a cottage in Greece. Brenda E Moon
Ian Robert Mackenzie Mowat. MA (Aberdeen), MA (Sheffield), BPhil (St Andrews). Born 20 April 1946; Elected FRSE 2 March 1998; Died 6 Septem- ber 2002.
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Mary Jessie McDonald Noble 23 February 1911 - 20 July 2002
Mary Noble passed away peaceful- burgh. She retired in 1971 as a ly on 20 July 2002 at the Principal Scientific Officer, in Drummond Grange Nursing charge of Seed Pathology and Home, Lasswade, in an area of Mycology at what had become the Scotland with which she was Agricultural Scientific Services of intimately linked. Her parents the Department of Agriculture were both from Leith, where her and Fisheries for Scotland, now father had a chemist and druggist based at East Craigs, Corstor- shop at Gladstone Place for over phine, affectionately called the fifty years. Mary was born on 23 ‘Seed Testing Station’. February 1911 and it was her In 1968 she became a Companion father, himself a student in of the Imperial Service Order in Glasgow of the eminent botanist recognition of her scientific work Professor F O Bower, who intro- for the Department of Agriculture duced Mary to botany. Mary and Fisheries. attended Mary Erskine School, before going to Edinburgh Mary’s main activities in her University where she gained a working career were concerned B.Sc. with Honours in Botany. with plant pathology especially aspects of seed pathology. Her In 1935 she received a PhD under abilities and knowledge within the tutelage of mycologist and her chosen speciality were plant pathologist Dr Malcolm recognised by her election as a Wilson, the family of whom she Fellow of the Royal Society of kept in touch with until her death. Edinburgh in 1958, and by her Her doctorate studies covered service as a Councillor of both the mycological aspects of seed Association of Applied Biologists pathology, which was to become and the British Mycological one of her abiding interests, and Society (BMS). She was a Vice- her thesis gained her the Gunning President of the latter in 1969 and Victoria Jubilee Prize of the Royal the Editor of the society’s Bulletin Society of Edinburgh. (which is now The Mycologist) After leaving university she joined from 1972-78. She was a member the Plant Pathology service of the of the International Seed Testing then Board of Agriculture, which Association’s (ISTA) Plant Patholo- was based at the Royal Botanic gy Committee from 1950-1971, Garden, Inverleith Row, Edin-
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and in 1958 produced, with Drs farmer’s lung, and wart disease of Paul Neergaard and Jo deTempe, potatoes, all of which were of the authoritative Annotated List of great importance to Scottish Seedborne Diseases, a 4th edition agriculture at the time she worked of which was published by ISTA in on them. During WWII she spent 1990. time surveying flax fields in the Her long involvement with ISTA West of Scotland to check the continued after her ‘retirement’ health of crops; disease in the flax and in 1982 she was elected could have affected linen produc- President of the First International tion, linen being used for covering Symposium of Seed Pathology aircraft wings. held in Denmark, a country with After her retirement Mary’s which she had fond connections energies were devoted to a much through her collaboration with broader spectrum of interests, Paul Neergaard, Founder and albeit with mycological connec- Director of the Danish Govern- tions and started off with a world ment Institute of Seed Pathology tour visiting plant pathology for Developing Countries. That institutes and former collabora- organisation provided a spring- tors. In planning for retirement, board for Mary’s travels all over she made the move a few years the world, where she was a great before to be opposite the 19th ambassador for seed pathology, hole of Broomieknowe golf lecturing and running workshops course, where she had played for in India, the Philippines, Australia, many years, and where there is a Argentina, Costa Rica and Israel, hole named after her. Eventually an activity which continued after her failing knees prevented her her retirement. playing golf, but the Beatrix Potter Apart from Mary’s ISTA publica- story took over. tions, including the development In 1975 the Botanical Society of of the ISTA Handbook of Seed Edinburgh (now Scotland) Health Testing, her scientific celebrated the centenary of the publications included several incorporated Cryptogamic Society popular accounts of plant diseas- of Scotland. It was for these es. Others, often with celebrations that Mary researched collaborators, covered such wide the life of Charles McIntosh, a ranging topics as blind seed well-known and at the time an disease of ryegrass, stem eelworm important Perthshire naturalist of strawberry, various cereal who, although employed as a diseases, blackleg, verticillium wilt postman working out of Dunkeld, and coiled shoot of potatoes, contributed considerably to our
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understanding of Scottish She played an important role in cryptogams. She brought Mcin- the establishment of the Suntrap, tosh’s great contribution to a at Gogarbank, and visited regular- much wider audience, and in so ly to help staff and deal with doing stumbled across a strong enquiries on plant disease and connection with Beatrix Potter. disorders. Her ability to harass and This single event changed the face pressurise in a firm but friendly of ‘Potterism’, not only in Britain way to right what she felt had but worldwide, and focused been neglected, as exemplified in Mary’s energies. She reinstated dealings in connection with Potter Beatrix Potter in the public and SNT, reaped its reward. No domain as a mycologist as well as better example than nearer home, a popular but at that time rather where an old cemetery (another of out of fashion writer of children’s her interests!) of great historic books. She demonstrated that significance had been allowed to Potter was an accurate observer of fall into ruin. Almost single nature and landscape, a compe- handedly the importance of the tent illustrator and a very able site and those buried there was scientific thinker. Mary was in demonstrated and thoroughly great demand as a speaker and documented, which saw before writer on Beatrix Potter’s mycolo- her death a rekindling of interest gy, and co-authored A Victorian in the burial ground, which goes Naturalist – Beatrix Potter’s back to the 13th century. One Drawings from the Armitt Collec- connection with the site was the tion and became Vice-President of Drummond family, some of whom the Beatrix Potter Society. She emigrated to Australia – and yes, uncovered many outstanding some were botanists, one even a details of information about this mycologist! The circle is closed. amazing lady – it is a shame Mary The scientific and local history and she never met! communities have been therefore It does not, however, stop there. saddened by the death of Mary During all this time she was active Noble; indeed the richness of in the Scottish Rock Garden Club, society as a whole has been where she developed a passion reduced by a measurable degree. for heathers and annually grew Mary had a vast breadth of from seed the endemic Scottish information and knowledge, of Primiula scotica; the Royal Caledo- which only a part was committed nian Horticultural Society; and the to paper. The rest has sadly been National Trust for Scotland. lost with her death, especially that relating to interests which she took up with her typical enthusi-
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asm in later years. Mary outlived a be sadly missed by family and the single brother John (Eoin) by a few many, many friends she made in months, and was aunt to Sandra, all her walks of life in many parts Gillian, Fiona and Alastair. She will of the world. Roy Watling
Mary Jessie McDonald Noble ISO, BSc, PhD, FIBiol. Born 23 February 1911; Elected FRSE 3 March 1958; Died 20 July 2002.
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Cecil Wilfred Nutt 27 December 1921 - 12 February 2001
Cecil Nutt was born in Fishponds, to a Lectureship in Chemical Bristol on 27 December 1921, son Engineering in the University of of Edgar and Ada Nutt. He Birmingham. In 1948 chemical attended Dr Morgan’s School in engineering was a comparatively Bridgwater, Somerset and from new academic subject and many there proceeded to study chemis- of the posts were filled by those try at Bristol University. After who had received their earlier graduating in chemistry in 1942 training in the established fields he joined the Armament Research of chemistry. Department of the Ministry of Cecil began to make his name in Supply, part of which was located the fundamental science of in Bristol University, and carried chemical engineering. His DSc out research on plastic explosives. thesis, in 1963, describes experi- At the end of the war in 1946 he mental and theoretical researches was able to complete his PhD in a number of fields of chemistry under the supervision of Dr W J and physics of importance in Dunning and Professor W E engineering science. He studied Garner in one year using some of the enrichment of mineral ores by the material from his war work. He froth flotation. With Professor F H graduated PhD in 1947. By this Garner he examined the role of time Cecil had married, in 1944, detergent additives in lubricating Betty Legg, whom he had met oils and other properties of while still an undergraduate. Betty mineral oils. He developed a high recalls the hazardous nature of speed rotor beam apparatus in some of the experiments carried order to investigate heterogene- out at that time. Cecil published ous reactions and applied it to a two papers on the physical number of diverse reactions. Cecil chemistry of concentrated nitric gained a reputation as a very able acid and the heat of its reaction experimentalist who enjoyed with hexamine. designing and fabricating his own In 1948 Professor F H Garner was equipment, including a mass recruiting staff as Head of the spectrometer. In Birmingham he Department of Chemical Engineer- was promoted to Senior Lecturer ing in Birmingham. On a visit to in 1958 and Reader in 1962. Bristol to see his brother Professor In the late 1960s the Department W E Garner he met Cecil Nutt and of Chemical Engineering at so it was that Cecil was appointed Heriot-Watt University was in the
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process of evolution, following its identifying the impact of these separation from the joint Depart- new developments on the training ment with Edinburgh University. of chemical engineers and on the Professor John M Coulson of the activities of the Institution. Cecil University of Newcastle upon Tyne was Dean of the Faculty of was given leave of absence for the Engineering at Heriot-Watt for a year 1968-69, enabling him to three year period. become Professor and to give the Cecil Nutt played a full part in benefit of his wide experience to Society and Institution affairs. He Heriot-Watt. Cecil Nutt was initiated the foundation of the appointed as Professor and Head Chemical Society Molecular Beam of Department in 1970. At first Group and was its Secretary until the Department was based in the 1970, becoming Chairman until old buildings in Chambers Street 1975. He joined the Institution of in Edinburgh but eventually, Chemical Engineers in 1961 and renamed the Department of became a Fellow, serving on its Chemical and Process Engineer- Board of Examiners, Research ing, it joined the other parts of Committee and Scottish Branch the University on the Riccarton Committee. He was a member of Campus. the International Committee During the 1970s, under the organising European Symposia on influence of Principal George Molecular Beams. He was a Burnett and Professor Tom Patten, Member of the Faraday Society Heriot-Watt University became from 1948 until its merger with increasingly involved with the the Chemical Society to form the challenge of North Sea Oil and the Royal Society of Chemistry, and a Institute of Offshore Engineering Member of the Society of Petrole- was set up with Tom Patten as um Engineers. Director. Cecil Nutt was Convenor While at Heriot-Watt the Nutts of a Faculty Working Party on the lived in Linlithgow, in a house Offshore Engineering syllabus in overlooking the Palace and order to identify the features of Linlithgow Loch. The writer recalls the subject which would lead to a many dinner parties hosted by homogeneous and integrated Cecil and Betty. These parties syllabus from the various tradi- enabled engineers and scientists, tional disciplines. This interest was and their wives, to meet in a continued at a national level in friendly atmosphere which the affairs of the Institution of contributed much to the fostering Chemical Engineers, as Convenor of good relations within the pure of a Working Party on Offshore and applied sciences in the Engineering responsible for University.
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In retirement Cecil and Betty Nutt Cecil was not very well. In charac- returned to their roots in the west ter Cecil Nutt was enthusiastic, country. Cecil became very generous, modest, and a good interested in genealogy and friend. He died on 12 February particularly in the ancestry of the 2001 after a long period of ill Nutt family. Using his considerable health in which he was lovingly computer skills he traced various supported by his wife Betty. She sections of the family, mainly in and their sons Donald and John the south-west of England. He and their families survive him. was a Member of the Society of I am greatly indebted to Mrs Betty Genealogists. Cecil and Betty were Nutt, Professor Brian G Gowen- also very enthusiastic caravaners lock, Dr Ronnie Long and Dr John and every year took their car and E Parker for their help in preparing caravan to the Continent; these this memoir. adventures continued even when J Grant Buchanan
Cecil Wilfred Nutt BSc, PhD, DSc, FIChemE, CChem, FRSC. Born 27 Decem- ber 1921; Elected FRSE 1 March 1982; Died 12 February 2001.
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John Stewart Orr 10 August 1930 - 21 October 2001
Stewart Orr, who died on 21st He worked first with Barr and October 2001, was an active, Stroud, an enterprising Glasgow energetic, and helpful physicist, manufacturer of scientific instru- distinguished for both pure and ments, who had earlier applied research and practice, collaborated on the development who greatly assisted medical of ultrasound as a diagnostic colleagues, and their patients, method to be used in medicine. most of whom had cancer. He He worked mainly on semi-secret became Professor of Medical defence projects concerned with Physics in the Royal Postgraduate infra-red radiation and missile Medical School, Hammersmith guidance. Stewart undertook Hospital, and was soon known fundamental research, and internationally for his accomplish- devised “Orr’s Spherule” as a ments in cell and radiation teaching tool. He met Jean biology, radiotherapy, imaging, Williamson, their wedding soon and information technology. followed, and they had one He was born in Milngavie, near daughter and three sons. At that Glasgow, on 10th August 1930, time, medical physics was expand- second son of Neil Orr, a well ing substantially in the West of known Glasgow lawyer, and lived Scotland under the redoubtable there for all his life except for his JMA Lenihan, who built up a large highly productive period in unit in the old Children’s Hospital London between 1977 and 1985. building, eventually having three He went to Atholl school first, hundred staff. Stewart was then to Glasgow High School, and recruited by Lenihan as Senior lastly to the University of Glasgow physicist in 1960, working first at where he gained a BSc in Physics. the Western Infirmary, and then Stewart spent a year as a conscript later also at Belvidere hospital, on in the British Army, remaining a the technology of x-ray diagnosis private; although on one occa- and of radiotherapy. I first met sion, when there was a fire at him in 1966, and he was an night in his barracks, he displayed invaluable friend, colleague, and better leadership than some of helper, on the radiotherapy of the NCOs and officers, by organis- cancer, on an abortive effort with ing systematic chains of buckets Bob Lawson on the value of of water to put out the fire. Neutron therapy using a new type of generator (from Manchester),
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on diagnosis and treatment using Biological processes and of radioactive isotopes, and on Radiation effects; it quoted over research, especially in radiation 60 publications. He used comput- biology, with Professor Tony Nias. ers in the days when they were Like JMA, he would take up any bulky, about twenty times as medical problem, apply a fresh expensive as now, and similarly mind to it and produce new ideas less powerful. Nevertheless they for its solution. Publications were well used under Stewart’s began to flow from him in about guidance not only for radiation 1968, beginning on thyroxine dosage calculation and treatment (thyroid hormone) kinetics, planning, but, more ambitiously, moving on to the concept of the he and other physicists made a ‘Occupancy principle’. The latter brave attempt at ‘computer was a useful model to enable optimisation’ of treatment assessment of the quantitative planning so that there should be distribution of a compound, maximal tumour dose and whether radioactive or stable, in minimal side effects. different parts of the body; the In 1977 Stewart moved down to method was also useful in London to become Professor of detecting radiation damage. Medical Physics at the Royal Blood cell kinetics was then Postgraduate Medical School, studied in the same kind of way. Hammersmith Hospital, where he Every one of Orr’s publications found great scope and new fields came from collaboration with to study. Magnetic resonance other scientists or physicians, imaging (MRI) was being devel- whose names were all cited, even oped there, its complex though the first draft and most of mechanism began to be elucidat- the work frequently came entirely ed, and he became involved in a from him. He won over even the European Commission project to most old fashioned medical assess its possibility in quantita- colleagues to the need for good tive as well as diagnostic science and statistics, and to investigations; his work being regard physicists as equal partners under the auspices of the Depart- rather then underlings. He was ment of Health. He was the main promoted to Top grade physicist author of several of the seminal in 1975 in charge of the radio- publications regarding MRI. His therapeutic physics division with a second major topic was wider use staff of 15 physicists and 12 of the computer, building on his technicians. He had gained his earlier work in Glasgow. Comput- Glasgow DSc. in 1971, his thesis ers were installed not only in the was entitled The Kinetics of departments of physics and of
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radiation oncology, but also in Radiation. He had been elected virtually every other department of President in turn of the Hospital the hospital and medical school, Physicists Association and of the for medical reports and records, British Academy of Forensic for imaging of all kinds, for Science, and had also been research, and for word processing. elected to Fellowship of the He left the Royal Postgraduate Institute of Physics and of the Medical School in 1987 as Institute of Physics and Engineer- Emeritus Professor and returned ing in Medicine. He was elected to Glasgow as an independent FRSE in 1976. consultant, continuing his Stewart had been keen on hill European work on MRI, and on walking and on mountaineering computing. One very important from childhood, and also on new subject was the coding and sailing off the West coast of classification of medical terms, Scotland. He had a great sense of specifically relating to radiation humour and enjoyed life with his oncology. Another fresh topic was family and with many friends of the harmful effects of environ- every kind, who will miss him mental radiation, especially greatly. carcinogenesis and leukaemogen- Keith E Halnan esis. He played a major part in the assessment of this problem as a Acknowledgement is due to member of the Black Committee Professor John R Anderson and to and of COMARE, the Committee the Orr family for assistance in On the Medical Aspects of composing this obituary.
John Stewart Orr BSc, DSc, FlnstP, FlnstPE M. Born 10 August 1930; Elected FRSE 1 March 1976; Died 21 October 2001.
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Lord Polwarth 17 November 1916 - 4 January 2005
As a general rule successful it out. Many of my Labour parlia- business leaders do not make mentary colleagues from Scotland good ministers. had a similar favourable impres- sion of the aristocratic peer when Harry Polwarth was an exception. it came to helping their constitu- In the short time that he was ency problems. Minister of State at the Scottish Office, from 1972 to 1974, he Harry Hepburne-Scott was born in played a crucial role in establish- one of those tall buildings ing a sound basis for the North dominating the Edinburgh skyline Sea oil industry. just to the east of Edinburgh Castle, overlooking the ornate He had succeeded his grandfather building which is the headquar- as a 27-year-old in 1944. The ters of the Bank of Scotland, over ninth Lord Polwarth had been the which he was to preside as enlightened chairman of the Governor from 1966 to 1972. General Board of Commissioners in Lunacy in Scotland (a long- His father died at the age of 52 as forgotten institution now but a result of illness contracted then very important), so continu- during the First World War and it ing in a tradition of public service was thus that Hepburne-Scott dating back to the creation of the succeeded to the peerage as Lord Polwarth barony by William and Polwarth and was chosen as one Mary in 1690. of the 16 Scots Representative Peers. His grandson took very little part in the House of Lords, however, After Eton, where he was in until Ted Heath appointed him to College, he went to King’s the Scottish Office. As a political College, Cambridge, where, I opponent in the Commons, think, he was the last surviving representing part of central pupil of John Maynard Keynes. His Scotland suffering at that time immediate supervisor Richard from dire economic problems, I Kahn, whose seminal paper on know at first hand that Polwarth the multiplier effect was so crucial was a constructive, effective, ever to Keynes’s General Theory, told courteous and helpful minister me in 1972, “Harry Hepburne- who, once he said he would take Scott was the cleverest aristocrat a certain action, unfailingly carried whom I ever supervised.” On
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leaving King’s he studied account- 1981 he sat on the main board of ancy in Edinburgh with Chiene & ICI. He was also involved with the Tait, before volunteering in 1939 huge American company of for the Lanarkshire Yeomanry. Halliburton, made famous in recent times by the American Vice- He soon changed to become a President Dick Cheney. captain in the Lothians and Border Yeomanry, who at that time were From 1955 until 1972 Polwarth changing from horses to some- was the Chairman and then what primitive tanks. In 1941 he President of the influential was picked out by Maj-Gen (later Scottish Council (Development Sir) Percy “Hobo” Hobart, who and Industry). Their director in had been Inspector of the Royal those years, Willie Robertson, Tank Corps and Director of recalls: Military Training at the War Office, “In 1955, at a relatively young age as his ADC, later serving in the and comparatively inexperienced, same capacity to Maj-Gen (later Lt- he succeeded the heavyweight Gen Sir) Brian Horrocks. He was Lord Bilsland as chairman. He thus at the centre of military equipped himself very quickly with activity from Alamein to the action a considerable knowledge of the on the Rhine at Osterbeck when essence of the industrial situation British tanks tried desperately, but in Scotland and proved to be an in vain, to rescue the paratroopers admirable leader of a team. His who had dropped at Arnhem. ideas on regional policy following Polwarth told me many years later the 1961 report of Sir John that, in all his experience as a key Toothill were influential not only aide to those who were planning in Scotland but throughout the D-Day and beyond, the failure to north and south-west of Eng- save those who had dropped at land”. Arnhem was the greatest regret of his life. One of Polwarth’s gifts was the capacity to translate non-political After the Second World War he recommendations into effective took his seat in the House of political action. He was very good Lords, but concentrated on his indeed in leading delegations to business career. From being a ministers, both Conservative and partner in Chiene & Tait, he Labour. He was also a crucial became director of General supporter in the early stages of Accident Fire & Life Assurance the University of Stirling at a time Corporation, of which he was to when serious people such as Sir be chairman in 1968-72. From David Phillips were thinking of 1969 to 1972 and from 1974 to closing it.
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In 1972 he was chosen by the chairmanship of General Accident then Secretary of State for Scot- in order to become Minister of land, Gordon Campbell, to be his State. The reason was simply that Minister of State in the Scottish he saw it as a public duty for Office. Campbell says he chose which he was prepared to sacrifice Polwarth because “he would a considerable part of his salary.” bring his great business expertise Polwarth made his maiden speech into government. And so he did.” as a minister in the House of Lords Another in a position to know, the on 25 April 1972 on the third future Governor of the Bank of reading of an obscure administra- Scotland Sir Thomas Risk, recol- tion measure. He was followed by lects: Lord Hughes, the former Lord “I was a director of the British Provost of Dundee, who was a Linen Bank and know of the long-time minister in the Wilson considerable part that Polwarth and Callaghan governments. played in the merger between the Hughes paid Polwarth the Bank of Scotland and the British compliment of being “too Linen Bank. At close quarters I saw effective” a spokesman for the his enthusiastic support of the Tory government. He was respect- new merged banks’ innovatory ed and well received, partly on role in developing for Britain the account of his exquisite good techniques for financing the manners and partly on account of exploitation of North Sea oil. his formidable reputation as a Polwarth, and Bruce Pattullo businessman by all sides in the (another future Governor of the Lords. One Labour peer told me Bank of Scotland), who worked with a sigh that they couldn’t be under Harry, were responsible for more effective against Polwarth British success in financing the because “accountants rule the risks of the North Sea.” world”. Professor Gavin McCrone, Chief As a baptism of fire Polwarth had Economic Adviser at the Scottish to deal with issues of Town and Office from 1972 to 1992, Country Planning, which are travelled a lot with Polwarth. “I mightily complicated for any got to know him as well as any politician. He proved himself a civil servant gets to know a master of detail, and his training minister,” he says: as an economist was put to excellent use. Considering the “He had the interests of Scotland economic challenges of the time, at heart. Albeit by no means a rich not least the industrial conse- man he gave up the governorship quences of a three-day week, of the Bank of Scotland and the
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Polwarth maintained the respect 1971 to enter the Common of the trade unions in Scotland - a Market, I recollect sharing pro- remarkable feat, given the extreme European platforms where he was temperature created by unemploy- clearly an unflamboyant but most ment north of the border. effective and authoritative speaker. On the defeat of the Conservative government in 1974 Polwarth From 1975 to 1979 he not only resumed his business career, was chairman of the Scottish particularly involving himself with National Orchestra Society but the Sun Life Assurance Company was credited with saving it from of Canada. He found time, too, economic bankruptcy on at least a for other interests such as the couple of occasions. After leaving Franco-British Council. He had ministerial office he took a deep been a passionate supporter of interest in the Scottish Forestry British entry into the European Trust and in Aberdeen University, Community and, as the last of which he was Chancellor for 20 surviving Labour MP who went in years from 1966. to Ted Heath’s lobby in October Tam Dalyell
Henry Alexander Hepburne-Scott, chartered accountant, businessman and politician: born Edinburgh 17 November 1916; succeeded 1945 as 10th Baron Polwarth; a Scots Representative Peer 1945-63; partner, Chiene & Tait 1950-68; Chairman (later President), Scottish Council (Development and Industry) 1955-72; Governor, Bank of Scotland 1966-72; Chancellor, Aberdeen University 1966-86; chairman, General Accident 1968-72; Minister of State, Scottish Office 1972-74; Chairman, Scottish National Orchestra Society 1975-79; Chairman, Scottish Forestry Trust 1987-90; married 1943 Caroline Hay (died 1982; one son, three daughters; marriage dissolved 1969), 1969 Jean Jauncey (nee Cunninghame Graham; two stepsons, one stepdaughter); died Hawkchurch, Devon 4 January 2005.
The Independent, Obituaries, 8 January 2005 Reproduced by kind permission of The Independent, 191 Marsh Wall, London E14 9RS
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Hubert Lloyd David Pugh 11 May 1914 - 17 February 2005
Dr H L David Pugh, renowned famous for his high-pressure internationally for his researches researches. He was involved in the into metal forming and high design and development of pressure, died on 17 February equipment to examine the effect 2005. He was born on 11 May of high-pressure on the mechani- 1914, the son of a Welsh tin plate cal properties of metals, and in worker. particular to study and develop After graduating from both the hydrostatic extrusion of metals University of Swansea and and wire drawing under pressure. University College London, he For a time, hydrostatic extrusion carried out research in the Second and wire drawing held high World War at the Road Research promise of commercial exploita- Laboratory. During this period he tion, but in the end they proved to was associated with the great be economically non-viable. David physicist, Professor Max Born, and was the first in the UK to produce jointly they were awarded the artificial diamonds under high- Telford Prize of the Institution of pressure and high-temperature, Civil Engineers in 1941. following the Swedes and the Americans in the mid nineteen- After the war, David was appoint- fifties. ed Head of the Plasticity Division of the newly created Mechanical During his lifetime David received Engineering Laboratory of DSIR, many prestigious awards includ- which became the National ing the W. H. A. Robertson Medal Engineering Laboratory, NEL. After of the Institute of Metals for a a period of planning in ad-hoc paper on hydrostatic extrusion, accommodation in London, NEL and the JSTP International Prize moved into new laboratories in for Research and Development of East Kilbride in Scotland, where Precision Forging. He authored David moved in 1951. many papers and books including the Bullied Memorial Lecture of At NEL, David initiated researches Nottingham University, which is a into cold forging and other metal high-pressure engineer’s bible. He working processes, but his real was also a member and officer of love was in high-pressure re- several international societies and search. He followed in the organisations, and had been footsteps of P W Bridgman, a involved in the planning of many Nobel Laureate and internationally international conferences. In the
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seventies he was appointed the learned societies, and he was also Republic Steel Distinguished for some years a consultant on Visiting Professor at the Case materials and forming processes Institute of Technology, Cleveland, to the Bristol Division of Rolls Ohio. He was elected a Fellow of Royce. As a Welshman he had a the Royal Society of Edinburgh in great love of Rugby Football and recognition of his scientific his son noted in his father’s diary contributions. for 5 February 2005, Wales 11, After retirement from NEL, David England 9. I guess he died a moved to Bristol, where he happy man. continued to contribute to Professor Sir Bernard Crossland
Hubert Lloyd David Pugh DSc (University College London). Born 11 May 1914; Elected FRSE 7 March 1977; Died 17 February 2005.
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John Alan Richardson 10 November 1918 - 3 December 2000
Dr John Alan Richardson, who has His home town of Birtley in died aged 82, married Jean Irving County Durham, where he lived Wylie in 1946. They had a son and for all of his life, was notable for two daughters, all of whom the number of enthusiastic and survive him. He spent his entire very knowledgeable naturalists academic career in the Depart- who held frequent meetings and ment of Botany at the University field excursions into the biologi- of Newcastle upon Tyne (previous- cally rich and diverse habitats ly King’s College in the University which were easily accessible of Durham) and was a pioneer in within a short distance. The research into the problems of leading light at this time was industrial land reclamation. He Professor J.W.H. Harrison who graduated from King’s College in stimulated Alan’s interest in the Botany and Physics in 1940 and local Magnesian limestone area spent the War years first as an and its vegetation, where he later Anti-Aircraft Radar Officer and carried out detailed studies over later as a Captain in the Royal many years. One outcome was the Electrical and Mechanical Engi- recognition of the importance of neers. At the end of the War he the outstanding Magnesian returned to King’s as a member of limestone grassland at Thrisling- the staff of the Botany Depart- ton, Co. Durham, which ultimately ment until he retired in 1984. became a National Nature Reserve. Alan Richardson, as he was Alan studied the re-colonisation universally known, was one of a of abandoned limestone quarries small select band of botanists and, from this work, developed a around the country who had preoccupation with other industri- taken physics as a major compo- al sites such as clay pits, ironstone nent of their degree and who and limestone waste heaps and, brought fresh insights and most importantly, colliery spoil understanding into physiological heaps. The work initially involved investigations of plants. Alan’s detailed ecological and physiolog- expertise in the field led to the ical surveys of such sites and, to first major review of the interac- further such studies, Alan and his tion between these two subjects students developed several entitled Physics in Botany (Pitman, instruments such as a portable London). automatic soil-temperature recorder and a micro-homogenis- er. From these surveys, techniques
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were developed for the large-scale counties. There has even been a reclamation and landscaping of suggestion latterly that a spoil derelict sites to merge them with heap should be preserved in its their surroundings. This was of original ugly state as part of our great practical and aesthetic industrial heritage! importance in the coastal belt of In recognition of his work in this County Durham and part of field he was made a Secretary of Northumberland which, when the State appointee to the North East work began, was liberally pep- Forestry Advisory Committee pered with seemingly (1970-1975) and to the Northum- innumerable, unsightly and bare berland National Park Committee colliery spoil heaps. (1973-1980). He was also Presi- Much of the initial work had been dent of the Newcastle branch of done by the Coal Board on an ad the Institute of Groundsmanship. hoc trial-and-error basis and it Alan gained a MSc and PhD and soon became apparent that not all played a full part in the life of the attempts were equally successful. University, serving not only on Alan’s pioneering research led to many academic committees but the development of suitable also as Treasurer of the Students planting methods and the Representative Council from 1946 selection of appropriate trees and to 1954. He spent much time and shrubs to colonise these sites. He effort giving help and advice to also undertook long-term surveys students during his period as of the sites, assiduously measur- Assistant Senior Tutor in Science ing such factors as the growth of from 1976 until his retirement in woody species over a period of a 1984. In addition to these quarter of a century or so. Some activities, he was Examiner in results were unexpected; for Biology in the Institutes of example, he showed that alder, a Education of Durham (1964- favourite tree of Coal Board 1967) and of Newcastle planting, did well in the initial (1967-1970). He also served for stages but was then out-per- many years as Examiner in Biology formed in growth and vigour by for the Cambridge local Examina- other species. It is hard to overes- tions Syndicate and for the Joint timate the value of such Matriculation Board. For many reclamation work - it has been of years he was editor of the Pro- enormous benefit to the region ceedings of Durham (and later, and has transformed the scenery. Newcastle) University Philosophi- Nowadays there is very little cal Society. The very successful evidence left of the great industri- textbook, Plant Physiology al eyesores which only a few (Churchill) by Meirion Thomas was decades ago disfigured the two
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first published in 1935 and track official at local and national underwent several reprints and events. editions, becoming the plant Birtley is a close-knit township physiology “bible” of botany that has produced many out- departments throughout the standing characters in all walks of country and many parts of the life. Here Alan was known world. The fourth (1956) and fifth affectionately as “The Doc”. His editions (1973) were revised and civic sense of duty saw his ap- greatly expanded with contribu- pointment as Justice of the Peace tions from Alan and S L Ranson. from 1968 and Deputy Chairman Alan had a consuming interest in of Magistrates from 1976 to athletics from school days. As a 1988. He was a leading light in student he was an outstanding the local natural history society sprinter and became King’s and served as president of the College Captain of Athletics in Northern Naturalist Union in 1939. Subsequently he expanded 1956. He contributed a gardening his interest in, and support to column to a local publication, athletics at all levels. He was writing humorously in the form of President of the Chester-le-Street tales about Gladys and her friends Athletics Club, Chairman of the at the gardening club. Injecting North East Counties Amateur humour into his writing, conversa- Athletics Association (1956-1990) tion and lectures was typical of and Life Vice-President of the him and he was well known as a Northern Counties Athletic raconteur with a dry sense of Association. He also served humour and an appropriate nationally as a member of the anecdote whatever the occasion. A.A.A. General Committee for 20 There is no more fitting epitaph years from 1968 and was a for Alan than to reprint a letter Secretary of State appointee to the that he had published in the Daily Northern Sports Council (1964- Telegraph entitled Parting Shot: 1976). In recognition of his “Sir, your obituary of Mario services he was awarded the Zacchini reminded me of the Queen’s Jubilee Medal in 1977 comment of the circus owner and appointed a MBE in 1980. when told that his human Virtually all athletic events held cannonball had died: This is a sad locally, whether at school or loss. Men of his calibre are hard to international level, were assured find.” of his presence and whole- hearted support and he was a Alan Davison and Trevor Walker John Alan Richardson MBE, MInstP. Born 10 November 1918; Elected FRSE 7 March 1977; Died 3 December 2000.
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James Henderson Sang 4 November 1912 - 10 February 2002
James Henderson Sang, who died 1937, a Hutchinson Research on February 10th 2002, was born Scholarship took him to St. John’s in Aberdeen to Scottish parents of College, Cambridge and a PhD. slender means on November 4th, His post-graduate research was 1912. He received his secondary devoted to an analysis of the education at Robert Gordon’s ecological determinants of College, at a time when no population growth in Drosophila biology was taught at school and melanogaster. This led to a series science teaching, apart from of papers, published mostly in chemistry, was very general. His Physiological Zoology. In 1938 he interest in biology was encour- returned to Aberdeen as a aged by membership of the Carnegie Senior Research Scholar Aberdeen and District Working and the following year was Mens’ Natural History Society, appointed Assistant Lecturer in whose ardent naturalists made the Department of Natural History, regular forays into the countryside where Professor Lancelot Hogben, in search of insects, birds and had succeeded Ritchie. It was in plants. Naturally enough, in the 1939, as a student in Hogben’s Scottish context, he headed for department, that I first got to Aberdeen University and a First know Jimmy Sang. He subse- Class Honours degree in Zoology quently supervised my Honours in 1933. During his undergradu- thesis and we became firm friends ate career he was greatly and remained so until his death. influenced by working with The period 1939 – 1942 was very Professor J. R. Macleod, Nobel productive for Sang’s research. He Laureate of insulin fame, who, teamed up with Cecil Gordon, a being arthritic, enlisted the bright South African post- assistance of able students. He graduate whom Hogben had got profited also from the wide- to know during his time as ranging biological knowledge of Professor of Zoology at the James Ritchie, who occupied the University of Cape Town and had Regius Chair of Natural History. enticed to the U.K. Gordon and After graduating, he continued Sang analysed the effects of diet research for a year or so at on the variable expression of the Aberdeen with the aid of a gene ‘Antennaless’. In this Kilgour Scholarship and then, in mutant, whether the antennae are
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entirely absent, perfectly normal cil’s Animal Breeding and Genetics or display one or other of every Organisation, which was based in kind of intermediate between Edinburgh. Professor these extremes, depends on C.H.Waddington of the Buchanan environmental, especially nutri- Chair of Genetics, University of tional, conditions. Hogben, who Edinburgh, was a major player in had published his Nature and the negotiations about how the Nurture in 1933, recognised this organisation was to develop. Sang work as a dramatic, experimental took on the job of general demonstration of the inter-play supervision of the affairs of the between heredity and environ- Institute of Animal Genetics, ment. Published in 1941, the which housed the scientific staff Gordon and Sang paper on of the Organisation. This led to Antennaless never received the probably the most traumatic recognition it merited, partly period of his professional life. because it was published in the Sang, a man of unqualified Proceedings of the Royal Society probity, with a very clear percep- (B), a journal which, at that time, tion of the duties and obligations was quite unfamiliar to American of scientists employed in the geneticists and partly because of public service, found cause for preoccupation with the War. concern. At the same time there was a clash of aspirations and In the latter part of 1942 Sang left ambitions among various mem- Aberdeen for war-time operation- bers of staff. This led to a al research. First as Assistant polarisation of attitudes and Director for Aircraft Equipment, eventually to a confrontation with Ministry of Aircraft Production, Waddington on the part of about and later, 1945 – 48, as Liaison half the scientific staff, with Sang Officer Directorate of Operations, as chief protagonist. For all Air Ministry, and Statistician (Civil concerned this involved a period Service), Ministry of Aircraft of acute stress which was finally Production and subsequently in resolved by a top-level A.R.C. charge of the Factories and enquiry. This came down in favour Airfields Branch, Ministry of of Sang’s case against the way Supply. His biological training and affairs had been handled and a research experience stood him in paper to that effect was sent good stead when often faced with around the scientific staff. conflicting demands in the Subsequently, the animal breed- allocation of resources. ing division was hived off as a In 1948 he returned to academic separate body, while the experi- life as Principal Scientific Officer in mental geneticists were the Agricultural Research Coun- incorporated in the Unit of Animal
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Genetics, under Waddington’s development. Working with supervision. successive post-graduates, who often went on to achieve academ- In 1951 Sang moved, as Senior ic distinction, he developed Principal Scientific Officer, to the methods of manipulating early adjacent A.R.C. Poultry Research embryos, studied the in vitro Centre where he became Assistant differentiation of larval cell types, Director in 1958. During his perfected the cell culture of period in the Institute of Animal individual embryos, studied the Genetics and the Poultry Research extrachromosomal replication of Centre, he continued his studies copia-based vectors in cultured on Drosophila nutrition and in Drosophila cells etc. This final 1956 published the important phase of his research career paper entitled The Quantitative illustrates how successfully he Nutritional Requirements of took up the new methods of Drosophila melanogaster, which molecular biology to tackle, at a demonstrated, for the first time, deeper level of understanding, that it was possible to rear problems which he had contem- Drosophila axenically on an plated many years previously. entirely chemically defined medium. This was followed by a In 1959 Sang was elected Fellow series of papers, often with of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. different collaborators, which At various times he served as exploited the new technique to member of Council of the Society discover how particular alterations for Experimental Biology, as in nutrition can affect the expres- Chairman of the Poultry Breeders’ sion of mutants like Eyeless, and Roundtable and also as member Abnormal Abdomen, influence of the Editorial Board of the the development of melanotic Quarterly Review of Biology, and tumours and demonstrate the role was a Life member of the Genetics of folic acid in oogenesis. Society of Great Britain. In 1965 he was offered a profes- He retired in 1979 but, of course, sorship in the biology school of that did not mean he stopped the University of Sussex, where he working. A clutch of collaborative alternated as Dean of the School papers followed on transfected of Biological Sciences with John Drosophila cells, the expression of Maynard Smith. This appointment an Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen, opened the way to a most the transcriptional control region productive and influential period of the copia transposable element of academic life, enabling him to etc. In 1984 he published Devel- create a research school dedicated opmental Genetics in the to the study of Drosophila McGraw- Hill Encyclopaedia of
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Science and Technology and also acumen in the affairs of science in the 1992 edition. In 1984 he was matched by an equally published Developmental Genet- discriminating approach to daily ics (Longman, London). He life. He had an unerring ability to contributed some dozen reviews detect the feet of clay and the to the Quarterly Review of Biology, specious pretension. As his as well as articles in THES. and The colleague, Dr Robert Whittle aptly New Humanist. observed in his Guardian tribute, Jimmy Sang was ‘an unwavering So much for the historical facts of conscience, never an easy com- his life but what of the man? From panion but always a worthwhile his student days, when he used to one’. tour the Aberdeenshire country- side giving popular science He suffered from bouts of ill lectures for the Workers’ Educa- health and, in the 40s, underwent tional Association, Jimmy Sang a major stomach operation. was a man of the Left, always However, these slings of misfor- committed to the welfare and tune were borne with aspirations of ordinary working philosophical resignation. It is a people. He was among the first to pleasure to record that he enjoyed join the British trade-union for a happy family life. His wife scientists, the Association of Pauline Caddy, whom he met at Scientific Workers, which evolved Cambridge and married in 1941, into the present-day Association had a wonderfully irreverent sense of Scientific and Technical Mana- of humour and fully shared his gerial Staffs (ASTMS). Always a political views and his lively union man, he was also an active interest in the arts. Sadly she died member of the Association of in 1993. Together, they provided a University Teachers. Both in stable and civilised environment ASTMS and AUT he was elected for their two sons and a daughter, Chairman of the local branches. who has followed in her father’s During and after the War he was footsteps as a distinguished, associated with the ‘Visible research geneticist. College’, a group of left-wing Jimmy Sang had a long and scientists, including J.D.Bernal, fruitful career. In spite of physical J.B.S. Haldane and H. Levy, who frailty during his last years, he were concerned that science and retained his intellectual acuity to technology should be effectively the very end. He started his applied in the rebuilding of the research career when the nature country. of the gene was a topic of Jimmy Sang was a quiet and philosophical debate and ended it unassuming person whose critical applying the most sophisticated
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techniques of molecular biology. his wisdom, experience and His work on Drosophila nutrition friendship to many postgraduates and development opened new who know how much they owe to avenues of research. He played a him. What better epitaph for a full part in academic life and scientist? professional affairs. He passed on Forbes W Robertson
James Henderson Sang BSc, PhD. Born 4 November 1912; Elected FRSE 2 March 1959; Died 10 February 2002.
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Dame Sheila Patricia Violet Sherlock 18 March 1918 - 30 December 2001
Dame Sheila was born in Ireland intellect and the capacity to and educated at Folkestone anticipate where the next advanc- Grammar School. When she es in her discipline would occur. graduated from Edinburgh Her contributions to the study and University with honours in 1941 clinical management of liver she was the Ettles Scholar of her diseases were many and of year and went on to spend a year fundamental importance. as clinical assistant to Sir James She pioneered the use of percuta- Learmonth in Edinburgh. neous liver biopsy, elucidated the She moved to London and worked mechanism of portal hyperten- at the Hammersmith Hospital sion, and was one of the first to before going to Yale University on appreciate the importance of a Rockefeller Fellowship. In 1948, immunological mechanisms in the at the age of thirty, she was pathogenesis of cirrhosis and appointed lecturer and honorary hepatitis. After retiral she moved consultant physician specialising to the Department of Surgery in hepatology at the Hammer- where she worked, wrote and smith Hospital and Post-graduate maintained her extensive interna- Medical School and three years tional connections. She wrote later was elected FRCP, by far the Diseases of the Liver and Biliary youngest woman to be elected to System which ran to eleven the College. In 1959 she moved editions and has been translated to the Royal Free Hospital and into several languages. Medical School, retiring in 1983. She was the first woman to be Her department of hepatology appointed Professor of Medicine was internationally famous as a in the UK and the first to be centre for research and teaching. appointed Vice-President of the Sheila Sherlock was one of the Royal College of Physicians. She founders of modern hepatology. was the recipient of numerous She was exceptionally talented fellowships and honours and was with a remarkable memory, strong appointed a DBE in 1978. Reproduced by permission of the University of Edinburgh Graduates’ Association. First published in the University of Edinburgh Journal, June 2002. Dame Sheila Patricia Violet Sherlock MB, MD, FRCP, FRCPE, FRS. Born 18 March 1918; Elected HonFRSE 6 March 1989; Died 30 December 2001. 310 Obituary Notices
Norman Willison Simmonds 5 December 1922 - 4 January 2002
Professor Norman Simmonds died Catcheside who encouraged his at the Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh interest in genetics and cytogenet- on 4 January 2002. One of four ics. children, with a non-identical twin After a distinguished undergradu- brother, Ralph, his father was a ate career, he was awarded a First civil servant and his mother came class degree in the Natural from a Perthshire farming family, Sciences Tripos part II (Botany - from whom he took his middle but with a strong bent to genetics name. The family moved around and plant breeding). In 1943 he in his early years, largely as a result was granted a Colonial Agricultur- of his father’s career. By the time al Scholarship and studied at he entered secondary education, Cambridge and the Imperial the family was established in College of Tropical Agriculture Croydon, and he attended (ICTA) in Trinidad and in 1945 was Whitgift School from 1934 to awarded AICTA. This award was to 1940. be followed by others from At school he was stimulated, as Cambridge, an MA in 1948 and a were so many budding botanists, ScD in 1966. by a gifted notable teacher, Cecil T The introduction to tropical Prime. Norman Simmonds agriculture afforded by the time recognised this debt to C T Prime spent in Trinidad was the start of a in 2000, when he contributed a life-long interest in the crops and small piece to the School Maga- needs of developing societies. He zine, The Whitgiftian, under the stayed in the West Indies until title of “Prime’s People”. This 1959, initially as lecturer in Botany piece listed over twenty distin- at ICTA and latterly as Senior guished biologists who had Cytogeneticist in the Banana studied the fundamentals of their Research Scheme and became subject at Whitgift School, all of established as a vigorous re- whom were eager to acknowledge searcher, initially with K.S.Dodds, the stimulation they had received developing a banana breeding at school under Prime’s guidance. strategy through constructed He won an Open Exhibition diploids crossed to triploids. This (Scholarship) to Downing College, was also the time when he started Cambridge where he was much to develop ideas on genetic influenced by Professor D G resources, conservation and
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utilisation following two major such approaches had general collecting trips to East Africa applicability to a very wide range (1948) and the Pacific, Malaysia, of crop species. It was one of Thailand, and North India (1954/ Norman’s rare regrets that, while 55). Material from those trips is his ideas on base broadening still of value almost fifty years later received wide theoretical accept- but at that time led to enhanced ance, there was relatively little evolutionary understanding of the take-up of the concept in practice group. except in those crops where he This extensive experience led to had an opportunity to influence two key books, the standard direction and approach, namely monograph Bananas sugar cane, oil palm and rubber. (1959,1966,and with R.H.Stover Other important changes in in 1987), long regarded as the Norman’s life occurred during this banana researcher’s bible, and very busy period, most important Evolution of the Bananas (1962) of which was the willing change in addition to 40 papers pub- from bachelor to married man as lished during his period in Christa entered into his life. She Trinidad. was to remain at the centre of his In 1959, Norman returned to the life, a loyal and supportive partner, United Kingdom as head of the until his penultimate year. Potato Genetics Department at For the third period of his profes- the John Innes Institute at sional life Norman Simmonds Hertford, rejoining K.S.Dodds, the moved northwards nearer to his then Director. He characteristically family roots when in 1965, he threw himself into research on accepted the post of Director of potatoes, publishing an array of the Scottish Plant Breeding papers covering tuber dormancy, Station, then at Pentlandfield on seed germination, polyploidy, the outskirts of Edinburgh. This callus differentiation, virus was a demanding role necessitat- transmission, chimeral and other ing considerable administration mutants, linkage studies and and committee work, a require- disease resistance. ment which Norman found It was during this time that he irksome as it left little time for developed the concept of base personal research and many of the broadening, now found to be of ideas that he had initiated at the fundamental importance and John Innes Institute had to be left effective for potatoes. This proved for others to pursue. to be a valuable recurring theme It is probably true that Norman in much of his later more reflective was never really attracted to work as it became accepted that management matters but he did
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find the time to re-establish his breeding approaches along with a education links via various bibliography that would allow the teaching initiatives with the motivated into the current Botany Department of the literature in any particular area University of Edinburgh. These (now in 2nd edition, Simmonds initiatives continued into the final and Smartt, 1999). phase of his career when he During this period, and continu- joined the staff of the Edinburgh ing well after his formal School of Agriculture in 1976. retirement in 1982, Norman This return to academia allowed continued his interest in tropical Norman time for reflection and agriculture and developed some writing. During his active career he important consultancies. He had built up a wide circle of travelled widely throughout the friends and acquaintances. He tropics to some 20 countries, recognised that the knowledge of partly as Chairman of the Quin- a breeder of one crop could have quennial Review of the benefits for workers dealing with International Board for Plant other crop species. This culminat- Genetic Resources and later on ed in the book, Evolution of Crop behalf of FAO and the World Plants (1976, now in second Bank. edition, Smartt and Simmonds 1995), edited by Norman but The recommendations from these consisting of the authoritative reviews were not always popular, contributions of 86 scientists, plus but in typical fashion Norman did six chapters written by Norman as not skirt the problems but actively the appropriate expert. This engaged in robust discussion, extremely popular book did much seeking to persuade all parties of to stimulate interest in crop plants the sense of his logic. He contin- and the systematic approach ued to make valuable required by the editor (introduc- contributions to breeding strate- tion, cytotaxonomy, background, gies in a number of economically early history, recent history and important crops via consultancies prospects) has proved to be with Sugar Cane Breeding in the particularly valuable to educators West Indies, Copersucar of Brazil wherever crop evolution and and the Rubber Research Institute breeding is taught. This book was of Malaysia. Even well into complemented by Principles of retirement, a term he only accept- Crop Improvement (1979). This ed with reluctance, he was still highly regarded key text has active academically, writing and provided students and practition- publishing on a wide range of ers with a synthesis of current topics, not only within his broad subject area, but also in relation
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to his hobbies, most notably on left his mark on the important trout fishing. Major recent reviews subject of plant breeding, particu- by him covered horizontal resist- larly of species of economic ance to diseases in crops, potato importance to man. Those who propagation by seed as distinct knew him well will remember his from clonal propagation by kindness and generosity and his tubers, tropical crops and their delight in provoking discussion. improvement, and an informal Norman was an active Fellow of history of statistics. the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Over the years, Norman received One of the last meetings in which many accolades. He was elected a he played a major role was as a fellow of the Royal Society of participant in a debate on the Edinburgh in 1970, and Edin- subject “Was Malthus right or burgh University made him an wrong?”. He argued passionately Honorary Professor in 1975. One that Malthus was fundamentally international award, which gave correct in his thesis and he him considerable pleasure, was predicted that we were fast that of Distinguished Economic approaching a time when the Botanist by the American Society increase in the world human of Economic Botany in 1991, the population would outstrip the only non-American at that time to ability of global agriculture to be so honoured. produce enough food to avert Norman Simmonds was a unique widespread hunger, a view not and stimulating individual with completely accepted by some many diverse interests. He will be members of the audience. remembered as an iconoclast, a Norman was also a very regular gifted scientist, a profound attendee at the meetings of the thinker and a stimulating teacher. Society’s Coffee Club, and his He did not develop a following of pertinent questions and apposite research students; preferring comments were always greatly personal academic endeavour. appreciated by all the Fellows Nevertheless, as a result of his present. Professor Norman writing and teaching he has Simmonds is survived by his twin profoundly influenced many brother Ralph. His wife Christa students and researchers and has died in December 2000. William Spoor and Peter Wilson
Norman Willison Simmonds ScD, AICTA, FIBiol. Born 5 December 1922; Elected FRSE 2 March 1970; Died 4 January 2002.
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Thomas Stevens Stevens 8 October 1900 - 13 November 2000
With the death, some five weeks who had been a teacher before after celebrating his 100th her marriage, took charge of her birthday, of T. S. Stevens FRS, FRSE, son’s education because of his Scotland has lost one of its most frail health until he entered Paisley distinguished scientists. Grammar School in 1908. He Tommy Stevens, as he was transferred to Glasgow Academy universally known, was a highly in 1915 and entered Glasgow original organic chemist who will University in 1917, having been be remembered in his field for the placed fourth in that institution’s almost unique distinction of Open Bursary Examination and having discovered three reactions: gained a Taylor Open Bursary. the Stevens Rearrangement of Honours and prizes fell his way quaternary ammonium salts; the throughout his secondary and McFadyen-Stevens synthesis of university education. He was First aldehydes; and the Bamford- Prizeman in Mathematics in 1918 Stevens elimination reaction, and in Natural Philosophy in which converts ketones to either 1920; he graduated with distinc- alkenes or cyclopropanes. tion in Applied Chemistry in 1921 Tommy was widely admired for his and with First Class Honours in erudition, his encyclopaedic Science (Principal Subject Chemis- knowledge, his modesty and his try) in 1922. His performance remarkable sense of humour. As a earned him a William Ramsay teacher, he was inspirational, his Memorial Fellowship with which lectures and tutorials were a he went to Lincoln College, model of clarity and he showed Oxford, in 1923, having spent a great patience with students, further year at Glasgow doing whom he always sought to research (with S. Horwood Tucker) encourage. as a University Assistant. Thomas Stevens Stevens was born At Oxford he worked under W. H. in Renfrew on October 8, 1900, Perkin Jr., unquestionably the the only child of John and Jane foremost British Organic Chemist Stevens. His father was an of that era. Synthetic experiments engineer and draughtsman who in the alkaloid field were the early worked in the Clydeside ship- topics of his work both at Oxford building industry and had married and back at Glasgow, where he Jane Elliot Irving in 1896. Jane, held posts as University Assistant (1925-1928), Carnegie Teaching
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Fellow (1928-1933) and Lecturer arising in other synthetic ap- (1933-1947). It was during such proaches to the target molecules. experiments that he sought to I first met Tommy in 1943, when, reduce a quaternary ammonium on entering the second year of the salt with sodium amalgam. He chemistry course, I had the good recognised that the product, fortune to be assigned to work in formed in good yield, must have his laboratory. His encouraging resulted from a molecular rear- attitude towards students was rangement: the first example of immediately evident when I told what quickly became known as him that the first half dozen the Stevens Rearrangement. experiments of the course were Tommy elucidated the scope, preparations which I had done at variations and mechanism of this school, and was promptly offered reaction with insight and skill and alternative tasks. Later, in my final described the results in a series of year, he agreed to supervise my ten papers, culminating in 1955 research project and offered in the proof of the strictly intra- several speculative ideas to work molecular nature of the on. While I succeeded only in rearrangement. producing a string of negative In parallel with this investigation, results, I learned much from his related rearrangements were approach to research, for which I studied and elegant, carefully have always been grateful. planned synthetic experiments I should have loved to continue were undertaken, mostly with a and do my PhD under Tommy, but view towards alkaloid synthesis, suitable grants for which I would and described in papers written in have been eligible were unavaila- Tommy’s characteristically concise ble. In the autumn of 1946 I but elegant style. Whereas an therefore took up the offer of a element of luck had obviously research studentship at Sheffield contributed to the discovery of the to work under Professor R. D. Stevens Rearrangement, both the Haworth, who soon told me that McFadyen-Stevens aldehyde Tommy would be coming to synthesis, first described in 1936, Sheffield in the spring of 1947. and the Bamford-Stevens reaction He and Tommy had been friends of 1952, were predicted by and close colleagues working Tommy as the result of his brilliant together under Perkin at Oxford. analysis of the behaviour expected Haworth had invited Tommy to fill from the reactions of bases on the the vacancy created at Senior respective starting materials and Lecturer level at Sheffield by the were designed to avoid difficulties appointment of his second-in- command, Brynmor Jones, to the
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Chemistry Chair at Hull. Although years, Janet Wilson Forsyth (Netta Jones (later Vice-Chancellor at to her friends) when her mother’s Hull) was widely respected, he was death freed her from similar filial clearly not as distinguished as duties. They enjoyed 45 years of a Tommy. Rumour suggested that very happy relationship before Tommy had also been a candidate Netta (the elder) predeceased for the Hull post. Had his own Tommy in 1994. excessive modesty worked against Although not working with him, or was it his slight stammer? Tommy in Sheffield, I benefited Members of the selection commit- from the stimulus of being in the tee who had not heard him same laboratory in which he lecture would not know that he continued his own original work suppressed this completely when whenever time permitted. Then in lecturing, to the extent that 1949 I went to the USA, only to students whose only contact was return in 1953, there joining across the lecture bench, never Tommy as a member of staff for knew that he had a stammer. He the next six years. During that was in fact an excellent lecturer. time my wife and I frequently Well, Hull’s loss was Sheffield’s enjoyed Tommy and Netta’s gain. Moreover, in contrast to hospitality. They lived appropri- Glasgow University’s apparent ately on Tom Lane and an evening unwillingness to promote staff at at the Stevenses invariably meant that time, Haworth was not only a sumptuous meal followed by able to get him appointed as Bridge well into the night. When senior lecturer, but promoted to in 1959 we moved to Glasgow reader in 1948 and finally award- when I got the Chair at what ed a personal chair – the became the University of Strath- University’s first such appointment clyde, we knew that contact would – in 1963. In the same year, with be maintained since Tommy and Professor Haworth and Lord Todd Netta revisited their native haunts as his principal sponsors, Tommy regularly once or twice a year. was admitted to the Fellowship of Moreover, we knew that they the Royal Society (FRS) and he was intended to move back there pleased to be similarly recognised when Tommy had to retire in by its Scottish equivalent and 1966, at the end of the academic created FRSE a year later. year when he reached the age of Tommy was accompanied in his 65. Well before that they bought move to Sheffield by his widowed the property in the Pollockshields mother, whom he had long area of the city, where they were looked after and he was finally to live out the rest of their years. able to marry his friend of many
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But I was convinced that Tommy finishing touches and culminated was not ready to retire fully so in 1973 in the publication of his soon. Having completed seven book “Selected Molecular years at Strathclyde, six of them as Rearrangements”, co-authored by head of the department, I was Bill Watts, then a lecturer in the ready for a break and arranged a department (later Professor at the sabbatical year for myself and University of Ulster, Coleraine). invited him to replace me as a Thereafter, many of my colleagues visiting professor and to head the and I were delighted when his organic section of the department initially still frequent visits to the for the year 1966-67. This department allowed us to discuss proposal was readily accepted and chemistry or anything else with although we could not offer him a him, but gradually his visits paid appointment beyond my became rare and then confined to return, Strathclyde agreed to the departmental library. confer on him the title of Fellow, To his own and all his friends’ which allowed him to remain a considerable pleasure, his Alma member of the university and to Mater, the University of Glasgow, make what use he wanted of its recognised his outstanding facilities. That he did is reflected contribution by conferring on by the fact that his last nine Thomas Stevens Stevens the publications were written at degree of Doctor of Science Strathclyde. They included four honoris causa on 19 June 1985. papers on the work of two students whom he took over from Physically he became very frail in me and helped to complete their his last years, but his mind PhD degrees in my absence, four remained active and his sense of others on older work to which he humour undiminished to the end. was finally able to add the Peter L Pauson
Thomas Stevens Stevens BSc(Glasgow), DPhil(Oxon), FRS. Born Renfrew, 8 October 1900; Elected FRSE 2 March 1964; Died 13 November 2000.
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Sir Frederick Henry Stewart 16 January 1916 - 9 December 2001
Fred Stewart was charming, canny, uncles, William Alexander, an perceptive, patient, incisive, highly amateur geologist, had intro- intelligent, ever so stubborn and duced Fred in his early youth to completely laid-back. These the pleasures of collecting rocks. qualities served him well in his Professor W.T. Gordon, a friend of career as an industrial chemist, his father, gave him a small academic geologist, Dean of the collection of minerals and took Science Faculty at Edinburgh him to hunt for fossil fish at University, Chairman of the Stonehaven. Fred’s father was a Natural Environment Research keen bird photographer and Council and Chairman of the natural historian. It was not Advisory Board of the Research surprising then that Fred entered Councils for the UK. Aberdeen University with the He was born in Aberdeen. His intention of pursuing a career in father was a Lecturer in Civil Zoology or Geology. After taking Engineering at both the University both subjects for three years he of Aberdeen and at Robert elected to concentrate on geology Gordon’s Technical College. The in his final year and graduated Stewart family can be traced back with a First Class Honours degree to John Stewart who arrived at in Geology. After postgraduate Nether Downam in Glenlivet, research at Aberdeen and Em- Banffshire in 1636 and his manuel College, Cambridge he descendants were farmers, was employed as a mineralogist landowners and army officers. His with ICI from 1941-43. He maternal grandfather was the became Lecturer in Geology at the owner of the Aberdeen ‘Free University of Durham (1943-56) Press’ until it amalgamated with and was appointed to the Regius the ‘Journal’. One of his uncles Chair of Geology and Mineralogy (Henry) became Lord Provost of in the University of Edinburgh in Aberdeen. Stewart Grainger, the 1956 from where he retired in film actor was a cousin. 1982. Fred was educated at Angusfield Stewart’s early researches were Preparatory School until 1927, devoted to the igneous rocks in Fettes College (1927-32) and Skye and Belhelvie in Aberdeen- briefly at Robert Gordon’s College shire – the latter also being the (January - April 1933). One of his subject of his Honours research project - but his wartime transla-
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tion to ICI (1941-43) confronted NE of Scotland and the volcanic him with a very different set of complexes of the Scottish islands. problems associated with the He was elected a Fellow of the genesis and distribution of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in economically valuable salt depos- 1957 and the Royal Society of its in Yorkshire. ICI asked him to London in 1964. examine drill cores left behind On his appointment as Regius after an unsuccessful attempt by Professor of Geology, Stewart set the D’Arcy Exploration to find oil about building up the Grant and gas in Yorkshire. Stewart Institute of Geology. Through found valuable potassium salts in argument and hard work he the cores. They were strategically tripled the size of the department vital to the Allied war effort and by the mid 60s had received because the German Stassfurt enough funding to build and deposits were no longer available. equip an experimental petrologi- These 250 million years-old cal unit, a high-temperature-and- Permian sediments, formed in salt pressure laboratory capable of lakes in ancient deserts were examining the behaviour of rocks fiendishly complex. The water- formed in the earth’s mantle. The soluble rocks were extremely laboratory was chosen by NASA difficult to prepare for microscopic for the analysis of lunar samples examination and the minerals had under vacuum to simulate undergone many changes after conditions on the surface of the their formation. His meticulous moon. In 1965 Fred Stewart work was recognised by awards became Dean of the Faculty of from both the Geological Society Science at the University of of London and the Mineralogical Edinburgh. His somewhat un- Society of America. American kempt look and friendly geologists were especially in- unassuming manner masked a trigued because the Yorkshire salt brilliant intellect and formidable deposits were very similar to those incisiveness in debate. As Dean he in Texas and New Mexico. Fred oversaw the birth of Science Stewart described himself at the Studies, Geophysics, Microbiol- time as a simple petrological ogy, the development of policeman looking for places to Integrated Biology and Engineer- put his large feet. The climax of ing Science - and the siting of the his research on salt deposits was a new Institute of Geological major paper published by the US Sciences at King’s Buildings. He Geological Survey. He later brought about a fairer distribu- returned to carry out further tion of University funding for the research on Scottish rocks in the Faculties, perhaps not surprisingly
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to the benefit of the Faculty of support system and energy Science. He became a member of research and was heavily involved the Council for Scientific Policy in in modifying the worst excesses of 1967 and for the next 12 years the Rothschild report. During his much of his time was spent in six years of office he served under London as a scientific statesman. four Secretaries of State including Stewart was appointed Chairman Mulley, Prentice, Thatcher and of the Natural Environment Williams. They further honed his Research Council in 1971. Initially skills on the political intricacies of few members of Council realised Government science. Public that Fred Stewart, mineralogist, recognition of his work came with was also a most competent the conferment of a knighthood natural historian. He had of in 1974 and honorary degrees course studied zoology for three from five universities. Among years at Aberdeen and was honours bestowed on him were moreover an expert ornithologist. the Lyell Fund (1951) and Lyell Stewart was heavily involved in the Medal (1971) of the Geological emotional politics associated with Society of London, the Mineralog- the hiving-off of the Nature ical Society of America Award Conservancy from the NERC. He (1952), the Clough Medal of the was also engaged in the after- Edinburgh Geological Society math of the Rothschild Report on (1971) and the Sorby Medal from the framework of Government the Yorkshire Geological Society Research and Development, and (1975). He served as a Trustee of on the reorganisation of marine the British Museum (Natural science in the United Kingdom. In History) from 1983 until 1987 and 1973 he became a member of the as a Member of Council of the Advisory Board of Research Scottish Marine Biological Councils and a year later Chair- Association from 1983 – 1989. man of the Board. In that capacity In 1980 the Stewarts bought a he was responsible for advising new house - a former hotel the Secretary of the Department of actually - in the village of Lochawe Education and Science on science in Argyll and gradually converted policy including the funding of it into their retirement home. the ARC, MRC, NERC, SERC, SSRC, There were 25 acres of garden for the British Museum (Natural his wife, Mary, who was the History) and the Royal Society with gardener, and a newly built lab for an annual budget at that time of Fred and his rocks. It was always a around £500 million. He was delight to visit them. Mary Chairman of subcommittees on showed friends round her lovely post-graduate support, the dual- garden of mature trees and huge
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rhododendrons sloping down later years he founded MESS (Mull below Ben Cruachan to Loch Awe, Expeditionary Sapphire Society) and Fred, happily identified birds, and collected from an igneous other wild animals and even dyke in the Hebrides the largest animal droppings. But not plants! sapphire, some three inches long, He had taught Mary to be an ever found in Scotland. It was ornithologist but she failed to exhibited in the National Museum teach him to be a botanist. He had of Scotland and then taken by a great love for the Scottish hills special courier to the new muse- and occasionally he and his wife um in Valencia, Spain to be put on were to be found strolling on the display in the year 2000 as one of top of the Scottish mountains, Scotland’s finest gemstones. He through the simple expedient of bequeathed his superb and so hiring a helicopter. meticulously catalogued collection Always a keen fisherman he was of some 3000 minerals and fossil able to add the River Orchy to his fish to the Royal Museum of love of the Tweed and the lochs of Scotland. Beneath this 20th Caithness and Harris. His excep- century scientist was hidden a tional ability as a trout fisherman 19th century naturalist. was recognized in an article in The A school report once recorded New York Times, accompanied by that Stewart worked well under a photo of him wearing his elderly pressure, leaving the reader to fore-and-aft tweed hat. He was speculate on what happened also an excellent salmon fisher- when the pressure was off! He man and held the local record for was one of those rare men who the River Orchy of a catch of eight achieved most when apparently salmon in one day. He brought to working least. Beneath Fred’s his sport shrewdness, patience Model-T Ford exterior purred a and determination, qualities that Rolls-Royce engine. As one of his had stood him in good stead as a former students said ‘They don’t scientist and administrator. He make models like that any more.’ continued to collect fossil fish Fred Stewart married Mary Stewart from the Old Red Sandstone, a (nee Rainbow) in 1945. She has a passion he had had since child- highly successful career as a writer hood, and minerals in igneous and survives him. There were no and metamorphic rocks ranging children of the marriage. from Precambrian to Tertiary. In his Gordon Craig
Sir Frederick Henry Stewart KB, BSc, PhD, FRSA, HonDSc (Aberdeen, Leicester, Heriot-Watt, Durham, Glasgow). Born 16 January 1916; Elected FRSE 4 March 1957; Died 9 December 2001.
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Professor Peter Alan Sweet 15 May 1921 - 16 January 2005
Peter Sweet was Regius Professor Plasma Physics Group in Natural of Astronomy in Glasgow Univer- Philosophy. This guaranteed the sity from 1959 until 1982. flourishing of Glasgow’s long- His pioneering research works on standing reputation in solar flows in stellar interiors and on activity, which dates back to the magnetised plasmas are immortal- “Wilson Effect” in sunspots, ised in the terms named after Alexander Wilson the “Eddington-Sweet Circulation” first incumbent of the Glasgow and “Sweet-Parker Reconnection” Chair (founded in 1760). Glasgow and laid the foundations for doctoral graduates in solar physics future directions in these fields. In are now to be found in many particular, the Sweet-Parker theory corners of the academic world, of magnetic energy release in and are currently heavily involved solar flares, which have important in NASA’s dedicated solar flare terrestrial effects as well as being mission RHESSI on which Glasgow a key physics problem, is a widely has NASA Co-Investigator status. used reference point for all While Sweet’s own direct research subsequent work in this area of contribution became less visible plasma astrophysics. after laying these foundations, he Sweet’s interests were reflected in continued to be a giant intellect some of the subsequent appoint- and major influence whose ments to Glasgow staff ; notably opinions were widely sought, and R.C. Smith (now at Sussex Univer- at times feared. When he and sity) in stellar rotation, and R.M. Professor T.G. Cowling of Leeds Green and J.C. Brown in flare appeared at meetings together theory. Green further developed (for instance, the International the Sweet-Parker theory while Astronomical Union Symposium Brown (current holder of the in Paris 1970), many a speaker Regius Chair and 10th Astrono- was in trepidation as to which of mer Royal for Scotland) led solar them would question his or her studies in the direction of combin- ideas. ing theory and space mission data More importantly, Sweet’s aston- utilisation, at the same time ishing mastery of mathematical forging (with Professor E.W. Laing) physics and its applications, his a productive Astronomy and perpetual search for both rigour Astrophysics union with the and clarity, and his unrelenting
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patience as teacher and supervi- PhD was supervised by Fred sor, were an unforgettable Hoyle). inspiration to generations and Thereafter he was Lecturer in launched many a graduate into Astronomy, first from 1947 in the academia who might otherwise University of Glasgow, then from have been lost to the world of 1952 until 1959 at University personal gain. College London, where he was When N particle computer also Assistant Director of the simulation codes were the new Observatory, and a Visiting Fellow hot topic in plasma physics, Sweet at the University of California at took joy in devising codes show- Berkeley 1957-58. During his ing the essential results on a subsequent 23 years in the pocket calculator with N= 8 Glasgow Chair, succeeding W.M. particles when others were Smart, he was Dean of Science, boasting of using 100,000. (As an 1973-75, and Senior Visiting undergraduate, Hugo Schwartz, Fellow at NASA’s New York now of CTIO Chile, said “You Institute for Space Studies, 1965- haven.t had Professor Sweet yet? 66. He had married Myrtle Parnell He’s the guy who writes in a (deceased) in 1947 with whom he scribble and speaks too quietly, had two sons Geoffrey and but is the best teacher you could Robert. ever have”). Sweet’s brilliant By the time of his retirement in stamp lies hidden on the subse- 1982 he had, with Professor John quent work of many, and in his Gunn of the Department of later active years he was even Natural Philosophy, prepared the persuaded to allow his name on ground for the eventual creation several further papers to which his (in 1986) of the now joint Depart- input had been invaluable. ment of Physics and Astronomy; Born in 1921 in Beckenham in one of the earliest departments so Kent, Peter Sweet was educated at titled and now one of many across Kingsbury County Grammar the UK. School, London, and was Wran- Sweet’s teaching and research gler 1942 on a Major Open excellence stemmed from his Scholarship in Mathematics at perfectionism as well as his Sidney Sussex College, Cam- brilliance, traits which carried over bridge. After three years as Junior into all his activities and con- Scientific Officer in the Ministry of sumed much of his time. The old Aircraft Production, he returned to University Gardens Observatory Sidney Sussex (where he took a that Peter Sweet came to in 1959 Master’s degree and where his had not been built for the staff and student numbers it soon had
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under his leadership, leading him Brück, staff and student numbers into a major planning exercise for had grown so much that Astrono- a new observatory to be sited on my has since occupied twin sites. Glasgow University’s estate at In short, Peter Sweet was a quiet Garscube, on the outskirts of the man of enormous intellect whose city, and decanting of staff from teaching and research, both University Gardens to other written and unwritten, was a great accommodation. By the time the source of inspiration to many, and Garscube Observatory was who made time for rigour and for completed and opened in March others to an extent that few of his 1969 by the 7th Astronomer peers, past and present, can Royal for Scotland, Professor H. match. J.C. Brown and A.E. Roy
Peter Alan Sweet:, BA, MSc, PhD (Cantab), FRAS. Born 15 May 1921; Elected FRSE 7 March 1960 ; Resigned FRSE 1989; Died 16 January 2005. Adapted, with kind permission, from the obituary first published on 9 February 2005 in The Independent, 191 Marsh Wall, London.
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Paul Egerton Weatherley 6 May 1917 - 8 August 2001
Paul Egerton Weatherley died on Aberdeenshire farmer, and their 8 August 2001. He was Regius marriage was the start of an Professor of Botany in the Univer- association with North-East sity of Aberdeen from 1959 to Scotland which was to last for the 1981 and was elected to the Royal rest of his life. Society of Edinburgh in 1960, and In Uganda he began his research to the Royal Society of London in on the water relations of cotton. 1973. He was one of the foremost He was able to show that a plant scientists of his generation, reliable measure of plant water and he significantly advanced our deficit could be obtained by understanding of plant water punching discs from leaves, relations, and the movement of floating them on water, and water and solutes in plants. measuring how much water they Paul Weatherley was born in 1917 required to become fully turgid. in Leicester. As a schoolboy he was This ‘relative turgidity’ technique fascinated by science, and soon became widely used to assess crop displayed the flair for ingenious water status in the field and to experimentation which character- inform the design of irrigation ised his professional life. In 1936 schemes. he won an open scholarship in In 1949 he was awarded a DPhil Natural Science at Keble College, from Oxford for his work. By that Oxford, where he read Botany. time he was back in the UK as an After graduation he joined the assistant lecturer at Manchester. Colonial Service and took the He moved from there to Notting- Diploma course at the Imperial ham, where he spent ten College of Tropical Agriculture in enormously productive years. His Trinidad. From there he was given research was characterised by a post in the Uganda Protectorate, great originality, and by the but on the way to Uganda his ship elegance of the experimental was torpedoed off the west coast techniques. He was one of the of Africa and Paul spent 18 hours first to use a climatological wind in a lifeboat before making his tunnel to manipulate the rates of way ashore. He ended up on a water loss by plants. By now he research station at Serere in had also become fascinated by Eastern Uganda, where he was how the products of photosynthe- joined by Margaret his wife. She sis move from leaves to other was the daughter of a prominent
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parts of the plant. He and his colleagues he supported and the students made ingenious use of students he trained have gone on aphids feeding on willow. These to successful careers. He entered insects feed through a fine stylet, fully into the life of North-East which they insert into the phloem Scotland, where family connec- cells through which solutes move. tions were strong. He was a By excising the aphid body they talented water-colourist, and a were able to collect the solutes keen hill walker. Paul Weatherley which continued to flow through retired in 1981. Tragically his the stylet, and analyse its compo- activities were increasingly sition. curtailed by the onset of Parkin- son’s disease, and his retirement In 1959 he moved to Aberdeen was spent quietly in Torphins, where he built up a large Depart- cared for by Margaret and the ment of Botany. He was an family. outstanding teacher and PhD supervisor, and many of the Ian Alexander
Paul Egerton Weatherley DPhil, FRS. Born 6 May 1917; Elected FRSE 7 March 1960; Died 8 August 2001. RSE Council Service: Councillor, 1963-66
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Maurice Hugh Frederick Wilkins 15 December 1916 - 5 October 2004
Maurice Wilkins, who shared the At Cambridge Wilkins became 1962 Nobel Prize for Physiology or fascinated with J D Bernal’s X-ray Medicine with Francis Crick and diffraction studies, so much so James Watson, died in London on that he gave a talk on Seeing 5th October, 2004. He was a Structures, based on Bernal’s major player in one of the greatest work, to the Natural Science Club. scientific discoveries of the 20th He also became influenced by the Century, the discovery of the Cambridge Scientists Anti-War structure of DNA. Group and became involved in their activities. Wilkins was born in Pongoroa New Zealand on 15th December After graduating in 1938 Wilkins 1916, where his parents had became research assistant to J T moved from Dublin. His father (later Sir John) Randall in the was a doctor who became New Physics Department, Birmingham Zealand Director of School University, where Oliphant was Hygiene. The family moved to Head of Department. With England when Maurice was six Randall, he studied the lumines- years old and he was educated at cence of solids and obtained his King Edward’s School, Birming- PhD in 1940 for work mainly on a ham. As a child he was interested study of the thermal stability of in science and, in a workshop trapped electrons in phosphors built by his father, he developed and on the theory of phosphores- technical and experimental skills, cence. He applied these results to particularly in telescope construc- war-time problems such as tion. improvement of cathode ray tube screens for radar. This was the He studied Natural Sciences at St time when Randall and his John’s College, Cambridge, which colleague Harry Boot were had many distinguished members developing the cavity magnetron, of staff. He said that he was which played such a vital part in especially fortunate in his first year the war effort. Wilkins then to receive one hour a week of the worked with Oliphant on the undivided attention of his mass spectrographic separation of supervisor, Marcus Oliphant, who uranium isotopes for use in the was then Ernest Rutherford’s atom bomb, and eventually deputy. In his second year his moved with Oliphant’s group to supervisor was John Cockroft.
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the Manhattan Project in Berkeley, studied the arrangement of virus California, to continue these particles in tobacco mosaic virus studies. There he found that the crystals, using visible-light greatest pleasure was in sharing microscopy, and he applied knowledge and working with a interference microscopy to group. Following this he was measure dry mass in cells. strongly of the view that science Then, in 1950, with great fore- should be a cooperative activity, sight, Wilkins started his structural with an open dialogue between studies of DNA. He received a participants. preparation of calf thymus DNA After the war, disillusioned by the from the Swiss chemist Rudolf use of the atom bomb, and Signer, and from gels of this inspired by Erwin Schrödinger’s material he was able to draw thin book What is Life?, he was keen fibres showing sharp extinction to start work in biophysics. between crossed polarizers. With Randall had been appointed the assistance of Raymond Professor of Physics at St Andrews Gosling, Wilkins obtained X-ray University and was also interested diffraction photographs from in biophysics, so Wilkins accepted these fibres indicating a high an invitation to join him as a degree of crystallinity. They lecturer in physics in 1945. The achieved this by keeping the fibres stay at St Andrews, however, was moist during the exposure. It was brief and when Randall was one of these diffraction patterns offered the Headship of the that Wilkins showed at a confer- Physics Department at King’s ence in Naples in 1951 and so College, London, Wilkins moved excited James Watson who was in with him in 1946. Here he was a the audience. Alec Stokes, member of the Medical Research working with Wilkins, pointed out Council Biophysics Unit which had that the diffraction patterns been set up within the Physics indicated a helical structure. Department. Randall was Director In 1951, Rosalind Franklin was of the Unit and Wilkins became recruited to King’s to help in the Assistant Director in 1950, Deputy DNA studies. Unfortunately, Director in 1955, and Director in Wilkins and Franklin did not get 1970. on and this seems to have been Wilkins’s first biophysics studies more than merely a clash of were on the genetic effects of personalities. Whilst Wilkins had ultrasonics but soon changed to assumed that there would be development of reflecting micro- collaboration between Franklin scopes for ultraviolet studies of and himself, she had been told by nucleic acids in cells. He also Randall, without Wilkins’s knowl-
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edge, that only she and Gosling The excellent B-DNA diffraction would be involved in the X-ray pattern, however, was highly studies. Thus the seeds of future characteristic of that from a helical discord had been sown at the very structure, as Watson also appreci- beginning. Details of the situation ated when he was shown the at King’s are described in Wilkins’s photograph by Wilkins. But the autobiography The Third Man of question was, what kind of helix? the Double Helix which was This was answered by Watson and published in 2003. The situation Crick when they built their double led to two groups at King’s helix model. When they an- working independently. Wilkins nounced their discovery there had handed over the Signer DNA were two accompanying papers to Franklin, hoping that he could from King’s giving experimental obtain other preparations of the support for the model, one by same quality. However, it was Wilkins, Alec Stokes and Herbert some time before he was able to Wilson and the other by Franklin obtain these and show that DNAs and Gosling. All three appeared in from different sources had the Nature on 25th April 1953. same basic structure. Wilkins had also obtained X-ray Using a microfocus X-ray genera- diffraction patterns from intact tor developed by Werner squid and cuttlefish sperm that Ehrenberg and Walter Spear, and were similar to those from B-DNA, a micro-camera, and by control- showing that the structure existed ling the relative humidity in the in vivo. He also showed that DNAs camera, Franklin and Gosling from different sources gave showed that at high humidity the essentially identical diffraction DNA structure changed from a patterns. crystalline to a paracrystalline The task of rigorously testing the structure. They called the crystal- double helix model against the X- line form A-DNA and the ray diffraction data was paracrystalline form B-DNA, and undertaken by Wilkins and his the A B transition was reversible. colleagues and over the next eight One of the B-DNA diffraction years the analysis confirmed the patterns was of exceptional basic ‘correctness’ of the model quality and better than similar although details of the original ones obtained by Wilkins from model had to be modified and other DNA preparations. Concen- refined. It was for this, as well as trating on analysis of A-DNA, his pioneering work, that Wilkins Franklin believed that there was was awarded a share of the 1962 evidence that in this form DNA Nobel Prize with Crick and was not helical and this was Watson. confusing at the time.
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Following the DNA studies Wilkins and a Fellow of King’s College in and his colleagues analysed the 1973. He was an Honorary structure of double helical RNA member of the American Society and also the structure of nerve of Biological Chemists and membranes. He was Professor of Foreign Honorary member of the Biophysics and Head of Depart- American Academy of Arts and ment at King’s College from Sciences. His name is on two 1970-82 and Director of the plaques at King’s College com- Neurobiology Unit of the MRC memorating the 1953 DNA from 1974-80. studies and on a plaque in Pongoroa, where he was born. His Wilkins had a highly developed portrait hangs with those of social conscience and was Presi- Rutherford and Alan MacDiar- dent of the British Society for maid, two other New Zealand Social Responsibility in Science Nobel Prize winners, at the Royal from 1969-91. He was an active Society of New Zealand. member of the Pugwash Disarma- ment Group and he and his wife Most people found that Maurice’s Patricia were active members of initial rather reserved demeanour CND. At King’s College he had soon changed to reveal a warm organised an undergraduate and friendly personality. He was discussion course on the Social self-effacing and modest and Impact of the Biosciences – a strongly believed that science course that he was attending until should be used for benefit to a few months before his death. humankind and not for profit or personal glory. He had a life-long Apart from the Nobel Prize, interest in the arts and many of Wilkins was the recipient of many his friends were artists. It was as a honours. He also shared with result of this interest that he met Crick and Watson the 1960 Albert his future wife, Patricia Ann Lasker Award of the American Chidgey, at the Institute of Public Health Association. He was Contemporary Arts. To Patricia, his awarded honorary degrees from sons George and William, daugh- the Universities of Glasgow, ters Sarah and Emily, and five Birmingham, London and Trinity grandchildren, we extend our College, Dublin. In 1959 he was sympathy. elected FRS; Honorary FRSE in 1994; was made a CBE in 1962, Herbert R Wilson
Maurice Hugh Frederick Wilkins. CBE, MA(Cantab), PhD(Birmingham ), Hon LLD(Glasgow), Hon ScD(Birmingham), Hon DSc(London), Hon DUniv(Trinity), FKC, FRS, Hon FRSE, Nobel Laureate. Born 15 December, 1916; Elected HonFRSE 1994; Died 5 October 2004.
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Sir Alwyn Williams 8 June 1921 - 4 April 2004
Sir Alwyn Williams - an Appreciation. First published on RSE Website April 2004
Sir Alwyn was President of the was unforgettable. Beneath its Royal Society of Edinburgh from very polished delivery, was a 1985 to 1988 and his achieve- clear analysis (unsettling for ments in that role have been of many who heard it) of how the lasting benefit to the Society. The Society and the academic world purchase of the Society’s fine would need to adapt, in order to premises, after tortuous negotia- have the relevance necessary to tions, provided a secure base for survive into the 21st century. Sir subsequent developments of Alwyn was a most distinguished the Society and gave impetus to geologist, having held academic its wider recognition as Scot- posts in that subject at Glasgow, land’s National Academy of Queen’s Belfast and Birming- Science and Letters. ham, before returning to This process was also much Glasgow University in 1976 as helped by Sir Alwyn being a Regius Principal. It was, there- Fellow of the Royal Society of fore, particularly fitting that the London and Member of the first in a continuing series of Royal Irish Academy. As such, he major international geological was particularly well placed to conferences - The Hutton foster much closer links with Conferences - should have been these sister Academies and the held in Edinburgh during his first tripartite meeting of their Presidency. The conference Presidents took place at RSE. proceedings were published in This set the scene for continuing the Society’s Transactions: Earth excellent relations based on a Sciences, thereby maintaining clear understanding of the the link to James Hutton’s own complementary role of the RSE Theory of the Earth published in in relation to the other leading the first volume of Transactions. national academies of Britain Sir Alwyn’s reputation as a and Ireland. geologist was widely recog- nised, both nationally and His Presidential Address A internationally - he was an Society for the Learned and the Honorary Fellow of the Geologi- Leisured, delivered as he cal Society of America and a demitted office in October 1988, foreign Member of the Polish
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Academy of Sciences (PAN) and ble benefit of the University of helped encourage closer links Glasgow and the Royal Society between PAN and RSE. of Edinburgh, but for many other The many heavy demands of bodies, including the Scottish being Principal at an increasing- Agricultural Colleges and ly challenging time for the Scottish Hospitals Endowment academic world did not bring his Research Trust. He also played research activity to a halt and he an important role in the develop- continued to publish; but this ment of the Scottish National was only possible by starting Museums and the Williams very early in the morning in the Report on the National Museum lab, before devoting a full day to of Antiquities helped shape their the duties of being Principal. direction and subsequent After retiring in 1988, he devoted transformation. his time enthusiastically to His scholarship and clear sense research and created a Palaeo- of vision, combined with the biology Unit at Glasgow ability to translate this into University where he worked convincing practical outcomes tirelessly. His energy and made him an inspirational devotion to research seemed leader. Although Welsh by birth almost limitless and he also and education, he long regarded played a key role in the substan- Scotland, and especially Glas- tial Treatise on Invertebrate gow, as his true home where he Palaeontology and its subse- will be sadly missed by many. quent revision. But no appreciation of Sir Alwyn In addition to his scientific would be complete without achievements, Sir Alwyn was an mentioning his remarkable wife, outstanding committee man. He Joan, who so ably supported was a most skilful chairman, and encouraged him throughout where his wit, Welsh eloquence 55 years of marriage. Individually and astute insight transformed they were delightful and most many a gathering into a memo- convivial company - together they rable, pleasurable occasion - were an unforgettable partner- even for those who did not get all ship. To her, their children they wanted! These gifts he not Gareth and Sian, sincere only deployed for the considera- sympathies on their great loss.
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Sir Alwyn Williams
Slim and slight of build, Alwyn reach a compromise! A Harkness Williams would have been easy to Fund Fellowship to the National overlook - until he spoke. His Museum of Natural History in charismatic Welsh voice generated Washington D.C. in 1948-50 led elegant prose and persuasive him to join a fellow workaholic, argument. It exuded power and the legendary palaeontologist G. authority. His piercing green-blue Arthur Cooper. Four years as a eyes mostly danced with mischief lecturer at Glasgow (1950-54), and charm but if the occasion where he demonstrated his warranted they would rapidly abilities as an inspiring teacher change into a disconcerting steely were followed by rapid advance- gaze. He was nobody’s fool. ment to the Chair of Geology at Alywn was born in Aberdare, Queen’s University, Belfast in 1954 South Wales in 1921. He was an at the tender age of 33. He outstanding pupil at Aberdare remained there for 20 years, the Boy’s Grammar School and a last seven as Pro-Vice-Chancellor. talented rugby player, until an In a powerful address to gradu- attack of tuberculosis in 1939 ands in 1972 he referred to the kept him in a sanatorium for over troubled community of Northern a year. He lost one lung in the Ireland and identified a major process. Thwarted in his initial cause - the dual educational intention to join the Fleet Air Arm, school system. I quote: ‘…had he gained an open scholarship to these two groups of children been the University College of Wales, rich and poor or black and white, Aberystwyth, and a first-class every syndicated columnist in degree in geology in 1943. The America, every literate liberal in college produced few, but Europe, every racial moralist in the outstanding graduates. For his world and all the Churches in PhD, Williams mapped Palaeozoic Christendom would have forth- rocks in Wales and described new rightly identified such segregation species of fossils – especially as a flaw in our society. In terms of brachiopods. These small ‘lamp- its educational system then, shells’ were to fascinate him for Northern Ireland, to put it bluntly, the rest of his life. As his external is the Alabama of Europe; and if examiner Professor O.T. Jones had desegregation of schools is mapped the adjoining territory it accepted elsewhere in the world required a joint field excursion to as one of the cures for racial
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discrimination and social injustice, opposition when he suggested it is time we started thinking selling some of the University’s about it here’. Forceful words – as collection of Whistler paintings in was his habit. In addition to his order to help finances. responsibilities as Pro-Vice- His outstanding flair as a chair- Chancellor and Head of the man led to his appointment as Geology Department he contin- President of the Palaeontological ued research on stratigraphy and Association (1968-70), Trustee palaeontology in Wales and the (1971-79) of the British Museum Southern Uplands of Scotland. (Natural History) and its Chairman He was appointed to the recently (1974-79), Vice-Chairman (1979- named Lapworth Chair and Head 81) of the Committee of of the Department of Geological Vice-Chancellors and Principals, Sciences at Birmingham in 1974, President of the Royal Society of and two years later was offered Edinburgh (1985-88), Chairman the Principalship of Glasgow of the Committee on Scottish University. He told me later that Agricultural Colleges (1989), life during the troubled times in Chairman (1989-96) of the Northern Ireland made his job as Scottish Hospitals Endowments Principal of the University of Research Trust, and membership Glasgow seem relatively peaceful! of numerous NERC and UGC He had returned to what he later committees. He became Chair- came to consider his alma mater. man of the Committee on the Facing him was the need to National Museums and Galleries modernise the university and of Scotland in 1979. The result- develop computing and technolo- ing 1981 Williams Committee gy. He set out a tough and Report, A Heritage for Scotland, decisive programme of rationalisa- recommended that a new muse- tion, emphasizing the need for um of Scotland should be built, good teaching and research. On based on the collections of the one occasion he pointed out National Museum of Antiquities firmly to the members of one laid- in Edinburgh. The stunning new back department, nervously National Museum of Scotland was assembled under his three-line opened in Edinburgh in 1999. whip at 8.30 one morning, that Less enjoyable was his non- he had published more research executive Directorship (1984-90) papers in the preceding year than of the Scottish Daily Record and the lot of them put together. He Sunday Mail Limited owned by was a superb academic leader Robert Maxwell. who really ran the University, Fellowship of the Royal Society, although he encountered stiff the Royal Society of Edinburgh,
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Membership of the Royal Irish pod workers, being not only the Academy and honorary degrees editor and first author of the first from Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, brachiopod Treatise on Inverte- Paisley, Oxford, Strathclyde and brate Palaeontology (two volumes) Wales acclaimed his success as in 1965, but fulfilled the same both scientist and administrator. roles in the second edition: four Further recognition came from volumes of which have been The Geological Society (the Bigsby published (1997-2003), and there and Murchison Medals), the are another two in press. He Edinburgh Geological Society (the successfully organised contribu- Clough Medal), and the Palaeon- tions from 43 co-authors for the tological Society (the Lapworth second edition, an enormous Medal), for his outstanding political challenge which he research work. He was knighted tackled with a characteristic in 1983. mixture of charm, terror and Alwyn retired as Principal in 1988 efficiency. But the originality of his and at one of the university brachiopod work was also parties given in his honour, he outstanding; he was the first to and his wife responded to shouts evaluate shell structure across the of ‘Geez us a song’ by singing I whole phylum through pioneer belong to Glasgow. The city electron microscopy; he was really had become their alma amongst the first to undertake mater. Now freed from other DNA studies; over his long career responsibilities for the first time he published and refined many since his student days he was able times the overall classification of to devote his full time to research the Brachiopoda, with the end – his passion and his recreation. product of a robust and well- He had worked a 16-hour day as known phylogeny that will Principal at Glasgow, pursuing probably require little future research early in the morning change. His systematic work, before beginning his normal day’s although originally on Silurian work. After he retired he was faunas (he was the first to recog- awarded grants to create a nise and document the evolution Palaeobiology Unit within the of Stricklandia, a key zone fossil) University so that he could was chiefly concerned with the continue to work on the molecu- Ordovician. His substantial and lar shell structure of his beloved painstaking memoirs and mono- lamp-shells. graphs on the Ordovician brachiopods on central and Dr Robin Cocks of the British northern Wales, Shropshire and Museum (Natural History), wrote: Girvan, as well as many smaller ’He was a giant among brachio-
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papers, will stand for a long time. consultant ‘I need another four For many of these areas he also years to complete my research’ remapped the often difficult and got the gentle response ‘I geology, and published correla- can’t guarantee that’. tion data. He was the lead author Alwyn Williams married his Welsh of the 1973 Ordovician correla- fiancée Joan Bevan in Toronto in tion chart of Britain and Ireland, 1949. In every sense it was a and the first Chairman of the wonderful partnership. Both IUGS Ordovician Subcommission’. were excellent hosts, loved good Increasingly severe macular conversation and added greatly to degeneration forced him to use social cohesion in the University large computer monitors and and the city of Glasgow at large. giant hand-lenses. He taught Joan survives him as does their himself to touch-type and re- son Gareth, their daughter Sian counted with great glee one and five grandchildren. message from his friendly Apple This obituary is compiled from Mac typing tutorial ‘Well done fond and sometimes piquant Alwyn’. Since 1999 he had been memories of friends and col- the author or co-author of 23 leagues of Alwyn. May I record in publications on brachiopods. particular my thanks to Douglas When he learned that he had lung Bassett, Robin Cocks, William cancer he told his secretary to Duncan, Laurie Hunter, Bernard write to all of his contributors to Leake, Patricia Peters, Ian Rolfe, shorten their deadline date. Just Andrew Skinner, and Annie Vaz. before he died he said to the Gordon Y Craig
Sir Alwyn Williams BSc, PhD (Wales), FRS, MRIA. Born 8th June 1921; elected FRSE 3 March 1958; died 4th April 2004. RSE Council Service: President, 1985-88
337 Review of the Session 2004-2005
Peter Northcote Wilson 4 April 1928 - 29 January 2004
Peter Northcote Wilson - an Appreciation First published in ReSourcE, February 2004
Peter Wilson was elected a Fellow rate: it was business as usual of the Society in 1987, and by whilst the complex planning and 1992 was serving on Council as fundraising to realise the poten- Secretary to Meetings. He excelled tial of the new premises took in this role because his open, place. warm personality was always able It was entirely fitting that Peter to put even the most nervous of had a key role in the opening by lecturers at ease. A vote of thanks HRH The Princess Royal in Febru- by Peter was always a tour de ary 1999 of the enlarged and force, tantalisingly demonstrating renovated premises. The building his eloquent gifts as a public work completed, Peter again took speaker. a lead role in helping its then But he was also an adept commit- President, Sir William Stewart, tee man and was therefore a reshape the Society, before popular choice to succeed handing over the reins as General Professor Bruce Proudfoot as Secretary in 2001 to Professor General Secretary in 1996. This Andrew Miller. demanding role showed him at In 2002, Peter was awarded the his best, and he served for 5 years Society’s Bicentenary Medal, an under two Presidents; Professor award reserved only for those who Malcolm Jeeves and Sir William have given outstanding service to Stewart. The start of his period as the Society. With almost a decade General Secretary was particularly of unstinting service, and at a testing, involving the challenge of particularly challenging time in renovating the premises at 26 the Society’s development, it was George Street, then recently entirely fitting that the medal was acquired from Commercial Union. awarded to him and presented at Along with the Treasurer, Sir Lewis a Fellows’ meeting. Robertson, Peter and Malcolm Jeeves made an inspiring triumvi- Following a short illness, Peter died on 29 January 2004
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Peter Northcote Wilson
Peter Wilson had a pivotal role in East of Scotland College of the emergence of ECRR in 1989 Agiculture, the other arm of the as an outward looking voluntary conjoint Edinburgh School of association of science based Agriculture of which he was de organisations linked by an facto Head. (In a sense, however, it involvement in one or more was a homecoming to an alma aspects of ‘rural research’. On his mater from which he had ob- retirement from the University of tained a postgraduate diploma in Edinburgh in 1990 he accepted animal genetics in 1950). He an invitation to become ECRR’S brought to the Chair an estab- Scientific Director, one of the lished international reputation in many roles he fulfilled in what the science and practice of tropical continued to be a very active agriculture gleaned from 13 years period of his life. During his in academic centres in Uganda tenure ECRR grew in membership and Trinidad coupled, significantly and reputation to the extent that as it turned out, with a further 19 the consortium was regularly years scientific and commercial recommended as a model that experience with Unilever, princi- other clusters should try to pally in its agricultural businesses, emulate. ECRR demonstrated that in which he was recognised as an seemingly disparate scientific influential leader. To some, organisations could come togeth- perhaps many, it was a surprise er on a regular basis to their that a senior businessman should mutual advantage and much of be tempted to return to the the credit for this development comparatively austere realms of was due to the lead that Peter academia but Peter had a life-long gave in making it happen. In the affinity for learning and communi- context of this appreciation it is cation at all levels and, for him, worth recalling how it was that the time for a change was right. Peter and ECRR came together. Fortuitously, his business back- Peter came to Edinburgh in 1984 ground and acumen came to the as only the ninth holder of the fore almost as soon as he took up University of Edinburgh’s Chair in his new post and the squeeze on Agriculture and Rural Economy government funding of research, since its establishment in 1790, particularly that deemed ‘near an appointment that carried with market’, began to bite. The it the Principalship of the then University, the School of Agricul-
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ture and ECRR were all beneficiar- formally launched in 1989. The ies of Peter’s guidance during this Board decided that to co-ordinate difficult time. ‘Cometh the hour, these activities ECRR should have cometh the man’ was most a part-time Scientific Director and apposite. with Peter’s early retiral from the One of Peter’s responsibilities as Chair of Agriculture he was the Professor of Agriculture was to be natural and unanimous choice. He Vice-Chairman of the Board of the readily accepted the offer and Edinburgh Centre of Rural fulfilled his role with enthusiasm Economy (ECRE), a body estab- and distinction during his tenure lished in 1947 to foster scientific from 1990- 1997. interaction amongst its constitu- From the outset Peter ensured ent organisations, at that time that ECRR exercised a facilitating exclusively those with a locus on role in promoting collaboration, the Bush Estate, and to manage creating opportunities rather than the Estate and Bush House. For its directing alliances. To this end he management roles ECRE em- introduced monthly working ployed a sizeable full-time staff lunches of ECRR Directors that whose salaries, together with rotated round member institu- estate running costs, were a tions in order to raise mutual charge on member organisations. awareness of the spectrum of Together with others Peter scientific resource and expertise recognised that ECRE was placing embedded in ECRR. To enhance an over burdensome financial the profile of ECRR he arranged demand on its members and, at periodic visits by people of the behest of the Board, he influence from the scientific, convened a Working Group to industrial and political communi- review ECRE and to recommend a ties and was instrumental in way forward. The Group’s findings establishing the Annual ECRR and proposals were endorsed by Lecture, co-sponsored by the the Board with the result that by Institute of Biology and the Royal 1988 ECRE had relinquished its Society of Edinburgh and now an role as employer and devolved acknowledged prestigious event estate management to individual in the yearly calendar. Equally member organisations. These important was his encouragement steps dramatically reduced of expansion of ECRR beyond the members’ subscription rates and boundaries of Bush Estate and allowed the consortium and its indeed of Edinburgh by attracting Board to focus on science- other ‘rural research’ organisa- oriented activities under the new tions into membership. By 1996 banner of ECRR, which was the number of members had
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doubled giving ECRR a wider one field of his many endeavours geographical spread and a greater but it is the one closest to us. register of scientific expertise with Other tributes have been paid to which to foster collaborations and Peter Wilson for his distinguished to engage with the public on contributions in professional scientific issues. spheres –as an agriculturist, an When he stood down as Scientific academic, a consultant, scientific Director in 1997 Peter did so adviser, committee member and because he felt that 6-7 years was chairman and for his services to about the right spell in the post the Institute of Biology and to the given the natural turnover of Royal Society of Edinburgh among senior staff in member organisa- others, several of which were tions, the ever progressing nature recognised in his lifetime by of science and its governance with prizes, medals and awards. As a which he felt that he might be person Peter was an instinctive, getting out of close touch. persuasive and congenial net- Though these contentions were worker who thrived on bringing arguable his wishes were respect- people together to explore and ed. His insight and commitment develop common interests and had ensured a smooth transition opportunities, something he did from a Bush-focussed ECRE to a equally well in a variety of settings more outward-looking successor be they scientific or social. He body. He set ECRR on a sure remained a warm supporter of foundation as a facilitating ECRR and its activities after 1997 consortium of scientific institu- and attended its public events tions unique within the UK, the whenever possible. He will be EU and probably more widely. missed. That is Peter Wilson’s legacy in but Ian D Aitken
Peter Northcote Wilson CBE, MSc, PhD(London), DipGen (Edinburgh), HonDUniv(Stirling), FIBiol. Born 4 April 1928; Elected FRSE 9 March 1987; Died 29 January 2004. RSE Council Ser vice: Secretary to Meetings, 1992-95; General Secretary, 1996-2001
341 Review of the Session 2004-2005
Thomas Wilson 23 June 1916 - 27 July 2001
The latest Register of Members of over the world. The series was the Royal Economic Society launched as part of the 200th conveys the information that a T anniversary celebrations of the Wilson, BA PhD, reported his publication in 1776 of The Wealth ‘Current Position’ as being of Nations and was universally ‘Retired’. Such modesty disguises acclaimed by Wilson’s peers but, Tom Wilson’s standing as the more interestingly perhaps, clearly holder of the highly prestigious did much to produce the aston- Adam Smith Chair of Political ishing revival of interest in Smith Economy at Glasgow University associated with the reassessment from 1958 to 1982. of the market economy in the Certainly Glasgow regarded 1980s. Wilson’s position as one of The idea that one emulates the particular merit and importance example of Adam Smith by being and he and his family lived in one an authority on his work is of the larger Professors’ houses in fallacious and no one following University Square. If Wilson was Wilson’s career could accuse him the last holder of the Chair who of any lack of analytical ability and preserved some of the patriarchal practical sense. He was born (in character consonant with this 1916), brought up and educated high regard for professorial in Belfast, and his forebears were status, he nevertheless command- Protestant farmers from Ballyla- ed the respect and affection of his gan, Co Antrim. He graduated BA staff and colleagues and listened from the Queen’s University in to and responded to their views 1938 and later in life he became on how the affairs of the depart- one of the most respected ment should be conducted. economic advisers to the Northern Inevitably the association of his Ireland Government. Chair with Adam Smith typecast As a graduate student at the Wilson as a historian of economic London school of Economics (LSE) thought. He was Joint Editor of he fell under the spell of John the much-admired Glasgow Maynard Keynes. The central edition of the works and corr- theme in much of his analytical espondence of Smith and work became an attempt to associated volumes of commen- reconcile Keynesianism and tary by Smith scholars from all Monetarism in offering an
342 Obituary Notices
explanation of economic fluctua- meeting with Churchill at Pots- tions. A succession of books, dam. Wilson’s wartime service beginning with Fluctuations in earned him an OBE, but he Income and Employment (1941, resisted a tempting invitation revised 1947) and culminating in from James Meade to become a his Planning and Growth (1964) member of the Economic Section brought Wilson both professional under the new Labour Govern- and public attention, for he still ment. followed a once time-honoured Wilson, in common with several practice that even academic senior economists serving the war- economists were expected to write time government, was at pains to intelligible prose. Wilson went show that war-time planning was further and garnished his text not to be taken as a guide to the with quotations from contempo- operation of the peace-time rary poets. economy. In an important article The Second World War called for a in Oxford Economic Papers (1948) major diversion of top economics – a journal of which he later talent into posts in which the became the energetic and forceful estimation of resources available, editor – he emphasised that and how they were to be allocated physical controls in wartime were by central government, could be required to move resources sensibly carried out. Tom Wilson quickly in line with an ever- spent six years in a series of posts, changing military situation of most interest being as a decided by only one purchaser – member of Churchill’s Statistical the state. The result was often Branch of the War Cabinet. He inefficiency and waste, com- worked directly to the Prime pounded by the rivalry between Minister’s close friend and adviser government departments reluc- Lord Cherwell, and with col- tant to reveal information which leagues later to become would bring their motives into well-known academics like question. himself, such as David Champer- However, in specifying the role of nowne, Charles Kennedy, George the state in the post-war economy, Shackle and their ‘boss’ Roy even amongst those who agreed Harrod, followed by Donald that high employment, a satisfac- McDougall. tory rate of growth and concern Devilling for Cherwell had its for the poor and old implied excitements, with Wilson once continuous state intervention, pounced on by Stalin’s guards as a there were and remain pro- spectator considered rather too nounced disagreements about near Uncle Joe’s emergence from a means. Today it may be difficult to
343 Review of the Session 2004-2005
understand that Wilson’s interme- colleagues, although they might diate Keynesian position, which just concede that Glasgow is, like supported fiscal policy to meet Edinburgh, one of the only other such objectives, but which places to live outside the Golden rejected large-scale public owner- Triangle. Wilson obviously had no ship of capital, could lead him to such misgivings. He was going to be accused of being a capitalist an institution with a splendid lackey on one side and a crypto- tradition, a town with immense Communist on the other. He cultural advantages and a country- found this amusing rather than side nearby where he could disturbing. indulge in his love of hill-walking. Wilson, Thomas, succeeded He immersed himself fully in Wilson, Harold, as the Economics Scottish economic affairs both as Fellow at University College, an adviser to the Scottish Office Oxford in 1948, despite tempting and as a director and for a while offers from LSE. The list of his chairman of the Scottish Mutual activities as a teacher, college Assurance Society. bursar, editor, researcher and If no further official recognition participant in public debate came his way – which is certainly manifests extraordinary energy. surprising – academic appoint- The Titans such as the three Hs – ments and honours abounded: Harrod, Henderson and Hicks – Fellow of the British Academy were still much in evidence, but 1976, Honorary Fellow of the LSE their younger colleagues had to 1979 and Fellow of the Royal take concerted action to press for Society of Edinburgh 1980. While better professional training of firmly anchored in Glasgow and economists if they were to keep playing his full part in academic up with Cambridge and LSE. By life, he was in constant demand as the time Wilson left for Glasgow, a lecturer and visiting professor in he and his generation could more Europe, the United States and than look Cambridge and London Australia, where he spent a in the face. One could not forget sabbatical at Canberra in 1982. that long before the war, Harrod Wilson met Dorothy Parry at LSE and Meade had been sent by their and they married in 1943. She Oxford colleges to Cambridge to had an independent reputation as study advanced economics! an expert on social policy and Those academics who have lectured on the subject in Glas- travelled back north to be near gow. They collaborated in several their origins often encounter studies on the welfare state. In incredulity from their academic their retirement both of them
344 Obituary Notices
became crippled and bore this reminding their fellow social burden with immense fortitude. It scientists that the ultimate object did not prevent them enjoying the of their activities was to try to arts, entertaining their friends in leave the world a better place than their cottage in the Trossachs, and they had found it. Alan Peacock
Reprinted by permission from The Independent, Obituaries, 7 August 2001
Thomas Wilson OBE FBA FRSA. Born 23 June 1916; Elected FRSE 3 March 1980; Died 27 July 2001.
345
INDEX A Burns, Harry, 121. Aberdeenshire Council, 185. ...but Cuckoos don’t nest, do they?, 133 Alexander, Sir Kenneth (John Wilson), 192. C Anderson, John Graham Comrie, 197. Caledonian Research Foundation (CRF), Andrew, Edward Raymond, 204. 185. European Visiting Research Annual Inspiration Awards - 2005, 166. Fellowships, 167,171. Personal Annual Statutory Meeting, 5. Research Fellowships, 167. Prize Lecture, 173,174. Artificial Intelligence in your LIfe Today, 148. Campbell, Malcolm Murray, 225. Atiyah, Sir Michael, 5, 15, 20, 183 Cantley, Lewis, 174. Atkinson, Frederick (Derick) Valentine, Cardinal, Douglas, 174. 207. The Challenge of the Ageing Skeleton, Attracting, Retaining and Recognising 105. Scotland’s Research Talent, 150. Changes in Fellowship, 187. Auditor's Report and Accounts, 33. Charities Aid Foundation, 185. China Forum, 12 B Christmas Lectures, 163. Baker, Terence George, 211. Climate Change: Apocalyptic, Much Ado Bakewell, Joan, 174. about Nothing or Cause for Concern, BBSRC, 185. Enterprise Fellowships, 124. 168,171. Conferences. Current Research in Beevers, Cecil Arnold, 213. Mathematical Biology, 127. Europe’s Bentley, Michael, 13, 173. Hidden Coral Worlds, 135. Surgery; Lessons from the Aviation Industry. Berry, John, 217. Transferring Aviation Psychology to Bicentenary Medals, 173, 183. surgery, 146. Bilateral Exchange Programme (Interna- Cormack. Bequest Scholarships, tional), 177 172. Postgraduate Prize 2004, The Binks Trust, 185. 169. Undergraduate Prize 2004, 169. Vacation Research Scholarship Blackmore, Stephen, 12. 2005, 169. BP, 185. Personal Research Fellowships, Current Research in Mathematical 167,171. Prize Lecture, 78. Biology, 127 British Council, 185. Brown, Sally A, 183. D Bruce, Peter, 58. The Darwin Trust of Edinburgh, 185. Bruce Preller Prize Lectureship, 13, 173. Dining Club, 183. Brück, Hermann Alexander, 222. Discussion. Attracting, Retaining and Buccleuch Estate, 185. Recognising Scotland’s Research Talent, 150.
347 Review of the Session 2004-2005
Discussion Forums. … but Cuckoos don’t BBSRC in Biodiversity Research, nest, do they? Neurosurgery for 159. Science for Sustainable Marine Mental Disorder in the 21st Century, Bioresources, 159. Simplification of 133. Artificial Intelligence: In your Life the FP7, 159. Sustainable Business Today, 148. HIV and AIDS in Scot- Growth, 159. The Draft Animal land: Beyond the 1980s, 130. The Health and Welfare (Scotland) Bil, Ethics of War, 137. 159. UK Honours Degree Classifica- tion System, 159. E e-Discussion Forum, 164. F Earthquakes at Home and Abroad, Farvis, William Ewart John, 228. 110. Fellows. Deaths of, 187. Edinburgh Centre for Rural Research, Fellows’ Coffee Meetings, 183 185. Fellows’ Golf Challenge, 184. Edward, Sir David, 12, 20, 173. Fellows’ Reception, 183. Election of Fellows, 187. Fellowship. Election of Fellows, 187. Election of Officers and Council for the Fellowship Secretary’s Report, 17. 223rd Session, 5. Fincham, John Robert Stanley, 233. Engineering and the Creative Arts : A New Frontier?, 113. Fleck, Lord, Will Trust, 185. Enterprise Fellowships. BBSRC, Fletcher, William Whigham, 237. 168,171. PPARC, 171. Scottish Fraser, Kenneth Boyd, 243. Enterprise, 168, 171. Entrepreneurs’ Club, 9. G The Ethics of War, 137 Galjaard, H, 174. Europe’s Hidden Coral Worlds, 125 Gannochy Trust, 185. Innovation Award, 173. Innovation Award Prize Lecture, European Policy Forum, 12 57. Evidence and Comment. 7th RTD General Secretary’s Report, 6. Framework Programme, 159. A Universal Ethical Code for Scientists, Gerrard, Neil, 130. 159. Cross Border Student Flows: Geological Hazards, 183. Higher Education Tuition Fees, Gibbey, Sir Walter, 185. 159. Extending the Authority to Credit Rate, 159. Future Directions in Gilbert, W, 174. Farm Animal Genetics & Genomics, GM Morrison Charitable Trust, 185. 159. Future of the National Institute Grants. Research Visitor to Scotland, for Medical Research, 159. How the 175. Support for Meetings, UK should manage radioactive waste, 175. Travel Assistance, 175. Visiting 159. Impact of ICT on Health and Lecturer, 175. Healthcare, 159. Long-term radioactive waste management, Grants, Sponsorship and Donations, 159. Review of the Scottish Climate 185. Change Programme, 159. Role of
348 Index
Gunn, Sir John Currie, 246. J Gunning Victoria Jubilee Prize Lecture, James Weir Foundation, 185. 58. Jung, Roland, 108. H K Halifax Bank of Scotland, 185. Kay, Rebecca, 78. Hamblen, David, 105. Keegan, Sir John, 174. Hansell, Mike, 173. Kelsay, John, 137. Harrison, John, 173. Knowledge Transfer: Science to Scottish Hawley, Robert, 113. Businesses, 156. The Health and Psyche of the Scottish Nation, 108. L Health Foundation, 185. Langmuir, Eric Duncan Grant, 253. Heriot-Watt University, 185. laws, 21. Highlands & Islands Development, 185. Lectures. The Challenge of the Ageing Hill, William, 20, 173. Skeleton, 105. Climate Change: HIV and AIDS in Scotland, 130. Apocalyptic, Much Ado about Nothing, 124. Earthquakes at Home Holmes, Richard, 174. and Abroad, 110. Engineering and Hood, Neil, 250. the Creative Arts : A New Frontier, How Safe are Vaccinations?, 121. 113. The Health and Psyche of the Scottish Nation, 108. How Safe are How we Think., 183. Vaccinations?, 121. New Concept of Hull, John, 183. Food Quality: Beyond Safety and Hunter, Sir Laurence, 173, 183. Sensory Properties, 119. Osteoporo- sis: African Genesis - European I Nemesis, 103. The Robot in your Head, 118. To Clone or Not to Imperial College London, 185. Clone?, 109. Who You Are or Where Inquiries, 161. You Are? Social and Spatial Institute of Biology, 185. Patterning of Health, 126. Why Clone? Cloning in Biology and Institute of Physics, 185. Medicine, 107. International Programme, 177. Events, Lessells. Scholarships, 169, 172. 180. Visits, 181. Relations with Sister Academies, 181. Lessells Trust, 185. Investing in Scientific Talent, 155. Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland, 185. Personal Research Fellowships, Investments, 53. 171. Research Studentships, 172.
349 Review of the Session 2004-2005
Lucas, Sir Cyril, 260. Robert Stanley, 233. Fletcher, William Lumsden, William Hepburn Russell, 262. Whigham, 237. Fraser, Kenneth Boyd, 243. Gunn, Sir John Currie, M 246. Hepburn, William Russell Lumsden, 262. Hood, Neil, Macintyre, Sally, 126. 250. Langmuir, Eric Duncan Grant, Makdougall Brisbane Prize, 13. 253. Lucas, Sir Cyril, 260. Lumsden, William Hepburn Russell, Maths Masterclasses, 165. 262. McCombie, Charles William, Matthews, Keith, 133. 269. Melville, Sir Harry (Work), Mattaj, Iain, 174. 273. Miller, Christina Cruickshank, McCombie, Charles William, 269. 278. Mowat, Ian Robert Mackenzie, 282. Noble, Mary Jessie McDonald, McGeough, Joe, 105. 286. Nutt, Cecil Wilfred, 290. Orr, McKay, Ronald, 173,174. John Stewart, 293. Polwarth, Lord, Medals, Prizes and Prize Lectureships, 296. Pugh, Hubert Lloyd David, 173. 300. Richardson, John Alan, 302. Sang, James Henderson, Melville, Sir Harry (Work), 273. 305. Sherlock, Dame Sheila Patricia Metcalf, D, 174. Violet, 310. Simmonds, Norman Miller, Christina Cruickshank, 278. Willison, 311. Stevens, Thomas Mitchell, John, 124. Stevens, 315. Stewart, Sir Frederick Henry, 319. Sweet, Professor Peter Mowat, Ian Robert Mackenzie, 282. Alan, 323. Weatherley, Paul Egerton, 326. Wilkins, Maurice Hugh N Frederick, 328. Williams, Sir Alwyn, Neill Medal, 13, 173. 332. Wilson, Peter Northcote, 338. Wilson, Thomas, 342. New Concept of Food Quality: Beyond Safety and Sensory Properties, 119. Office Bearers’ Reports for Session 2004/ 05, 6. New Fellows’ Induction Day 2005, 183. Olson, Maynard, 174. Noble, Mary Jessie McDonald, 286. O'Neill of Bengarve, Baroness, 174. Nutt, Cecil Wilfred, 290. Ordinary Meetings, 3. O Orr, John Stewart, 293. Obituary Notices, 191. Osteoporosis: African Genesis - Euro- Alexander, Sir Kenneth (John Wilson), pean Nemesis, 103. 192. Anderson, John Graham Oxburgh, Lord, 183. Comrie, 197. Andrew, Edward Raymond, 204. Atkinson, Frederick P (Derick) Valentine, 207. Baker, Terence George, 211. Beevers, Cecil Polwarth, Lord, 296. Arnold, 213. Berry, John, 217. Brück, Position Papers. Climate Change and Hermann Alexander, 222. Campbell, the Management of Scotland’s Malcolm Murray, 225. Farvis, William Natural Heritage, 160. Ewart John, 228. Fincham, John Postal Ballot, 17.
350 Index
Potocnik, Janez, 12. Richardson, John Alan, 302. PPARC, 185. Enterprise Fellowships, The Robot in your Head, 118. 171. Robson, James, 108. Presidency. Handover, 20. The Rowett Research Institute, 185. Presidential Address. The Lisbon Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Earthquake: 250 years on and Quincentenary Congress, 146. counting., 100. Royal Medals, 20,173. Prize Lectures. BP Prize Lecture, Russia's Fallen Heroes: Men's Experiences of Royal Meteorological Society, 185. Post-Soviet Change, 78. Gannochy Royal Society of Chemistry, 160. Trust Innovation Award Prize Lecture, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, 57. Gunning Victoria Jubilee Prize 127. Lecture, Energy: A Challenge for RSE Annual Review, 153. Materials Chemistry, 58. RSE China Forum, 12. Prusiner, Stanley, 174. RSE Roadshows, 163. Publications, Proceedings A: Mathemat- ics, 153. ReSourcE, 153. Transac- RSE Staff, 189. tions: Earth Sciences, 153. Pugh, Hubert Lloyd David, 300. S Purdie, David, 103. Salzen, Eric A, 183. Sang, James Henderson, 305. R Scotland’s Energy Supply, 161. Reese, Jason, 13, 173. Scotland’s Futures Forum, 8. Research Fellowships. BP Personal, Scott, Gordon, 130. 167,171. CRF European Visiting, Scottish & Southern Energy, 185. 167,171. CRF Personal, 167. Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland Scottish Association for Marine Science, Personal, 171. Scottish Executive 135. Personal, 167,171. Scottish Executive Scottish Enterprise, 185. Enterprise Support, 168,171. Fellowships, 168,171. Research Scholarships and Prizes. Scottish Enterprise Grampian, 185. Cormack Postgraduate Prize 2004, Scottish Executive, 185. Personal 169. Cormack Bequest Scholarships, Research Fellowships, 167,171. Sup- 172. Cormack Undergraduate Prize port Research Fellowships, 168,171. 2004, 169. Cormack Vacation Scottish Parliament Science Information Research Scholarship 2005, Scheme, 160. 169. John Moyes Lessells Scholar- ships, 172. Lessells Travel Scholarship, Scottish Science Advisory Committee, 169. 155. Members, 158. Staff, 158. Research Studentships. LLoyds TSB Sharkey, Noel, 118. Foundation for Scotland Research Shell UK, 185. Studen, 172. Sherlock, Dame Sheila Patricia Violet, ReSourcE, 153. 310.
351 Review of the Session 2004-2005
Sherratt, Jonathon, 183. The Ups and Downs of Natural Sibbett, Wilson, 184. Populations., 183. Simmonds, Norman Willison, 311. The Use of Brain Imaging Technology, 149. Simpson, Hamish, 105. Sloman, Aaron, 148. V Sorabji, Richard, 137. Varmus, H E, 174. Startup Science Masterclasses, 165. Statoil, 185. W Steiner, George, 174. W S Bruce Medal, 13,173. Steitz, Joan, 174. Wahlster, Wolfgang, 148. Stevens, Thomas Stevens, 315. Walker, Alice, 110. Stewart, Sir Frederick Henry, 319. Weatherley, Paul Egerton, 326. Strong, Sir Roy, 174. The Wellcome Trust, 185. Structure, Governance and manage- Wellcome Workshop. The Use of Brain ment, 21. Imaging Technology, 149. Summer School, 164. Who You Are or Where You Are? Social Surgery, Lessons from the Aviation and Spatial Patterning of Health, Industry, 146. 126. Sutherland of Houndwood, Lord, 20, Why Clone? Cloning in Biology and 100. Medicine, 107. Sweet, Professor Peter Alan, 323. Why Educate?, 183. Wilkins, Maurice Hugh Frederick, 328. T Williams, Sir Alwyn, 332. Talk Science School Visits, 163. Wilmut, Ian, 107,109. Thwarting and Origin of Speech, 183. Wilson, Peter Northcote, 338. To Clone or Not to Clone?, 109. Wilson, Thomas, 342. Total E & P UK plc, 185. Wright, James, 13. Transactions: Earth Sciences, 153. Treasurer’s Report, 15. Y Triennial Dinner, 13,183. Young People's Programme, 163. An- nual Inspiration Awards, 166. Christ- Trustees’ Report to 31 March 2005, 21. mas Lectures, 163. Discussion Forum, 164. e-Discussion Forum, 164. Maths U Masterclasses, 165. RSE Roadshows, Uauy, Ricardo, 119. 163. Startup Science Masterclasses, Underwood, Ian, 57. 165. Summer School, 164. Talk Science School Visits, 163.
352