Review 2014 the Royal Society of Edinburgh

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ISSN 1476-4342 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH

REVIEW OF THE SESSION 2012-2013

PUBLISHED BY THE RSE SCOTLAND FOUNDATION ISSN 1476-4342 The Royal Society of Edinburgh 22-26 George Street Edinburgh, EH2 2PQ

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Printed in Great Britain by Henry Ling Limited, Dorchester, DT1 1HD CONTENTS

ACTIVITIES – SESSION 2012-2013 Proceedings of the Ordinary Meetings ...... 3 Proceedings of the Statutory General Meeting ...... 5 Events ...... 41 Publications ...... 267 Policy Advice ...... 269 Events for Young People ...... 273 Research and Enterprise Awards ...... 277 Medals, Prizes and Prize Lectureships ...... 285 Grants Committee ...... 287 International Programme ...... 289 Fellows’ Social Events ...... 295 Schedule of Investments...... 297 Friends of the Society ...... 301 Changes in Fellowship during the Session ...... 303 Staff ...... 305

OBITUARY NOTICES ...... 307

TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND ACCOUNTS TO 31 MARCH 2013 Trustees Report ...... 437 Auditors’ Report ...... 459 Accounts ...... 461

PROCEEDINGS OF THE ORDINARY MEETINGS 2 December 2012 new Fellows and offered him congratulations on becoming a Chairman Fellow of the RSE. Sir John Arbuthnott, PRSE 24 June 2013 Ballot Professors Ian Main and Mark Chairman Schaffer were announced as Sir John Arbuthnott, PRSE scrutineers for the forthcoming Formal Admission to Fellowship ballot for the election of New Fellows. The outcome to be Professor Marion Campbell announced at the Ordinary Professor James Garden Meeting in March 2013. Professor Maggie Gill Lecture Professor Margaret (Mandy) RSE/BP Hutton prize Lecture in MacLean Energy Innovation, Black magic, Professor Graeme Ruxton black gold. Dr David Wright, PGS Senior Research Fellow, University Professor Pauline Schaap of Edinburgh. Professor Rhian M Touyz 19 March 2013 Ballot Chairman Scrutineers for the forthcoming Sir John Arbuthnott, PRSE ballot for the election of new RSE Election to Fellowship Council and Office-Bearers, for the Session 2013-2014 were Professor Ian Main and Professor announced as: Professor Angus Mark Schaffer (Scrutineers for the MacDonald and Professor John ballot for the election of new RSE Renwick Fellows) reported that 44.5% of the Fellowship voted in the Ballot, Lecture and that the names on the list had Professor Ian Frazer FRS, CEO and been approved by more than two- Director of Research, Translational thirds of those voting, as required Research Institute, Brisbane, by the Society’s laws. Australia. Vaccines to Prevent and Lecture Treat Cancer The Scientific Life of Dr David 2 September 2013 Livingstone. The President Chairman introduced Professor Michael Mr Ian Ritchie, Vice President Barrett, FRSE, Professor of Bio- chemical Parasitology, University This meeting of the Society was of Glasgow, noting that Professor part of the RSE Research Awards Michael Barrett was one of the Reception. There was no formal Society business to be conducted.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE STATUTORY GENERAL MEETING Minutes of the Statutory General Meeting held on 7 October 2013, ending the 230th Session

The Annual Statutory Meeting took place in the Society’s Wolfson Theatre on Monday 7 October 2013 at 6 pm. Sir John Arbuthnott MRIA, President, took the Chair. Sir John explained that the ASM would be in three parts, with the first (admission of Professor Jean Tirole and Professor James Dunlop) open to Fellows and guests, the second part (the formal business) being private to Fellows, and the third being presentations by members of the Young Academy of Scotland, which again would be open to all. A GENERAL BUSINESS 1. Admission of Fellows ...... 6 B FORMAL BUSINESS - RSE FELLOWS ONLY IN ATTENDANCE 1. Minutes ...... 9 2. Matters Arising ...... 9 3. Report on Activities for Session 2012/13 ...... 9 4. Office Bearers’ Reports ...... 9 - General Secretary’s Report ...... 9 - Treasurer’s Report ...... 15 - Fellowship Secretary’s Report ...... 16 5. Election of Council and Other Office-bearers for the 231st Session ...... 20 6. Any Other Business ...... 22 C PRESENTATIONS BY MEMBERS OF THE YOUNG ACADEMY OF SCOTLAND The Young Academy of Scotland, its activities and plans for the future...... 21 The benefits of YAS membership, and the YAS’ Research the Headlines Project ...... 23 Appendix I - Report on Activities for the Session ...... 24

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A. GENERAL BUSINESS 1.Admission of Fellows Professor Jean Tirole: The President invited Professor John Hardman Moore FBA FRSE to read the citation for Professor Jean Tirole: It is my privilege and pleasure to give the citation for the admission of Professor Jean Tirole to Honorary Fellowship of the Society. Professor Tirole first trained in Paris, at the École Polytechnique and then at the École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées, leading to a PhD from the Université Paris-Dauphine, before moving to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he obtained a second doctorate. After graduation from MIT in 1981, he went back to Paris, to the École Nationale, for two years. But America wouldn’t let him go that easily. He returned to MIT to become one of their most distinguished professors, in a department that already boasted many of the world’s greatest economists. Jean is still affiliated to MIT, as a permanent visiting professor. It looked as though Jean was lost from our side of the Atlantic. However, by the early 1990s, to France’s – and to Europe’s – enormous good fortune, one of Jean’s close collaborators, Jean-Jacques Laffont, had established a vibrant group of young economists at the University of Toulouse, and persuaded Jean to move there too. This was unheard of. People didn’t leave America, certainly not eminent full professors at MIT, to return to Europe. The world of economics watched with bated breath: would Tirole stay in Toulouse for long? The answer has been an emphatic yes. Under the combined magisterial leadership of the two Jeans, Jean-Jacques Laffont and Jean Tirole, Toulouse became the powerhouse of European economics, one of the very few centres of true excellence in the world, easily able to match its US competitors. The story of Toulouse is a remarkable one, an unequalled triumph of the intellectual power and personalities of the two men. Tragically, Jean-Jacques Laffont passed away at much too early an age, but Jean Tirole stayed in Toulouse, and the institutional triumphs in that city continue apace — thanks to the generosity of spirit, the vast range, and the sheer brilliance of the person who is being admitted to Honorary Fellowship of the Society this evening. In many ways, the Royal Society of Edinburgh may be a little late off the mark in admitting Professor Tirole to Honorary Fellowship. He has received numerous honours, many honorary degrees, and many prizes. Indeed, prizes seem to have been created so that he can be the first

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recipient. For example, in 1993, together with Jean-Jacques Laffont, he won the inaugural Yrjö Jahnsson award from the European Economic Association. In 2008 he won the inaugural BBVA Frontiers of Knowledge Award in the Economics and Finance category. The year earlier, he was only the second economist, following the Nobel Laureate Maurice Allais, to receive the highest award, the Médaille D’Or, of the French CNRS. With his collaborator Bengt Holmström, Jean won the Stephen A. Ross prize in Financial Economics for their crucial research into banking and liquidity shortages - work that predated the current crisis by more than a decade. Not only is Jean a Fellow of many of the world’s learned societies – topped, after this evening, by the Royal Society of Edinburgh – he has been President of many of them too. He was President of the Economet- ric Society in 1998, President of the European Economic Association in 2001, and is currently Chair of the Institute for Advance Study in Tou- louse. Naturally, he is a Foreign Honorary Member of both the American Economic Association and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He is also Chevalier de la Légion D’Honneur, as well as Officier de l’Ordre National du Mérite. Jean’s CV moves into the stratosphere in matters to do with publication and influence. He has written over 10 books, published over 175 research articles in English, et qui sait combien d’articles en français. The quality of all this material! The influence! He has given around 80 named lectures. He has more than a googol Google citations. And the range! Industrial organisation; regulation and procurement; banking and corporate finance; asset pricing, crises and bubbles; psychology – he has a forthcoming book with Roland Bénabou intriguingly entitled Egonomics. Quite honestly, it’s terrifying, bewildering. How does Jean do it? And how does he remain at same time such a courteous, consider- ate, caring friend and mentor to so many of us? I once asked his collaborator Drew Fudenberg – whose take, on the phenomenon that is Jean Tirole, was simply: “Oh well, Jean’s brain just has a faster clock speed.” But speed isn’t everything. Jean is an utterly brilliant economist, one of the greatest in generations – primarily a theorist, with an unparalleled gift for building elegantly simple models of the world that are both profound and relevant, that capture a myriad of truths. I should say that Jean himself is very modest about his reputation. He sees his research work as “a matter of luck, being in the right place at the right time”, because, he explains, he began his career “just as two

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interesting mathematical theories came to the fore: game theory and information theory”. The former predicts the strategies economic agents adopt in a given situation, and is now a crucial tool of economic analysis. The latter describes how economic agents go about using information in a strategic way. Well, lucky or not, of the many people who had the opportunity, Jean was at the front of the scientific enquiry that made use of the tools of game and information theory. Jean was, and continues to be, a leader of a scientific revolution. Although Jean is unduly modest about his own research contribution, he is less shy about economics itself. He is a great optimist and campaigner for the importance and power of our discipline to change lives. Let me give the last words to him: “Economics is central to the understanding of our societies and essential to make our world a better one. Often called the dismal science, it makes explicit what’s feasible and what’s not; the common refusal to consider trade-offs implies that we often content ourselves with mediocre policymaking. Modern economic theory has broadened its scope of investigation, and has substantially increased its policy relevance. Rather than a dismal science, lay people will discover economics to be a rigorous, fun, and deeply human science.” Professor Tirole was then invited by the President to sign the Fellows’ Roll and was admitted as an Honorary Fellow of the Society. Professor Tirole thanked Sir John for the welcome, and Professor Hard- man Moore for the very kind words. Professor James Dunlop The President invited Professor James S. Dunlop, Professor of Extragalac- tic Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, to sign the Fellows’ Roll and was admitted as a Fellow of the Society. Before the formal business of the ASM, the President asked any non- Fellows who were in attendance for the admission of Professors Tirole and Dunlop to leave the room. They would be welcome to re-join for the presentations by the members of the Young Academy of Scotland.

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B. FORMAL BUSINESS 1. MINUTES The Minutes of the Annual Statutory Meeting held on Monday 1 October 2012 were taken as read, approved by those Fellows present and signed by the President as a correct record. 2.MATTERS ARISING There were no matters arising. 3.REPORT ON ACTIVITIES FOR SESSION 2012/13 The meeting noted the Report on Activities for Session 2012/13 distributed to Fellows in advance (Appendix I). The President noted that it had been an incredibly busy year, and the report encapsulates the work that has been undertaken. The President suggested that any discussion of the report should take place after the Office Bearers’ Reports had been delivered. 4.OFFICE BEARERS’ REPORTS GENERAL SECRETARY’S REPORT Before inviting Professor Alice Brown to give the General Secretary’s Report, the President announced that the Scottish Government had just named Professor Brown as the next Chair of the Scottish Funding Council. The President noted that this is excellent news for the further and higher education sector, but sadly means that Professor Brown can no longer act as RSE General Secretary, and as a result would be standing down at the end of this ASM. Professor Brown has been an impeccable General Secretary, in a very demanding post, and the President offered his congratulations to Alice for her new role. The President handed over to Professor Alice Brown, who gave the following report: We report our performance during the fiscal year, which runs from April to March, in two ways. Firstly, as required by charity law, through our Annual Trustees’ Report and Accounts. The Report and Accounts for 2012-2013 was approved by Council in its capacity as the Society’s Trustees and is available to any Fellow via our website, or in printed format on request. Secondly, we report through our illustrated Annual Review, which summarises the main activities described in the Trustees’ Report, highlights the key impacts of these activities, and includes an approved summary of Accounts, on which the Treasurer will report later.

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You should have received a paper or electronic copy of this illustrated review with your papers for this evening. My report this evening covers activities during the Society’s annual Session, which began on 2nd October 2012 and ends today. Your papers included a report of the full and varied programme of activities the Society delivered during the session. These contributed to the public benefit outcomes which were set out in the Society’s Strategic Framework for 2012-2015, namely: 1. Enhancing the capacity of world-class researchers working in science and culture in Scotland 2. Strengthening connections among academia, business, the public and the voluntary sectors 3. Enhancing the RSE Young Academy of Scotland’s capacity to contribute to the future of Scotland 4. Enhancing the public’s contribution to and understanding of scientific, economic and cultural issues 5. Informing and influencing public policy decisions 6. Sustaining and utilising our multi-disciplinary Fellowship and recognising outstanding achievement and excellence It is worth stressing that we have taken a more strategic approach to some of our activities for example in establishing an Events Strategy and developing our International Strategy and linking these more effectively with the work of our Policy Advice Unit. You will observe from the Report on Activities for the current session that it has been another extremely busy and productive year for the RSE. The Report outlines the range of things that we have done covering Research Awards, Fellowships, our ‘Friends of Society’ initiative, the International programme and an impressive list of activities under our Events programme, not least the Lochaber project; and we were delighted that His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh was able to present the Royal Medals in August. We have also had confirmation that Scottish Enter- prise will fund the next phase of the Enterprise Fellowships which is excellent news. I do not propose to report in detail on each and every one of the activities outlined in the Report and will let them speak for themselves, but I would like to select a few highlights. Let me start with the project on:

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Enlightening the Constitutional Debate Last year I reported that we had worked in partnership with the British Academy in holding two events in London and in Edinburgh where we examined the different constitutional options facing Scotland and the potential political and economic implications of the respective positions. As you will be aware, the Scottish Government intends to hold a referendum in September 2014 in which people living in Scotland will be asked whether or not Scotland should be an independent country. As an independent and impartial organisation with no party-political agenda the RSE does not have a view about how people should vote. However, it does have an important role to play in enlightening the constitutional debate and providing a forum for expert analysis of the many questions and issues that will need to be addressed in the run-up to the referendum. To this end we have held a series of public discussion events covering a range of topics including Scotland and the EU; Taxation and Spending; Defence and International Relations; The Real Economy; Currency, Banking and Financial Services; Culture and Broadcasting; and Borders, Immigration and Citizenship. Most of these events have been held here at the RSE and have been extremely well attended by Fellows and members of the public. The two events on Taxation and Currency were held at the British Academy in London. In contrast to our public events, they were by invitation only and were conducted under Chatham House Rules. Because of the interest in these topics we intend to repeat them in a joint session to be held in Edinburgh in January next year. In addition we will continue the series with an event at the University of Aberdeen later this month on Science and Higher Education followed by an event on Welfare and Public Services to be held at the University of Strathclyde in November. The final topic on Historical, Legal and Constitu- tional Issues will be held at the British Academy in February. Reports of all the events have been published and the discussions at the RSE have been videoed. It is intended that the series should culminate in an event centred on a publication which will bring together the discussions that have taken place and serve as a historical archive of the Society’s contribution to such a significant period in Scotland’s history, Inquiries a. The RSE launched our Report entitled Tapping All our Talent. Women in STEM: a Strategy for Scotland last year in which we recommended a co-ordinated strategy to help increase the proportion of women in

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the workplace qualified in STEM subjects and those who hold senior positions in universities, research institutes, government, business and industry. The recommendations made in the Report have been disseminated widely – we have given presentations in different parts of Scotland, to the Department of Business, Innovation and Science in London, as well as at events in Belfast and in Brussels. Most recently I gave a presentation at the Parliamentary Links Day at Westminster which focused on Science and Diversity. We have also made a written submission to a House of Commons Science and Technology Com- mittee inquiry on the subject. We have been very encouraged that many of our recommendations have been adopted by the Scottish Government and supported by other bodies. This is an area that continues to attract attention and we hope to give evidence to the Select Committee inquiry later in the year. b. At the same time as we have been disseminating the results of our previous inquiry, we have been engaged in a new inquiry into Digital Participation in Scotland. This inquiry is being chaired by Professor Michael Fourman and Professor Alan Alexander. The ways we communicate, work, consume, grow our economy, are active in our communities, deliver and access public services, community planning, education and healthcare are all evolving. Digital information and communications technologies are changing the ways we live, work and play and the pace of change will continue. However, research shows that many individuals, businesses and communities are not engaged and are at risk of being excluded. The RSE Inquiry is focused on communities – including social, economic and cultural communities – and aims to address three key questions: · How can digital technologies benefit our communities? · What do communities, businesses and organisations need to be able to fully participate in this changing society? · How can we ensure that digital technologies help to narrow the social divide, rather than widen it? The Inquiry team has been gathering evidence from different communities around Scotland, including cities, urban, rural and island communities, and are currently drafting their Interim Report which

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will go out for consultation in November. It is intended that the final Report will be published in March next year. Policy Advice Unit a. Education Committee: We continue to provide briefing papers and to submit advice papers and responses to consultations to the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government. This session our Education Committee has been actively engaged with policy makers on the major reforms underway in Scottish education, and in particular the implementation of Curriculum for Excellence and the new national qualifications. The Education Committee has been asked by the Scottish Government to provide advice in relation to the evaluation of the Curriculum for Excellence being carried out by the OECD. The Committee has also worked in partnership with the British Computer Society on a project to exemplify computing science- related aspects of the Curriculum for Excellence. The aim has been to help re-energise the teaching of computing in schools and highlights its importance in supporting a digital society. In addition, the Committee has been monitoring the debate around the future of Higher and Further Education in Scotland. With financial support from a range of partners, including a number of universities, the RSE is undertaking a joint project with the David Hume Institute to examine the future role of universities in Scotland. The intention is to inform the next iteration of policy in this area with the publication of discussion papers ahead of the Scottish Parliamentary elections in 2016. b. Business Innovation Forum: The Forum is preparing an advice paper on Financing Innovation in Scotland which will be a follow-up to a paper produced on this subject in 2012. The Forum has been working with external partners, Scottish Financial Enterprise and the Institute of Chartered Accountants (Scotland), in preparing the paper and it is understood that the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, John Swinney, is interested in the results. The Forum also hosted a briefing session on the EU Horizon 2020 funding and followed this up by taking a group of around 30 researchers and university staff involved in commercialisation for a series of meetings with MEPs and EU officials in Brussels.

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The Young Academy The RSE established and launched the Young Academy of Scotland in November 2011. It is worth recalling that the RSE Young Academy is the first of its kind in the United Kingdom. In the first year 68 founding members, 40% of whom are women, were appointed and they come from a wide range of backgrounds both academic and non-academic. This session we entered into the second round of applications and appointed 50 new members, 50% of whom are women. This brings the total membership to 118 – 43% women and 57% men. It is worth noting that the RSE Fellowship has quite a bit further to go to get to this level! I will not go in to detail about the Young Academy as I am delighted that we have Professor Ineke De Moortel, Co-Chair of the YA’s Facilitating Group, and Dr Sinead Rhodes, lead on the Research the Headlines project, with us this evening and they will tell us more about their activities and plans for the future. Conclusion & Thanks To conclude, it is evident that during the year the Society has, once again, advanced learning and useful knowledge through a wide range of public benefit activities, which have reached many people and places across Scotland and beyond. This would not have been possible without the willing and voluntary contribution of Fellows, the support of the Society’s hard working staff, or the voluntary input of others. On behalf of the Society, I would like to thank all of them for their substantial contributions. I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to the Office Bearers and Trustees who see their terms of office ending today. Namely: · Vice-President, Professor Wilson Sibbett · Council Members, Professor Sir David Edward and Professor Sheila Rowan On behalf of the Society I would like to thank all of them for the valuable contributions they have made to the Society’s work, whilst at the same time fulfilling many other demands on their time. Finally, the President has announced that, because I have accepted the appointment as Chair of the Scottish Funding Council, I have to stand down from my position as General Secretary of the RSE. It is with great regret that I do so as I can honestly say that I have thoroughly enjoyed my period in office as General Secretary and have welcomed the opportunity

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to work with so many fascinating and highly motivated people across the whole range of the RSE’s activities. I would not have missed it for the world and will cherish the many positive memories I have of the experience. Can I thank you for electing me as General Secretary and I am confident that you will provide my successor with the same level of support that I have received. That concludes my report. I will hand over to the Treasurer now, followed by the Fellowship Secretary, and then will be happy to take any questions which you may have on any of our activities during the session. TREASURER’S REPORT Mr Gerald Wilson gave the following report: 2012-13 was a challenging year for the RSE but I am able to report that the financial outcome is satisfactory. The overall surplus for the year was £325k. This includes a significant legacy and other non-recurring items. The underlying surplus on our operations was £31k compared with a £21k deficit in the previous year. At a more detailed level there are three points worth noting: First, our grant from the Scottish Government fell from £2.45m in 2011- 12 to £2.350m in 2012-13 as a result of the Government’s economy measures. The grant has fallen by £577k in 2 years (nearly 20%). I believe that the Scottish Government are not unappreciative of what we do but they are dealing with a declining public purse and growing demands in other areas. Our task is to persuade them that, even in a period of economic difficulty and amid other pressures, support for what we do is a good investment and is important to Scotland‘s future. Secondly, our investment income at around £820k was slightly ahead of target and I should take this opportunity to thank the Investment Committee and Speirs & Jeffrey & Co who manage our portfolio. The value of the portfolio now stands at nearly £22m, up from £19.1m in the previous year. Thirdly, as regards the balance sheet, consolidated net assets stand at nearly £27.2m, compare with £24.1m in the previous year. Turning to expenditure, our total expenditure decreased by £280K or 5%. The major element was a reduction in grants in support of research and innovation. In particular, there were fewer research and enterprise fellows in post. Our reduced Government grant and the need to safeguard the support for existing fellows meant that we could make only 3 new research fellowship awards in 2012.

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The Council runs a tight ship and fellows will be happy to note that our governance costs remain at a similar level to previous years at 3% of our total recurring income. However the pips are starting to squeak. On the basis of the figures you might argue that the RSE is doing fine financially and is making an appropriate public benefit contribution despite financial pressures. This might suggest a sort of “steady as she goes” approach to the future. Unfortunately, I do not think that would be prudent. We know that the Government is under continuing financial pressure and that is likely to remain the case for some time. If we hope to retain and perhaps see an increase in its financial support, notwithstanding the Government’s growing list of other priorities (arising from an ageing population, the need to address social deprivation, the pressures on the NHS etc.), we need to renew our efforts to strengthen and enhance – and also demonstrate – the real value to Scotland of the RSE’s work and our strategic vision. I should recognise your efforts, Mr President, to get the message across to the Minister. We also need to continue to raise our profile more widely, not only to Government and politicians, but also to academia generally, to other interest groups, especially to the business community, and to the general Scottish public. Finally, we need to diversify our funding sources. The New Enlighten- ment Fund is an important vehicle in this connection. The Council’s fundraising efforts are developing apace and they must be a priority for us all over the next few years. I believe that the future financial health of the RSE and indeed its future as a credible, influential and independent organisation depends on it. I hope that we can count on the support of Fellows in our efforts. FELLOWSHIP SECRETARY’S REPORT Professor Alan Miller gave the following report: In this paper I will cover the distribution of the current fellowship, where we are with the current election cycle to elect new Fellows to the Society, and some important changes that we are making to the nomination process to try to improve the balance of the Fellowship. Current Fellowship Looking at the current fellowship, we have 1559 Fellows in total, including Honorary and Corresponding. These are spread across the four discipline groups as follows: Sector A – Life Sciences 35.8% Sector B – Physical Sciences 35.7% Sector C – Humanities and Creative Sector D – Social Sciences, Arts 14.5% Education and Public Service 13.8%

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10.8% of the Fellowship is female, a small increase from 10.3% last year, moving slowly in the right direction. We recognise that more still needs to be done to increase the number of women in the Fellowship, and I will mention one of the steps that we are taking later in this report. Looking at the age distribution of the Fellowship, we have Fellows aged from 37 to 97 with an average age of around 67. As in previous years, there are very few Fellows in the 30-39 age group. In May of this Session we elected 39 new Fellows, together with 5 Corresponding Fellows and 3 Honorary Fellows. Current Election Cycle Looking now at the current, 2013/2014 election cycle. We have 193 candidates for consideration, 178 for Fellowship, 7 for Honorary Fellow- ship and 8 for Corresponding Fellowship. Of the 178 for Fellowship, 81 of these are new candidates, the same number as for last year. I am pleased to report that there has been a substantial increase in the number of nominations of women this year. We have 33 new nominations this year compared to 17 last year. Including those being considered for their second or third year, there are 53 female candidates being considered this year, compared to 33 last year. This means that over a quarter of the candidates for consideration this year are female. The allocation of places for Fellowship is always an important issue for Council and there are various factors taken into account when we draw up these numbers. Every year since the review in 2007 the recommendation has been that we should elect no more than 40 new Fellows a year, however this year Council has agreed that in order to improve the balance of the Fellowship, five additional places should be made available. As such Council has agreed the following distribution of places for this year: Group A 13 Group B 13 Group C 5 Group D 9 Additional Places 5 TOTAL 45 Additional places will be allocated to cross-sectoral candidates and will also be used to address some of the imbalances in the Fellowship by allowing additional places to be available for female candidates, business candidates and candidates in the creative arts. These will be allocated by

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the Fellowship Committee based on the shortlistings from the Commit- tees and Sector Groups. The election process involves five stages, the first of which is the Sectional Committee meetings, which were completed at the beginning of Octo- ber. Following this, the top candidates from each of the Sectional Committees will then be considered and prioritised by the Sector Groups, which are chaired by the relevant Vice-President. The prioritised candidates from the Sector Group meetings are then considered by the Fellowship Committee, which will also allocate this year’s additional places, and finally the recommendations are approved by Council. In December there is a ballot of the whole fellowship, and I would encourage Fellows to participate in this vote. I am pleased that we are getting such excellent candidates and such excellent Fellows elected. Nominations Group A key message which I have made in previous years in terms of gender balance, but which also applies to other imbalances in the Fellowship, is the importance of having reasonable numbers of candidates being put forward in the first place for consideration. I reported last year that, for this reason, the Fellowship Committee had agreed to establish Nomina- tions Groups to proactively seek out candidates for Fellowship in currently underrepresented groups. I am pleased to report that Groups met this session to increase the numbers of female candidates, and candidates in the creative arts. As a result of the work of these Groups, new Female candidates have increased from 17 in 2012 to 33 this year, and candidates in the creative arts from one in 2012 to 12 this year. I am in no doubt that this process has been a success, and a positive step towards correcting the imbalances in the Fellowship. It is intended that these groups will continue next year, with the addition of a group encouraging nominations of business, management and public affairs candidates. Changes for 2014 Changes to sector groups In reviewing the nomination process, the Fellowship Committee agreed that the current Sector grouping was not particularly satisfactory, specifically with regards to Sector D which currently combines a mix of academic and non-academic candidates. As such, Council has agreed to an increase to five Sector Groups: Life Sciences; Physical, Engineering and Informatic Sciences; Humanities, Creative Arts, Education and Public

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Understanding; Social Sciences, Law and Economics; Business, Manage- ment and Public Affairs. A more detailed subject breakdown will be available following further discussions with the relevant Sectional Committees and Vice-Presidents. This new grouping emphasises the importance of business, management and public affairs to the RSE, and provides more focus on Social Sciences, Law and Economics. This grouping creates a fifth Sector, and in the longer term Council may wish to create a new Vice-President to represent this area, but in the interim stages, and until we see that this structure works, it was agreed that an ordinary member of Council will have responsibility for the newly created Sector D. Changes to Nomination Forms During this session it has also been agreed that the nomination process for business, public service and management candidates should be changed, to move away from the academic-focus of the existing process. A separate nomination form for business, public service and management candidates has therefore been agreed. Nominators of business, public service and management candidates are also to be encouraged to have more detailed dialogue with the candidate in advance of submitting the nomination. It has also been agreed that for all nomination forms and the update form it would be useful to include a candidate statement, in addition to the statements from the nominator. This candidate statement will be included in the nomination forms and update forms for the 2014-2015 round. Fellows’ Involvement I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the Fellows involved in the nomination process, especially those on the various Sectional Committees. Nearly 200 Fellows are actively involved in the process on these Sectional Committees and we are very grateful to them for their dedication and hard work in contributing to this process. I would also like to take this opportunity to ask Fellows to give some thought to who should be put forward as candidates in 2014. We have taken steps to highlight and deal with gaps in the Fellowship, but we rely on existing Fellows to submit high-quality nominations each year to ensure that we have outstanding nominations to consider. Fellows may in particular wish to think of possible candidates for Corresponding Fellowship. We are looking for outstanding individuals overseas who will

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engage with the RSE and who could help the RSE to foster stronger links internationally. QUESTIONS ON OFFICE BEARERS’ REPORTS The President invited questions on the Office Bearers reports. The following were raised: What does Council hope to see as a steady state regarding the gender balance of the Fellowship? 50/50 is the obvious target. 10% is far too low, although we recognise that it will take a long time to change. However compared to the gender balance in universities, we don’t compare favourably, and need to do more. There have been a number of bequests and an increase in investment income recently; will any of this be used to pay off the mortgage on 22 George Street? The RSE has already paid off this mortgage, and now has no borrowings. However we need to be careful with the endowment fund, as the stock market is volatile. The Young Academy of Scotland is part of the Society, and therefore it doesn’t seem right that YAS members have been excluded from this ASM. The RSE Laws state that only Fellows of the Society and relevant staff may attend the ASM. Also, the YAS wants to be independent, and not necessarily too closely associated with the RSE. However we are an evolving Society, and this needs to be taken into consideration. As there were no further questions, Sir John thanked all of the Office Bearers for their work over the past year, and for their input into this ASM. 5.ELECTION OF COUNCIL AND OTHER OFFICE-BEARERS FOR THE 231ST SESSION The President announced that under Law 6 of the Society, Council has the ability to appoint a Fellow to fill the vacancy arising, to hold office until the next Statutory Meeting. As such, Professor Alan Alexander, Emeritus Professor of Local & Public Management, University of Strath- clyde, has agreed to fill the post of General Secretary for the coming Session. Alan has already been involved centrally in the Enlightening the Constitutional Debate series, and in the review of digital participation. The President offered his thanks and congratulations to Alan. The President then reported on the ballot of Council and other Office- Bearers for the 2013-2014 Session. All Fellows entitled to vote had been

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sent a ballot paper. The returned papers had been examined by the scrutineers, Professor Angus Macdonald and Professor John Renwick. There were 447 returns - this equates to 31% of the Fellowship. 433 papers were clean, and 14 papers were marked by scoring out a name or names. No papers were spoiled. The Scrutineers were content that all those proposed were elected unanimously or by ‘an overwhelming majority’. Membership of Council and the Executive Board for the next Session would be: COUNCIL EXECUTIVE BOARD President General Secreary Sir John Arbuthnott Professor Alan Alexander * General Secreary Curator Professor Alan Alexander * Dr Iain Gordon Brown Vice-Presidents Vice-President International Professor Graham Caie Professor Tariq Durrani Professor Anna Dominiczak Vice-President Business Professor Tariq Durrani Mr Ian Ritchie Mr Ian Ritchie Sir David Wallace * Programme Convener Sir Andrew Cubie Treasurer Mr Gerald Wilson Research Awards Convener Professor Steve Beaumont Fellowship Secretary Professor Alan Miller Young People’s Programme Convener Ordinary Members Dr Chris van der Kuyl Professor Doreen Cantrell * Dr Barbara Crawford * Education Committee Convener Professor Robert Cormack Professor Sally Brown Sir Muir Russell Chairman, The RSE Scotland Observer Foundation Sir Brian Ivory Professor Donald Ritchie * Newly elected members Chairman, The RSE Scotland SCIO Professor Peter Holmes 6.ANY OTHER BUSINESS There was no other formal business. The President thanked all those who had attended the meeting and had contributed to the reports and

21 Review of the Session 2012-2013

discussions. The President reminded the Fellows present that the evening would continue with presentations by two members of the Young Academy of Scotland, and Fellows were encouraged to stay to hear these. At this stage, members of the Young Academy and other non-Fellows were welcomed back into the room.

C. PRESENTATIONS BY MEMBERS OF THE YOUNG ACADEMY OF SCOTLAND

The Young Academy of Scotland, its activities and plans for the future. Professor Ineke De Moortel, Royal Society University Research Fellow, University of St Andrews, and Co-Chair of the Young Academy of Scotland. Professor Dr Moortel began by giving some background on the Young Academy of Scotland (YAS), which was established in 2001, and which, after two application rounds, now has a membership of 118. The YAS is part of a growing international movement, and several YAS members are also members of the Global Young Academy. The YAS is unique in its composition, as not only does it include arts, humanities and social sciences as well as sciences, but it also has a membership beyond academia, including practitioners, professionals, entrepreneurs, and members from the third sector and the public sector. This interdisciplinarity is a core part of the mission of the YAS. The mission also states that the YAS will look beyond academia to the wider society and will work to “address the most challenging issues facing society in Scotland and beyond”. When established, the YAS was given a blank slate with regards to the organisational structure. They agreed on a flat management structure, with a Facilitating Group comprising four Co-Chairs, each with a particular remit, and a Treasurer. There is also a Steering Group, made up of the Facilitating Group and the leaders of each of the Working Groups. The YAS holds four plenary meetings per year, Working Group meetings, regional groups for local networking, and regular electronic communication via the discussion forum on the website and email bulletins. A number of working groups have been established, covering subjects including excellence in education, open data, health, constitutional reform, women in STEM and media relations (which Dr Rhodes will talk about in more detail). The working groups are running a range of related events, including seminars, debates, surveys and blogs.

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The benefits of YAS membership, and the YAS’ Research the Head- lines Project Dr Sinead Rhodes, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, University of Strathclyde, and Chair of the Young Academy of Scotland Media Relations Working Group. Dr Rhodes began by talking about the benefits of YAS membership, which for her include public engagement opportunities, opportunities to take part in calls for evidence, such as the Royal Society’s call on ‘Science as a Public Enterprise’, and the opportunities for multi-disciplinary collaborations, for example with sociologist. Dr Rhodes then provided information on the Media Relations Working Group, which she chairs. The purpose of this working group is to proactively engage with the media about the portrayal of research within the media across the disciplines represented within the YAS. The Working Group has established a Research the Headlines blog (http:// researchtheheadlines.org/), which addresses the way in which research is discussed and portrayed in the media, provides expert positions across multiple disciplines and is targeted to lay audiences and suitable for those with and without any research training. The Group has produced reactive pieces, responding to articles in the media, such as one on ‘Growing out of autism’, as well as expert guides, ‘science or fiction?’ articles, and articles which look ‘under the radar’, for example looking at the science behind articles such as ‘Worrying molecule found in bottled water’. Dr Rhodes concluded by saying that, although she has just presented the work of this one Working Group, this exemplifies the type of work that can occur when you bring together a multidisciplinary team of interested people. Sir John thanked both speakers for their interesting presentations. He noted that we live in a different media world, and one with which we need to be more engaged. So he was particularly pleased to see the YAS leading the way on this. Sir John Arbuthnott, President 6 October 2014

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Appendix I Report on Activities for the Annual Session 2012/13 (2 October 2012 – 7 October 2013)

The Fellowship of the RSE contin- such as the Royal Society, Research ued to deliver a wide-ranging Councils and major research programme of activities, support- charities. The RSE is very grateful ed by staff of the Society and to organisations such as BP, the others. These activities contribut- Scottish Government and the ed to the overarching aims set out European Commission, who in the Society’s Strategic Frame- continue to provide support for work for 2012–2015. This report these valuable Awards. records the various activities and the difference that we aim to The following awards were made make through these activities. during the Session: Enhancing the capacity of · One CRF Personal Research world-class researchers work- Fellowship in Biomedical ing in science and culture in Sciences Scotland · 14 CRF European Visiting Research Fellowships in Arts, Research Awards Humanities & Social Sciences Our Research Awards programme · Six Scottish Government supports some of the most Personal Research Fellowships outstanding young scientists and innovators working in Scotland · Cormack awards: One Under- today, and it is through these graduate Prize, One various schemes that we are able Postgraduate Prizes and Six to attract and support world-class Vacation Research Scholarships researchers. The RSE Awards · Eight Lessells Travel Scholarships create conditions that attract The Scottish Government-funded those with outstanding potential Personal Research Fellowship and allow them to establish their scheme is the largest fellowship career in Scotland and make long- scheme administered by the RSE term contributions to the science, for postdoctoral researchers and technology, engineering and the research fellowships lever mathematics (STEM) base in benefits for Scottish research – Scotland. It provides scope to over the past year, an additional place special emphasis on areas of £6.2m has been attracted into the research key to the well-being of Scottish research pool. We were Scotland, and complements pleased this year to be able to similar programmes available on a make six new awards, and are UK-wide basis from organisations

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grateful to the host universities Scotland and beyond, involving for their help in enabling us to do artists, curators, art historians, so. In addition, we have contin- librarians, archivists, scientists and ued during the Session to support research students. Evidence nineteen existing Personal obtained from the awardees Research Fellows. shows that the objective of The EU Marie-Curie COFUND improving understanding of scheme has continued to support human culture, past and present, the internationalisation of our is being met by this programme. Scottish Government-funded Scottish Crucible Research Fellowships, and this For a number of years now the funding has supported three RSE has partnered with other Research Fellows over the past Scottish universities to support year and enabled them to work in the “Scottish Crucible” training the USA, Iceland and Eire. scheme, funded by the Scottish In addition to these science Funding Council, and with activities, the Scottish Government additional support coming from grant has continued to support Universities Scotland. Through a our Arts & Humanities pro- series of intensive two-day gramme, through the awarding of workshops, this programme the following: brings together talented research- · Seven Research Workshops ers from across Scotland to explore and expand their capacity · 22 Small Research Grants and problem solving. This year 32 Seven existing Research Networks researchers benefitted from this and two Major Research Grants opportunity, and the Society is were supported in their second grateful to the various funders for year of a two- and three-year continuing to support this grant respectively. worthwhile scheme. Since its inception in February Strengthening connections 2007, this programme has among academia, business, the benefitted 109 individuals and public and the voluntary sectors has enabled them to develop links Enterprise Fellowship with people and organisation that they would not otherwise have The RSE administers three Enter- easily been able to work with. prise Fellowship schemes, which are designed to help create This programme allows the sustainable companies with high- establishment of long-term value jobs that make a positive dialogue, both interdisciplinary contribution to the economy in and inter-institutional, across the long term. The three schemes,

25 Review of the Session 2012-2013

funded separately by Scottish Director of the Saltire Foundation Enterprise, the Science and Fellowship Programme and Kim Technology Facilities Council Richmond, a newly-graduated (STFC) and the Biotechnology and Saltire Foundation Fellow, who Biological Sciences Research spoke about the Saltire Fellowship Council (BBSRC), encourage the programme and what it offers commercialisation of technology- aspiring entrepreneurs. Seven of based business ideas from the recent and current Enterprise academic institutions into spin- Fellows then delivered one-minute out companies. ‘elevator pitches’ to allow guests The fellowships offer support to to learn about the range of develop business skills through businesses being funded through intensive business training and the Enterprise Fellowship pro- mentoring, as well as introduc- gramme. The events were tions to potential collaborators, attended by current and former investors and other specialists Enterprise Fellows, Fellows of the who are able to help get the RSE, mentors to the Enterprise business up and running. Fellowship programme, Saltire Foundation Fellows and guests This Session, four Scottish from the Business Angel commu- Enterprise Enterprise Fellowship nities. were awarded, together with one BBSRC Enterprise Fellowship. The Friends of the Society Research Council schemes operate The RSE’s corporate engagement on a UK-wide basis, with the initiative “Friends of the Society” purpose of supporting the (Corporate Partners of the Royal commercialisation of research Society of Edinburgh) continues to previously funded by BBSRC and grow since its launch in April STFC. 2009. By September 2013, Two RSE Entrepreneurs’ Club membership remained steady at dinners took place during the 16 organisations. The members at Session. The first of these was the end of September 2013 were held at the RSE on the 15th Arup, BP, The Herald, the Institu- October, when Derek Shepherd, tion of Civil Engineers, Lloyds Global Scot, NGenTec Ltd and Carl Banking Group, MacRoberts, Gardiner, Scottish Development Optos, Oracle, RBS, SCDI, Scottish International, spoke on “How to Power, Shell, Shepherd and access international markets and Wedderburn, Standard Life, export”. The second took place Toshiba and the Wood Group. on the 25th April, when the main speakers were Katie Michels,

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International Programme Technology and Management, Our International Programme, and12 existing joint projects in funded by the Scottish Govern- Image Processing and Information ment since 2003, helps ýto create Science were supported in their and support international collabo- first and second years. rations, strengthening The RSE signed a Memorandum connections among academia of Understanding with the around the world, and raising Chinese Academy of Social Scotland’s reputation as a centre Sciences in September 2013, of academic excellence. Through during the visit to China by the formal Memoranda of Under- President and the Vice-President standing with overseas sister for International Relations. The Academies, as well as informal agreement sets out the wish to links with other Academies and promote and strengthen co- organisations, the Society has operation between researchers in developed strong links interna- Scotland and China, and the tionally. The Bilateral and Open various ways in which this may be exchange schemes support encouraged and supported by the researcher exchanges that fre- two Academies. This agreement quently allow the researchers to complements those already lever further, and often significant, signed with the Chinese Academy funding from sources here and of Sciences and the National abroad. A particularly strong Natural Science Foundation of element of the programme is the China. joint research project scheme, run The RSE was also involved in a over two years, between the RSE number of international events and the National Natural Science this Session: Foundation of China (NSFC), supporting longer-term collabora- - Franco–Scottish Art & Humani- tions and levering further ties Seminar funding. - RSE / NSFC Joint Projects During the Session, 23 Bilateral Workshop – Computational and 26 Open Exchange Scheme Cognitive Neuroscience Psy- grants were awarded, which cholinguistics (particularly in amounted to 126 person-weeks relation to Chinese language of researcher support for visits processing), Interaction and between Scotland and over 24 Communication Visual Cogni- countries worldwide. Six new tion Social Neuroscience joint projects with the NSFC were - The International Launch of awarded for two years from HCR:V3 Spring 2013 in the area of Energy

27 Review of the Session 2012-2013

- US Consulate Reception/talk for Neil McLennan and Giles Ham- NASA engineer Nagin Cox mond (Treasurer), successfully - Franco–British Marine Energy elected. Conference - New Waves in The interests of the RSE Young Marine Energy Academy of Scotland have - Chinese Academy of Sciences developed under four broad Delegation Visit categories: Knowledge, Employ- - President’s visit to China – ment, Young People and Health meetings with National Natural and Wellbeing; whilst also Science Foundation of China, allowing for engagement with Chinese Academy of Sciences topical issues such as Scottish and Chinese Academy of Social Constitutional Reform. The work Sciences of the Young Academy is conducted through a number of Working - Norway–Scotland Internal waves Groups. Each sets its own agenda symposia of activities and works towards - Society of Swedish Literature in responding to some of the most Finland delegation visit interesting and pressing challeng- - RSE / NSFC Joint Projects es facing Scotland today. Workshop – Renewable Energy Currently, there are eight active Working Groups: Enhancing the RSE Young Academy of Scotland’s capacity - Excellence in Education to contribute to the future of - Health Communication Scotland - Health and Wellbeing This Session saw the second - Media Relations round of applications for the - Open Data Young Academy. The RSE received 200 applications for membership - Scottish Constitutional Reform of the RSE Young Academy and - Tapping All Our Talents appointed 50 new members, - Work, Employment and Markets bringing the total membership to 118. Of these, 43% are female, Members have continued to be 73% are from the academic sector involved with Interdisciplinary and 27% from business and the Learning, on which a paper is professions. The current Facilitat- being prepared, and were in- ing Group ended their 18-month volved with the RSE Education term in September 2013. The YAS Working Group on History in held elections for the four co- Schools to facilitate the Teaching Chair and Treasurer positions, History: A Model for Collaboration with Ineke De Moortel (re-elected), workshop (RSE February 2013). Karen Lorimer, Patrick Harkness, This workshop brought together

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school teachers and academics, Stirling University in August 2013. with a view to creating a collabo- This public blog addresses the rative professional learning way research is portrayed in the community. media, with contributions from Members believe that the sharing the multidisciplinary expertise of and protection of data is closely YAS members. linked with almost every aspect of Members also continue to society, producing a report on represent the YAS at external Science as a Public Enterprise in events and are developing response to the Royal Society’s collaborative relationships with Call for Evidence (2011) and also a key organisations. Most notably, a response to the HEFCE’s Call for collaboration with the David Evidence on Open Access in the Hume Institute has recently been Post-2014 Research Excellence developed to host a series of Framework (2013). collaborative seminars to debate The topic of inequality was issues related to the 2014 explored in relation to both Referendum. Members participat- employment and health, with ed in the Global Young Academy’s panel debates on Strategies for symposium Shaping the Future of Overcoming Inequality in the Young Academies (Amsterdam, Workplace (St Andrews, March October 2012), and collaborated 2013) and Health Inequalities with Young Academies in Germa- (Glasgow, June 2013). A work- ny, the Netherlands, Russia and shop on Addressing Hate and Sweden on Images of Fascination Violence: The Scottish Experience (Berlin, June 2013) – a photo- of Communities and Complexity graphic competition inviting (RSE, July 2013) brought together scholars from across Europe to community activists, police submit images which capture the practitioners, representatives from essence of what makes research central and local government and fascinating. European relation- a range of local community ships were further strengthened stakeholders, with a keynote with the German, Dutch, Swedish speech from the Scottish Govern- and Global Young Academies ment’s Cabinet Secretary for participating in Developing Justice, Kenny MacAskill. International Links at the YAS AGM (Stirling, August 2013). Each A panel debate on Communica- Academy gave a presentation on tion between Researchers and the their own work and organisation, Media (at the RSE, April 2013) was providing the basis for a group followed up with the launch of brainstorming session on the aims Research the Headlines at the and plans for the forthcoming Young Academy AGM hosted by

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year of the Young Academy of Enhancing the public’s contribu- Scotland. tion to and understanding of Following requests to the YAS for scientific, economics and applications, YAS member Luke cultural issues Bisby was selected as a 2013 Events Programme Young Scientist by the World Once again this year, the RSE Economic Forum and will repre- planned and organised the sent the YAS at the Annual delivery and promotion of a Meeting of the New Champions multidisciplinary programme of in China, and YAS member Martyn events aimed at a wide range of Pickersgill was selected by ALLEA audiences. We delivered a total of to sit on the ALLEA Science and 62 events, including lectures, Ethics Working Group. Two YAS discussion forums, a mock trial, members were also appointed to conferences and dissemination the Global Young Academy. events. Three Young Academy members Lectures were also recognised in the 2013 RSE Prizes, receiving awards in the - Robert Cormack Bequest Early Careers section. The prize Lecture: Exploring the Diversity winners and their respective of Exoplanets medals are: - MacCormick European Lecture - Patrick Neill Medal: Dr Marc - RSE/BP Hutton Prize Lecture in Dweck, University of Edinburgh; Energy Innovation/Ordinary Meeting - Thomas Reid Medal: Dr Gordon Pentland, University of Edin- - The Royal Society of Edinburgh burgh; Christmas Lecture 2012: The Journey to Gold - Henry Duncan Medal: Mr Neil McLennan, Aberdeen City - Sexual and Reproductive Health Council. Issues for Women in Combat Full details of all YAS 2012–2013 - SCRR Peter Wilson Lecture: The activities can be found in the Evidential Basis for Food and Young Academy of Scotland’s Environmental Policy Report to the Young Academy - RSE/RAE Joint Annual Lecture: AGM 2013. Growing Healthcare Technology Businesses – Bringing Engineer- ing Inventions to Market with Limited Resources - Lecture/Ordinary Meeting: The Scientific Life of Dr Livingstone

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- Edinburgh Lecture Series: John - The Teaching of History: A Rae - Forgotten Hero of Arctic Model for Collaboration Exploration - Women’s Reproductive Health - From Gannets to Pandas - 100 across the Lifecourse - Implica- Years of Progress at Edinburgh tions for Public Policy Zoo Networking Event / Reception - Holywood Trust RSE@Dumfries - Research Awards Reception & Galloway Public Lecture: A (Ordinary Meeting) Puzzle from Scotland’s Past: Why Dissemination / Launch Events did the Scottish Enlightenment Happen? - Dissemination event Edinburgh: Women in Stem - Lecture/Ordinary Meeting: Vaccines to Prevent and Treat - Digital Participation Enquiry Cancer Launch - Edinburgh International Festival Seminar 2013: The Leisure Revolution - European Union Horizon 2020 - Edinburgh International Festival - (Discussion seminar) Revising 2013: How Art intersects with Tapping all our Talents Technology in Cinema Meeting Discussion Forums - SUPA Cormack Astronomy - Integrated Reporting Benefit of Meeting Cost? Fellows’ Events - Illuminating Biology and - New Fellows’ Induction Day Robotics through Contemporary Classical Music: Launching Lab - Fellows’ Summer Reception Notes - Royal Medals Event Mock Trial - Dining Club December 2012 - RSE@Lochaber – The Appin - Dining Club April 2013 Murder (1752) – re-trial of - Dining Club June 2013 James of the Glen, the man Friends of the Society Events convicted for the killing of Colin Campbell of Glenure, the Red - Friends of the Society Lunch Fox (Winter) Conferences - Friends of the Society President’s Dinner ( Spring) - Europe and the Arab World - Friends of the Society Spring - CTR Wilson, a Great Scottish Reception Physicist: His Life, Work and Legacy - Friends of the Society President’s Dinner (Autumn)

31 Review of the Session 2012-2013

Schools Programme by the speakers and attendees at RSE Fellows and other experts those events. recognise the importance of During the Session, discussion engaging with school-age events were held in Edinburgh children and, as such, continue to and London on the following share their knowledge and topics: understanding of science and - Scotland and the EU (held at culture with this age group. There RSE) is a particular focus on enthusing those already “engaged”, and - Taxation and Spending (held at reaching those who are more BA) geographically removed from - Defence and International Scottish universities and Science Relations (held at RSE) Centres, and who therefore have - The Real Economy (held at RSE), more limited opportunity to - Currency, Banking and Financial participate and meet with experts. Services (held at BA) Enlightening the Constitutional - Culture and Broadcasting (held Debate at Scottish Parliament) In partnership with the British - Borders, Immigration and Academy we began, in March Citizenship (held at RSE) 2013, a series of public discussion The series will cover the following events aimed at Enlightening the topics in the year ahead: Constitutional Debate in advance of the September 2014 Referen- - Science and Higher Education dum on Scotland’s future (at the University of Aberdeen in relationship with the rest of the October) United Kingdom. - Welfare and Public Services (at The series evolved from a confer- the University of Strathclyde in ence on Scotland and the United November) Kingdom, which the RSE and the - Currency, Banking and Financial British Academy held during Services (at the RSE in January) 2012. The conference, held over - Historical, Legal and Constitu- two days in Edinburgh and tional Issues (at the BA in London, was attended by a range February). of academic and policy experts. The report on the events, Scotland It is also intended that the series and the United Kingdom, was should culminate in an event published in September 2012 and centred on a publication, which is a record of the views expressed will bring together the discussions that have taken place, and serve as a historical archive of the Society’s

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contribution to such a significant of many of the significant activi- period in Scottish history. ties in the RSE programme. The events in Scotland are free to Four issues of ReSourcE, the RSE attend and open to the public. Newsletter, were published and Events at the British Academy are distributed to a mailing list of over by invitation only and are con- 1,500, including the Fellowship, ducted under the Chatham House business leaders, journalists, Rule. Reports of the discussions research institutes, schools, MPs, which flowed from all of these MSPs and interested individuals. highly informative events are The Newsletter is now also available on the Society’s website, available on the RSE website and as are video recordings of the many of the Fellowship and others events held in Scotland. chose to view it in that format. PR & Communications Throughout the Session, Fellows The Society also continued to received a monthly e-bulletin, enhance people’s appreciation which enabled them to keep up to and understanding through other date with and, if appropriate, modes of communication, and disseminate information on the increasingly through electronic RSE and its work. In addition, 18 means. The RSE website was public e-bulletins were sent out updated regularly throughout the during the Session to advertise Session and provided information various events and schools for the public and for Fellows. We activities. continued to provide audio and Two issues of Science Scotland video recordings of RSE events to entitled The Business of Biomedi- ensure as many people as possible cine and Inside Geoscience were can access these, as well as the 37 published during the year. Science written summary reports of Scotland continues to increase activities in the public events and people’s awareness of cutting- schools programme that were edge science and technology published on the site. We also activities in Scotland. continue to use social networks Journals such as Twitter and Facebook as a means of communicating the RSE Through the RSE Scotland to the outside world. Foundation, we continued to publish two journals, Earth and Media briefings and press releases Environmental Science Transac- were provided for most major tions of the Royal Society of events and launches, and there Edinburgh and Proceedings of the was appreciable media coverage Royal Society of Edinburgh, Section A: Mathematics. Copies of

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the journals were sent to 350 Proceedings (PRSE) – volumes 1– University Libraries, Academies 60: not yet live and Institutions world wide, as Proceedings A: Mathematics part of the Society’s exchange (PRSE:A) – volume 61onwards: live programme. The journals are highly regarded by academics as Proceedings B: Biological Sciences publication vehicles for their (PRSE:B) – volumes 61–104: live research, and they both main- The archive is on public sale, tained a respectably high impact making the RSE’s highly regarded factor in comparison with similar journal archive more easily journals in their fields. accessible to a world-wide Seven issues of Proceedings A and audience. The sales of the archive five issues (three single issues and continue to benefit the RSE one double issue) of Transactions financially. In 2012, the RSE’s were published during the share of the surplus revenue Session. (50%) was as follows: Proceedings ( = PRSE, PRSE:A & PRSE:B) – The digitisation of the RSE’s £28,734.05; Transactions ( = archive journals – Transactions TRSE, TRSE:ES & EESTRSE) (1783–1979), Transactions: Earth £26,604.57. This makes the total Sciences (1980–2000), Proceed- revenue realised to date in excess ings (1832–1940), Proceedings A: of £105,000. Further sales of the Mathematics (1941–1999) and digital archive will be confirmed Proceedings B: Biological Sciences before the end of 2013. (1941–1996) is almost complete. Most of the archive is now Informing and influencing public available online, along with policy decisions current and more recent back Key outputs of our Policy and issues of Transactions and Advice unit were: Proceedings A, and the current · Five briefing papers, including status is as follows: Scotland as a science nation; the Transactions (TRSE) – volumes 1– need for a balanced energy 70: live portfolio; and on the findings Transactions: Earth Sciences of the Commission on School (TRSE:ES) – volumes 71–97: live Reform. Earth and Environmental Science · 14 Advice papers, seven to the Transactions of the Royal Society Scottish Parliament and/or the of Edinburgh (EESTRSE) – volume Scottish Government, on a 98 (2007) onwards – live range of topics including: the financing of business innovation in Scotland; the Scottish

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Government’s National Perform- make to the future of science in ance Framework; the Scotland. Aquaculture and Fisheries Education Committee (Scotland) Bill; proposals for the establishment of an independ- This Session, our Education ent fiscal body; the Post-16 Committee has actively engaged Education (Scotland) Bill; and with policy makers on the major public services reform in reforms underway in Scottish Scotland. education, not least the implementation of Curriculum for · A discussion forum was held on Excellence and the new national Biodiversity to coincide with the qualifications. publication of the Scottish Government’s 2020 Challenge In January 2013, members of our for Scotland’s Biodiversity. Education Committee met with Michael Russell MSP, Cabinet - Oral evidence to Scottish Secretary for Education, and Parliamentary Committees was Scottish Government education provided on Public services officials to discuss the develop- reform in Scotland ment of plans for evaluation and Science and the Parliament on-going review of the Curricu- Another successful Science and lum for Excellence. Members of the Parliament event was held this the Education Committee have Session, in partnership with the also had further discussions with Royal Society of Chemistry. More these education officials. This has than 300 delegates, including provided the RSE with an oppor- MSPs and senior members of the tunity to influence the Scottish civil service, attended the event. Government’s approach in this This year’s event had a double area. theme, Science and the constitu- In partnership with the British tion; and growing the SME sector Computer Society (BCS), the RSE in Scotland. The event explored has been involved in a project to how to increase the rate of new exemplify computing science- business start-up and support the related aspects of Curriculum for growth of existing enterprises in Excellence and the new national science and engineering. The qualifications. This project has event also provided an opportuni- provided an opportunity to re- ty for an open and honest energise the teaching of discussion on the topics sur- computing in schools and rounding the vote on highlight its importance to a Independence in 2014, and the digitally-enabled society. The impact that Independence could project has received widespread

35 Review of the Session 2012-2013

support, including from Education undertaking a joint project with Scotland, schools, and academic the David Hume Institute to and industry partners. examine the role of universities in Three extensive resources, com- Scotland. The intention is to prising tutor and learner inform the next iteration of policy materials, were launched at the in this area with the publication of RSE in December 2012. Dr discussion papers, ahead of the Alasdair Allan MSP, Minister for Scottish Parliamentary elections in Learning, and Professor Muffy 2016. A number of roundtable Calder, Chief Scientific Adviser, discussion sessions have been spoke at the launch. The materials held throughout 2012 and 2013 have been trialled in schools on topics, including: The role of across Scotland and have received universities in the economy, Who very positive responses from are universities for? and The teachers. They have also received school/college/university interface national and international and collaboration. recognition. The RSE also facilitates the The project has entered its third collaborative Learned Societies’ (and final) year and the focus is on Group on Scottish Science open-sourcing and updating the Education, which was formally materials developed to date. The launched at the RSE in May 2012. intention is to create a community This standing group has arisen of Computing Science teachers due to concerns about, and a who can sustain and develop the need to contribute to, the major materials in the future. reforms in the delivery of science education in Scottish schools. The As well as being concerned with group comprises representatives school education, our Education from the Royal Society of Chemis- Committee has been monitoring try, the Institute of Physics, the the debate surrounding the future Society of Biology, the British of Higher and Further Education Computer Society, the Royal in Scotland. In January, the Society of Edinburgh, the Associa- Committee contributed to RSE tion of Science Education, the responses on the Post-16 Educa- Scottish Schools Education tion (Scotland) Bill and on the Research Centre and the Engineer- development of the Scottish Code ing Policy Group (Scotland). The of Good Higher Education group also has good links with Governance. the STEM Education Committee With financial support from a (STEMEC), which is supported by range of partners, including a the Scottish Government. number of universities, the RSE is

36 Proceedings of the Annual Statutory Meeting

Along with STEMEC, the Learned tives of the GTCS in October to Societies’ Group has identified discuss the concerns raised. interdisciplinary learning in STEM Sustaining and utilising our education as a priority area. The multi-disciplinary Fellowship Learned Societies’ Group and and recognising outstanding STEMEC are organising a strategy achievement and excellence meeting with senior education representatives in Scotland. The It would not be possible to intention is to foster the establish- undertake many of these tasks ment of programmes, actions and without our multi-disciplinary responsibilities for delivery of Fellowship. interdisciplinary learning. Follow- In March 2013, we announced ing on from this, there are plans the election of three new Honor- to organise a conference in 2014 ary Fellows, five new with the aim of raising awareness Corresponding Fellows and 39 of teachers’ understanding of new Fellows. This followed the interdisciplinarity, multidisciplinar- scrutiny of 165 candidates ity and cross-curricular teaching through a four-stage committee and learning in STEM education. process, culminating in the postal In May 2013, both the Education ballot in December to the entire Committee and the Learned Fellowship. Societies’ Group submitted The addition of new Fellows responses to the General Teaching brings the current Fellowship up Council for Scotland (GTCS) to 1557 – 64 Honorary Fellows, review of entry requirements to 64 Corresponding Fellows and programmes of Initial Teacher 1429 Fellows. Education. The submissions The discipline balance of the expressed concern that entrants to Fellowship is broadly represented primary teaching are not required by four cognate sectors. In the to have any level of science Fellowship (excluding Honorary qualification. They also comment- and Corresponding) the current ed on a lack of ambition in balance of these sectors is 35.8% relation to raising the require- (Life Sciences – Sector A), 35.7% ments for Mathematics (Physical Engineering and Infor- qualifications. The submissions matic Sciences – Sector B), 14.5% received extensive media coverage (Humanities and Creative Arts – including the BBC, The Herald, Sector C) and 13.8% (Social The Courier and The Times Sciences, Education and Public Education Supplement (Scotland). Service – Sector D). 10.8% of the Members of the Learned Societies’ Fellowship is female, a small Group will meet with representa- increase from 10.3% in 2012.

37 Review of the Session 2012-2013

The annual New Fellows’ Induc- ly honoured that His Royal tion Day took place in May and Highness’ visit to the RSE was his was attended by 37 new Fellows. first public engagement since he They were given an introduction underwent surgery. Medals were to the Society by the President and awarded to: met Council members and staff, - Sir John Cadogan CBE FRS FRSE, before being formally admitted Inaugural President of the into the Fellowship. Learned Society of Wales, for his Fellows were once again pivotal to outstanding contribution to the Society’s delivery of public Organic Chemistry through his benefit activities. The many research, discovery and inven- Committees, which cover govern- tion, and the impact for wider ance, operational and academia of his work with the management matters, are com- UK Research Councils and prised overwhelmingly of Fellows industry. of the Society, and over 300 - Professor Michael Ferguson CBE Fellows are currently involved in FRS FRSE FMedSci, Dean of one of more RSE committees. Research, College of Life Amongst other activities, Fellows Sciences, University of Dundee, freely gave of their time and their for his outstanding contribution expertise in the selection of to the field of Parasitology, his Research and Enterprise Fellow- work in drug development to ship awardees; the awarding of combat parasites, and for his International Exchange grants, leadership of a world-class team various medals, grants and prizes; of scientists in Dundee. participating in the planning of lectures, conferences and discus- - Sir Ian Wood CBE FRSE, Chair- sion forums; contributing to the man, John Wood Group PLC, Young People’s programme; for his outstanding contribution serving on Inquiry Committees to business and commerce in and Editorial Boards; and provid- Scotland through his leadership ing evidence and advice to inform of the John Wood Group PLC, responses to policy and decision and his public service to makers. Scotland in a variety of roles, and for his philanthropy. RSE Royal Medals His Royal Highness also presented A major highlight of the Session the IEEE/ RSE/James Clerk Maxwell was the presentation of the RSE Award for 2013 to Professor Royal Medals, presented by His Richard Muller and Professor Royal Highness The Duke of Richard White, both of University Edinburgh at the Society in of California, USA, for pioneering August 2013. We were particular- innovation and leadership in

38 Proceedings of the Annual Statutory Meeting

micro-electro-mechanical systems In order to ensure that we are able (MEMS) technology. to achieve the aims set out in the New Enlightenment Fund Framework, we also launched the New Enlightenment Fund. There The 2012 Session saw the launch has been a very positive response of the RSE’s new Strategic Frame- to the launch of this Fund, and work Towards a New donations, through a range of Enlightenment, which sets out the options for giving, including RSE’s vision for the next three legacies, regular donations and years. Our overarching aims are to one-off donations, will help to continue to build a dynamic and ensure that we are able to fund, relevant National Academy for both in the short and the long Scotland, and to serve as an term, the ambitious and worth- independent source of inspira- while activities of the RSE. tion, engagement and expertise in Scotland and beyond.

EVENTS The Navvy, the Priests and the King ...... 43 SUPA Cormack Astronomy Meeting ...... 49 Exploring the Diversity of Exoplanets ...... 54 RSE / NSFC Seminar ...... 58 RSE MacCormick European Lecture ...... 60 Europe and the Arab World Conference ...... 65 MTEM – From PhD Research to Commercial Exploration Tool ...... 75 C T R Wilson, a Great Scottish Physicist: His Life, Work and Legacy ...... 78 The Journey to Gold ...... 95 The European Union Horizon 2020 Programme ...... 101 The Teaching of History: a Model for Collaboration ...... 102 For the Benefit of Mankind: Industrialisation, Environment and the Politics of Highland Development ...... 106 Investments Integrated Reporting: Benefit or Cost? ...... 112 The Evidential Basis for Food and Environmental Policy ...... 117 The Weathermen of Ben Nevis 1883–1904 ...... 121 Women’s Reproductive Health across the Lifecourse Implications for Public Policy ...... 127 Growing Healthcare Technology Businesses – Bringing Engineering Inventions to Market with Limited Resources ...... 133 A Lochaber McDonald in the Camp of Sitting Bull ...... 147 C T R Wilson, Ben Nevis and the Higgs Boson ...... 152 The Scientific Life of Dr Livingstone ...... 159 John Rae: The Forgotten Hero of Arctic Exploration ...... 163 Revisiting Tapping all our Talents ...... 167 A Puzzle from Scotland’s Past: Why did the Scottish Enlightenment happen? ...... 168 From Gannets to Pandas – 100 Years of Progress at Edinburgh Zoo ...... 175 Gaelic Culture of Lochaber: Lifting the Night – A’ fuadach na h-oidhche .... 179 Illuminating Biology and Robotics through Contemporary Classical Music: Launching Lab Notes ...... 186 Women in Science: Antarctic Experience ...... 190 Lochaber: Bandit Country or Jacobite Heartland? ...... 195 English and Scots: Using the Past to Explain the Present ...... 203

41 Review of the Session 2012-2013

New Waves in Marine Energy ...... 209 Feeding 9 Billion People ...... 216 Scotland Rocks! ...... 222 Vaccines to Prevent and Treat Cancer ...... 228 Blood Curdling Stories from Scottish History ...... 232 The Leisure Revolution ...... 233 How Art Intersects with Technology in Cinema ...... 238 The Appin Murder Part 1 – Historical Context ...... 243 The Appin Murder – Part II A Case Review of James of the Glen ...... 251 Enlightening the Constitutional Debate ...... 261 Scotland and the EU ...... 261 Tax and Spending ...... 261 Defence and International Relations ...... 262 The Real Economy ...... 263 Currency, Banking and Financial Services after the Scottish Referendum ...... 264 Culture and Broadcasting...... 265 Borders, Immigration and Citizenship ...... 266

42 Events

Owen Dudley Edwards FRSE University of Edinburgh The Navvy, the Priests and the King 30 October 2012 Mallaig High School

Owen Dudley Edwards discusses the navvies’ major and relatively the author Patrick McGill and how recent contribution to the local King George V helped him write area, Dr Grant of the Kinlochleven his masterpiece, Children of the Literary Society made no mention Dead End. Mr Dudley Edwards of them in his 1920 lecture; Mr started by drawing the audience’s Dudley Edwards considered why attention to a lecture delivered at this might be. the Kinlochleven Literary Society in Kinlochleven’s greatest and, in 1920 by Dr Lachlan Grant entitled many ways only literary witness, Is life worth living? Despite its the author Patrick McGill, would remote, rural location, Kinlochlev- not necessarily have been sur- en was central to the prised about the lack of mention industrialisation of Scotland. Only of the navvies in Dr Grant’s ten years prior to Dr Grant’s lecture. Having worked as a navvy lecture, the small Highland village himself, he would have been was populated by 3,000 navvies grimly aware of the realities of life who were building the local there and indeed wrote poems reservoir and adjoining railroads. and prose about it; his most well The Kinlochleven navvy’s life was known work Children of the Dead arduous; they worked at least 55 End is a largely autobiographical hours per week and were paid account of his life working in only 5d–6d per hour. Gambling Kinlochleven. Dudley Edwards was rife amongst the navvy stated, “…although the navvies community and they found were creating great advancements themselves time and again in for civilisation, there was a general conditions of apparent hopeless- perception of them as not really ness. Additionally, the harsh human; they did a very necessary physical nature of the work meant job but nobody wanted to hear workplace death was a frequent about them. The scant accounts of occurrence. However, many had the lives of navvies over the travelled long distances to work in previous 150 years virtually Kinlochleven, considering the role demonised them. Children were of the navvy to be a much better taken to see the navvies at work in job than many others available to the same way one would visit the them in their situation. Despite zoo today”.

43 Review of the Session 2012-2013

The best account of the navvy’s on the economic ladder; it can’t life, other than Children of the even be said that the hostilities Dead End, was written by James E were between the Protestants and Handley – The Navvy in Scotland Catholics”. By the time Patrick (1970). Handley’s other books McGill, a Catholic from Donegal, primarily focus on the history of described the navvies in Kinloch- the Irish in Scotland and promote leven in Children of the Dead End, the sense of the self-pitying, he reports no religious hostility persecuted Irish Catholic. Dudley between the navvies; they fight Edwards is of the opinion that about everything else but not there is little justification for this religion or ethnicity. Dudley mindset and, indeed, that the Irish Edwards suggested that “perhaps Catholics were just as capable of they were too uncultured to persecution as any other nation; understand football. Although at albeit, he does consider The Navvy this time in the early 20th Century in Scotland to contain invaluable Celtic and Rangers were known research about the subject. for being the two clubs that were Furthermore, Dudley Edwards friendliest to each other in commented that a very interesting Scotland – they were looked down factor in accounts relating to the on by the other clubs for being history of the navvies is that too obviously clubs of the people whilst, as to be expected, there – having been devised by local was a certain amount of clashing pastors to keep the boys off the of different cultures reported, it is streets”. difficult to determine whether The writings of Patrick McGill tell there was any ethnic or religious us that it is quite true that navvies basis for this, or whether reasons in this time were largely despised, for disputes could simply be but not for their Irish heritage or reduced to the difficult economic their religion. Suggesting another situation. “When the navvies from reason for this dislike of the Ireland started working in Scot- navvies, Dudley Edwards drew a land, there were some clashes comparison to the relationship with Highland navvies coming to between the cowboy and farmer work in the Central Belt. These in Rodgers & Hammerstein’s groups were mutually comprehen- Oklahoma; the cowboy as the sible to each other; both spoke short-lived pioneer and the Gaelic (the Irish Gaelic of Donegal steadfast farmer representing is understood by speakers of Scots unwelcome development and Gaelic). However, mutual compre- change, ultimately bringing about hension very often did little to the demise of the cowboy. The alleviate hostility. All the navvies young pioneer’s time is very short; were fighting for the lowest jobs he breaks the frontier and forms

44 Events

associations both hostile and and working on the Kinlochleven friendly with the locals, but reservoir. He describes in his civilisation marches on and is at books and poems the different odds with the long-established types of people who work there, ways. This is paralleled in the story but doesn’t particularly describe of the navvies; they are making their ethnicity, other than men- civilisation and industrialisation tioning an English person’s death, possible, but are largely bitterly of which there were relatively few resented and, where possible, working as navvies. The Irish forgotten in history. Dudley workers he met were sufficiently Edwards recognises that Patrick numerous that he didn’t feel the McGill is our greatest witness to need to describe their ethnic the story of the navvies and it is origin; they all blended in togeth- largely due to him that they are er in their variety of gangs. not lost in history. In the period between1912 and Patrick McGill was born in 1914, Dudley Edwards noted, Donegal in 1890 to a poor there are many examples in Catholic family. He was bilingual literature of a lusting for war – the in Irish Gaelic and English at an zeitgeist of the time. A magazine early age, and as a child saw entitled The English Review something of developments on published many stories containing the fringes of national politics; he considerable violence at this time considered that the poorer people and Patrick McGill produced work in society were exploited and for them, depicting a brutal advantages were given to local society of navvies, which was both capitalists, particularly by the authentic witness and much more Catholic church dignitaries and savage than anything in Children officials. McGill was sold into of the Dead End. Dudley Edwards slavery at about the age of 11. suggested that there is a question This was common at the time; about Children of the Dead End’s poor Catholic families would sell a authenticity – whilst McGill most child to work for six or seven years definitely wrote the book and in as an agricultural labourer or that respect it is an authentic maid. Patrick McGill ran away testimony, Dudley Edwards from his ‘owners’ and took a ship commented that it is necessary to from Derry to Scotland. As a look at the circumstances of its refugee, he continued labouring composition; for example, in Scotland in various capacities. publishers and printers always In Children of the Dead End, he require elements to be changed to writes about many of the people fit with their ethos. he works with and describes in detail working as a railway man

45 Review of the Session 2012-2013

What started McGill writing? He McGill’s excellent publisher, started by writing poems and, Herbert Jenkins, was central to having left school aged ten, he McGill’s success and recognition was very much an autodidact. He as an author. Jenkins, who also read widely and educated himself made a best-selling author of PG in his craft through reading and Wodehouse, was devoted to his studying the work of other authors and was a genius at authors and poets, including generating publicity and getting works by Montaigne and Victor books reviewed widely. Hugo. McGill started writing Meanwhile, Patrick McGill had poetry whilst working as a navvy made an interesting friend. He and certainly wrote whilst labour- met Canon John Neale Dalton, the ing in Kinlochleven; indeed, he father of the future Chancellor of dedicated his collection of poetry the Exchequer, at a Turkish bath. Songs of the Dead End to his pick Canon Dalton had been tutor to and shovel, which he described as the royal princes, the Duke of his friends. Furthering his career Clarence and the Duke of York, as a writer, he gained a job with sons of the Prince of Wales, the Daily Express as a journalist latterly Edward VII. Canon Dalton and worked in London, interview- was very fond of the Duke of York ing many interesting people. and accompanied him around the Amongst these was George world. They retained this friend- Bernard Shaw, who asked McGill ship when the Duke of York “what caused you to decline in became King George V in 1910. the world that you entered this King George V enjoyed a quiet life profession in place of the honour- with his wife, Queen Mary, and able one in which you had been?” spent a lot of time talking and McGill did not stay in the journal- consulting with the Canon. istic profession for very long. Canon Dalton introduced the Whilst working for the Daily King to Patrick McGill who, Express, he was already working following their meeting, had been on developing his masterpiece employed by the Canon as his Children of the Dead End. This Secretary and on the premise of book is largely autobiographical, helping with his work researching with the invented character mediaeval charters. However, Dermod Flynn representing Dudley Edwards commented that McGill. Additionally, he describes McGill spent much of this time several navvies as specific charac- writing Children of the Dead End, ters within the novel, most with the encouragement and notably Moleskin Joe, who was to advice of Canon Dalton. Dudley appear in a later book of McGill’s, Edwards suspects that Canon with the title Moleskin Joe. Dalton, as an Anglican clergyman,

46 Events

encouraged McGill’s particularly moment of the feminist novel, strongly unfavourable description particularly in its readiness to deal of Father McFadden, the Irish with the full horrors of the way in Roman Catholic priest from his which women were destroyed in earlier life in Ireland. “We are the industrialisation process”. looking at what is our best source At the outbreak of the First World of information of the navvies of War, Patrick McGill promptly and Kinlochleven, but at the same time willingly entered the army. Dudley an account which had been Edwards described McGill as supervised somewhat by Canon Windsor Castle’s contribution to Dalton, the King’s private tutor”. the Irish Rifles. He continued to Dudley Edwards commented that write poetry during his war King George V would have been experience and also contributed briefed regularly by the Canon to journals. McGill wrote a series regarding McGill’s writing and of essays which Jenkins published that they had a comradely associa- as The Amateur Army; a description. In its first week of tion of the mobilisation of the publication, Children of the Dead army in the first days of WWI, seen End sold over 30,000 copies and from the point of view of Privates. constitutes an “invaluable portrait McGill was subsequently arrested of a time and from a place where and put on a charge of espionage. there was virtually nothing”. Dudley Edwards suggested that McGill went on to write a com- the reason behind this was panion piece, The Rat Pit, covering because he was “a Private who the same period but told from the was also a human being; Privates point of view of a woman. in the First World War were Children of the Dead End had dehumanised even more than the introduced various figures, navvies of Kinlochleven. The including the principal female notion of a Private actually writing character, Rose. McGill later said was, for the superior officers, that Rose was devised from contrary to all possible regula- several girls he had known and tions. McGill was put on trial but, their fates. In The Rat Pit he tells due to his friends in Windsor the story from her point of view, Castle, was reprieved. From the and this is not an autobiographi- army’s point of view, the discovery cal work but a novel. It was by the other soldiers that they reviewed in the New Statesman, were entitled to make judgements alongside a novel by Virginia was abhorrent”. The army Woolf; the New Statesman described his crime as one against considered The Rat Pit to be the the United Kingdom’s security and better of the two. Dudley Edwards then subsequently posted him to described The Rat Pit as “a great intelligence!

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McGill went on to write several forgotten his existence. He died in more books about the army whilst 1963 in Massachusetts in reduced the War was still ongoing. When financial circumstances. Today, he the War was over, he wrote his far is remembered through a revival less famous novel, Fear; a much of his work published by Caliban more explicit novel about life in Books and Birlinn. the army, with the title of the Dudley Edwards summed up book revealing the extent to McGill’s life and work: “while so which the fear of death hung over much of McGill’s story is a tragic the troops. McGill returned from one, he brought a lot of laughter the War and married his wife, into it and he wanted us to Margaret. He continued to recognise that what he was saying produce novels, the most remark- was a witness to laughter amidst able being Lanty Hanlon and suffering and privation in all sorts Maureen. McGill went to the of ways. We don’t have to be United States with his family with simple solemn opponents of the hope that his wife could make economic oppression; we should a living as a dance teacher in also be able to know the joy of Hollywood, but this was at the laughter, the celebration of start of the Great Depression and, human existence and the respect as such, money for luxuries was for God, not only in the sense of scarce. He developed multiple suffering but also in the rejoic- sclerosis and lived the rest of his ing”. life with most people having

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SUPA Cormack Astronomy Meeting 13 November 2012

Philip Breen (Ed) - The dynami- regulated by the cluster in which it cal evolution of stellar-mass is contained. black hole subsystems in star Josh Logue (Gla) Inferring Core- clusters collapse Supernova Physics with It is expected that hundreds of Gravitational Waves stellar-mass black holes form in Dr. I.S Heng Stellar collapse and globular star clusters (Portegies the subsequent development of a Zwart & McMillan 2000). At the core-collapse supernova explosion time of their formation the stellar emit bursts of gravitational waves mass black holes are more massive (GWs) that might be detected by than the other stars in the cluster. the advanced generation of laser Therefore the black holes will interfer- ometer gravitational-wave become concentrated in the observatories such as Advanced centre of the cluster via mass LIGO, Advanced Virgo, and LCGT. segregation, forming a subsystem GW bursts from core-collapse of black holes within the cluster. supernovae encode information The traditional view of the on the intricate multi-dimensional subsequent evolution of the black dynamics at work at the core of a hole subsystem is that the dying massive star and may subsystem completely evaporates, provide direct evidence for the yet leaving behind at most a single uncertain mechanism driving black hole or black hole-black supernovae in massive stars. hole binary (Kulkari et al 1993, Recent multi-dimensional simula- Sigurdsson & Hernquist 1993). tions of core-collapse supernovae The black hole subsystem evapo- exploding via the neutrino, rates by ejecting black holes magnetorotational, and acoustic through strong interactions with explosion mechanisms have dynamically formed black hole predicted GW signals which have binaries. However, recently Strader distinct structure in both the time et al (2012) found evidence of two and frequency domains. Motivat- stellar-mass black holes in the ed by this, we describe a globular cluster M22 challenging promising method for determin- the traditional view. We will ing the most likely explosion discuss an alternative treatment of mechanism underlying a hypo- the dynamical evolution of black thetical GW signal, based on hole subsystems in globular Principal Component Analysis and clusters, one in which the evolu- Bayesian model selection. Using tion of the black hole subsystem is simulated Advanced LIGO noise

49 Review of the Session 2012-2013

and assuming a single detector which time a discharge event and linear waveform polarization occurs. for simplicity, we demonstrate that Lightning is quite ubiquitous in our method can distinguish our solar system, observed in every magnetorotational explosions solar system planet with a cloud throughout the Milky Way (D ~ layer. It may also be responsible 10kpc) and explosions driven by for transient X-ray emissions the neutrino and acoustic mecha- observed in brown dwarfs. We nisms to D ~ 2 kpc. Furthermore, explore this possibility by mode- we show that we can differentiate ling clouds of mineral grains that between models for rotating carry the electrons in brown dwarf accretion-induced collapse of atmospheres (it is too hot in massive white dwarfs and models brown dwarf atmospheres for of rotating iron core collapse with water droplets). high reliability out to several kpc. Dr Scott Gregory (StA) Can we Dr Paul Rimmer (StA) Taking predict the global magnetic Charge: Sources of Ionization in topology of a pre-main se- Brown Dwarf Atmospheres quence star from its position in Craig R. Stark and Christiane the Hertzsprung-Russell dia- Helling. Lightning is a terrifying gram? and powerful event that has J.-F. Donati, J. Morin, G. A. J. captured the human imagination Hussain, N. Mayne, L. A. Hillen- since our species infancy, and has brand, M. Jardine inspired sweeping poetry and Zeeman-Doppler imaging studies great works of art. It is also a have shown that the magnetic subject of much scientific interest, fields of pre-main sequence (PMS) and has been invoked to a explain stars can be significantly more various phenomena from atmos- complex than a simple dipole and pheric ionization to the chemical can vary significantly between origin of life. sources. I will summarise the Lightning itself is not well under- magnetic field topology informa- stood. It is believed that, on earth, tion obtained to date and present free electrons produced by cosmic Hertzsprung-Russell (H-R) dia- rays attach themselves to water grams for the stars in the sample. droplets. The water droplets Intriguingly, the large-scale field become negatively charged, and topology of a given PMS star is are carried by convection to the strongly dependent upon the lower atmosphere, while the stellar internal structure, with the positive ions remain in the upper strength of the dipole component atmosphere. The charge continues of its multipolar magnetic field to build up until a critical point, at decaying rapidly, and the overall field complexity increasing

50 Events

markedly, with the development and test the conditions within?” of a radiative core. Using the While he considered theory to be observational data as a basis, I will the proper answer to that ques- argue that the general characteris- tion, there is now an tics of the global magnetic field of observational answer: asteroseis- a PMS star can be determined mology. We are in a time of a solely from its position in the H-R significant advance in our under- diagram. Moving from hotter and standing of stellar astrophysics more luminous to cooler and less with data from the Kepler Mis- luminous stars across the PMS of sion, a space telescope orbiting the H-R diagram, I will present the Sun on a mission to discover evidence for four distinct magnet- planets orbiting other stars. It has ic topology regimes, and examine so far discovered more than 2200 the implications for the star-disk exoplanets - the majority of all interaction. Furthermore, based known - and is closing in on a on similarities between the goal to find another Earth in the magnetic properties of PMS stars “Goldilocks zone” where life and main-sequence M-dwarfs might exist. Kepler has also with similar internal structures, I improved our ability to see will argue that a bistable dynamo pulsations and variability in stars process operates for the lowest by 100 to 1000 times compared mass PMS stars (<0.5 Msun at an with ground-based telescopes, age of a few Myr) and that future allowing us to see into stars using observations will show that they asteroseismology. We are seeing host a variety of magnetic field as never before: heartbeat stars, topologies. If the magnetic novel eclipsing stars, spots, flares topology trends across the H-R and magnetic cycles as in our own diagram are confirmed, they may Sun. Astrophysics that used to be provide a new method of con- theoretical is now also observa- straining PMS stellar evolution tional: gravitational lensing in models. eclipsing binary stars; Doppler Invited talk: Prof. Donald Kurtz boosting; multiple pulsation axes; (University of Central Lanca- period doubling; tidal excitation. shire) Kepler data for solar-like stars are Asteroseismology: A New now comparable to data for the Keplerian Revolution Sun seen as a star, giving us masses, radii and ages for hun- In 1926 in the opening paragraph dreds of single stars, allowing of his now-classic book, The determination of their orbiting Internal Constitution of the Stars, planets’ sizes, and giving new Sir Arthur Eddington lamented, constraints on stellar evolution “What appliance can pierce theory. This talk will introduce the through the outer layers of a star

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concepts of asteroseismology and Raphaelle Haywood show a selection of exciting (StA) Disentangling planet observational results from the wobbles from starspot signa- Kepler mission. tures Dr Denija Crnojevic (Ed) Galaxy C. Cameron (University of St evolution through resolved Andrews), D. Queloz (Observatoire stellar populations Astronomique de l’Universite de Resolved stellar populations are Geneve), R. Fares (University of St the best tool we have to get Andrews), J. Llama (University of St insights into the formation and Andrews), M. Gillon (Institut evolution history of nearby d’Astrophysique et de Geophy- galaxies. I will present results sique, Universite de Liege), A. pertaining the closeby CenA/M83 Hatzes (Thueringer Landesstern- galaxy group, highlighting the key warte Tautenburg), M. Deleuil role played by galaxy interactions (Laboratoire d’Astrophysique de in the evolution of both dwarf Marseille), A. Lanza (INAF - and giant galaxies. Osservatorio Astronomico di Catania), C. Lovis (Observatoire Dr Alex Russell (Gla) New Astronomique de l’Universite de Models for Solar Flares Geneve), C. Moutou (Laboratoire Lyndsay Fletcher. During solar d’Astrophysique de Marseille), F. flares, huge quantities of energy Pepe (Observatoire Astronomique are released from magnetic fields de l’Universite de Geneve), D. in the corona and transported to Pollacco (University of Warwick), D. the underlying chromosphere, Ségransan (Observatoire As- where most flare photons are tronomique de l’Universite de formed. For 40 years, our under- Geneve), Y. Unruh (Imperial standing of flares has been based College London) on an assumption that electrons In July 2009, Leger (2009) an- transport the necessary energy, nounced the discovery of the moving at near relativistic speeds. transiting Super-Earth CoRoT-7b. Unfortunately, those models have Since then, several investigations encountered severe obstacles, and on the number and precise there are urgent calls for new masses of planets present in the ideas. I will review the issues system have been made, but they facing “standard models” and the all yield different results. This is case for a novel model invoking likely to be due to the star’s high MHD waves. I will then present a level of activity. Radial velocity view of how new models might variations induced by stellar work, show some recent results activity therefore need to be and discuss future directions for modelled and removed to allow a the topic.

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reliable detection of all planets in Examining the evolution of the the system. We observed CoRoT-7 orbital elements as a result of in January 2012 with both HARPS such interactions can tells us a and the CoRoT satellite, so that great deal about a planetary we now have the benefit of system’s past and future evolu- simultaneous radial velocity and tion. I present a simple model of photometric data. This allows us tidal interactions, and use test to model the stellar radial velocity cases of known hot Jupiters to contribution based on the off- demonstrate its ability to charac- transit variations in the lightcurve, terise orbital and rotational according to the methods de- histories. I also show how the scribed by Aigrain (2011) and information provided by the Lanza (2010). We then make a model can be used to estimate the precise determination of CoRoT- ages of exoplanet host stars, and 7b\’s orbit and mass. This mass is compare this to existing methods. compared to that obtained Academic careers advice for through our own implementation early-stage career researchers of the method of Hatzes (2011). · Individual career paths in We also present a periodogram astronomy (Drs Scott Gregory, search for evidence of additional Craig Stark, Alex Russell and planets in the CoRoT-7 system. Christiane Helling) Cormack Prize talk David · Bi-gender survey results on Brown (StA) Falling planets: careers in astronomy Dr stellar spin-up through tidal Christiane Helling (First survey interactions results were published at http:// Tidal interactions between hot adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/ Jupiters and their host stars can 2012AN....333..280F) be a powerful diagnostic tool. · Discussion on ‘Careers in Astronomy’

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Dr Suzanne Aigrain Lecturer in Astrophysics at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of All Souls College Exploring the Diversity of Exoplanets Co-organised by Cormack and SUPA 13 November 2012 In the last two decades, the way only Solar System – that there we view the Universe has been were other suns, orbited by their transformed. Scientists have own planets, in the Universe. But discovered many hundreds of it was only as recently as the mid exoplanets – that is, planets that 1990s, with the discovery of the orbit stars other than our Sun – first exoplanets (or extra solar some of which may well harbour planets), that we received confir- life. In this lecture, Dr Suzanne mation. Since then, many Aigrain described the journey to hundreds of exoplanets have been discover and characterise planets discovered: some are large, outwith our own Solar System – resembling Jupiter or Uranus; and gave an intriguing glimpse some are smaller and may share into future possibilities. properties similar to those of For millennia, astronomers and Earth – including the ability to others have looked to the stars to harbour life. Dr Aigrain said she try to understand our place in the had been very lucky to start her Universe. Many discoveries have PhD in 2001, when the nature of been made – for example, our the first exoplanets had been understanding of our own Solar confirmed. It was an exciting time, System, with its eight planets she said, because the whole area orbiting the Sun, was transformed was transformed from a ‘pipe from the 17th Century onwards, dream’ to an endeavour of when the invention of effective physical characterisation. telescopes allowed us to see the Dr Aigrain gave a summary of first four moons of Jupiter, where we are and how we got Uranus and Neptune. We have here. There are some 100 billion also been able to observe other stars in the Milky Way (our kinds of objects, such as comets Galaxy), including our Sun, with and asteroids, as well as dwarf its own planetary system around planets such as Pluto in the Kuiper it. These planets were formed in Belt, all of which provide impor- the disk of dust and gas which tant information about the surrounded the infant Sun. formation of the Solar System. Although the Sun has the vast For a long time, astronomers majority of the mass in the Solar suspected that ours was not the System, the planets contain most

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of the angular momentum or relatively rare. Dr Aigrain de- ‘spin’, and can be seen as a scribed her delight when a natural by-product of the forma- colleague brought her a photo- tion of the Sun itself. Our Solar graph taken in 2008, which System is the best studied around, showed three red dots – basically and provides a useful frame of massive planets in a scaled-up reference when looking at others. version of our Solar System. “This Unless our Solar System is in some was the most exciting photo I’d way special or unusual – and Dr ever seen, the first picture of Aigrain doesn’t subscribe to that another planetary system.” view – it’s likely that other solar Although some exoplanets have systems formed in similar ways to been found by direct observation, ours. In other words, a home star most have been discovered using created the conditions in which indirect methods. Dr Aigrain planets could form. described two of these. The first is The first definitive discovery of an the radial velocity method. This exoplanet orbiting a star was involves looking for the small reported in 1995 (51 Pegasi) and wobble in the star’s position as this was followed by more both the planet and the star orbit discoveries. To date, there are around the centre of mass of the around 800 confirmed exoplanets system. The radial velocity is the and many more thousand candi- velocity along the line of sight. dates. But how do we find Using a dispersing element such exoplanets and how can we learn as a slit or a grism, the light from more about them? There are the star is dispersed into its several crucial differences between constituent colours, or wave- planets and stars, said Dr Aigrain. lengths, The resulting spectrum Planets emit almost no light, contains dark lines at specific which makes them very difficult to wavelengths, which are due to see unless you can ‘cancel’ the absorption by various elements, light from the home star. You can such as hydrogen. Because we look for light from planets, light know where these lines should be that is reflected or absorbed from if the star is at rest, but they are the Sun, and finding the infrared shifted towards the blue or the gives the best chance, but as red if the star is moving towards planets tend to be close to their or away from us, we can measure own suns, it is difficult to make the star’s radial velocity, and infer them out. It’s also difficult to the presence of one or more cancel the light from the star planets. It’s possible to measure perfectly. the radial velocity of stars to less than a metre per second, she said. Direct imaging is one way to find The amplitude of the star’s motion exoplanets, although it is still

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depends on how massive the exoplanets, which also showed planet is, and how close to the how many are in multi-planet star it orbits. Hot Jupiters – so systems – and described how the called because they are large, first transitting planet significantly gaseous planets, like Jupiter, and smaller than Jupiter – a so-called because their proximity to their hot-Neptune – had been found star heats them up (especially the almost by chance by colleagues ‘day side’ facing the star) – are using a small telescope designed easier to find via the radial velocity primarily for outreach. This planet method because they create more probably has a thick water layer of a ‘wobble’ in the motion of the on top of a rocky core and below star. a gaseous atmosphere. Exotic Dr Aigrain also works with the planets like this, which have no transit method, which involves equivalent in our Solar System, looking at the small flux that defy our imagination. Although happens when a planet moves in this planet is much hotter than front of the star. You have to be the Earth, because it is much lucky to see it because it will only closer to its star, much of the happen if the orbit of the planet is water inside the planet is likely to aligned just right, she said. What’s be frozen, because at high interesting is that the depth of the pressure water freezes up to much transit tells you the size of the higher temperatures, forming a planet relative to the star. You also kind of ‘hot ice’. As the pressure know the inclination, so with the drops towards the outside of the radial velocity method you get the planet, there may be ocean mass, and if you put the two floating on an ice layer, rather together you get the density of a than the other way around. planet. This in turn can give a If, however, like Dr Aigrain, your good idea of the planet’s physical interest lies in Earth-like planets – composition. Very specialist which are terrestrial in nature, and equipment isn’t needed to have temperate surface tempera- observe transits, so it can even tures – you really need to go into involve an army of lay or amateur Space, she said, because their astronomers, who can examine transits are so shallow and so rare. large swathes of sky from their A number of missions doing just back gardens. “You don’t need a this are either in progress or in the big telescope, just ten centime- pipeline. CoRoT, a mission led by tres,” said Dr Aigrain. “Many the French Space agency CNES, dedicated amateurs make very has been used since 2007 to significant contributions to the search for planetary transits from field.” Dr Aigrain showed a slide orbit, and has detected a number of around 750 of the known of exoplanets. But the NASA

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mission Kepler (on an Earth- observation done with the Hubble trailing orbit, which makes it very Space Telescope, which led to the stable) is a more powerful succes- discovery of a haze of small sor to CoRoT and is providing very particles in the atmosphere of one precise information on stars of the hot Jupiters. across a large part of the sky. It Dr Aigrain concluded with some has already detected 2,300 glimpses into the future. As well candidate transitting planets – “a as ongoing research, such as the bewildering array of planets of characterisation of the atmos- different sizes and temperatures”, pheres of hot giant planets, and including numerous multi-planet the Kepler mission to measure the systems, which are proving to be incidence of Earth-like planets one of the most interesting results (and others), it will shortly be from Kepler. possible to use direct imaging on Excitingly, some are deemed to be large ground-based telescopes to in the ‘habitable’ zone of their view young solar systems. Within home star, which means that the the next decade, new insights are computed temperature of the likely from other Space telescopes planet suggests that it’s some- such as TESS or PLATO (looking for where that water (essential for transiting planets around bright formation of life as we know it) stars) or EChO and JWST (charac- would remain liquid on the terising atmospheres of hot surface. Although Dr Aigrain’s Jupiters, Neptunes and Super- work includes coming up with Earths), while the ground-based algorithms for finding transits, E-ELT (European Extremely Large she acknowledged that even the Telescope) will be used to detect best method won’t capture them and characterise the atmosphere all. For some of them, you just of even smaller, cooler planets – need a human eye, she added. possibly a bit like Earth. “We now Projects such as planethunters.org know that planets are common, have been set up to enable the possibly more numerous than public to participate in the stars in the Galaxy,” said Dr exoplanet discovery process by Aigrain, adding that within the visually examining Kepler light next decade, we should know curves and spotting transit-like how common Earth-like planets events. The transit method can are. “Ultimately we might look for also be used to probe the make- signs of life,” although there is up of the planet’s atmosphere; some debate about what precisely this is a very difficult process, but will be looked for. There are also has been done thoroughly for a exiting indications of planets small number of exoplanets. Dr closer to home, with new discover- Aigrain described one such ies all the time.

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RSE / NSFC Seminar Thursday 22 - Friday 23 November 2012 Supported by the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the National Natural Science Foundation of China.

This event was in the form of a seminar for academics and practitioners to exchange ideas and to identify potential areas for collaboration on energy policy and renewables in Scotland and China. It followed a series of successful meetings held in recent years involving representatives of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE), Scotland’s national academy, and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC). Participation was limited to 35 people (by invitation only) so as to encourage an exchange of views and experiences, with everyone able to join the discussion.

Thursday 22 November

Morning Session Afternoon Session Energy Policy: Scotland and China Marine Energy Financial Innovation for Green Marine Energy - Hydro-environ- Economy: Demand from China mental impact of tidal energy Professor Wei Zhang, Professor and devices on marine waters Dean of the College of Management Professor Binliang Lin, Tsinghua and Economics, Tianjin University University, Beijing The Energy Policy Context: Marine Energy in the UK - Sustainable Cities Development Status and R&D Richard Bellingham, Deputy Director, Base Fraser of Allander Institute Professor Robin Wallace, Executive Director EPSRC Supergen UK Centre for Marine Energy Re- search, Dean International, College of Science and Engineer- ing, University of Edinburgh Marine Energy - Ocean Renew- able Energy in China Professor Shi Hongda, Dean of College of Engineering, Ocean University of China

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Friday 23 November

Morning Session Afternoon Session Carbon Capture and Storage Renewable Energy

Innovative CCS Technology Sustainable Energy Develop- Suitable for China ment and CO2 Mitigation in Professor Jin Hongguang, Insti- China: An integrated technolo- tute of Engineering gy and policy perspective Thermophysics, Chinese Academy Professor Zhang Xiliang, Professor of Sciences and Executive Director, Institute of CO2 Capture and Storage at Energy, Environment and Econo- the University of Edinburgh my, Tsinghua University, Beijing Dr Xianfeng Fan, Senior Lecturer, Going Green for a Golden Institute for Materials and Future? Processes, School of Engineering, Professor Tariq S Durrani, Universi- University of Edinburgh ty of Strathclyde Advanced Coal Utilisation in China Professor Minghou Xu, Director, State Key Laboratory of Coal Combustion, Huazhong University of Science and Technology

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Allan Little BBC World Affairs Correspondent RSE MacCormick European Lecture 26 November 2012

To begin his journey into modern Politics are still national, while Europe, Allan Little took his economics are increasingly global; audience to Warsaw on November somewhere in the middle is the 1 2012. He had been there on All European Union, which, for all it Saints’ Day, the Day of the Dead, has achieved, faces a profound and the Polish city had closed crisis of legitimacy. down. At dusk, everyone had His perspective, however, was not headed for the cemeteries; the one of a scholar but of an itiner- graves were lit by a flicker of red ant reporter, eyewitness and teller and orange candle flames and the of tales. His personal starting living were moving silently among point in understanding the value the shadows. Nowhere else in of the EU was 25 November 1989, Europe, Little said, do the dead when he was standing in a snow- speak more powerfully or reach flecked Wenceslas Square in out to stake a claim in the present. Prague, along with a crowd of In Europe, history is the unseen 400,000 Czechs. Vaclav Havel guest at every table. appeared on a balcony above the And that would be his argument crowd and behind him stood a this evening; that we are all white-haired old man whose face prisoners of our histories and that was instantly recognisable to most the story of the European Union people there, even though he had since its inception in Rome in not been seen in public for 21 1957 has been releasing us from years. It was Dubcek and he the thraldom of history. Old uttered only one word: “Czesko- loyalties, allegiances and enmities slovenko” – the name of the long thought consigned to history country. have the habit of re-emerging in Little had been struck by the new forms. The problem in thought that after two decades of Europe today, Little argued, is not enforced silence, the former the fact of a single currency but leader had not chosen to speak of the manner of its construction. It an abstract notion such as liberty has been driven by political or democracy, but of something imperatives flowing in the face of more visceral – the appeal of the better economic judgement, and tribe. Dubcek had articulated the this has taught us lessons about real desire of Czechs and Slovaks – democracy in Europe today.

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the overthrow not just of a also led directly to the predica- political system (Communism), but ment that Europe finds itself in of foreign tyranny as well. It was a today, Little said, kick-starting moment of national liberation what many western European and what chance did the Commu- leaders dream of – monetary nist regime stand? Later that union. night, the Czech Politburo This goal was driven by Helmut resigned. It was a significant Kohl, the German Chancellor, who moment for the people of eastern believed German reunification and central Europe who had, for might be short-lived and wanted the most part, long believed that to act before the Russian threat an alien tyranny had stood emerged again. But, Little con- between them and their rightful tended, this brought back into destiny for 40 years. And their play, for other European leaders, rightful destiny was something the “German Question” of how easily expressed as something to contain a Germany that had called “The West.” The revolu- twice used its size and weight to tions of 1989 were all about lay waste to the continent in the becoming “western.” What they 20th Century; in other words, wanted was what the citizens of how to “Europeanise” Germany. The West had and took for Both Francois Mitterand in France granted – the right to vote and Margaret Thatcher in the UK governments out, the rule of law, were alarmed at the speed at freedom under the law, the right which Kohl wanted to move. to property and its protection France, in particular, had been under the law, plurality of opin- happy with a diminished Germa- ion, separation of church and ny; the prospect of a reunified state and free political and Germany with its capital in Berlin, philosophical discourse. drawing eastern European nations But these revolutions had effects around it like a shawl, alarmed on The West too. As the philoso- Mitterand. In the event, the French pher Ernest Gellner wrote just decided not to oppose reunifica- before he died in 1995, Little tion, but instead to accelerate the pointed out, it is only the redis- timetable for monetary union to covery of this ideal in eastern bind Germany into a Europe in Europe that has reminded the which French leadership would be inhabitants of liberal states “just preserved. Instead, Little argued, what it is that they possess and the opposite happened. Binding ought to hold dear.” So it was Germany in catalysed and com- that those events became one of pelled the emergence of its the hinges on which the history of leadership of Europe, or, at least, the European continent turned. It of the Eurozone.

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The big fear in Germany following had gathered stories of appalling WW2 was of rampant inflation human tragedy, but his reports and the protection given against it were overwhelmed by economic by the might of the Deutschmark. news from home; it was “Black Out of this desire for continued Wednesday,” when, under John protection came the European Major’s government, the pound Central Bank, modelled on the all- lost 17 per cent of its value in a powerful Bundesbank, day and was ejected from the independent of government but European Exchange Rate Mecha- with an all-important obligation nism, in a crisis triggered by Kohl’s to fight inflation. This, Little said, attempts to fight inflation. Black was the Germans doing for the Wednesday should have been an first time what the French had early lesson in the dangers of done since 1957, using the trying to bind different national emerging institutions of Europe economies into a one-size-fits-all as a way of projecting their values currency union, Little said. “But on the continent as a whole. the Steamship Single Currency The French did not like it – they sailed on regardless.” It betrayed wanted a bank modelled on their a recurring theme; that at key own bank; that is, an instrument moments the process was driven of economic policy in the hands of by political imperatives, not politicians. So, already in the early economic better judgement. So 1990s, the contours of future, how was it that by the end of the and still unresolved, conflicts were decade, 12 nations were in the being mapped out. The Maas- Eurozone, Little asked? Because tricht Treaty of 1992 set out the Italy was allowed to disregard the fault lines, when 12 of the 15 Maastricht criteria because it member states at that time opted suited German trade; Portugal to lock their currencies together, and Spain were allowed to join with entry governed by strict even though Spain’s competitive- economic criteria. Britain, Den- ness ratings were “woefully mark and Sweden opted out. inadequate”; and Ireland and Eventually, 17 nations from an Greece followed; all wanting to be expanded EU opted in. “How was at Europe’s top table, for political it,” Little asked, “that 17 nations rather than economic reasons. would marry in such haste, only to So what has emerged, in addition repent so bitterly?” to the tension between political How important economic union and economic imperatives, is the had become dawned on Little in tension between elected govern- 1992 when, he said, he was in the ments on the one hand and Bosnian capital, Sarajevo, report- supranational institutions such as ing on the Balkans conflict. He the European Commission on the

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other. But, Little said, his argu- experience of the most destructive ment is that the lesson now being war in human history. They drawn across Europe is not that wanted to answer the “German those centralised institutions are Question” and make sure conti- too strong, but that they are too nent-wide conflict couldn’t weak. Even though those supra- happen again. They have succeed- national bodies may be in a better ed. position to act in the interests of But everywhere, at present, faith Europe as a whole, their demo- in European integration is being cratic legitimacy remains on a undermined and there is a retreat “very shoogly peg.” As an to “national silos.” There is example of how matters can go disillusionment about the single wrong in a monetary union into currency because the perception which some countries should not in wealthy northern regions is that have been allowed, Little recount- they are being asked to bail out ed conversations with Greek the “feckless” south in perpetuity. officials who explained now huge But we have much to lose from budget deficits could be made to this trend of thought, Little “disappear” under current EU explained. He was recently in the financial rules. But, he said, it was beautiful Polish town of Wroclaw, too easy for Europe to blame its which until 1945 was in Germany. southern flank and make it do The city of Lvov is the same, penance. In that way, the argu- moving in recent history from the ment about how to resolve the ownership of one country to financial crisis takes on the another. “To central Europeans, character of a fight between rich an end to all that is what they see and poor – and, more alarmingly, in a strengthened EU,” Little said. a conflict between nations. A former adviser to Chancellor “Europe has been down that road Kohl had made the same point to often in its history,” Little said. “It him. After WW2, he said, Germa- doesn’t often end well.” ny had made friends with its So if the lessons of the past are to western neighbours through the be learned, Little argued, the EU. Now it is doing the same on objective of many European its eastern borders. “For the first politicians should now be, despite time in our history,” he added, the difficulties, to persuade their “we are encircled by allies.” electorates that EU member states Little said he had seen for himself, should become more integrated close up, the reality of war in and not less. He reminded his Europe. In 1991, he was sent to audience that the men and what was then Yugoslavia, where women who built the EU from the tension was rising between ethnic 1950s on were driven by the Serbs and Croats. He stayed for

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four years, during which time 100 enmity. He said he understood people a day died, most of them why further European integration in Bosnia, a country with the same is a hard sell to the British public population as Scotland. On one and this is one of the reasons why occasion, he had to carry to safety Eastern Europeans are looking the body of a local cameraman instead to Germany for leader- and colleague, whom he had ship. asked to help him carry out his In October, he had met Radel work. He died on All Saints’ Day, Sikorski, Poland’s foreign minister, Little’s starting point for his who was exasperated by Britain’s lecture and a reminder of the decision not to fully engage with power of the dead of Europe’s Europe. In a recent speech in “terrible 20th Century” to shape Berlin, Sikorski had described what we do. It is our duty to try to Germany as Europe’s “indispensa- do well by them to save future ble” nation. His subtext was, Little generations from their fate. said: “We Poles have got over the Since the enlargement of the EU Nazis. So can you. We are no in 2004, Little said, the centre of longer afraid of you. You must gravity has moved dramatically to stop being afraid of yourselves.” the East. The old Paris–Bonn axis Little concluded that if Britain belongs to a different age, when were applying to join Europe now Europe was shaped by survivors of it would be knocking on a door in the Western Front. Now we have Berlin not Paris. However, Britain been joined by the survivors of the looks to be heading in a different more brutal Eastern Front. They direction, with 56 per cent of the may be natural allies of Britain, population wanting out of the EU. Atlanticist in their thinking, “If that happens,” he said, “they inclined to free market economics will press on without us” as the and a second language that is process that began in the 1950s English, not French. But Britain to Europeanise Germany is having has been shaped by its history the opposite effect. It is now in too, Little argued. Almost unique- the van and other countries, at ly in Europe, it has not suffered least in their public finances, now the humiliation of military defeat have to become more like the and occupation; it has not had to Germany that has been utterly turn the page on centuries of transformed from its darkest days.

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Europe and the Arab World Conference Joint event with the European Movement in Scotland and supported by the European Commission Office in Scotland and the Centre for Advanced Study of the Arab World 27 November 2012

The Arab World is undergoing those of rich cultural exchange. major political and social upheaval The conference, he said, was – at the same time, Europe faces a designed to help tilt perceptions far-reaching economic crisis. The towards the positive end of the conference examined the relation- spectrum. Arab and European ships between the regions and attitudes are not helped by over- how Europe can promote stability, simplistic attitudes. Many Arabs peace and prosperity in Arab conflate Europe and other countries. The speakers were His powers, such as the USA, and Royal Highness Prince El Hassan simply see them as “the West”. Bin Talal of Jordan, Professor Yasir Likewise, Europeans tend to see Suleiman of Cambridge Universi- Arabs and Muslims as one and ty’s Faculty of Asian and Middle the same, when there are many Eastern Studies, Christian Berger Arab Christians. of the European External Action According to Professor Suleiman, Service, Andrew Claret of the there has been a range of initia- Anna Lindh Foundation, Dr Malik tives from the EU in the past three Dahlan from the Institution decades responding to changes in Quraysh for Law and Society and the southern and eastern Mediter- Tarek El Sherbini of the European ranean. These have had three Bank for Reconstruction and goals: Development. The welcome was Prosperity – economic co- provided by Sir David Edward, operation, access to oil and gas, outgoing RSE International trade plus economic and technical Committee Convener. aid. Tied in with these are Europe- Overview an worries about mass migration Professor Suleiman said the and combating Islamic terrorism. relationship between Europe and Stability – democratic govern- the Arab World is an ancient one, ance, respect for human rights, with many bloody encounters at the rule of law, freedom of one end of the spectrum and expression, association and peaceful, productive ones at the assembly, along with free media, other. Today, the memories of independent judiciaries, political warfare and colonialism outweigh pluralism and a strong civil society.

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Peace – solving conflicts, chiefly He said the conference goals were those between the Arabs and to: Israel. Good intentions have been - Identify and examine common undermined by security fears, challenges faced by Europe and which have led Europe to tolerate the Arab World. tyrannical regimes. There was - Facilitate relationship building often a bogus idea that Arabs had between experts from academia, little interest in democratic civil society and state institu- freedoms – a notion destroyed by tions. the Arab Spring. European economic protectionism has also - Provide the basis for a focused undermined the pursuit of action plan and concrete follow- prosperity. up initiatives. The aims would be addressed under three The Arab Spring has placed a headings: moral responsibility on Europe to live up to its convictions and - Civil society support Arab people in their drive - Structures of government for freedom and democracy. It is a - Sustainable and equitable golden opportunity to dispel the economic development notion that Europe speaks one way and acts another. Nonethe- Session 1 less, democratisation ends the Christian Berger certainties offered by tyrannical European External Action Service regimes. Europe must learn a new Director for North Africa, Middle kind of politics dealing with forces East, Arabian Peninsula, Iran and – such as the Muslim Brotherhood Iraq – which it has previously demon- Europe can be a powerful actor in ised. The progress of the Arab the world, but it is currently Spring is uneven and Europe also dissipating its energies by being needs to consider its relationships introspective, as it struggles with with surviving old regimes. internal issues and fails to unite Professor Suleiman said: “The on external ones. He predicted challenge for Europe is how to fill that the EU would appear weak as the trinity of prosperity, stability it split in the forthcoming UN vote and peace with new meanings, on giving observer status to both conceptual and practical, to Palestine [vote took place on 29 deal with a newly-emerging order November – see BBC Q&A http:// in the Arab World.” www.bbc.co.uk/news/world- middle-east-13701636]. Mr Berger compared this to the EU’s highly effective role when member

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states united over the issue of - Political – the redefinition of the settlements in the Occupied relationship between state and Territories. individual. Something similar North Africa and the Middle East happened in Europe with the have presented security challenges revolutions of 1848. and have been places of rapid - Social and economic – better geopolitical change since long lives, opportunities and educa- before the Arab Spring. There has tion. been the spread of terrorist - National – Arabs seek their own groups, the emergence of Turkey, national dignities and national the nuclear ambitions of Iran, and dignity for Palestinians. the Iraq War. Tunisia, Egypt and Libya have had The Arab uprisings have accelerat- free elections and significant ed change and brought new reform is underway in countries challenges – including the such as Jordan. The EU has possibility that the conflict in Syria imposed sanctions on dictators could destabilise the whole during periods of struggle and region. The EU has used sanctions given support to build new state and diplomacy to try to achieve and civil society structures in times peace in Syria and is providing aid of transition. The policy is “more for refugees. Mr Berger expressed for more”, meaning “if a country hope that the work done to create can absorb more help, then the a more united Syrian opposition EU should provide it”. Despite its may yield results. own internal issues, Europe is The recent violence in Gaza and committed to improved arrange- Israel has demonstrated the ments on trade and the importance of finding a solution movement of people. to the Arab/Israeli conflict – the EU Many issues are regional and are backs a two-state solution. The being addressed at that level, with instability in the Sahel region is the EU working in conjunction another area of concern, with the with organisations such as the rapid spread of weapons and League of Arab States – which armed groups. In places such as played a leading role in Libya and northern Mali, the EU is working is loosely involved in Syria. with governments to stem the European foreign ministers have consequent illegal traffic of just agreed a work programme weapons, drugs and people. The with the Arab League which Arab Spring has brought hope covers many areas, from energy that people can achieve freedom. and culture to law and electoral It has also brought the chance for processes. dignity, which Mr Berger described as having three facets: 67 Review of the Session 2012-2013

Mr Berger said that progress in which recognises the pluralism of the Arab World is likely to have Western Asia and North Africa as setbacks, just as it had in Europe. a diverse region incorporating Despite the revolutions of 1848, Arab Muslim and non-Arab much of Europe was only democ- Muslim nations, such as Israel. ratised in 1948, and other parts Commenting on progress towards not until 1989, with the collapse greater freedoms in the Arab of communism. In Europe, the EU World, Prince El Hassan said that reacted positively to change by in 2009 he chaired the Arab supporting progressive and Thought Forum, which welcomed humanitarian forces and seeking participants from many countries to integrate newly democratic to discuss the compatibility of states. democracy and Islam. A number With the Lisbon Treaty in place of them are now in power and and the establishment of the some are bringing change. European External Action Service, Prince El Hassan criticised Western the EU is able to play a greater views of the pace of change: “I role in North Africa and the did rather smart at the European Middle East. This is valuable in Council’s report on how Jordan is terms of building and strengthen- not fulfilling the promises of ing the institutions and reform … the promises started in infrastructure needed by stable, 2009 before the Arab Spring pluralistic and democratic socie- process and the reality is that the ties. street protests actually delayed the The EU needs to look at what it process of reform that was being can offer democratised Arab envisaged by the leadership not states. Options might include a only of Jordan but of the Arab broader European economic space World.” The reforms were to or new customs arrangements. bring about integrated rather Whatever the case, the EU is than piecemeal change. committed to being a long-term The Arab Spring has brought partner for Arab peoples’ free- some progress, but Prince El dom, dignity and economic Hassan said the attitudes of some prosperity. from the West have been disquiet- Session 2 ing. He was visited by a leading His Royal Highness Prince El European ambassador who said Hassan Bin Talal “we have done it in Tunis, we have done it in Libya, we have The post-World War I attempts to done it in Egypt”. This, said the create a settlement in what is prince, missed the whole point often called the Middle East have that it was Arabs had brought failed. New thinking is needed change for themselves. 68 Events

Despite positive developments in is a growing struggle for water some countries, Prince El Hassan resources. This, the Prince fears, believes the Arab World faces has the potential to bring regional many dangers and that the nuclear war. While the search for momentum is towards mutually democratisation, human rights assured destruction, when the and dignity are of fundamental goal should be mutually assured importance, Europe has put survival. The region is “caught economic interests first. The West between two right wing realities” has benefited from huge military which threaten the advance of contracts with Arab countries, reform. The first is that the Gulf when what is needed is a plan for oil states are not keen on change the equitable sharing of water – and their Western allies are blue peace. reluctant to push them. The Europe, according to the Prince, second reality is that the current often fails to understand the Israeli government is only interest- nature of the challenges facing ed in the traditional lament of the Arab World – for example, the “we are surrounded by enemies” impact on stability of 26 million – an argument he hoped had refugees and displaced people. been disposed of some time ago. He called on the USA to look The Prince highlighted Iran’s towards the Arab World in a spirit nuclear status as an area of of partnership and for moves concern and expressed regret at towards a CSCME (Conference for the US cancellation of a planned Security and Co-operation in the Helsinki Process meeting. He Middle East). The Prince advocated added that during a visit to an end to local axes of power and Tehran, for a meeting of the Non- a move towards a Benelux Aligned Movement, he made solution of intra-independence some unpopular statements on “you may be a small country or nuclear issues, but rather than you may be a large country, but being dismissed they sparked you recognise my right to express serious discussion. an opinion”. In addition, he called Prince El Hassan described Syria as for the establishment of a region- being the centre of a proxy war al bank for reconstruction and between “rich” and “ignorant” development that would make protagonists on the so-called use of some of the region’s wealth Sunni side (though their interest is “to put a smile on the face of political not religious) against every Somali child, and every child forces aligned with Iran who want for that matter, whether Muslim to maintain an axis of power or non- Muslim”. This would help between Iraq, Iran, Syria and pull the rug from under the feet Lebanon. At the same time, there of extremists who point to the

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ungenerosity of the region’s rulers of the diversity and complexity of to argue that they are unfit to these societies. rule. Beyond this, Prince El Hassan Civil society has been critical in the argued that paternalistic generosi- development of many European ty is not the answer to the region’s countries, from the emergence of needs; a social charter is required Spain from dictatorship to the to empower all citizens, regardless downfall of communism in the of ethnicity, faith or gender. This east. Social movements have also must be accompanied by rights- proved crucial in toppling auto- based measures to address the cratic regimes in Arab countries. needs of all people. But there are differences between The region faces challenges from European and Arab civil society. two sources, extremism and oil. Arab civil society tends to be Neither benefits the ordinary weaker and is divided on religious people, or the children, of the lines. It also suffers through the Arab World. Prince El Hassan said lack of democratic tradition, which that all our efforts must be to makes it better at opposing things secure their future and to ensure than proposing solutions. For that “human dignity is the way effective civil society to develop, forward”. organisations must arise to Sessions 3–5 champion social issues of every The next sessions saw speakers kind – from jobs to traffic or deliver three short talks. The planning. This can only happen audience then separated for where partnerships with the roundtable discussions and the administration can be built with results were fed back to the entire authority. For example Alexandria conference. has no mayor, and has no elected city council, meaning the channels 3. Civil Society for debate and changes are Andreu Claret limited. Executive Director of the Anna Situations and traditions differ Lindh Foundation, based in between countries, and change is Alexandria deeper rooted in some than Western approaches to the Arab others, so the prospects for strong World are evolving positively – a civil society vary. However, Mr few years ago, a conference of this Claret said, they can only ever kind would have started with thrive given certain preconditions. religion not civil society. This is These are freedom of association partly the result of the new and movement, the consolidation perceptions generated by the of democratic culture and the Arab Spring and the appreciation capacity to overcome the divisions

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between secular and religious- democracy from descending into orientated organisations. Finally, elected dictatorship and added European governments and civil that the last few weeks in Egypt society organisations should underlined this reality. provide support and build Political Islam has dominated the partnerships with European ‘no- post-revolutionary Arab political gos’ environment. Together with many 4. Structures of Government other factors, this is bringing Dr Malik Dahlan intensive struggles for legitimacy Principal and Chief Lawyer, the and authority. What is clear is that Institution Quraysh for Law and without the rule of law, it will be Policy difficult to achieve prosperity, stability and peace. Dr Dahlan Dr Dahlan speculated that the asserted that this is achievable, as Middle East’s redefinition as West there is no contradiction between Asia may reflect a disappointment Islamic governance and the rule of with relations with Europe, and be law. Dr Dahlan discussed the value a source of new hope about the of a region-wide approach to possibilities from new partner- governance and the tackling of ships in Asia. Like Europe a endemic social and economic century ago, the Arab countries problems. At the same time, he are in turmoil and face “towering acknowledged that the past is questions of legitimacy”. Also like littered with failed examples of Europe, “Those who stood to schemes for Arab co-operation. A benefit were weary, those who key factor would be flexibility suffered stood restless, empires (helping avoid problems such as anxious – humanity needed a self- those faced by the Eurozone) and definition in a new age.” openness to non-regional In the aftermath of World War II, involvement by countries such as he added, Europe needed firm China and the US. Such a struc- commitment to good governance ture, he believes, would ease the and the rule of law. This is what “fraught” problems of forging the Arab World needs now. Dr links with Israel. But it is only once Dahlan argued that the rule of law the rule of law is established that is the essence of a free and fair the foundations will be in place society – “without this most basic for progress towards prosperity, of guarantees, nothing can stability and peace. International prosper”. He quoted former Chief relations are also vital and it may Justice of England and Wales, be that the Arab World cannot Lord Wolfe, as saying that it is the wait for Europe to resolve its rule of law which prevents internal problems and will have to

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look eastward for partnerships north, south and Sinai – and also instead. between upper and lower social 5. Sustainable and Equitable classes. Prosperity went to the Economic Development already wealthy, leaving the poor worse off than before. The high Tarek El Sherbini price of education reinforced Senior Banker, Acting Director for social division. The situation was Jordan and Egypt, European Bank unsustainable. Prosperity, argued for Reconstruction and Develop- Mr El Sherbini, can only be won ment (EBRD). through productivity and competi- While the EBRD was created to tiveness. Debt-fuelled growth will help former Soviet Bloc economies also fail. Sustainable prosperity make the transition to democracy demands longterm investment. and market economies, Mr El Growth also needs to be balanced Sherbini said that four years ago across sectors, rather than he started an initiative to spread dependent on natural resources its activities to the Arab World. or tourism. Corruption must be The Arab Spring gave the idea a tackled top down, because it major political push. The EU diverts wealth to the rich and puts currently identifies Jordan, off investors. “If there is one thing Morocco, Egypt and Tunisia as the Arab Spring should bring, it is countries in transition. the reduction and eventual The EBRD aims to help countries elimination of the corruption that achieve their goals in promoting has plagued many countries in the sustainable and equitable growth. Arab World.” According to Mr El Sherbini, this is Education has to be reformed and a challenge that no country has must meet market needs, provid- truly met. Governments tend to ing for students according to their focus on growth of any kind ability and training them for roles rather than on equitable distribu- the economy needs. Geographical tion, and the world has had inequalities also need to be experience of the stultifying effect addressed. International organisa- of communist attempts at im- tions and donors can help build posed redistribution. A hybrid equitable and sustainable growth. strategy of growth and equality is Advice and assistance on policy key. In the Arab countries where and regulation is of value, as is revolutions broke out in 2011, training and mentoring. Invest- there had been a long build up of ment and donor aid need to be economic disparities. In Tunisia, targeted for effectiveness – this this was between coast and means supporting critical areas interior; in Egypt, between the such as SMEs and infrastructure.

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Sustainable and equitable growth There is a great deal of room for are now a necessity, not an option mutual benefit if the parties – the more time that passes, the behave with common respect. more upheaval will take place. Beyond dealing with peoples and Prince El Hassan followed Mr El nations, Europe must also built Sherbini’s talk by advocating the constructive relationships with need for a regional cohesion fund regional bodies such as the Arab and a social charter. He referred to League, which is once again earlier failed proposals for a fund becoming a potent force. intended to allow 24 nations to European good intentions are not build their economies and provide enough and there need to be new opportunities for their citizens – tools and instruments for change. “imagine how many lives would One of the most important shifts have been saved and how many that Europe can make is from revolutions would have been less policies that are reactive to ones bloody, if they had to be bloody at that are proactive and get ahead all”. He envisaged three sources of crises. Professor Suleiman said of funding to build a more civil society is crucial to the future equitable and sustainable future – of the Arab World. It provides the Europe, the emerging powers opportunity for people to work such as China and the Gulf oil with government, but also with states. each other. Importantly, there is Conclusions enormous potential for civil society organisations from Professor Suleiman provided a different Arab countries to summing up of the conference, collaborate with one another and saying it had achieved much. He with their European counterparts. said that Europe should not be Democracy is not simply political, frightened of involvement with but also cultural. But cultural the Arab World in case it is seen democracy demands appropriate as neo-colonialism. It is reasona- legal frameworks. There are signs ble, he added, for European and that these are developing but “it Arab countries to view each other is a difficult birth”. Civil society with enlightened self-interest. organisations need to move from Europe is an actor in the world being powers of opposition to and must choose how to engage. becoming engines of progress – It needs to recognise and support the sources of positive ideas and the political, social, economic and plans for progress. And to make a democratic dignity of the Arab real difference, and build stronger peoples. societies, groups of all kinds must

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open dialogues with others with be a great help. But the Arab opposing and different views. World also needs to develop The rule of law is of great impor- higher education institutions with tance and is compatible with the a new ethos, so they are places of spirit of Sharia, which is intended trust and freedom where respon- as a path of moral living. Professor sibility is delegated. Finally, the Suleiman pointed to the value of Professor said the conference had work being undertaken to meld demonstrated the willingness that the values of Sharia with the rule exists for co-operation between of law. Europe and the Arab World. He said it is clear that opportunities There is a need for financial and for great progress are now social capital to be invested over opening up and that that they the long term, in order to achieve should be seized by Arabs and the great moral objectives of Europeans alike – time is short sustainable and equitable eco- and the window could soon close nomic development. Education, again. knowledge and skills transfers can

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Dr David Wright PGS Senior Research Fellow, University of Edinburgh MTEM – From PhD Research to Commercial Exploration Tool RSE/BP Hutton Prize Lecture in Energy Innovation 3 December 2012

Black magic, black gold the fact that oil and gas explora- MTEM is one of the best examples tion is risky and very expensive, in Scotland of a university spin- and that any technological out which has turned a research advance that can improve the project into a major commercial chance of success in the search for success, selling the company for new commercially-viable fields has $275 million just three years after enormous potential. it was founded – and before its The history of oil and gas explora- breakthrough product for oil and tion shows how much the science gas exploration was even ready for has changed through the years. In market. Co-founder David Wright the early days, drilling was told the company story in an comparatively random, but after entertaining lecture which covered the Titanic sank in 1912, an everything from black magic to inventor called Reginald Fessend- lasagne and everywhere from the en developed a new method for Firth of Forth to the Trinidad detecting icebergs, using sound jungle... waves, which soon evolved into Every year, the oil and gas industry the seismic techniques still used spends about $6 billion looking today for most geophysical for new reserves, and $70 billion surveys – searching for oil at on drilling. A hundred years ago, depths of up to 35,000 feet. the chances of finding oil and gas Wright also described what an oil were about one in 20, and the field typically looks like – not a big chances of finding a field contain- tank filled with oil, but layers of ing one million barrels of oil were porous rock containing pockets of about one in 50. Twenty-five years oil. If the oil can flow from one ago, one in eight wells were pore to another (i.e. permeable), commercially viable, and today then it may be a practical source, only one in four are successful. so the problem is not just to find And at up to $150 million per a new source but to analyse how well, drilling could be a big waste much oil and gas it contains and of money. whether or not you will be able to extract it. In other words, it’s not These were just some of the enough to find oil – there must be figures presented by Dr David enough oil. “The key thing is to Wright in his lecture to illustrate

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understand the rocks,” said geophysical prospecting,” Wright. describing these problems – and The new technology developed by electromagnetics went out of Wright and his co-founders, favour for the next 60 years. Professor Anton Ziolkowski and Twenty years ago, Ziolkowski and Professor Bruce Hobbs of the Hobbs took up the challenge. University of Edinburgh’s School Armed with 3.4 million Euros of of GeoSciences, uses electromag- EEC funding, they used electro- netics to detect oil and gas, magnetics to prospect for gas in a injecting electricity into the reservoir outside Paris. From 1992 ground and measuring the to 1998, they struggled to voltage response at many points produce results, but two years on the surface which are sensitive later, Wright approached them to to different depths, to build up a discuss a suitable subject for his picture of what lies below – PhD Thesis, and they told him that including sites which may contain they had “some interesting data” oil. As Wright explained, water that might be worth further looks very like oil to seismic data, research. Wright spent the next but responds very differently for two years analysing the data and electromagnetic data. The basic came to the conclusion that there techniques are not new. The were several problems with the Schlumberger brothers invented electronics used to acquire the an electromagnetic device in data. Using new software, he was 1927, based on the knowledge able to fine-tune the data and that “the primary sensitivity” of correct these small errors – electromagnetics is good for proving that careful analysis could detecting the fluid in the pore produce valid results. The three space of rocks. The major problem men knew they had a new with electromagnetics is how to technology which had the interpret the data produced, and potential to become a huge Wright compared this to trying to earner, and the next step was analyse a plate of lasagne, commercialisation. In 2001, they measuring the temperature at filed for a patent, but without any different locations and probing product or buyers, they were still a the layers to detect pasta, meat long way from success. In 2003, sauce and cheese. You get a lot of they successfully applied for data but it’s difficult to get a very Scottish Enterprise proof-of- accurate picture of exactly what’s concept funding worth £200,000 in the lasagne. In 1936, a scientif- and drew up a business plan ic journal published a paper, describing the need for a further headlined “Black magic in £1.5 million investment to bring

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the technology to market. The including using it while being following year, Scottish Equity towed at sea, which greatly Partners (SEP), Energy Ventures speeds up the capture of data. and Hitec Vision committed to Commercial viability has also been investing £7.4 million in the proved, and in 2010, Italian company, and set out a series of company ENI confirmed the milestones that had to be passed results of an earlier survey by in order to release all the money striking oil where MTEM had in stages, including marine trials, predicted. which took place in the Firth of The dream solution for oil and gas Forth in 2005, using 24v lorry exploration is a combination of batteries inside wooden boxes to seismic and electromagnetic detect the presence of coal. Other techniques. In 2011, PGS carried tests later proved the technology out the first simultaneous seismic worked in different terrains such and electromagnetic survey, and in as deserts, frozen swamps, Alberta October 2012, this new technolo- tar sands and the Trinidad jungle. gy was used commercially for the Wright then explained how Total first time. Finally, Wright discussed Oil confirmed that the new the economic impact of the new technology worked and MTEM technology. Production efficiency received a letter of intent which in the North Sea has improved confirmed the commercial from 30 to 65 per cent in recent potential. “The prototype is not a years, and electromagnetic commercial system,” said Wright, exploration could greatly contrib- but it attracted so much interest ute to this – helping an industry from Petroleum Geo Services (PGS) which employs 440,000 people in of Norway that it bought MTEM the UK, almost half of them in for $275 million in 2007 – less Scotland. The University of than a year after the company Edinburgh has also received £8.6 almost ran out of money and million in funds from the sale of needed a further injection of £3.3 the company, £2.4m of which was million from its original backers. used to fund 164 PhD students – Since then, PGS has improved the doing research across all schools capabilities of the new product, within the University.

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Conference C T R Wilson, a Great Scottish Physicist: His Life, Work and Legacy 7 December 2012

Introduction theories. His family knew him as a This meeting was held to honour mild-mannered, thoughtful Charles Thomson Rees Wilson person, keen on hill-walking, with (CTR), the 1927 Physics Nobel a lifelong scientific curiosity; his Laureate, who invented the cloud keen observation, persistence and chamber, described by Ernest patience made him a notably Rutherford as “the most original meticulous experimental physicist. and wonderful instrument in C T R Wilson was born on 14 scientific history”. Wilson con- February 1869, and in 1888 went ceived the cloud chamber initially up to Sidney Sussex College, to better understand the process- Cambridge, from where he es of water condensation – graduated in physics in 1892. He inspired by clouds seen from tried school teaching, briefly, but Scottish mountains – and quickly returned to Cambridge and to the found that it could be used to Cavendish Laboratory, although it detect ionisation produced by X- was a visit to the Ben Nevis rays and radioactive sources. By Observatory in 1894 that sparked 1912, Wilson had perfected his his interests in cloud formation. device and was able to take He continued his career as photographs that made visible demonstrator, developing the representations of subatomic apparatus that in 1912 became particles. His instrument was used the cloud chamber. After showing across the world for intensive that the cloud chamber could be studies of cosmic rays, which were used to see particle tracks, he discovered in the same year. These concentrated much of his energies efforts shaped the study of cosmic on meteorology and atmospheric rays and the development of electricity. In 1925, he became particle physics throughout the Jacksonian Professor at the first 60 years of the 20th Century. Cavendish, remaining there for Wilson was also deeply interested the rest of his career, before in atmospheric electricity, and his retiring to Edinburgh where he instruments and his ideas about became friendly with Max Born thunderstorms and the global who lived in the same street. Later, atmospheric electrical circuit he went to live in the small village remain at the heart of modern of Carlops, close to his birthplace.

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In 1956, at the age of 87, he as a student at Sidney Sussex published a paper on a theory of College, he had a cold bath every thunderstorm electricity in morning irrespective of the Proceedings A of the Royal weather. He never carried any Society, the oldest Fellow of the weight, always ate sparingly and Society to have published there. did not drink at all for most of his The cloud chamber, or Wilson life. CTR’s mother was a founder Chamber, makes visible the member of the British Women’s mysterious world of subatomic Temperance Association, while his physics, and has inspired many to brother-in-law was the 12th take up the study of science. His generation of Presbyterian contributions to physics shaped ministers. Perhaps as a conse- modern thinking about cosmic quence, CTR’s strongest expletive rays and climate, thunderstorms, throughout his life was “tut tut”. particle physics and the search for CTR was a very private man who the origin of cosmic rays, some- did not show his emotions, never thing about which CTR speculated laughing but occasionally smiling; over ten years before their as a consequence, he was difficult discovery in 1912. to know. However, he was very C T R Wilson: Reminiscences of a kind to his grandchildren, whom grandson he was happy to take up Paties Andrew Wilson Hill at Carlops to look at beetles and other small creatures of which Andrew Wilson began by recount- he seemed to have an encyclopae- ing that visitors to The Cottage in dic knowledge. He seemed to Carlops would occasionally find have liked most of his colleagues, CTR lying on the floor flat on his but thought Einstein conceited back, with Algernon, a black and did not approve of Madam rabbit, chewing on the old man’s Curie’s love life. hair, to the evident enjoyment of both. “I don’t know if this is At 87, CTR was the oldest mem- common among Nobel Prizewin- ber of the Royal Society to publish ners…” said the speaker. a paper, although he confessed to being disappointed by its recep- Mr Wilson went on to describe tion. His 90th birthday was CTR’s early life, noting that the marked by a wellattended party Thomson and Rees names came including many colleagues, from two shepherds who were notably Giuseppe Occhialini who employed by his father John, a had travelled all the way from noted sheep breeder. CTR was Milan by train. Mr Wilson con- very fit, thanks to his love of hill cluded by drawing attention to walking, particularly in Arran and, the 27 boxes of notebooks in the

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Clerk Maxwell collection at asked him if he had met C T R Aberdeen University, and also that Wilson, whom he held in very he recorded having seen a high regard. thunderstorm phenomenon now Dr Dalyell found CTR Wilson a very known as a sprite as early as reflective man, and one who 1924, but their existence was not influenced his future life. As he confirmed until 1989. left the cottage, CTR asked him if Scene setting he would take a serious interest in Dr Tam Dalyell FRSE science if he were ever elected. “I said that I would”, recounted Dr Dr Dalyell recalled a soaking wet Dalyell, “and that is why I am here Saturday afternoon in the foothills today.” of the Pentlands, when he was a 26-year-old Labour candidate, Glories seen at the Ben Nevis canvassing on a bicycle. He was Meteorological Observatory extremely grateful for the offer of Ms Marjory Roy a cup of tea and a chat from an Scottish Centre, Royal Meteoro- elderly man in a cottage in logical Society Carlops. “As he put the kettle on, The Ben Nevis Observatory was a I looked around,” recalled Dr meteorological observatory that Dalyell. “One framed photograph, existed from 1883 to 1904 at an among the others on the wall, altitude of 1344m at the summit had me transfixed. It showed of Ben Nevis. It was established, in some familiar faces – Einstein, common with others across Bohr, Pauli, Planck, von Laue, Europe, in order to get high- Langevin, Madame Curie, Ruther- altitude data otherwise only very ford – and, standing in the second intermittently available at that row at the end, somewhat time by using balloons or kites, diffidently, someone who was from which recording instruments obviously my host, 30 years had to be retrieved. It was pro- younger. I realised that he could posed by David Milner Horne, only be C T R Wilson.” Chair of the Council of the That photograph started a wide- Scottish Meteorological Society. ranging conversation. CTR said Alexander Buchan, Secretary of that he got on well with all of the Scottish Meteorological them, apart from Werner Heisen- Society, was involved in much of berg, whom he positively disliked. the planning, and the construc- He remembered with respect Peter tion was funded by public Kapitsa and, many years later, subscription. C T R Wilson spent when Dalyell visited the Soviet two weeks there as a temporary Academy of Sciences, Kapitsa had observer, from the 8th to the

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22nd September 1894. He noted sation nuclei for the formation of while he was there that he saw a clouds. At the time when C T R brockenspectre, or glory, a Wilson was at the Observatory, rainbow-like effect of sunlight on this instrument may have been in clouds, surrounding the observer’s use, although CTR does not shadow. Weather records quoted mention it. by Ms Roy show that he was lucky Ms Roy concluded by noting that to have weather conditions to do the observational log books from so; Observatory records show that, the Observatory are now in the on average, hill fog was present Archive of the National Registry of for 70% of the time in September, Scotland (although not in digital with just two hours of sunshine a form) and contain a lot of infor- day. But the weather on Ben Nevis mation not available in the when CTR was there was excep- published reports; showing for tionally good, with anticyclonic example, that Ormond, (the first conditions, very low humidity at Superintendent of the Observato- the summit and temperature ry), was very interested in optical inversions – ideal conditions to phenomena such as glories. see glories. In 1895, when on Medical impact of cosmic holiday in the area, CTR also radiation noted two other significant events. On 19 June, he saw Professor Anne Glover CBE lightning striking the Observatory FRSE and the next day when he visited, Chief Scientific Advisor, European he saw some of the effects of the Commission discharge. On 26 June 1895, Professor Glover began by citing when he was on Carn Mor Dearg, the inspirational effect of the he felt his hair standing on end work done by C T R Wilson. and saw St Elmo’s fire around his Seeing cosmic rays in a cloud head and, realising that this was a chamber became part of what direct experience of atmospheric drove her into a career as a electricity, he descended rapidly biologist. down the scree. Cosmic rays from the Sun and Some of the instruments in place from the wider galaxy both have at the BNO when C T R Wilson medical effects. Professor Glover spent his time there would have cited solar X-ray data from the been of interest, notably an Geostationary Operational Aitken Dustcounter, a device Environmental Satellite (GOES) developed by John Aitken to spacecraft that showed the investigate the ideas of Cuvier radiation dose going up by a about the importance of conden- factor of 1000 in just a few

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minutes. Solar radiation varies on sensors, was exposed on the the surface of the Earth, in line outside of the International Space with the cycle of solar activity, and Station. The results showed hot high latitudes are more vulnerable spots of high exposure within the than low latitudes, because of the doll, amid generally low expo- structure of the Earth’s magnetic sures. But even low levels pose a field. The levels of galactic cosmic problem, because of the duration rays are modulated by the solar and continuous nature of expo- cycle, but their effects are differ- sure in space. Any further space ent, largely because they consist exploration, whether it involves of ionised nuclei with high miners seeking rare earth ele- energies; in other words, their ments on the Moon, or explorers deeply penetrating radiation is visiting Mars, demands effective hard to shield and has high shielding; so far we have only biological impact. The effects of water or aluminium to offer. Even both are greater at high altitude. with this, astronauts travelling to Altogether, this makes space a Mars and back would be likely to very dangerous place for humans have 3% of their body cells hit by – the Apollo astronauts missed iron ions. Professor Glover instant death by just a few days. described radiological studies of Biological effects range from the shielding as the cloud chambers transient lights seen by astronauts of the future – technology that as individual accelerated particles will allow us to explore further. flashing through their eyes, to cell C T R Wilson at the Cavendish damage from ionising radiation. Laboratory Light ionising radiation tends to Professor Malcolm Longair, CBE break single strands of DNA, FRS FRSE which is relatively easy for the Jacksonian Professor of Natural body to repair. If cells experience Philosophy, University of Cam- heavy ionising radiation, both bridge strands of DNA may break, Professor Longair began with making the whole molecule shear Wilson’s work on cloud formation, apart. This is harder to repair and inspired by his observations on may lead to genetic damage in Ben Nevis. Paul-Jean Coulier and progeny. John Aitken had worked on the Professor Glover described the formation of artificial clouds, and Matryoshka experiment, in which Aitken was certain that a solid a model human body, made of nucleus was needed for conden- layers like a Russian doll, corre- sation to start; in other words, sponding to the different layers of that dust in air was essential for the human body, and packed with clouds to form. CTR improved

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Aitken’s apparatus and found that ing power, outside the atmos- dust was not essential, but that phere. This was the first mention clouds would not form in air free of the idea of cosmic rays in the of dust unless the air was super- literature, although he concluded saturated with water vapour. He at the time that such a source was surmised in 1895 that some other unlikely. form of condensation nuclei were By 1910, CTR was back at work on present. In February 1896, CTR what would become his cloud used X-ray tubes to illuminate his chamber. He took seriously the apparatus and saw not just a few possibility of being able to droplets condensing, but a dense photograph the tracks of particles fog which, he subsequently by photographing the streams of established, was a result of the X- water droplets that condensed on rays producing ions, which acted the ions they formed, and devised as condensation nuclei. a way to do it. It was, as Professor This significant result, that made Longair put it “a typical Cavendish possible the development of the experiment, pure string and cloud chamber, was the product sealing wax.” The apparatus of C T R Wilson’s meticulous required a flash of light to take experimental work and the the photograph that was synchro- patience with which he met failure nised with the movement of the and carried on. This piece of plunger. The solution was to use a apparatus would work only if all weight on a string that broke parts joined together in a perfect when the plunger moved; the fit, requiring precision glass- weight fell onto the electrical blowing and grinding, and was a contacts, setting off the flash. time-consuming process that “The whole thing depended on involved very many failed attempts gravity,” said Professor Longair, for each success. Although Wilson “and the original weight used spent the ten years from 1899 was a brass doorknob!” String focusing largely on atmospheric and sealing wax it may have been, electricity, he continued with his but it worked. In 1912, CTR built condensation experiments. He the final version of his cloud discovered that air appears to be chamber and with it obtained the spontaneously ionised, wherever first images of alpha and beta he measured it. While staying with particles, and of ionisation by X- his brother in Peebles, he worked rays. He may also have produced in the railway tunnel there and the the first images of cosmic rays results led him to suggest, in without realising it; some of his 1901, that there might be a 1911 photographs show their source of ions with high penetrat- characteristic straight track.

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Back at the Cavendish Lab, in the discovery and understand- Rutherford and Blackett went on ing of subatomic particles and to use Wilson’s chamber to inspiring the development of demonstrate the disintegration of instruments that used visual the nucleus, to find high energy images, such as the bubble protons and to show nuclear chamber. interaction, in much the same way In 1930, Paul Dirac predicted the the Higgs boson experiments at existence of a particle with the CERN do today. mass of an electron, but with a By 1929, Wilson’s chamber was positive charge. Blackett and G P S being used to take the first Occhialini (a former research photographs of cosmic rays – student of C T R Wilson’s) found discovered in1912 by Victor Hess pairs of particle tracks that could – and the secondary electrons they be explained by positively and produced. C T R Wilson is recog- negatively charged particles, but nised as a physicist of unusual their mass was uncertain. Meas- skill and vision and an experi- urements by C D Anderson at menter of genius. His great Caltech in 1932 suggested that achievement – the cloud chamber the mass of the positively charged – arose from his curiosity about particle was less than that of a the natural world and made proton; but it was not until possible so many discoveries in Andersen and then Blackett and particle physics and cosmic ray Occhialini, independently in 1933, research. And, as Professor were able to show that the Longair put it, “such a spectacular positive particle had the same technical achievement does not mass as the electron, that the first happen without special amounts anti-matter particle – the positron of effort, patience and enthusi- – was detected. asm.” The visual images of particles and The impact of C T R Wilson on their tracks were also instrumental particle physics Professor Don in the discovery of mesons. In Perkins CBE FRS, Emeritus 1935, H Yukama suggested that Professor of Physics, University of there were particles acting as Oxford carriers of the strong force within Professor Perkins considered that the atomic nucleus, with masses cloud chamber images of the of around 200–300 times the tracks of charged particles, electron mass. pioneered by C T R Wilson in Yukama’s particle could, in theory, 1911, were of great significance be detected in the interactions of in the development of particle cosmic rays with atmospheric physics, playing a significant role molecules, although it was

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expected to be very short-lived development that led directly to (10–8 seconds). It was not until the current standard model of the 1947 that the pion was found, Universe. But the standard model using particle tracks caught in applies to the 4% of the Universe photographic emulsion. that is made of matter, antimatter Professor Perkins recalled the and electromagnetic radiation; the advent of nuclear emulsion, when rest is dark matter and dark he was a graduate student. Ilford energy. produced photographic plates Professor Perkins concluded that using silver iodide which, when “the work that Wilson started 100 hit by charged particles, ionised years ago gave us a new under- and when the plates were devel- standing of the Universe, but we oped, led to a trail of tiny black have got a long way to go, dots along the tracks. Stacks of because we are only 4% of the such plates recorded the paths of way there.” charged particles in three dimen- C T R’s contributions to atmos- sions. In 1947, the speaker sent pheric electricity some stacks of plates to high Professor Giles Harrison altitude on photoreconnaissance Department of Meteorology, flights from RAF Benson. “While I University of Reading never saw the flight logs and so I didn’t know how high they flew CTR’s work on atmospheric or for how long,” said Professor electricity was most productive Perkins, “the plates did show and important in the period evidence of nuclear disintegration. 1920– 1925, but he had been I wondered if the light particle I interested in the origin of the fair saw was the Yukama particle (the weather electric field from 1903, pion), but had to wait for further when the prevailing view was that experiments with better emul- the upper atmosphere had a static sion.” His work, along with electric charge. Wilson realised further detections by C F Powell that if the air was continually and Occhialini in 1949, estab- being ionised, as it appeared to lished the existence of the pion. be, there had to be current flow; Professor Perkins noted that the fair weather field could not be Powell and Occhialini referred to entirely electrostatic. If current the cloud chamber as the “Wilson flow occurred – and Wilson Chamber” throughout their work. measured it in 1906 – how was it sustained and how was the Wilson’s invention led to major charge conveyed? CTR’s work on discoveries in cosmic ray science ions and cloud condensation led and initiated the global progres- him to consider how raindrops sion of detector and accelerator

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could convey the charge to the proved sound with modern ground during thunderstorms. instrumentation. Understanding the vertical Upper atmosphere discharges distribution of charge on electri- were finally unambiguously fied clouds was needed to observed from photographic develop a theory of the current evidence in 1989. These transient flow. C T R Wilson and Sir George luminous effects, known as sprites Simpson disagreed about the and jets, include charge transfer interpretation of the charge on between the top of clouds and raindrops and the position of the upper atmosphere. Wilson’s positive and negative charge in synthetic global circuit concept thunderclouds; both of them involved the current generated developed instruments to meas- during storms flowing upwards to ure the arrangement of charge in the ionosphere, via sprites, and thunderstorms. The tripolar model downwards to the Earth via rain. of thunderclouds that eventually In his notebooks, Wilson made emerged includes elements of calculations to balance the global both men’s work. circuit. He saw thunderstorms as CTR was very interested in charge batteries separating charge to transfer from clouds downwards yield a potential at the ionosphere to the ground and upwards to the of +300kV relative to the surface, ionosphere. He adapted his permitting current flow from instruments and set them up in disturbed weather regions west Cambridge where, from through the ionosphere to the 1915 to 1917, he carried out kite rest of the planet – ideas subse- experiments, hoping to learn quently confirmed by close more about the changes in charge agreement between variation in associated with lightning strikes. thunderstorm area and the fair By 1921, Wilson was describing a weather field elsewhere on the global circuit deriving current globe. from thunderstorms. By 1925, he In summary, CTR Wilson’s legacy hypothesised that thunderstorms for atmospheric electricity lies in operated as particle accelerators, the influential students he taught, citing dielectric breakdown above the establishment of meteorologi- thunderstorms as a discharge cal physics, his instruments, his mechanism. The idea of a global global synthesis of atmospheric current flow preoccupied Wilson; electricity and the power of his he developed ideas on limiting approach that linked the micros- potentials, on the growth of cale to the macroscale. He was, as potential in thunderstorms and on the production of ionising particles, all of which have been

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Professor Harrison put it “remark- levels should correlate with cosmic ably right about a lot of things”. ray intensity. Observational data Climate change and the Cosmos show that it does, in some cases, but the effect is not reproducible Professor Sir Arnold Wolfend- and not replicated. And such a ale FRS correlation does not imply cause Emeritus Professor, Department of and effect. But the effect of Physics, Durham University ionisation on cloud formation In common with many of the requires air that is supersaturated speakers, Professor Wolfendale with water vapour at 25%; the had been inspired by C T R levels measured are around 1%, Wilson; in his case by the experi- which is far too low. ence of using a cloud chamber Professor Wolfendale stressed the when he started research at the importance of taking a critical University of Durham in 1956. “I approach. For example, the overall was astonished that he got such measures of temperature rise good results – he really was an when cosmic ray intensity falls, excellent experimenter!” Durham leading to suggestions of cause at that time had Alan Chambers and effect. But when the solar working on cloud physics, and it cycle moves on and cosmic ray was there that the speaker came intensity increases, the tempera- across the idea of an array of ture still goes up. There is also the electric field mills to pick up air opportunity to think laterally: showers, but the noise was too there was, for example, no great. increase in cloud cover following These early interests meant that the 1950s bomb tests or the Professor Wolfendale was in a Chernobyl reactor accident. good position to assess the idea, Chernobyl released some 2 Mt of put forward by Henrik Svensmark, fallout, but the processes involved that cosmic rays may have a role in in going from ionisation to cloud climate change, through the droplets have at most 3% formation of clouds. While efficiency. sceptical, he supported an In addition, if cosmic rays were to experiment at CERN (CLOUD) to affect clouds, then there should investigate the interaction of be some variation over the surface radiation with aerosols, but was of the Earth, because of the also able to apply some of the structure of the magnetic field. common sense and global The cloud cover data shows a dip thinking that C T R Wilson used that correlates with the solar cycle, so successfully. The suggestion but the magnetic field means that was that the cloud cover at low the effect should be smaller at the

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Equator, and larger at the poles. in low abundance, but the There is no such signal in the cosmogenic contribution can be cloud cover data. Where there is a measured, they can be used as strong effect is in the strato- chronometers and tracers of sphere, where solar proton events processes at the Earth’s surface. affect aerosols, ozone and The best known cosmogenic temperature, noctilucent clouds, isotope is 14C, commonly called the polar mesospheric clouds at radiocarbon. It is formed from altitudes of 56–85 km that nitrogen in the atmosphere and include water ice, also contain incorporated into living things – heavy cosmic ray nuclei, which plant and animal tissue – along might have an effect. It would also with the dominant stable carbon be worth considering Neptune, isotopes during life. The 14C is for example, a cloudy planet radioactive, with a half-life of where solar modulation is less 5,730 years. When the animal or significant, and thus cosmic ray plant dies, 14C ceases to be effects on clouds may be clearer. absorbed, and that present starts Overall, around 1% of cloud cover to decay – the radiocarbon clock on Earth is affected by cosmic rays starts ticking. The amount of 14C – the effect of cosmic rays on in organic compounds provides climate change is negligible. the most common way of deter- The many uses of the rare mining age. It is useful for dating isotopes produced by cosmic up to about 50,000 years ago, rays making it especially useful for Professor Finlay Stuart understanding environmental Isotope Geosciences Unit, Scottish change on a timescale that is very Universities Environmental relevant to climate change. Research Centre Because the cosmic ray flux to Earth varies, the rate that 14C is Primary cosmic rays are dominant- produced in the atmosphere also ly extremely high energy protons. varies. Consequently the radiocar- When they penetrate the Earth’s bon clock needs to be calibrated atmosphere, they cause a cascade against absolute chronometers. of secondary particles that bathes As a result of considerable the Earth surface. The high-energy international effort using tree secondary neutrons interact with rings, sediment layers in lakes or atomic nuclei in the atmosphere speleothems, in which there are and shallow Earth, forming an annual markers, the radiocarbon array of daughter products. timescale is now calibrated for Spallation reactions result in the thousands of years into the past. formation of isotopes. Where the This means high precision dating. cosmogenic isotopes are naturally

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For example, radiocarbon dating it. The galactic cosmic rays do not has shown that the Turin Shroud travel in straight lines; because originated in medieval times they are charged particles, they are rather than 2000 years ago. deflected by the galaxy’s magnetic A range of cosmogenic isotopes is field. produced in rocks and soils at the But any process that can acceler- Earth’s surface. Both stable (3He) ate particles to the energies and radioactive (10Be, 26Al and observed will also produce 36Cl) isotopes are used to provide gamma rays, which, as electro- powerful techniques for measur- magnetic radiation, travel in ing the time rocks or artifacts have straight lines. “If we can catch the been exposed at the surface of the gamma rays”, said Dr Chadwick, Earth; for example, dating when “we will know where the cosmic glaciers retreated or landslips took rays come from.” place. Application of these Efforts to do this over the past techniques requires measuring quarter century show that it is not very low concentrations of so simple. Gamma rays do not cosmogenic isotopes (a few tens penetrate the Atmosphere, so of thousands of atoms) and they are detected with orbiting requires state-of-the-art mass observatories such as Fermi. spectrometers. They are particular- However, very high energy (VHE) ly useful for determining the time gamma rays, which provide the of eruption of lava flows, for best tracers of cosmic rays, are so example. These in turn can be rare that it would take a detector used to determine the exposure of the size of a football stadium in fault scarps, revealing the history Space to detect enough of them – of fault movements over longer and this is not technically or time periods than the earthquake financially feasible. VHE gamma record. ray astronomers have had to try Astronomy with dustbins and alternative approaches, and they light buckets use the Cherenkov radiation that Dr Paula Chadwick arises when a charged particle Durham University moves at speeds faster than the Despite the ubiquity and energy speed of light in the Atmosphere. of cosmic rays, we don’t know Patrick Blackett suggested that where they come from. The Sun Cherenkov radiation should be produces plenty at low energies, visible in the Atmosphere, and W but the rest must come from other Galbraith and J V Jelley built the objects within our Galaxy or, at first ground-based detector by the very highest energies, outside placing a photomultiplier at the

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focus of an army-surplus search- objects such as binary star systems light mirror, which was put in the involving neutron stars, or black bottom of a dustbin to keep out holes with jets. the background light. This is Yet the basic question of where essentially the design of modern cosmic rays come from remains ground-based gamma ray tele- unanswered. Supernova remnants scopes, albeit with much more are detected by VHE gamma ray sophisticated mirrors, detectors telescopes and are thought likely and electronics. However, there is to provide the shocks that considerably more Cherenkov accelerate particles to such light from cosmic rays than from prodigious energies, but conclu- high-energy gamma rays, which sive proof that they are the main makes picking out the gamma source of the galactic cosmic rays rays from the cosmic ray back- remains elusive. It will take new ground difficult. However, the air instruments to find out, and there showers are distinct in each case. are two being planned: HESS II That distinction also means that has added a much larger tele- high-energy gamma rays can be scope to the HESS array, collecting detected on the ground and their more light but also more of the sources identified. Imaging lower energy gamma rays; and the atmospheric Cherenkov tele- Cerenkov Telescope Array, will be scopes use arrays of detectors to bigger still and will detect more of map the elongated pool of light the really highest energy radia- on the ground arising from a tion. gamma ray air shower. Its long The future of astronomy at axis corresponds to the long axis high energies of the shower, giving an indica- tion of the direction of origin of Professor Jim Hinton the shower and hence of the Department of Physics & Astrono- gamma rays. This is what tele- my, University of Leicester scopes such as VERITAS, MAGIC C T R Wilson’s pioneering instru- and HESS are designed to do, and ment to detect ionising particles, their detections are leading to the cloud chamber, has a direct new science in fields such as legacy in two current instruments, cosmology, pulsars and black the ATLAS detector on the Large holes. These instruments have Hadron Collider at CERN, and the detected 140 sources of gamma Fermi gamma ray telescope rays in our Galaxy and beyond orbiting Earth. Both these instru- (compared to the ten sources ments detect relativistic ionising known in 2004). The sources charged particles, although Fermi include many different types of works at much higher energies

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than are achievable at CERN. And builds on the instrument heritage both are making discoveries. Fermi built up in this field, including has found enormous structures how best to deploy small tele- associated with our Galaxy that scopes over large areas. CTA will appear to be bubbles 40,000 light survey large patches of the sky for years across, inflated by the a census of particle accelerators in supermassive back hole at the the Universe and it will do so 300 centre of our Galaxy and filled times faster than HESS has done. with cosmic rays. HESS was limited to the nearest These enormous structures are on few thousand light years; CTA can our cosmic doorstep, yet we have look anywhere in our Galaxy and only just discovered them. High- will see blazars out at redshifts of energy astrophysics has enormous 4 or 5. CTA will also bring an potential for astronomy, applying increase in precision, seeing the technology that has been structures as small as an arc- developed for particle physics and minute across. The CTA will cosmic ray detection to astronomy. involve two sites, more than 100 Astroparticle physics – using telescopes and more than 1000 gravitational waves, fundamental people in, so far, 27 countries, particles and high-energy gamma including everyone from HESS, rays – offers an opportunity to MAGIC and VERITAS. Construc- examine extreme physical environ- tion is expected to be complete in ments. The innovative approaches 2020. The science that CTA will demanded to detect gravitational address ranges from the origin of waves, dark matter and neutrinos galactic cosmic rays and their role make gamma ray astronomy, with in the Universe to fundamental its successful current instruments, particle physics, the nature of dark look fairly easy. But improving matter, the behavior of matter at detection from current levels high energies, cosmology and demands bigger arrays with more signs of quantum gravity. Some of telescopes – very much a brute the biggest bubbles in the force way forward, but one that is Universe, five times the size of the achievable in the next decade Fermi bubbles, have recently been through the Cherenkov Telescope discovered around an active Array. galactic nucleus at the centre of a galaxy cluster. It is thought that The Cherenkov Telescope Array cosmic ray protons and neutrons (CTA) will combine a few large are holding these bubbles up; if telescopes to work at low light this is the case, CTA will see them. levels, with a large area of smaller In summary, this is a very exciting telescopes to capture the rarer time for the new field of astropar- high-energy events. The project

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ticle physics and the message which J G Wilson was the founder. from the past is to expect the The major effort at this time was unexpected. to try to discover whether there Meeting overview and the were excesses of particles from future of high-energy cosmic some regions of the sky, but the rays focus changed when, following the discovery of microwave Professor Alan Watson FRS background radiation, it was Emeritus Professor of Physics, predicted that the abundance of University of Leeds the highest-energy cosmic rays Professor Watson counted himself should fall rapidly above among those people influenced 5x1019eV. by C T R Wilson, not directly, but By the end of the 1980s, a range through two people who knew of different techniques to detect CTR well, George Evans at these high-energy cosmic rays Edinburgh and J G Wilson at were producing a range of Leeds. different results. However, most George Evans lectured on physical agreed that less than one particle optics, and somehow inserted reached the surface of the Earth some meson physics within it. He per square kilometre, per century, enthused him through discus- the equivalent of roughly ten per sions of CTR’s work related to the minute reaching the outside of subject and cosmic rays. the Earth’s atmosphere. This Watson studied many cloud suggested that a detector much chamber pictures taken by Evans bigger than Haverah Park (12 in high-pressure argon and thus km2) would be needed to meas- gained an important insight into ure sufficient events to find out cosmic ray processes. He showed more. In 1991, Professor Watson one photograph in which an and Professor Jim Cronin of the argon nucleus was shattered by a University of Chicago started an cosmic ray with the outgoing international collaboration to particles leading to the build-up design and build a much bigger of a cascade of particles, just as instrument, eventually 3000 km2. happens in an air shower in the They used the water-Cherenkov atmosphere. In 1964, Professor technique that had been success- Watson moved to the University of ful at Haverah Park and combined Leeds to work with J G Wilson, it with fluorescence detectors to who had been a research student pick up the ultraviolet, auroral-like of C T R Wilson’s, and to help emission from the air shower. establish the Haverah Park water- They found the large flat area with Cherenkov detector array, of clear skies they needed in western

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Argentina, which is now home to interest in elves, a related form of the Pierre Auger Observatory, emission, which are common in completed in 2008: an array of the data but which were found 1600 water- Cherenkov detectors quite unexpectedly. Despite the 1.5km apart, plus four fluores- audacious size of the Pierre Auger cence telescopes, spread over a Observatory, it is too small to nearcircular area with a diameter answer the biggest questions similar to the distance from concerning the directional Edinburgh to Glasgow. distribution of the particles and Collecting and combining the the details of the flux reduction data from all these detectors now clearly observed. While the proved critical to the success of Observatory has been successful the Observatory, solved in part by in locating events, around 30 that using GPS and adaptions of originate close to active galactic cellular telephone technology. The nuclei, few of these lie close to the detectors fire 20 times per second, galactic plane where the high- and each time they send a time energy gamma ray sources are signal to a central location where found, and there are no strong a computer is used to search for signals from astronomical objects coincidences from three or more thought likely to accelerate detectors that fire simultaneously. particles to high energy. There is The footprint of the shower potential for the future in combin- defined by the tanks shows the ing data with the Cherenkov orientation of the shower, and the Telescope Array, to look at light curve from the fluorescence Centaurus A for example, or with telescopes indicates the energy. telescopes in Space. The alternative would be to build an array 30 The signalling used to coordinate times the size of the Auger data collection for this bluest of Observatory, something that has blue skies research was developed been proposed for the next by Paul Clark at the University of decade. Leeds; he now heads his own company, with an early contract In discussion, questions and being to use his Auger technology comments focused on ways that to improve the safety of single- the legacy of C T R Wilson could track railway lines in the Scottish become more recognised, and Highlands. Another parallel that used to promote interest in came out of the meeting was physics amongst school students CTR’s observation of sprites in and the general public. There was 1927, but which was largely general agreement that CTR ignored at the time; the Pierre deserves better national recogni- Auger Observatory also has an tion. Professor Watson focused

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first on the visual appeal of the devoted to Scottish Nobel Laure- images produced by the cloud ates in the Scottish National chamber. Professor Harrison and Portrait Gallery. It might also be others noted that they have been worth investigating initiatives pivotal to the development of such as getting his image on the similar techniques in other back of a banknote. Questioners branches of physics, as today’s wondered if the lack of recogni- speakers have shown, but they are tion over the past few decades also very appealing to people had something to do with CTR outside science – artists, for not having a memorial in West- example. Perhaps, Professor minster Abbey, or in the Scottish Watson suggested, we should all equivalent. It was noted that there now refer to the cloud chamber as is a blue plaque on a dyke by the Wilson Chamber, as is com- Glencorse Farm, CTR’s birthplace, monly done in France, and gain but something in central Edin- recognition for CTR in the way burgh would be seen by many that Geiger’s name is widely more people. The meeting place known from the Geiger Counter. of the Alcovian Club was suggest- It would be useful to improve the ed as suitable location, while the display in the National Museum of placement of blue plaques on the Scotland, where refurbishment is houses lived in by CTR Wilson and planned for 2016, and to have Max Born in Grange Loan are recognition of CTR in the room under discussion.

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Katherine Grainger MBE Olympian The Journey to Gold The Royal Society of Edinburgh Christmas Lecture 2012 11 December 2012 Lochaber High School

Glasgow-born Katherine Grainger her rowing career earlier and won MBE first took up rowing during more medals; only to be told by her student days at the University her mother that the neighbour of Edinburgh. Since then, she has had actually been talking about gone on to win six rowing World Katherine’s sister! Championships, three silver Katherine, inspired by a quest for Olympic medals and, most truth and justice and the book To recently, a gold medal at the 2012 Kill a Mockingbird, enrolled at the London Olympic Games. These University of Edinburgh to study remarkable achievements make Law; however, felt “a bit duped her an inspiration to all, and the when I turned up to my first tax RSE was delighted to have lecture”. This university experi- Katherine deliver the RSE Christ- ence, however, started her mas Lecture 2012 in which she impressive rowing career. Kather- talked about the challenges she ine admits that she was initially faced along with the successes attracted to rowing by the social over the past 12 years. life that comes with joining a As a child, Katherine Grainger had university boat club. “The friend- no inclination that one day she ships I made at university are would become an Olympic some of the most long-lasting champion. She describes her first and best I have to this day. The experience in a rowing boat as driven, motivated, fun people… “not particularly memorable; it attracted me far more than the didn’t move me or grab me sport initially. The people and the emotionally as a sport…I just team atmosphere are what keep went with my neighbours and you striving to achieve and being sister because I was told to”. part of the sport”. Katherine recalled her mother In her first year at university, mentioning, years later, that, Katherine participated in rowing following this excursion, their because it was enjoyable and was neighbour had remarked that her fun but challenging; she never daughter had a talent for rowing. considered a sporting career Katherine had questioned why her beyond university rowing. Howev- mother had never told her this, er, this was to change when, in thinking she could have started her second university year,

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Katherine believed, due to her was invited to try out for the Great competitive nature and desire to Britain squad. She commented, participate, that she would be “At that time the international automatically selected for the team felt unreachable and on a senior team. She admits to being pedestal. These were the heroes devastated when she didn’t make and felt way out of my reach”. The the first sixteen, but instead was Great Britain trials were an eye- allocated to “a special boat for opening experience for Katherine, people who would come along leading her to realise that “the and train and enjoy the social people who are running the sport aspects of rowing but perhaps at that level do not expect you to wouldn’t go any further. I was be the finished article, they want obviously not considered as an people with potential. They want athlete who was going to become people they can mould and get Olympic champion”! Katherine the best from and improve.” said “That night I left the lecture Katherine was successful in the hall and I was very upset. I went trials and was selected for the GB away and climbed Arthur’s Seat, squad training camp. on my own, in October, at night. I Katherine’s first Olympic experi- remember having this moment ence was at the Sydney Games in where I was so frustrated and 2000. She describes these as a upset and realised for the first “brilliant, fun, friendly games”. time that it wasn’t just going to Rowing was a major focus of the happen for me, not just because Sydney Olympics, as this was the you want it and you’re competitive year when Sir Steve Redgrave was – it’s not going to just fall into competing for his fifth Gold your lap. I made a promise to Medal. Katherine recalled that it myself that I was going to do was very exciting to be part of the whatever it took to avoid ever team. However, up to this point, being in that situation again”. the women’s rowing team had This experience changed Kather- never won an Olympic medal; and ine’s attitude to the sport; “I neither were they expected to in completely stopped thinking that I 2000. Indeed, Olympic rower knew it all and started to learn Matthew Pinsent, when inter- everything from the beginning viewed, suggested that if and took on all the teaching something went wrong with all available to me – soaking up the other teams, the British everything I could”. After a lot of women’s quadruple sculls team hard work and commitment, in might scrape a third place. her third year at university, Katherine considered that this was Katherine was selected to row for probably a fair summing up of the Scotland and in her fourth year situation. Describing a team

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meeting the night before their Olympic officials were unable to race where their psychologist award the medals immediately as asked them to say what the race there was a ‘photo-finish’ enquiry meant to them on a personal for silver and bronze position – level, Katherine explained, “at this between Russia and Great Britain. point sport starts to transcend Katherine remembered thinking things, it becomes more than just “don’t be daft, I don’t care about a race. It becomes an opportunity; the photo finish, it’s an Olympic that for 6.5 minutes you can medal, I don’t care what colour it maybe do something special”. is”. She continued by offering a The women’s quad team all word of warning about how started their race knowing that if quickly your standards can change they could stay level with the as, “six minutes later I started Ukrainian boat, which was thinking silver would be amazing predicted a third place, they might and, twelve minutes later, actually be able to achieve a medal I might be disappointed with position. Katherine said “we all bronze if the photo finish went went into the race wanting to do the wrong way”. Thankfully the something special and sometimes Great Britain team won the silver you have to go against all the medal by eight one hundredths of predictions and do your own a second. Katherine sums up the thing”. Having never raced in the Sydney Olympic Games as being Olympics before, Katherine “all about having incredible hope recounted that she spent the first and a dream; about getting a 200m of the race praying she chance and taking it”. Katherine’s wouldn’t mess up! For the first Olympic career continued in 1500m the team’s structured race Athens in 2004. She described plan unfolded exactly as rehearsed how Sydney 2000 had changed and they were in third position. In the belief in what was possible for the final 500m Katherine de- the women’s rowing team. In scribed entering the crowd area, 2004, they competed at the “the noise is something you Olympics not just to take part, but cannot prepare for; we went from to win medals. Indeed, this a very structured crew to four change in belief and mentality women screaming at each other” resulted in every boat in the They crossed the line knowing women’s team winning an they had achieved the bronze Olympic medal; however, none of medal position; experienced huge these was gold. Katherine de- celebrations and even Matthew scribes the step between silver Pinsent proclaimed he knew they and gold as huge; “everything could do it! needs to go right. Now the GB team was consistently performing,

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the four years between Athens of my career. Winning and losing and Beijing in 2008 was about is very emotional. You buy into what differences could be made this life and these races with and how. The team looked to everything, it’s your heart and soul improve everything by tiny and the reason you breathe. Every margins: technical aspects, tactics, decision you make for years is strength and conditioning, focused on this moment. You nutrition, psychology and physio- have so much support from therapy. All these tiny margins friends, family and coaches and added together can make a big the one thing that cuts through difference”. the moment you cross the line, Despite an incredibly successful mentally and physically exhausted, run up to the Beijing Games, is that you’ve come second and including winning world titles, the you’ve failed”. Whereas eight GB women’s team could do little years earlier Katherine felt she had to plan for the Chinese desire to won silver, in 2008 she felt that top the medal table at a home she had lost gold. “Beijing always Games. The Chinese had intricate- represents a failure to me. All the ly planned their approach to celebrations for silver felt like winning the Olympics, targeting another twist of the knife. I felt as many sports, including the though I had let everyone down; women’s quad rowing event, for nobody says this, it’s just how you which they had trained a very fast feel. It’s difficult for people to team. In their race heat, the GB understand this…but it’s like team broke the Olympic record; grieving”. however, in their heat the Chinese Katherine described the point broke it by a little bit more. The where she realised her attitude to GB team knew they wouldn’t race this ‘loss’ had to change. Whilst the Chinese boat until the final speaking to a group at one of her and had talked through the race former schools, the teacher many times; concluding that if showed a clip of her ‘winning the they could get a quick start and be silver medal’ to a delighted ahead, in the final stages they audience of young children. “I would be able to hold off every- realised that I couldn’t give them one. In the Olympic final this the message that if you lose it’s seemed to be going to plan; they the end of the world. I thought I led for most of the race. However, have two choices; you either bury in the final stages, China started a yourself in depression and misery sprint for the line and drew or you pick yourself up and you ahead. Katherine describes this look for something to go for- moment and the aftermath as ward”. Following many “utterly the most devastating part conversations with ex-athletes

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who thought a home London you the best. All you want to do Olympics would be something then is race, as that’s when you special, Katherine decided to look can be in control. At the start line forward to London 2012, consid- five minutes before the race it is ering she still had more to give. silent and there’s nothing left to Katherine remarked that “even do. You just wait and try not to let Steve Redgrave was jealous”. your brain wander. You have to Prior to London 2012, Katherine put all your thoughts away and and her rowing partner, Anna just focus. The race was about Watkins had experienced a few keeping it simple and focusing on years of amazing unbeaten the things you can control. When success. She describes it as things are overwhelming, scary “brilliant partnership and team and too much, just keep it simple work; it just felt right and we and go with the first stroke and really enjoy racing together”. Both let it all come”. Katherine and Anna knew that the During the race everything London Olympics would be the seemed to go right; indeed, biggest pressure they could ever following the event, Anna experience. “The expectation and Watkins said she knew by 1000m the focus; the question, can this that they would win. Katherine really be the one? The most could not let herself believe that unbelievable opportunity an until the very end. “The race was athlete can have”. In summer all about staying in the moment. 2012, a sense of expectation We got to the crowd area in the about the Olympics was building final few hundred metres and the in Britain, despite some sceptics. noise from them rolled across the Katherine stated that she could water and was utterly deafening; feel the pride of the nation the boat was alive with the noise, following the Olympic Opening it was inside you and was a Ceremony. However, the fact that pressure of noise building. You it took a few days for Great Britain cannot block out the noise of to start winning medals was a 30,000 people screaming. It feels reminder that it wouldn’t be easy. like the crowd is supporting the As their race got closer, Katherine boat physically and there’s no way and Anna became more focused. you are going to fail at that The biggest pressure was, even point”. Katherine described the though they were predicted to feeling of crossing the finish line win, could they perform and in gold medal position as “utter, deliver on that day when it unbelievable joy. It was joy, mattered? Katherine described the pleasure and happiness”. day of the race; “you arrive at the venue and everyone is wishing

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Katherine summed up her simplicity of racing. There were no Olympic career stating; “the guarantees that it would be my Olympics and Paralympics did happy ending, no guarantees that change things in this country and any of this would ever happen. For hopefully this will be a long term anyone out there doing anything, change. It changed attitude and it having an incredible dream that changed belief. My whole journey drives you through life is so has been incredible. At the exciting; to have a passion in life is beginning of my career I had the the best thing you can have, hope that I could make a little bit whatever it is. It will inspire you of history. In Athens I learned and challenge you and test you in about being tested and that how everyway and it will make you feel much you believe in something like you are living life. That’s what will make the difference. In Beijing my rowing career has done for me it was about raising standards and and I don’t know what comes when that doesn’t work, it’s about next, but I only hope it continues coming back from that; not about in some marvellous way”. blaming, not about looking back Katherine concluded the Royal but about coming back from Society of Edinburgh Christmas disappointment and using those Lecture 2012 by passing her feelings to improve. The whole Olympic gold medal around a journey to London was about an delighted audience, from whom incredible opportunity, bringing she received a well deserved together a team and ultimately standing ovation. making it back to a love of the

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Seminar The European Union Horizon 2020 Programme 25 January 2013

The RSE Business Innovation Forum arranged a seminar on the European Union Horizon 2020 programme and the research opportunities for Scotland that are likely to arise from it. The seminar was addressed by Alyn Smith MSP who serves on the Committee of the European Parliament that has been scrutinising and amending the proposals.

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Conference The Teaching of History: a Model for Collaboration in conjunction with the Scottish Association of Teachers of History 2 February 2013

Introduction Continuous and sustained This was a conference for universi- improvement in education is vital ty academics, school teachers and to individual, social, democratic members of heritage organisa- and economic wellbeing. If tions to exchange views and ideas Scotland is to keep pace with the on how best to develop profes- global pace of change, driven by sional learning communities to technological innovation, all support the teaching of history young people need to have deep across Scotland. The aim was to learning and a broad 21st- provide opportunities for discus- Century education. Professor sion about how participants could Donaldson felt that being well help to create a history learning educated for the 21st Century was community which embraces more than being well qualified. teachers in early years, primary Amongst the key factors in a and secondary schools, colleges successful education system fit for and universities, with researchers the 21st Century were high and those involved in the heritage quality teachers, high quality sector. The Chair for the confer- leadership at all levels and a ence was Professor Christopher culture of stimulating and Whatley FRSE, Professor of effective professional learning. Scottish History, University of The key component to successful Dundee. learning within any education system is the quality of teachers. Session 1 However, research suggests that During the morning session, four teachers are resistant to changing speakers provided an insight into what works for them. Some are the various aspects of collabora- willing to change to be more tion and how it can benefit efficient and a few are willing to professionals. try new innovations. This being Professor Graham Donaldson so, a culture of accountability will CB not transform the system. University of Glasgow and author, In order to meet the requirements Teaching Scotland’s Future. of the 21st Century, teachers need What would a history learning to have high levels of expertise community look like? and secure values which encom-

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pass a personal and professional ers to meet the needs of children accountability for the wellbeing of and young people. This flexibility all young people. They also need brings with it the need to ensure to be able to ask hard questions that teachers have the profession- of themselves and others, take al development opportunities they personal responsibility for their require. The School of Humanities own development and see in the University of Glasgow is professional learning as integral working with various teachers to to their professionalism. In order develop a website which high- to support teachers, the system lights the latest academic research needs to create ‘professional in various periods studied by space’ between teachers’ work in children and young people in the classroom with young people schools. This approach is develop- and other work that takes place at ing increased collaboration school. This space can then be between schools and universities. used by teachers for professional Equally as important is the development. There are a number opportunity for university academ- of key building blocks which will ics to fuel the thoughts of young help teachers to develop, some of people across Scotland. which are: a continuum of teacher The Scottish History Society is also learning throughout a career; promoting collaboration between strong sectoral partnerships; an universities and schools by pairing ethos of coaching and mentoring; up academics and school teachers a relentless focus on impact on to develop resources for the learning; and a series of vibrant teaching of Scottish history. professional learning communi- Professor Braun argued that this ties. ‘hands on’ approach is more Professor Dauvit Braun effective in promoting and Professor of Scottish History, developing historical understand- Glasgow University ing than other events which How close are we to a ‘history purport to engage with the public learning community’? about history. If universities want to continue to increase their Teaching Scotland’s Future relevance and impact to the highlights the importance of public, they have to consider how career-long teacher education as they can share their expertise with part of a vigorous culture of others, including schools. Profes- professional learning. The sor Braun gave as an example, the demands of Curriculum for People of Medieval Scotland Excellence are high, but it is less (POMS) web-site, which is being prescriptive than previous advice, developed in such a way that it and provides flexibility for teach-

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can be used by academics and subjects and increases his skills as school pupils alike. a teacher. The ‘POMS’ database is being Mr Mundell made a plea for the developed with outcomes of development of a community of Curriculum for Excellence partly in history professionals from across mind and Professor Braun Scotland, engaging with each explained that this gave the other using a range of technology website added value for teachers and social media. This profession- and school pupils. The outcomes al learning community is taking for the curriculum are also much shape, but there needs to be an less prescriptive than the English increased commitment to ensure curriculum, which means that it impacts positively on all children teachers can make their courses and young people. more relevant to the young David Gregory people they teach. It also means HM Inspector of Education that they will benefit from What do we do now? increased engagement with universities as they develop new Mr Gregory provided an overview and exciting resources to meet the of learning and planning for specific needs of their pupils. learning within history across Scottish schools. Whilst planning Nelson Mundell using the experiences and Probationer History Teacher outcomes from Curriculum for Where are the growth points? Excellence is leading to more Mr Mundell had been part of the coherent experiences for children collaboration amongst academics and young people, Mr Gregory from the University of Glasgow to provided a number of examples develop new resources for the where children and young people teaching of history. The success of continue to be provided with this had enabled him to provide experiences that are not coherent up-to-date, exciting lessons for and sometimes out of date. young people that increase their Evidence from the occasions when understanding of the past. It is teachers have collaborated with also developing his skills and university academics suggests knowledge as a teacher of history. strongly that it increases the pace Mr Mundell felt that this was and challenge of lessons and equally as important as the new develops pupils’ depth of under- resources. His interactions with standing. To develop this type of the university are part of a career- collaboration further, Mr Gregory long learning process which suggested that history teachers maintains his knowledge of the and academics could learn from

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the teacher learning communities Session 2 (TLC) that are being established in The afternoon session was split schools across Scotland. TLCs have into two phases. Phase one was a a strong positive impact on the discussion amongst sectors. quality of learning and teaching. Groups were asked to consider They are based on a set of values how their sectors could support and it would be important to professional learning communi- establish such a basis for whatever ties. The plenary provided many type of collaboration colleagues ideas which were then taken into decide to establish. phase two, which was held in The values should perhaps include geographic groups. These groups active participation, a common were tasked with taking forward purpose, mutual trust, ownership one approach to the development and collaboration. These are at of professional learning commu- the heart of the successful TLCs. It nities. The plenary session was an is irrelevant how the professional opportunity to provide feedback learning communities are organ- on what each group decided to ised. Whether they meet in a pub take forward. or via Skype, there is a need to Overall, the afternoon session have a set of values up to which provided opportunities for wide- all members of the community ranging debates and thinking on have signed. a range of issues surrounding the development of professional learning communities across Scotland; not just in history but in all subject disciplines.

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Dr Andrew Perchard, FSA Scot, FRHistS University of Strathclyde For the Benefit of Mankind: Industrialisation, Environment and the Politics of Highland Development Monday 4 February 2013 Kinlochleven High School The contests and debates around that much government policy economic diversification (in towards the Highlands has particular industrial schemes) in developed. The craft of history is the Highlands during the late not just about facts relating to 19th and 20th Centuries are specific events in the past, but evident in some form in current also to the study of change over discussions over the current and time, the social context of events, future course of development in interpretation and how actions, the area. Focusing on aluminium ideals and notions can impact on production in the Highlands, this the world around us. Viewing lecture explored this subject in history merely as a series of facts relation to the economic, environ- ignores the interpretation and mental and social ramifications of selection of sources by the industrial development in periph- historian. eralised regions. It also examined In 1897, Lord Kelvin, British the collective and individual Aluminium’s first scientific advisor, motivations of those involved. addressed workers at the Compa- History matters, both in contem- ny’s factory in Greenock, stating porary debates and more “that magnificent piece of work at fundamentally in relation to the aluminium factory [at Foyers selfcomprehension, as well as in near Loch Ness] was the begin- relation to the human interaction ning of something that would with the planet and other species. transform the whole social Whilst history is referred to economy of areas such as the regularly in contemporary de- Highlands”. For a natural philoso- bates, it tends to be used as little pher such as Lord Kelvin, the more that rhetoric. Views of modern techniques of aluminium history are dominated by out-of- production represented a triumph date perceptions and the of science and the height of mistaken views of personalities intellectual revolution arising from and ‘great men’. Dr Perchard post-Enlightenment thought; this argued that the prevalence of was the epitome of the second “persistent, unremittingly dismal industrial revolution. He consid- historical narratives” has exer- ered such developments to have cised, over the decades, a the potential to aid human powerful influence on the way

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progress on a global scale. Dr employed in poorly-paid agricul- Perchard commented that whilst tural labour or trade and cottage Kelvin’s views on harnessing the industries”. Furthermore, emigra- water power at the Falls of Foyers tion records for the Highlands may not sit well with modern indicate that between 1861 and audiences, his biographers 1911, 17% of people from the observed that his remarks did most economically active age have a powerful logic. In the brackets left the country. However, words of two of Lord Kelvin’s in the area around Foyers the biographers: “The pestilence, population grew by 28%. As poverty and overpopulation, such, BA contributed positively to accompanying the industrial the region through providing development of Glasgow, had as employment and retaining a their counterpart the depopula- valuable workforce. In addition to tion and decline of the Highland these real benefits, British Alumin- economy. The advancement of ium had a carefully orchestrated science and science-based public relations campaign; today industry that was transforming this would be referred to as Glasgow into a healthier and corporate social responsibility. more prestigious second city of These connections were facilitated Empire would equally bring in part by the Highland solicitor, economic and human salvation to Charles Innes, the uncle of the vast region of the Highlands”. William Murray Morrison, BA’s Lord Kelvin’s views were also eventual Managing Director. Innes shared and endorsed by many was also the Conservative and local residents and influential Unionist agent in the area and people in the Highlands. Indeed, thus close to a number of impor- British Aluminium (BA) went out tant landowners. of their way to court support from In contrast to Lord Kelvin’s grand figures such as Cameron of vision, some Victorians were Locheil and Lord Lovat, who were outraged by BA’s development at considered to have a progressive Loch Ness. The campaign against outlook on economic diversifica- the scheme was spearheaded in tion. Dr Perchard suggested that the London Times by the National to understand why such a strong Trust for Places of Historic Interest level of support existed for the and Natural Beauty. It was sup- ‘Company’, it is necessary to ported by a number of important consider the local and regional benefactors to the organisation. conditions of the time. Contem- Indeed, the Editor of a popular porary accounts paint the picture Victorian travel guide series of a “desolate area with few referred to BA’s developments as opportunities beyond those “the greatest outrage on nature

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perpetrated in the present mental groups, and debates over Century”. The voices of opposi- balancing these impacts with tion emanating from the early employment opportunities and environmental movement hinged regional development ensued on the effects of the aesthetics of from the 1940s onwards. Dr landscape in an area that had Perchard commented that “ulti- become beloved amongst artists mately it was the backroom deals and poets. The harnessing of the that were done that managed to water power for the good of suppress many of these con- mankind represented not only the cerns”. The fact that economic spoliation of nature but also development was a priority for potential moral degradation; much of the 20th Century, and “with the influx of alien labour not the environment, is summed that would drink, fight, desecrate up by a remark by an official the land and disappear when the speaking about the Corpach pulp work was finished”. Dr Perchard and paper mill in the 1960s; stated that “by and large the “although there would be much focus of the criticism of the Foyers environmental damage, it was scheme was on the grounds of containable within the political aesthetics and this allowed BA, equation of Highland develop- who did know of the potential ment”. The calculation was that in damage that these plants could a peripheralised area, the risks to cause, to avoid some difficult human health and the natural questions about ecological and environment had to be considered social impacts. BA were also able against the threat of a potential to get round various other loss of an employer such as BA to objections because they had the region. acquired all of the land around Despite these less favourable the Foyers water catchment area impacts, the Company continued and enlisted the support of to be a valuable investor in the relevant backers, thus limiting the region. By 1920, BA were employ- action of critics. ing nearly 300 people at Foyers There were, however, tensions in and Kinlochleven and paying the later history of the Company £170,000 in wages (roughly £5.3 which related to its impact on million today). By the late 1930s, local environment and human and BA were the largest single animal health, particularly con- employer in Argyll and one of the cerning Fluorosis in sheep and largest across the whole of the cattle in Fort William and wide- Highlands. scale defoliation on Forestry The Company also provided Commission land. This brought crofting leave, allowing workers to BA into contest with local environ- continue in previous lifestyles

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during the harvest and fishing British Aluminium’s pursuit of seasons. They also contributed cordial relations with the likes of one fifth and one twentieth of the Locheil, Lovat and Mackintosh, rates to Inverness-shire and Argyll. alongside their courting of The Company continued to retain elements of the Highland devel- people in the region and also opment lobby (notably Dr Lachlan enticed incomers, which was Grant), were vital to their reputa- especially significant given a tion in the region. William Murray further 13.8% reduction of the Morrison, in particular, cultivated Highland population through a sound working relationship with emigration between 1921 and Locheil. He was at pains to 1930. BA also invested heavily in impress upon the Chieftain of the infrastructure and amenities, and Clan Cameron the degree of leading figures such as William personal commitment he had to Murray Morrison sat on Govern- the developments, declaring in a ment committees which lobbied letter, “I have the enormous the Government for better personal reward of knowing that investment in Highland transport the foundation has been laid for a and accommodation. Whilst these lasting and far-reaching benefit to efforts were largely driven by the Highlands of Scotland.” Dr company interest, they were also Perchard commented that “Lo- well-intentioned and once again cheil’s support for the Company displayed a company willing to was primarily motivated by his support the region when others desire to support economic would not. Dr Perchard stated diversification for the region… “that BA managed to maintain a but he was also infuriated by what high visibility in the west High- he saw as the further abrogation lands, despite state intervention of responsibility by central and the growth in public services, government…BA recognised that the contraction of the workforces the frustrations of Locheil and at the Highland smelters and others with the government in openings offered by alternative Edinburgh and London could be employment opportunities, owed harnessed for the Company’s much to their deep entrenchment advantage”. In a similar vein to his in local civic society and the entreaties to Locheil, Morrison’s collective memory of the region. careful choice of message to The endurance of the deep-seated figures such as Dr Lachlan Grant, loyalty to BA illustrates the BA’s medical officer and co- effectiveness of the Company’s founder of the Highland inculcation of its role as a social Development League, played to benefactor, interwoven with the latter’s commitment to Highland history”. regional development and his

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appreciation of what he perceived physician. Yet his guiding princi- to be the socially ameliorative ple in all of this was undoubtedly effects of ‘paternalism’. “As Grant well-intentioned: that of support- made clear in his public utteranc- ing a Company who had showed es, British Aluminium fitted the themselves committed to the model of the social enterprise, Highlands, at a time when the and was worthy of his support Government was, for advocates of and indeed participation in their Highland regeneration, guilty of mission. This included the neglect. Morrison was sincere to physician also providing public some degree in his correspond- lectures on social improvement in ence with Grant, but it was Kinlochleven”. Dr Perchard equally tempered by his audience. described Grant as a man of Given Grant’s prominence as a political and social complexity, but long-standing and vocal advocate above all someone who was of Highland development, it is passionate about Highland highly unlikely that Morrison was development. “The advantages of not carefully composing his personal contact with Grant were message when he wrote in a 1935 certainly not lost on William letter: ‘My feeling is that as more Murray Morrison. Writing to him and more attention is drawn to in January 1935, Morrison these matters and development in declared: ‘It is a most pleasing other directions, we shall gradual- recollection in my career that I ly restore better conditions in our have also been able to do some native land, and you are doing practical and lasting good to my your best in this that connec- beloved Highlands’”. Grant tion’”. Grant extolled the corresponded with Morrison over Company’s virtues on many a number of years, and became a occasions, reporting in 1936 that robust defender of British Alumin- he had observed a clean bill of ium. He publicly admonished health amongst employees at critics of housing conditions in Kinlochleven. Kinlochleven, and roundly Dr Perchard commented, “though dismissed suggestions that the British Aluminium did not actively manufacture of aluminium was seek to court labour and trade affecting the health of workers unions, then, especially after and local communities around the 1945, it was careful to seek to smelters, in spite of evidence to incorporate them both formally the contrary. Dr Perchard suggest- through the machinery of collec- ed that “almost certainly Grant tive bargaining and informally would have been affected to some through social contacts with trade degree by the fact that BA union officials”. BA was, however, employed him as a consulting at best, grudgingly tolerant of

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trade unions and the power of Initially, the plant trade unions labour. The 1910 strike at Kinloch- lobbied for and backed Health leven in support of trade union and Safety Executive demands for recognition attracted unwanted extensive capital investment to attention and the later 1936 improve the atmosphere in the strike, opposing a rise in rents and furnace rooms. When BA threat- changes to working conditions, ened to close the Highland plants, resulted in a major ‘social drama’ the trade unions withdrew their in the Company’s history. Dr support for HSE action. “Fortui- Perchard noted that from around tously, Lochaber was modernised 1945 to the mid 1970s, relations after 1975, but this episode with labour and trade unions illustrated how industrial relations remained on an essentially cordial and occupational health and basis, reliant on informal contracts safety in the Highland plants were as much as on the formal machin- overshadowed by the politics of ery. “From the trade unions’ regional economic development” perspective, BA provided valuable In conclusion, Dr Perchard employment in an economy where considered that it was BA’s ability jobs of this type were scarce. With to garner support over time the collapse of a number of large amongst figures such as Locheil, industrial schemes in the High- Lord Lovat and Lachlan Grant, lands during the 1970s and spanning the political spectrum, 1980s, the imperative of holding which set them apart from those on to jobs, especially relatively who failed to understand the skilled and reasonably paid ones, subtleties of the politics of the in the region became the priority region. “This reveals much about of trade unions. Moreover, as the complexities of development trade unionists observed, British in peripheral regions, and the Aluminium was one of only a few contests to balance social, employers in the region who economic and environmental recognised trade unions”. The considerations. It also reveals how quandary faced by the trade we got to where we are and the unions, and employees, was importance of aluminium in the vividly illustrated by discussions story of development of the over improvements to health and Highlands, while drawing distinc- safety within the west Highland tions with the past. In the future smelters in the 1970s. direction of this region, as with others, an understanding of the past is critical”.

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Discussion Forum Paul Druckman Chief Executive Officer, International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) Russell Picot Group Chief Accounting Officer, HSBC plc Jan Bebbington Professor of Accounting and Sustainable Development, St Andrews Sustainability Institute, University of St Andrews Investments Integrated Reporting: Benefit or Cost? in conjunction with Standard Life 20 February 2013 In the aftermath of the financial broad picture of an organisation’s crisis, questions have been asked longterm value. of current financial reporting. From an investor’s perspective, Ms Advocates of integrated reporting Hunt said she was always keen to (IR) believe it offers a better way see better reporting. This allows forward by providing organisa- investments to be made in a way tions with a concise means of that meets clients’ objectives and explaining how their strategy, that is both ethical and responsi- governance, performance and ble. A personal concern is that prospects combine to create value investment decisions have become for investors. Critics fear it may increasingly short-term. What is simply become another adminis- needed is clear communication, trative burden. The forum greater transparency and a wider provided an opportunity for view of the value businesses bring Scottish business to hear the to society. The question is how arguments for IR and discuss its this can be done. Ms Hunt said: potential. The session was chaired “How do we talk meaningfully, by Jackie Hunt, Chief Financial and not in a ‘by the way’ fashion, Officer at Standard Life. about what we contribute to the Introducing the event, Ms Hunt communities in which we operate, said no one looking back to the and more generally about what is start of the financial crisis could our business model, how sustain- say that financial reporting had able is it and are we still going to been effective. Today’s financial be here in another 100 years? The reports are large, complex, benefit from an investor perspec- technical, and mainly geared tive is clear – better information towards meeting compliance leads to better decision making requirements. They have become and ultimately that will feed less effective at communicating a through into returns.” Companies

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are already producing huge IR framework which can be amounts of detailed information applied to business across the on everything from financial world. performance to CSR. Ms Hunt said Mr Druckman gave five reasons she was keen to hear ideas about why business leaders and inves- “how do we move this debate tors need to pay attention to IR: forward but without just adding - Integrated reporting leads to to the burden, size and complexi- integrated thinking: Smart ty. How do we do this in a way boards fight silo thinking by that is meaningful as opposed to encouraging staff to think just becoming another frame- about the connectivity of work, another compliance business strategy to the whole objective?” organisation. IR encourages Paul Druckman managers to think in terms of “If integrated reporting is just the business as a whole. more reporting then we have - Investors want better not more failed, let’s be clear from the information: Companies do a outset that this is not the idea,” lot of reporting. One problem said Mr Druckman. Companies tell for investors is that the report- stories every day – and these ing streams are not connected; stories affect investors, customers, another is that they tend to look suppliers, staff and many others. backwards when the need is to IR will allow companies to tell look ahead. “With a sharper their story in a concise and picture of both the risk and the effective way. IR will build on opportunity, investors are more financial, sustainability and other likely to provide capital with reports to represent the strategy, confidence.” governance, performance and - Stakeholders are rarely silent: prospects of a company within its While economic power has full context. Mr Druckman said: become more concentrated in “The goal is to give shareholders, corporations, communications and other stakeholders, a truer power has shifted to stakehold- picture of how a company creates ers. Strategic company leaders value over time.” The IIRC is know that increased transparen- working with 87 companies cy means they must (including Microsoft, HSBC and acknowledge problems and Tata) in around two dozen solutions in a clear context. IR countries on pilot projects. It also makes this possible and has an investor network. On April potentially powerful in mitigat- 16th it will launch a 90-day ing the risk. consultation on a new proposed

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- Brands must be protected: Any third of this) and 79 of the top company that loses control of 144 economic entities are compa- its brand is at high risk and IR nies, not countries. The IIRC is helps avoid this. Customers trying to drive the evolution of want authenticity and for corporate reporting, and this is a products to genuinely reflect process which is getting support brand values. Confidence in a from all across the globe, not just brand influences our decisions from businesses and investors but to buy products, believe also from bodies such as the company claims and make International Federation of investments. Accountants. - Integrated reporting needs Russell Picot integrated communication: As a preparer for a large interna- There are few risks greater than tional bank with a balance sheet losing touch with shareholders, of US $2.5 trillion, Mr Picot says customers or stakeholders. HSBC is “steeped” in work to “That’s when even a successful communicate with the market. business finds itself vulnerable Part of this is done through the to disruptive innovation, annual report, which is an reputational damage and lost unwieldy and increasingly compli- value.” ancebased document. The 2012 IR allows companies to show how Annual Report and Account will all their capitals – financial, run to over 500 pages. Regulatory manufactured, social, intellectual pressure has pushed up the and other – work combine to amount of reporting required and create value. The phrase used by many different bodies, such as the IIRC is “Better reporting for stock exchanges, also require better business”. As the momen- information. The effect has been tum towards IR builds, businesses to increase the burden on compa- need to decide whether to lead or nies. “My team in London lag. Given the link between better produces many checklists, I have a reporting and greater resilience, checklist of checklists to make Mr Druckman argued that it is sure I have completed all the best to be in the vanguard. IR is checklists.” The HSBC Annual for all stakeholders, but the Report has a short statement at investor or provider of financial the beginning of each section capital is the primary audience. which says what happened during This reflects the realities of a the year, what the impact was, world where the top 500 fund how it affected risk, and what the managers oversee US $42 trillion bank is doing about it. The aim is (with the top ten accounting for a to be clear and simple. Some

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reports are not so helpful. Mr addressed in a consistent and Picot said they “tell a story which coherent manner. The outcome is ‘this just happened to be and will be improved business prac- management didn’t do any- tice. Mr Picot said: “There is no thing’.” doubt that, when directors realise Mr Picot envisages IR as a second something is going to get report because so much would published, they start to pay have to change to allow the attention. I do think this will drive annual report to be done differ- broader, more balanced discus- ently. It could be a distillation of sion and will allow appropriate the content of other reports, with information to be given to the information about what makes market.” Mr Picot concluded by the business model sustainable saying that he hoped to see IR for the long term and how the progress over the next couple of various capitals at its disposal are years and that the idea of a used. Mr Picot is optimistic about second report could point the way the prospects for the future and is to the future. proud that the UK is a leader in Jan Bebbington advancing IR. Voluntary private Professor Bebbington offered a sector initiatives, such as the conceptual framework within Enhanced Disclosure Task Force which IR could be understood, which has looked at how banks stating that the debate over IR is disclose risk, have demonstrated a not new, as arguments over the desire and capacity for change role of organisations within without the need to wait for society are perennial. At their government action. IR, which is heart is often the issue of a social strategic in its approach, would be contract – that is, “what is the a valuable counter to short- deal between organisations and termism. It also resonates with the society and how do we agree on desire for investors to have better, the deal?” not more reporting. IR drives “Any scandal you care to think of boards to explain why they believe is usually about a social contract they will be around in the long having fallen apart in some way, term by making them discuss how or having been misunderstood by they will deal with risk. Mr Picot relative parties.” Such arguments cited the examples of breweries afflict everything from policing that faced water shortages and and healthcare to industrial manufacturers who use precious issues. metals of which there are finite supplies – investors need to know Since 2008, one of the big how the business will adapt. At debates has been over the kind of present, such issues are rarely stability and probity that can be expected from banks. 115 Review of the Session 2012-2013

Once the issue of responsibility is Effective accounting is valuable agreed, accountabilities and not just for the stakeholder or accounts come into play – and investor, but for the enterprise have to be fit for purpose. With itself. Professor Bebbington small organisations, Professor argued that the relationship Bebbington said that simple word between the parties can be far of mouth can be highly effective more complex than just their in determining if they were formal contractual arrangements; responsible. For other bodies, there are implicit as well as explicit such as large for profits, there is agreements. The latter can be often the need to ascribe formal subtle and subject to change – as duties and to create formal many firms have discovered in the accounts about what they have past. done. In recent decades, there has Indeed, many organisations only been an insistence on accounta- find out they’ve got it wrong bility and responsibility in a when it’s in the public domain ... growing number of areas, such as sometimes the social contract fair employment, economic changes without firms noticing. IR stability and environmental provides a mechanism through integrity. Some of these aspects which organisations can keep the are discussed in separate arenas more subtle and fragile aspects of from financial reporting. Professor their relationship with the world Bebbington said IR brings all in view. In doing so, it not only these relevant aspects together in highlights future prospects but one place and puts a strong can help to secure them. context around the various issues.

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Professor Ian Boyd FRSE Chief Scientific Adviser to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) The Evidential Basis for Food and Environmental Policy Joint Annual Peter Wilson Lecture with the Scottish Consortium for Rural Research and the Society of Biology, Scotland 21 February 2013 Food and environmental policy direction. Defra is working on a makers – and those advising them new research strategy, he said, – have their work cut out in a which will be published this year. world beset by challenges. In a It is likely to focus on three areas: lecture that covered serious issues food and water security; disease including food security, bovine TB (including animal disease such as and the – alleged – decline of the bovine TB, and plant disease such bumble bee, Professor Ian Boyd, as ash die-back); and environmen- the Chief Scientific Adviser to tal stress. Defra, made the case for a shift to These issues will be tackled in a putting science at the heart of variety of ways, including systems policy. and data analysis and modelling. Defra (the Department for Envi- Professor Boyd’s lecture covered ronment, Food and Rural Affairs) five broad areas: science in is the most important department government; global stress; UK in government: if governance of response and building resilience; civil society has one function, it is environmental issues; and acute to make sure its public has the issues, including bovine TB, tree basics of life – food, water and a disease and pollinators (in clean environment. That, said particular the bumble bee). Professor Boyd, is what Defra Science in government does. “Other things are impor- Professor Boyd said he was in tant, but if you don’t supply the almost daily contact with minis- absolute basics of life, you are ters, who live in a world where failing as a government.” Deliver- things happen very quickly. He ing the Peter Wilson Lecture, described the policy cycle – Professor Boyd outlined some of essentially from recognition of an the challenges facing Defra – issue, through to coming up with where he has been Chief Scientist a solution and putting it in place, for six months – and looked at the then evaluation. Today, science ways it is addressing them. He tends to sit in the latter part of the also gave a glimpse of the cycle (evaluation), whereas it department’s future strategic should rightly be at the start, at

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the strategic stage, to ensure that had idealised objectives, but policy is evidence-based. He wants wasn’t evidence-based, and was to see a shift from policy-led inflexible – the ingredients for science, to science-led policy. At policy failure. He quoted Kuznets’ the same time, it’s important to be theory that as we become more clear about what science can – wealthy, our environmental impact and cannot – do, and to be open increases, but then levels off and about limitations in knowledge begins to decline – the idea being and about uncertainties. Failing to that wealthier nations have more be honest about uncertainties can cash to plough into environmen- lead to poor decision making, and tal policies. Critics of this theory a subsequent loss of public trust point out, however, that as in science as an objective source nations become wealthier they of information. will ‘export’ their environmental Professor Boyd described his own impact to poorer countries, which job under three main areas of simply involves transferring one’s operation: risk management; cost- carbon footprint, rather than benefit trade-offs; and stimulating reducing it. innovation. There are various Global Stress constraints; for example, the We live in a world in which there difficulty of communicating are risks, some of them very complex ideas – including the serious. Even if we are geographi- meaning of risk. Regulation can cally distant from many of these also be a constraint, as can the risks (of volcanoes and tidal long timescales involved; persuad- waves, for example) the global ing people to make decisions economy means that we will likely today when the pay-off may be be affected. We have to be alive to decades away is challenging. But global challenges, and recognise if a bright young scientist has an the impact that something which idea today, it might be 20 years happens thousands of miles away before it translates into practice. can have on us. For example, bovine TB will take Global challenges include world four decades to deal with, but population growth, declining people want solutions “tomor- availability of oil (and rising row”, he said. He spoke about energy costs), climate change, regulation, which, although well- inadequate water supply and intentioned, was not always falling natural resources, especial- evidence-based and could have ly for agricultural purposes; e.g. perverse consequences. In phosphates. There are also particular, he referred to the EU increasing levels of disease, Habitats Directive, which he said affecting humans, animals and

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plants, exacerbated by interna- (2011), which warns against tional trade and growing undervaluing our ‘natural capital’ resistance to treatments. Essential- and calls for a move to more ly, if we don’t act, then these sustainable development. But challenges could engulf us. there are difficult trade-offs: by Food security is a very real issue, pursuing a ‘greener’ agenda, we and we have to consider whether might harm food production. “Do our own house is in order. Europe we want to eat, or do we want a used to be self-sufficient in terms green environment?” he asked, of food – now it isn’t – and the UK acknowledging that the answer hasn’t been selfsufficient for a would be somewhere in the long time. All of the challenges middle. mentioned above (e.g. population Acute issues growth) are only going to make Part of Professor Boyd’s job food security more challenging as involves making judgments based stress in the system is increasing. on future scenarios – what’s the UK response and building worst that can happen? The resistance plausible worst-case scenario for So how do we deal with the bovine TB is “not pleasant”, he challenges? There are technical said, and the disease could, in the solutions, and we should be future, infect humans. The sad encouraging innovation – for thing is that we had it under example, with a research focus on control in the 1980s, but let it go increasing production and again in the 1990s, he added. efficiency. Other key solutions Testing stopped for a short period include waste reduction at all during the 2001 Foot and Mouth stages of the supply chain, outbreak, which showed how fast including in our own homes. the disease could spread if Another solution could be controls are removed; but even “making the average into the with those control in place, rates best” – that is, encouraging all of infection continue to grow. producers and others to perform There are four main areas of as well as the top few, in terms of activity in trying to get a grip on efficiency. “This is a particular this disease: tuberculin testing, bugbear of mine – it’s about vaccination, biosecurity, and education, and encouraging early wildlife control. It’s this last which adopters,” Professor Boyd is the most controversial, with explained. Defra’s decision to proceed to a Environmental management badger cull attracting widespread criticism. Although vaccination (of Professor Boyd referred to the UK cattle) is likely to be the most National Ecosystem Assessment

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effective preventative tool, there pening. Pesticides called neonico- are challenges – you can’t trade tinoids have been blamed, and vaccinated cattle with Europe, campaigners have been calling for because they can’t be tested a ban. Banning these pesticides effectively. An alternative has been would mean a loss of up to 30 per found, but will take a minimum of cent in productivity of some crops. ten years to get a usable vaccine, Although there have been and it is only likely to be around laboratory-based tests which 60 per cent effective. A badger show that these pesticides are cull is a “blunt instrument”, but toxic to bumble bees, this isn’t pilot culls have shown it is surprising, as they are designed as effective, although only around insect neurotoxins. There isn’t, 16 per cent so. Even if cattle were however, good evidence that the vaccinated, it wouldn’t be an pesticides have an impact in a alternative to culling badgers, field situation. Testing hasn’t so because the reservoir of infection far shown an impact – so do you would remain – and in any case, keep testing and testing to look the route of transmission isn’t for an effect, or do you walk clear, he added. away? Bees have become a single- Tree disease is another acute issue iconic case for those problem which, while it is impor- wanting a ban, but there’s a poor tant, is not something that can be evidence base for it, he said. eradicated, he said. “We can do What’s more, it would cost the our best to stop it, but we’ll farming industry up to £400 continue to get tree disease.” million – and we might end up Professor Boyd ended by talking exporting the problem if a ban of the decline in numbers of were to be introduced here. There pollinators, because, he said, it is, of course, however, a chance illustrates the dilemmas facing that the campaigners are right. policy makers and scientific “Let me leave you with one advisors. The evidence that there thought,” said Professor Boyd. is an actual decline is poor, but “How would you advise the the assumption is that it’s hap- minister?”

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Marjory Roy The Royal Meteorological Society Scottish Centre The Weathermen of Ben Nevis 1883–1904 27 February 2013 Lochaber High School

Meteorology expert, Marjory Roy, however, prior to the development told the story of why the weather of radio, it was virtually impossible observatory was set up on Ben to get real-time observations from Nevis by the Scottish Meteorologi- ships at sea or from higher up in cal Society, what it was like to the atmosphere. In 1877, aged work there and what the observa- 73, David Milne Home, Chairman tions tell us about mountain of the Council of the Scottish weather. Meteorological Society (SMS), Ben Nevis, the highest mountain climbed the Ben and, confirming in the British Isles, is located 50 it would be possible, proposed kilometres from the west coast of the establishment of the Ben Scotland in the Lochaber region. It Nevis Observatory. Ben Nevis was overlooks the long sea-loch of considered particularly well suited Loch Linnhe and is surrounded by to house a mountain-top observa- mountains. The mountain itself tory as it is situated in the track of comprises cliffs to the north and Atlantic storms. The SMS tried to steep slopes to the south into garner government support with Glen Nevis; the summit plateau is little success, although the extremely narrow. Today, the ruins Meteorological Council offered of the Ben Nevis Observatory can £100 a year towards the Observa- be seen on the summit plateau, tory’s running costs. It was not where the plaque inscription until 1883, however, that the describes how hourly meteorolog- funds required to build the ical data was observed on the Observatory were finally secured. ‘Ben’ between 1883 and 1904. Prior to the building of the The Ben Nevis Observatory was Observatory, having heard about established at a time when the SMS’s plans for Ben Nevis, a meteorologists wanted to gain a gentleman named Clement better understanding of weather Wragge offered to climb Ben systems in order to improve Nevis daily during the summer of forecasting. A good network of 1881 to record meteorological land observations existed observations. His offer was throughout Europe, with data accepted and he duly carried out exchanged daily via telegraph; his duties between June and October 1881. At this time there

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was no formal path to the Ben months. Wragge and his assist- summit and his route took him, ants’ experiences over their three partly on horseback, north of years on Ben Nevis showed that Meall an t’Suidhe to the lochan the weather at the summit could then straight up Ben Nevis beside be more severe than the SMS had the Red Burn. He left home each expected and that a more sub- morning just after 4.30 am and stantial building would be made timetabled observations at required for the Observatory. They various locations as he climbed. also realised that automatic He then spent two hours on the instruments would probably not summit before returning at 3.30 work in such conditions and a pm. Meanwhile, his wife made manned observatory with a larger simultaneous observations at near staff would be required. SMS sea-level in Fort William. His launched a public appeal and equipment on the summit, £4000 was raised in a few including thermometers, was months, allowing building work housed in a purpose-built ‘cage’, to commence. The Ben Nevis the remains of which can still be Observatory building was opened seen. He also had a stone hut to on 17 October 1883 by Mrs provide some protection and Cameron Campbell, proprietor of house his barometer. Wragge the Ben Nevis Estate, who made climbed the Ben in all weather the ascent on a pony using the conditions, leading to his inevita- newly-constructed pony track ble nickname ‘inclement rag’, which followed a route suggested since he frequently returned by the local schoolmaster. soaked to the skin. Wragge’s Alexander Buchan, the distin- observation books, stored in the guished meteorologist, drew up Ben Nevis Observatory collection the schedules of observation, at the National Records of instructed the observers and Scotland, show a flamboyant but analysed the data. Wragge had very conscientious character. expected to be appointed to the Wragge continued his observa- position of First Superintendent of tions in 1882, but this time he the Observatory. However, twenty- had two assistants named Whyte one applications were received for and Rankin, who also carried on the post and the Directors the observations in the summer of unanimously decided to appoint 1883. Rankin’s observations from Robert Traill Omond, a far less June 1883, stating he was blown flamboyant character, considered off his feet on the plateau in a to be better suited to the cramped force ten easterly wind, depict conditions in the Observatory. how severe the weather on the Following this, Wragge departed Ben can be, even in the summer to Australia and continued an

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interesting meteorological career. than the Beaufort scale. Records Angus Rankin, one of Wragge’s from the early Ben Nevis data have original assistants, did, however, been compared with more recent continue to work at the Ben Nevis wind direction data from Cairn- Observatory. gorm and show an unusual The building was completed in topographic effect. Ben Nevis has 1884 with the addition of a tower a low frequency of north-wester- and the enlargement of the lies and a very high frequency of observatory room. The tower northerlies compared with provided an alternative exit when Cairngorm. It is unlikely that the snow blocked the main entrance; climate has changed dramatically this had caused major problems over c. 100 years and as such it is during the first winter. The tower considered that on Ben Nevis the also housed the anemometer, north-westerly winds are being wind vane and lightening conduc- deflected round the flank of Carn tor. The inside of the Observatory Dearg into Coire Leis between Ben was quite cosy, except during the Nevis and Carn Mor Dearg and are autumn storms and in early winter appearing as very gusty norther- before the snow provided an lies at the summit. The original insulating blanket. Meteorological weathermen of Ben Nevis at the records show the frequency of hill time did not appreciate that this fog on the Ben (80% of the time was a local effect and thought in November, December and that the rapid veering of the wind January); it was common for the with height was a characteristic of summit to be capped in fog when depressions. The meteorological surrounding summits remained reports were sent daily by tele- clear. Additionally, sunshine totals graph to the Scottish newspapers were low despite an unobstructed but the Met Office turned down horizon. Severe icing meant that the offer of daily telegrams on the the anemometer could not be grounds of costs; asking only to used for much of the year. be sent telegrams on occasions of However, on these occasions wind special interest and indeed, a few force was measured by the years later asked for no more assistants standing on the roof telegrams. They still received and making scientific estimations; monthly copies of the observa- calibrating themselves against tions by post, but there is no each other and the anemometer evidence that they ever studied when it was working. They found these. that when compared with ane- In addition to those made on Ben mometer readings, the actual Nevis, the local schoolmaster speed for a given force is consider- originally made observations in ably higher on the Ben Nevis scale Fort William five times a day.

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When the Edinburgh International Drysdale acted as a relief observer Exhibition of 1886 presented SMS for extended periods at the with surplus funds amounting to summit and bequeathed his £1000, it was decided to use this slides, photos and lecture notes to money to build a low-level the Edinburgh Meteorological observatory in Fort William which Office and these are now in would provide continuous records National Records of Scotland for comparison with those taken archives. His notes give a vivid from the summit. The Meteoro- picture of life at the summit of logical Council provided the Britain. The normal hourly instruments and the low-level observation routine took only five observatory was completed in the to ten minutes, but when there summer of 1890. Temperature was a storm it could be very a comparisons from the two different story; making observa- observatories showed that the tions during a winter storm could average fall in temperature be very dangerous, especially with between Fort William and the Ben a southerly wind, as the Observa- was 8.5°C, equivalent to a change tory was situated very close to the of 6.4°C in 1000 metres. The cliffs to the north of the Ben. On mean annual temperature at the occasions when it was considered summit was -0.3°C and that at the too dangerous to go out, the low level observatory was 8.4°C. observers used thermometers However, during inversions (rise of exposed in a screen attached to temperature with height), the Ben the outside of the tower, which Nevis Observatory could be could be read from inside. The warmer than Fort William. Rainfall observers frequently had to dig comparisons show an annual out the Observatory doors and rainfall at the summit of just over windows following blizzards. They four metres, approximately double also used a potentially treacher- that in Fort William. The Ben Nevis ous ‘gardyloo’ system to dispose weathermen also experienced of their rubbish into a gully. problems with the accurate CTR Wilson, Scotland’s first measure of precipitation at the recipient of the Nobel Prize in summit since much fell as snow. In Physics, acted as a relief observer the early years, the observers on Ben Nevis for two weeks from spent ten months of the year at 8 September to 22 September the summit, but following the 1894 and in an article published construction of the low-level in Weather magazine in 1954, he observatory, the duties were described his experience there and shared between the observatories, the effect it had on all his future with staff changing locations scientific work. The log book every three months. Alexander during Wilson’s time at the

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Observatory contains four pages on the Scottish Antarctic expedi- of daily notes relating to weather tion of 1902–04; during which his conditions and describes an experience on Ben Nevis stood unusual period of exceptionally him in good stead when making fine weather with very low rainfall, meteorological observations in where anticyclonic conditions the polar region. The leader of the prevailed throughout the north. Antarctic expedition was another Wilson’s interest in glories and Scot, W S Bruce, who also had corona was aroused during his experience of meteorological short stay on the Ben. Glories are observations at Ben Nevis in 1895 optical phenomena, resembling a and 1896. During the expedition, halo or rainbow, seen around the men were stationed in the shadows when the observer is South Orkney Islands and set up a directly between the sun and a meteorological station there, cloud of refracting water droplets. naming it ‘Omond House’. This Following his visit to Ben Nevis, station was taken over by Argen- Wilson started laboratory experi- tine meteorologists and remains ments on clouds formed by the the longest-running meteorologi- expansion of moist air. These cal record in the Antarctic area. eventually led to his invention of Despite the relatively low set-up the Cloud Chamber, one of the cost and modest salaries, the Ben most important instruments used Nevis Observatory was continually in particle physics research. faced with financial problems. The Omond, the first Superintendent government funding remained at of the Ben Nevis Observatory, £350 per year for the two observ- stopped working at the summit in atories; yet, the annual running 1895 due to health issues, but costs were near to £1000. Income continued to supervise the work from other sources and donations from Edinburgh. Rankin, first kept things running for some assistant from the beginning, was time. However, in 1902 the appointed Superintendent in Meteorological Council an- November 1897. Another observ- nounced that the annual grant er, named Mossman, worked as a would cease to be paid. Questions volunteer on the Ben for a long were asked in Parliament and an period from 1889 and showed enquiry set up; but when it great potential. He was taken reported back in 1904 it only under Alexander Buchan’s wing recommended that the £350, and subsequently, around 1897, should continue. As the observa- published a monumental work on tories would not be able to the climate of Edinburgh. He was continue on the original funding also appointed the meteorologist of £350 the Directors had to make

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the decision to close them in Argentine Meteorological Service. 1904. The Fort William low-level Today, the Ben Nevis Observatory Observatory building was put up lies in ruin and the current land for sale and today is a guest owner, the John Muir Trust, has house. The Ben Nevis Observatory pledged to look after it and building and the bridle path to maintain the pony track. the summit were made over to the Mountain observations continue proprietors of the ground. The to be in great demand in modern data from the Observatories was times. Now, rather than manned prepared and published in full, observatories, many areas, such as along with extracts from the log Aonach Mor, use automatic books, in the Transactions of the weather stations. There are Royal Society of Edinburgh. The continued issues with keeping Observatory employees continued these operating in severe environ- their careers in meteorology in ments. alternative locations, including the

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Conference Women’s Reproductive Health across the Lifecourse Implications for Public Policy 27-28 February 2013 Full Conference Report : ISBN: 978 0 902198 96 8 Available on the RSE website.

Executive Summary couples who delay childbearing, This two-day conference explored the risks of over-reliance upon IVF an important public policy topic to treat infertility were highlighted requiring both medical and social by several speakers. scientific evidence. The research The importance of a lifecourse presented during the conference approach to women’s reproduc- emphasised the need to focus on tive health was recognised in this the social context in which conference, with presentations women’s reproductive health focusing on women’s working decisions are made, as well as lives, as well as on the reproduc- taking into account the biological tive health of older women. Talks constraints and possibilities that exploring women’s reproductive influence such decisions. Speakers health during childbearing years therefore demonstrated that a included those discussing how multidisciplinary approach to women balance a career with women’s reproductive health is family life and the barriers they required. face; for example, factors deter- Speakers highlighted that the ring women from breastfeeding medical technologies available to or from expressing milk in the women and their partners are workplace. The personal and developing rapidly, and that economic costs of menstruation changing social expectations of and cycle-related problems were men’s and women’s roles in also considered, along with the society, as well as an increase in complex and contextual nature of life expectancy, have changed the women’s reproductive decisions. context in which women’s repro- The reproductive health of women ductive decision making occurs. in later life was explored in However, as several presenters presentations discussing the stressed, the time points at which effect of the menopause on a woman’s fertility is optimal, and lifestyle and wellbeing, and the when fertility begins to decline, sexual health of older people. have remained static. Though IVF It was noted that the issue of is often lauded as a ‘cure all’ for women’s reproductive health is

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neglected both in research issues raised in terms of public funding and in public policy, policy debates. There is a need to despite there being many areas in raise the visibility of women’s which progress could be made. reproductive health as something This may be remedied by a more relevant across the lifecourse, and holistic approach to women’s to support health-promoting reproductive health, as opposed workplaces. to the issue being spread across Women’s reproductive wellbeing sexual health, maternal and child has implications for Scotland’s health, and obstetrics and economy gynaecology. Areas for potential Reproductive health has a signifi- changes to policy and legislation cant impact on work, social and include improving the education domestic activities for women at of young people about reproduc- all stages of the lifecourse. tive health as relevant across the Examples include the impact of lifecourse, including the realities menstrual disorders on days lost of infertility. This may include the from the workforce, or the use of social media, and could challenge of maintaining breast- help to encourage a culture where feeding for women returning to these issues are talked about, work. The inevitable decline in rather than seen as taboo. The fertility with age may require a need for a move away from reconsideration of career struc- masculinist work practices, tures for both women and men. towards a culture in which women The extension of life expectancy and men can balance their means that women’s working lives employment and family life more have expanded beyond “repro- easily, was also highlighted. Other ductive life” into the areas for potential policy change post-menopausal years. The include the availability of oral health-related needs of older contraceptives, and a call for women in the workforce need to public health approaches to the be recognised. sexual health of older people. Women’s work, in private but also Key Messages from the Confer- public spheres, remains relatively ence invisible Women’s reproductive health is an Though women form a large part important policy issue of the workforce, they also often Women’s reproductive health has perform the ‘uneconomic’ but implications for social and vital social task of birthing, breast economic policy. However, the feeding and caring for children, as conference highlighted the well as caring for their partners relative invisibility of some of the and, increasingly, for their ageing

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parents. A cultural shift is required A multidisciplinary and lifecourse in terms of how we view child approach to women’s health is rearing, which almost invariably required falls to women. It is seen as low- Women’s reproductive health has status and low-skill, which has many dimensions, and strategies huge implications for a woman’s to address the scope for improve- confidence and status, not only in ment need to take account of the workplace but also in wider these in a fully integrated way. society. There is a relative paucity There is a need to understand of data exploring the experiences women’s health and reproduction of how women take on roles and within the context of society, and responsibilities that in the past to recognise that in today’s world, have been carried out exclusively social, economic and personal by men (for example, women in factors tend to dominate choice combat roles in the military). over reproductive timing, such Increased recognition of women that the hard realities of biological as major contributors to the constraints tend to be neglected. workforce may consequently raise Perhaps there is a need for a awareness of the challenges holistic focus on women’s health, women face in dealing with their as opposed to the current ap- reproductive health, caring for proach which separates this topic children, but also elderly parents, into different areas, such as sexual especially at a time when they are health and maternal health. This also building their careers and would lend itself to a more taking on leadership roles. integrated and life course ap- Gender inequality persists in the proach to problem management. workplace and domestic sphere More research is required to In many ways, it is still a man’s explore fully the social and world whereby women work more economic costs of reproductive in the home and family, earn less health in general and reproductive and have to juggle (and hide) the decision making in particular, for difficulties they face, especially women across the lifecourse, and when related to their reproductive to ameliorate any negative effect health. Interdisciplinary, cross- on women themselves. There is policy dialogue and action are also a need to extend the concept required to achieve change in of sexual and reproductive health gender relations at work and at to include not only adverse home. reproductive health outcomes, but also wellbeing and satisfaction.

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Improved education and advice nature as well as nurture in regarding reproductive ageing is relation to these experiences is required often neglected. Women need to Improved education on reproduc- be better educated about the tive ageing is essential, as is consequences of putting off research into the social influences fertility decisions, including the underpinning current behaviour success rates of treatments such in terms of decisions on timing of as in vitro fertilisation (IVF). Such child bearing. There is a need to education should also draw accept, at an individual level and attention to pre-conception in policy and practice, the biologi- health, and must take place at an cal constraints on reproductive earlier stage in the lifecourse. choice and wellbeing. Men and Society needs to ensure women women have newly enhanced (and couples) receive appropriate expectations of choice in relation advice and support to ensure that to sexual behaviour, partnering reproductive issues can be and parenting, but the need to satisfactorily balanced with a accommodate the impact of working life.

Conference Programme for Information Day 1 Introductory Session – Reproductive Health: Women, Work and Care Chair: Professor David Baird CBE FRSE, Emeritus Professor of Reproductive Endocrinology, University of, Edinburgh Raising issues: recent trends and implications for policy Professor Sarah Cunningham-Burley AcSS. Professor of Medical and Family Sociology, University of Edinburgh Life expectancy and reproduction Professor Tom Kirkwood CBE. Director of Newcastle Initiative on Changing Age (NICA), Newcastle University Work and health: contemporary issues and future prospects Professor Linda McKie. Professor of Sociology, Durham University Family Formation Chair: Dr Catherine Calderwood. Medical adviser for maternity and women’s health, Scottish Government Debate: When should a woman have a baby? Who benefits from women ‘delaying’ childbearing? Professor Susan Bewley. Professor of Complex Obstetrics, King’s College London

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Fertility decisions are complicated and contextual Professor Sarah Cunningham-Burley. Professor of Medical and Family Sociology, University of Edinburgh Combining work and family – perspectives from experience Professor Susan Wray. Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, University of Liverpool Does policy and legislation meet women’s needs? Clare Simpson. Project Manager, Parenting across Scotland An employer’s perspective Dr Stewart Irvine. Director of Medicine, NHS, Education for Scotland Panel Discussion – Policy implications of afternoon session Chair: Professor Alice Brown CBE FRSE. Then General Secretary, Royal Society of Edinburgh Participants: Speakers and Chair from afternoon session, plus: Dr Marion Slater, Co Chair, Trainees and Members’ Committee, Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh Day 2 The Reproductive Years Chair: Professor Iain Cameron. Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton Epidemiological evidence and socio-economic costs of reproductive problems in UK Professor Siladitya Bhattacharya. Professor of Reproductive Medicine, University of Aberdeen Menstruation and cycle-related problems Professor Hilary Critchley FRSE. Professor of Reproductive Medicine, University of Edinburgh The maternal body in the workplace: a focus on breastfeeding experience and practices Dr Caroline Gatrell. Director of Doctoral Programmes, Senior Lecturer, Department of Management Learning and Leadership, Lancaster University Sex and health Professor Kaye Wellings. Head of SEHR and Professor of Sexual & Reproduc- tive Health Research, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

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Fertility regulation – changing policy to improve access Professor Anna Glasier Honorary Professor, University of Edinburgh and London School of Hygiene and Medicine Post-Reproductive Years Chair: Professor Jonathan Seckl FMedSci, FRSE. Vice-Principal (Planning, Resources and Research Policy) The Queen’s Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh A lifecourse approach to women’s health and ageing Professor Rebecca Hardy. Professor of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, University College London and Programme Leader, MRC Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing The menopausal transition: its effect on lifestyle and health Professor Anna Glasier OBE Honorary Professor, University of Edinburgh and London School of Hygiene and Medicine Panel discussion - Overall policy implications Chair: Professor Neva Haites OBE FRSE. Vice-Principal for Development, University of Aberdeen Participants: Chairs from Day 1 and Day 2 of the Conference

On 27 February, Dr Ngozi Dufty, Consultant in GU Medicine, Birmingham Heartlands Hospital gave a public lecture entitled Sexual and Reproductive Health Issues for Women in Combat

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Ian Stevens CEO, Touch Bionics Growing Healthcare Technology Businesses – Bringing Engineering Inventions to Market with Limited Resources RSE/RAE Joint Annual Lecture 4 March 2013 Ian Stevens was born in 1963 in floor restoration with Mpathy Belfast and educated at the city’s Medical and, most recently, the I- Royal Academy and then at the limb multi-articulating prosthetic University of Edinburgh, graduat- hand from Touch Bionics. ing in economics in 1985. After In the 2013 Annual Joint Lecture, University Ian spent six years in Ian explored how these inventions The Royal Air Force and then were brought to market, describ- joined KPMG, trained, qualified ing some of the challenges and worked as a Chartered overcome and discussing how the Accountant in Oxford and Prague products evolved to meet the ending up back in Edinburgh in needs of their users. The main aim 1998 with his wife and two (now of this lecture was to illustrate four) children. some of the key decisions sur- Between 1998 and 2007 Ian was rounding the introduction and employed by Optos plc, a medical growth of: technology company specialising - the Optomap retinal exam from in the imaging of the retina, firstly Optos in the roles of CFO in Dunferm- - Smartmesh for pelvic floor line, Scotland, and then from restoration from Mpathy 2003 as General Manager, North America in Boston, USA. - the i-limb bionic hand from Touch Bionics From 2007 Ian was CEO of Mpathy Medical, a surgical Ian discussed the impact of these medical device company and in decisions on the engineering 2011 he joined prosthetic hand development of the products, manufacturer, Touch Bionics, as especially in relation to their CEO. physical appearance, range of Ian counts himself fortunate to functionality and, where appropri- have been associated with the ate, in the software and mechanical interfaces used to development of three disruptive control them. He showed how the and leading healthcare technolo- technologies were adapted to gies over the last 14 years. Firstly meet their users’ needs, to survive the Optomap retinal scan from and then flourish as businesses. Optos, then Smartmesh for pelvic

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Optos hired by Douglas to solve his The crucial career moment came problem. -To get an image of the for Ian in the summer of 1998 retina, you have to shine light on when he went work at Optos, it and then get that light back, in with Douglas Anderson, in a cold, and out of an opening, the pupil, damp portakabin in Dunfermline. which fundamentally does not like He had met Douglas a few too much light interfering with it, months earlier, who had then and constricts in those circum- shared the Optos fledgling stances. business plan. At that time there Douglas’s team reminded him that was one prototype imaging an ellipsoidal mirror has two focal system, ten (mainly R&D) staff and points. The solution to the absolutely not a sniff of any problem was therefore to place revenue. Ian had been working in the eye at one focal point, fire a corporate finance and part of his low energy laser beam into it and job was to assess the business then place the collection device at plans of young companies the other focal point to collect the looking for equity funding. The reflected energy. This gave no time Optos business plan was the most for the pupil to constrict, meaning compelling that he had ever seen: there was no need for uncomfort- a massive unmet need, combined able contact with the cornea.- Ian with clear intellectual property observed that the thing about and a technology which was tricky, clever inventions like this one is but possible to manufacture. that they always seem obvious, Optos was founded because just after they have been invent- Douglas’s young son, Leif, was ed! unfortunate enough to suffer From an engineering point of from retinal detachments. These view, there were some significant left him blind in one eye and with issues to be solved, such as reduced vision in the other. scanning that laser light around Douglas was determined that the entire surface of the retina. other patients and parents would That challenge required the use of not have to go through what he a spinning polygon rotating at and Leif had. As Ian said, “it’s so exactly 27,356 revolutions per much better to invent something minute. which solves a known problem, Then there was an ergonomic rather than stumbling across an requirement to position the eye of interesting technological discovery the patient in precisely the right and then thinking, ‘well that’s place to get the laser beam interesting, now what shall I do through the pupil in the first with it?’” It took the third team place. In addition, there were

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extremely demanding manufactur- symptomatic and can be detected ing tolerances relating to the at an early stage via regular and performance and positioning of comprehensive examination of the 15 or so mirrors and lenses to retina. direct and collect that returning Essentially, when we have our eyes information. The bigger question checked – and this should be was as yet unanswered. Once the -annually – we want to be told technical problem was solved, only one thing – that we are fine. “well then, so what really – how But we also want to have confi- does it all get paid for – how do dence that if we are not fine then you make it a business?” our doctor will identify and The highly skilled ophthalmolo- recognise the visual signs prompt- gist had not, via his manual ing an adverse diagnosis. So examination, obtained enough Optos made several decisions very information to satisfactorily early on, before it ever earned a diagnose Leif’s condition. He had single dollar in revenue. admitted that he was only ‘getting Optos determined: a glimpse’. - that it would sell the Optomap By inventing the Optomap image, rather than the device technology, Douglas solved those itself, giving the practitioner the two problems – they could get means to carry out the screen- lots more information and could ing exam and building the record it digitally so it was there confidence of the patient; for review, rather than accessible - that the Optomap would be only via the practitioner’s memory. easily reviewable, saveable and But the technology needed to do available for comparison with this was very expensive – tens of subsequent images each year; thousands of pounds for each device, even after manufacturing - that huge resources would go volume reductions. So how could into the software to deliver that a viable business be created? educational experience to the patient and the performance; The answer relates to our desire to be reassured about our health. - that usage levels of the practice Conditions of, or evident in, the would all be recorded and retina, such as diabetic bleeding, transmitted daily to Optos, so macular degeneration, retinal that they could proactively help detatchment, glaucoma, high those practitioners who were blood pressure leading to stroke not being successful in getting and (more rarely, but even more all or most of their patients to gravely in terms of consequences) have an annual Optomap exam; ocular tumours, are often a- and • that it would do all this

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mainly in the USA, where the And all of this went alongside the medical side of optometry was necessary continuous improve- already a service that patients ments to the repeatability, were prepared to pay for, rather shortening and cost-effectiveness than in this country, for exam- of the manufacturing process. ple, where we expect to get this These engineering policies for free. Subsequent engineer- allowed the stakeholders and ing was focused on the financial backers to feel confident business objectives of high in the future of the company. The usage levels, precise and easy shareholders could see the image-taking by the patient number of Optomaps and themselves, and modular placements rising, thus justifying equipment design, for example: their investment, the bank - the Patient software, called V2 providing leasing finance could vantage, was designed with see that each system was finan- minimum data input time and cially self-sufficient, i.e., the maximum educational opportu- practitioner was selling enough nity, utilising libraries of disease Optomaps to his patients to cover images for comparison, allow- the lease payments, and the ing zoom and pan features to investment bank handling Optos’s review areas of interest in eventual IPO could see that this greater detail; revenue could continue well into the future without the need for - the alignment system was expensive equipment replace- consistently refined so that the ment. patient would know when they were exactly in the right To summarise, Optos raised its position to get that tiny laser first invoice for $94.50, that’s six beam through the tiny pupil, Optomaps at $15.75 each, on 31 first time, saving time; August 1999, and floated on the London Stock Exchange 6½ years - the original whole system unit later in February 2006 at a market was modularised in order to capitalisation of c$250m, by extend the lifetime of the which time revenue was up to equipment indefinitely. Rental $65m annually, with over 3,000 contracts could be extended locations selling Optomaps. after the initial three-year term Renewal percentage rates were in expired, without the need for the high 90s, remain high today, expensive equipment replace- and the company continues to ment – both the equipment and grow, with revenue now heading the software were ‘evergreen’. towards $200m annually.

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Dave Nelson, President of the Optos and a couple of months American Optometric Association, later was lucky enough to meet who in 2006 was leading Ameri- another brave and visionary ca’s 35,000 Optometrists, inventor. recognised how critical the early Mpathy detection capability was to his James Browning is a consultant patients and he remains a custom- gynaecological surgeon who left er today. Optos tended to find his hospital post and joined that once a customer had this sort Ethicon, a division of Johnson & of experience, and they did often, Johnson in the mid 1990s. At the that they would never give the time, Ethicon were introducing a equipment back – they were with new surgical product for women’s Optos for the long run. And of health and James was recruited to course they were making signifi- lead the product development. cant revenue for their practice Ethicon had adapted the poly- through the sale of the Optomap propolene mesh used for male exam – and that also helped! hernia repair, which by then was The final comment relating to becoming the norm rather than Optos was that it was the proximi- repairing hernias using sutures. It ty and regular contact of staff with was planning to use the same customers and patients that mesh for pelvic floor prolapse in prompted huge amounts of women, a condition often caused feedback, driving the direction of due to old age, obesity or follow- further hardware and software ing child birth. development. Optos built a direct James was concerned that the sales force and as many clinical hernia mesh was too heavy for the consultants, constantly visiting more delicate area it was now and training in the locations in being asked to be effective in, and America. Since daily usage and that problems would ensue were performance data came from every the body to reject this implanta- single system, the company could tion. So in 2001 he quit his job act quickly to rectify any customer and a secure future, raised some issues. Ian said that these were money from Archangel and big lessons for him. Ian had Scottish Enterprise, and set about moved to the USA in 2003 as inventing a lighter stronger mesh. General Manager and stayed for a year after the float to help keep James did invent his lighter mesh. the growth going. But his wife He invented a way to promote and children headed back to much higher new tissue growth Scotland in 2006 for schooling after implantation. Below is an reasons, so in April 2007 he left image of the material. Compared

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to Ethicon’s mesh there was much products and didn’t want to buy more space and the mesh consist- James’s technology. ed of carefully woven fibres with So the first phase of the engineer- tiny distances separating them. ing was complete. The next phase James knew the size of the tiny involved setting up a US Corpora- particles, called macrophages and tion, branding the new company neutrophyls, which are together and products as ‘advanced’ and responsible for new tissue ‘market leading’, and going head- growth. He believed that if the to-head in a very focused way with spaces between individual fibres these huge corporations. Mpathy making up the strands of the Medical had a limited range of mesh could be restricted to products, and chose to sell only in approximately 100 microns, then the US, to carefully targeted this would be an ideal location for leading urologists and urogynae- new tissue growth to commence. cologists, with again a direct sales Since the spaces between the force. strands could now be bigger, Just as with Optos, Archangel there could be more air and less agreed and funded this further mesh per square metre. Mpathy’s business development, and in mesh was therefore able to be early 2008 Mpathy Medical patented at less than 19 grammes launched a range of pelvic floor per square metre – less than half prolapse and stress urinary the weight of that of the leading continence implantable medical competitors, but in clinical trials devices, all manufactured in approximately 60% stronger. Prestwick, Scotland from this new, Having come up with the idea and lightweight, physiologically- prototype, James and a couple of compatible material called, colleagues spent six years invent- Smartmesh. Unusually for a new ing, literally weaving, mesh, product in this area of medicine, protecting his invention by at the time of final FDA approval registering his intellectual proper- and product launch, Mpathy had ty, conducting clinical trials and substantial and very positive obtaining the necessary CE marks, clinical evidence on Smartmesh’s and FDA approvals. But by 2007, results. There was otherwise a he was out of money, and the big general absence of favourable competitors in the market place, outcome data for polypropolene billion-dollar companies such as mesh used for this type of surgery. Ethicon, Tyco Covidien, Bard, It appeared that James had been Coloplast, Boston Scientific and correct in his reason for leaving American Medical Systems, were Ethicon. The other meshes were happy with their less effective not performing very well. But

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Smartmesh had achieved out- ‘we would like to buy you so that standing results in over 200 fully we can use your technology to documented cases performed by advance our business’. respected surgeons before a As a result Mpathy was sold to the single piece was sold. Mpathy had Danish wound management and learned that in addition to male urology company Coloplast. Smartmesh’s low density per With access to their wider distri- square metre, there were other bution capability, product sales important success factors for this were able to grow faster and thus type of surgery; such as the outsourced manufacturing stayed surface area of mesh left in the in Scotland. So In March 2011, Ian body, the means of securing the was out of work again. Where mesh within the body, and the next? actual shape of the mesh in Touch bionics relation to the actual location of the prolapse. Next for Ian came the chance to work with the amazing invention Historically, this type of surgery that is the i-limb hand, with the had typically involved the surgeon aim of bringing its benefits to as popping down to the back of the many suitable recipients as operating theatre with a pair of possible. Ian again was lucky scissors, needle and thread and enough to be associated with the fashioning a bespoke device for best product in the world in its that particular operation, with the field – and again the challenge patient already in the theatre was, and is, to develop that under a general anaesthetic. product and its supporting Women were being cured of organisation so as to encourate prolapse, but often suffering wide adoption. complications and rejection because of the intrusiveness -of Ian stated that our hands are truly the heavy mesh. amazing things. He invited the audience to consider the range of In bringing Smartmesh to US movement possible, the precision hospitals, Mpathy focused on a with which objects can be practical and timesaving approach grasped, the sensory feedback for the surgeon – customised from touching something, the mesh. Different shapes of mesh, assistance to balance and posi- and different means of fixation. tional awareness. And humans Over the next two years, Mpathy take them for granted. Ian annoyed their huge competitors encouraged the audience to try so much that one of them putting their hands in their eventually sued for alleged patent pockets and keeping them there infringement. This was code for

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for even a few minutes minutes. digits lacked the ability to con- He suggested that this demon- form around an object, to grip strates how the entire means of with sufficient force or to inde- dealing with the world immedi- pendently articulate. Those ately changes. He then asked the features are necessary to truly audience to imagine that to be confer to the user a significant permanent, and reminded them restoration of their ability to that “everyone you meet will perform -a wide range of the notice this and form a view of you activities of daily living. One day in based on how you are different, the late 1980s, David, an engineer not necessarily in a malevolent working for the Scottish NHS, was way, but just because we notice working out on his wife’s exercise these things. bicycle. He noticed that the So how can an advanced electron- speedometer on the bicycle was ic hand provide a conforming grip loose, that the mechanism that and dexterity? Invention, shrewd transmitted the speed reading observation skills and innovative was going round and round engineering were required…”-- instead of being fixed, and that it Ian had known about Touch had a particular combination of Bionics before 2011. It would gearing called a worm wheel have been hard not to have been inside it, and he spotted a aware of David Gow’s invention solution to the manufacture of when the first i-limbs came to those ‘pesky’ prosthetic digits market in 2008. At that stage which he had been trying to however, he didn’t know anything perfect for ten years. about the history. It was that problem-resolving The roots of the Touch Bionics discovery that allowed David to project went back to the early continue his research work, 1960s and to the tragedy that was inserting a small motor into each Thalidomide. The project was digit, thus achieving sufficient evolved over many project teams, grip strength combined with twists and turns, to eventually miniaturisation. That advance, bring to patients who had along with gaining funds from suffered upper limb loss, a multi- Archangel & Scottish Enterprise, articulating, variably-gripping, eventually allowed him to found self-esteem-elevating, prosthetic Touch Bionics just over ten years hand. previously. Electric hands have been around The Royal Society of Edinburgh for decades, but they have been had last heard about the i-limb clawlike in appearance. They were four years previously, at the RAE/ very strong in their grip, but their RSE Joint Lecture in March 2009.

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At that time, Touch Bionics had been found that practising how to introduced its prosthetic digits in use the muscles which control the the form of a full hand, called the hand and getting used to the i-limb hand, and also for patients Biosim software before actually with partial hand loss. At that being fitted, improves familiarity time around 500 patients had and encourages faster and more been fitted. permanent adoption. Patient By the time of this lecture over simply connect up to their pcs and 4,000 patients had been fitted off they go – the virtulimb is with i-limbs and this was now the simply another blue tooth device. third generation of i-limb called And all of the control software the i-limb ultra. The main aim of available on the pc can also be Touch Bionics is the provision of a provided on an ipod touch. hand of which the patient can be Tapping favourite grips and proud, thus encouraging that features in a couple of seconds person to use it for a wider range allows i-limb wearer more flexibili- of activities. ty in what they can do – so they Ian said it was constantly evident can easily pick up a plate in a that if patients feel less self restaurant or type on a key board conscious, more empowered and using an extended index finger or confident, and if they have been tie their shoelace. In fact the properly trained, then they wear limitation of the usefulness of an and use their replacement limb i-limb hand is not in the range of more often, especially when movement possible, but in the completing normal everyday living wearers physical ability to control tasks such as holding a cup, using those movements.- There are 14 a camera, playing with a ball or commonly available popular grips, picking up small objects. It had although in practice the hand can been focus on everyday tasks move to any combination of digit which was the defining features positions. The ipod, and lots of of the development of the i-limb training help, but the new frontier over the previous four years. is to come up with ways to provide the brain and the body Some of the tools for productivity more ways actually to access and are obvious which, he said, is the control these features quickly. Ian whole point. Touch Bionics seeks then described two recent to simplify the use of the i-limb, improvements that came about in believing that the wearers already responses to the wishes of the have enough challenging situa- patients just to be ‘more normal’. tions with which to deal. And that The first is called Autograsp. simplification and learning starts Because the hand does not confer before the device is fitted. It has

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a sense of touch to the user, some The wrist is a very useful adden- assistance is required to stop dum to our hands, providing us objects which have been grasped with enormous positional flexibili- being dropped accidentally. This ty for our hands and digits to can happen if the user sends an grasp, press, point etc. But most accidental ‘open’ command to the whole hand amputations mean hand. If this happens then the the loss of the wrist. To try to motors will instantly operate, bring back some of that function- reclosing the fingers around the ality a flexible powered object. mechanical wrist is supplied and The second feature is the Varigrip. also one which can continuously This was introduced to increase rotate. These wrists can flex in all the strength with which the directions, and their introduction fingers can grip, essentially by reduces the types of repetitive providing an extra portion of grip stress injuries which otherwise force through each finger, one at occur when the shoulders for a time, much as we would when example are forced into awkward we grasp an object, our fingers movements just to get the hands conforming around it, tightening in the right position. just enough to hold it securely. By Ian went on to talk about i-limb applying the force sequentially to digits. Whole hand amputation or the fingers, the hand can be deficiency is less common than controlled much more sensitively, partial hand loss. Thus, Touch more power can be available to Bionics has introduced a ‘1 to 5’ each finger, and battery life can be digit solution for those patients conserved. So there is less anxiety with partial hand loss. It’s a very about running out of battery, demanding prosthetic challenge, plenty of power available, but with a unique solution for each controlled and applied one digit patient, because every injury is at a time. potentially very different from the A lot of time is also spent coming next. But an incredible degree of up with simple little things to functionality can be restored, from ‘humanise’ the hand. For instance, workplace or DIY activities to the allowing the hand to return to its ubiquitous playstation and the natural position, “as you and I independence of operating a would do involuntarily, after if has mouse. And using the ipod, been used, without having to together with good rehabilitation command it to do so”. All that’s therapy, can make all these daily needed is to set the time delay, activities a reality again. and this will happen every time During and after the fitting of the automatically. first 200 or so patients with i-limb

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digits, Touch Bionics received this is an important feature of the significant feedback, which led to cosmetic appearance of i-limb. a set of criteria for the next Whilst Touch Bionics is happy to iteration of i-limb digits. The most provide the terminator look-alike, visible improvement needed, tattoos, bright red, etc, most related to the size of the digits patients are satisfied with access themselves, or more accurately, to over 400 skin colour tones, the distance from their base to the matched freckles and hairs, and point of rotation of the digit. That nails that can be painted. In needed to be reduced and, once 2008, Touch Bionics actually that was done, because the digits purchased a company which rotate around a point much closer makes these cosmetic coverings to the base of the amputation, and has spent a lot of time and they look much more natural and money in developing new cover- its much easier to get the fingers ing methods, anti-slip coating to and thumb to oppose easily. That allow the covering to be put on is, for example, how we pick up and off easily, as well as more objects. And they learned other robust and consistent formulae things about partial hand pa- for the consistency of the silicon tients. For example, that they wish gloves. The i-limb user can to have full wrist movement, that therefore be unnoticed in public, they want their partial hand -to be just as we all are normally. lighter, and therefore less sweaty – In earlier mentions of Optos and we perspire a lot through our Mpathy, Ian referred to the need hands – and that they want the to ensure that, as well as being software to be increasingly easy to focused on the needs of the use and for the batteries to be patient, product development easily swappable so that there is must also take into account the no anxiety about running out of needs of the stakeholders, power. whether investors, bankers or Thus i-limb digits were developed corporate financiers. which are lighter, smaller, stronger This is all also true at Touch, and a and with all the software features further dimension is added by the and manufacturing robustness requirement for outcomes improvements built in. In addition evidence by the funders of these they are controllable with an ipod devices, who are most often likely and have removeable and replace- to be an insurance provider or able batteries. public health authority. How are Ian reiterated that self confidence the patients actually doing; are and reduced self consciousness they using the hands regularly; are are the keys to usage, and that they able to perform an increased

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number of everyday functional The i-limb is capable of doing acitvities of daily living? more than the human body can So having manufactured the command it to do. No matter hands, another crucial activity is to what TV or the newspapers might ensure that their use is recorded say or hope, we will never, well and measured, in order to justify not in our lifetimes, make some- the expense to the payer. High thing as wonderful as a human levels of usage can be monitored hand. But we can do lots more to by a combination of methods – redress that balance. Ian described including seeking regular and three contrasting examples of comprehensively documented developments, each of which has patient feedback on how they are their importance, in controlling achieving their goals, on how the hand, in improving dexterity many of the features of the hand and in making it easy to switch are in use, on how soon and easily between the different features, so they have got back to work and that the dexterity can be accessed on how well the hands are quickly and effortlessly. Control maintained by enabling them It has been discovered that gold always to be available for use and plating the electrodes which carry not in need of repair or service. those tiny electrical signals from The development of the reporting the arm muscles to the hand’s capability software and databases microprocessor, telling it what to to hold this data has and will do, improves the reliability and continue to be a focus. This is clarity of those signals enormous- done by getting ilimb wearers to ly. And it was also recognised that connect over the internet, so that lower profile electrodes allow the they can report in a consistent manufacture of a less obtrusive documented manner on how they prosthetic socket – wearers just are progressing. When they do want not to be noticed. So these that, the hand sends a log of every very low profile electrodes are very movement of the hand during useful in both function and in that time, enabling a rich bank of improving appearance. data to be built up of what Dexterity features they have been using Ian had talked about how incredi- most often, and also how well the ble our hands are, but he went on hand is working. to point out that 40% of our All of this information is key to manual dexterity is estimated to justifying the expense and come from our thumb. Until then providing input for future product it had been very difficult to make development. thumbs that are electronically And so to the future .... rotatable as well --as open and

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close. - But now the solution had key invention – prosthetic digits been found. This means that the which are independently articulat- wearer can now automtically and ing, robust and strong, and trying precisely use powered rotation of to get them used as easily and the thumb for those fine motor unobtrusively as possible, because activities. So, for example, just the users demand it! Before getting the thumb out of the way closing, Ian mentioned some key to put on and take off clothes, or development areas that are the to carefully pick up small objects next frontier for upper limb between thumb and index finger, prosthetics. What if surgeons can now happen with one i-limb could reposition nerves in active hand movement followed by use muscle. Then the body could think of the other hand to get the it was moving a real hand and thumb position just right. It seems that information could be relayed unimportant but, Ian explained, to the i-limb. This work is under- “if you had one hand, were way in various research locations carrying a briefcase in it, and then around the world by external wanted to use your i-limb to pick organisations and Touch Bionics up a set of keys, well you wouldn’t were hopeful that the results will want to have to put down your eventually be accessible by briefcase in order to position your patients using i-limb. The organi- thumb to do that would you?” sation itself was working and Ease of use collaborating with leading universities in the areas of Pattern And finally, thanks to the bril- Recognition and Gyroscopic liance of the Apple corporation it Control. is now possible to pull all the elements together, the responsive- To explain – If microprocessors ness of electrodes, the choice of and software could together grips for different activities, all in a interpret certain signals from the simple app available in the app electrodes, and/or related physical store. The objective is to make movements and gestures, as prothetic devices a ‘normal’ unique to certain, grips or feature of our everyday lives – so features, then the hand could be amputees are comfortable commanded to respond accord- withtheir adoption – not inhibited ingly – “think of an advanced Wii or under-confident in using them. and you have the general idea”. Ian stated that this was what was And of course we would like to coming out at that time or get closer to the original intent of imminently from the Touch this whole project, to make a engineering group led by Hugh smaller hand, perhaps not Gill. They were building on the suitable for very young children,

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but certainly aimed at smaller I am not sure about the prosthetic humans, whether they are of God, statement, but those last school age or from for example two sentences could very neatly Asian countries. With the smaller sum up our ambition at Touch digits, neater electrodes and Bionics. Raise the self esteem of smaller pcbs this is perfectly the wearer – make them feel possible. Ian Stevens could not be magnificent, we all deserve the more enthusiastic about the chance to feel good about future course of these develop- ourselves don’t we? But at the ments. The company is motivated same time my colleagues recog- not only by its founder’s vision, nise the limitations of a but also by witnessing the prosthesis, and we seek to hardships overcome by the minimise those limitations by amazing patients who restore wringing every bit of utility from their functions, not fully, because the ilimb by training, by making it the human hand is a truly won- easy to use, by making its move- drous tool, but by very significant ments mechanically better. amounts. Ian concluded by thanking the Sigmund Freud said, in his book Royal Society of Edinburgh and Civilisation and its Discontents, the Royal Academy of Engineering published in 1929: for inviting him to present this “Man has, as it were, become a Lecture and repeated how kind of prosthetic God. When he privileged he felt to have had the puts on all his auxiliary organs he opportunity to work with these is truly magnificent. But those great inventions. “I know that for organs have not grown on to him all of these inventions there is and they still give him much much more to be done”. trouble at times.”

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Professor James Hunter FRSE Professor of the History of the Highlands and Islands University of the Highlands and Islands A Lochaber McDonald in the Camp of Sitting Bull 12 March 2013 Mallaig High School In 1876 they wiped out General the war continued well into the George A Custer and his 7th winter months and, faced with the Cavalry at the Battle of Little greater resources of the US Bighorn. Chief Sitting Bull and his Government, Crazy Horse finally Sioux people then fled from the surrendered. Sitting Bull left the United States to Canada. A young United States and moved his man followed White Bird to people across the border to Sitting Bull’s camp. This young Canada, which at the time was man’s name was Duncan McDon- British territory, and here he ald. Descended from chiefs of the founded an encampment in Nez Perce and from chiefs of one relative safety. of Scotland’s most formidable Meanwhile, further west in Idaho, clans, Duncan’s family – first as another Indian people, the Nez Lochaber Highlanders, then as Perce, were also involved in similar Native Americans – were twice ongoing battles with the whites. victims of massacre and disposses- The Nez Perce were naïve in their sion. This lecture told their story. expectation that their war was Professor Hunter’s story began in solely with the whites of Idaho, June 1876 when, near to the Little and having defeated the US Bighorn River on the Great Plains soldiers on many occasions, they of eastern Montana, war broke set out on a long trek through out between the United States Montana, Wyoming and across Government troops, led by the Great Plains, headed for General George Custer, and the Canada to link up with Sitting Bull Sioux and Southern Cheyenne and the Sioux. During their Indian people. General Custer journey of many hundreds of expected an easy victory, but miles, accompanied by their didn’t account for the fighting famed Appaloosa horses and capabilities of the men led by family members, both young and Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull. The old, the Nez Perce fought and Battle of Little Bighorn was won several battles, incurring perhaps the most spectacular of casualties along the way. However, victories by Native Americans in their trek was to have a tragic their many conflicts with their outcome when, just 42 miles white neighbours. However, south of the Canadian border, following this initial battle victory, they were overwhelmingly

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attacked by the US troops, an interest in the Highland-born including artillery. After several fur traders who were amongst the days, Chief Joseph of the Nez first white people to reach the Perce decided to surrender, Pacific northwest of the United stating, “From where the sun now States. They arranged to visit some stands, I will fight no more of the places where Angus forever.” McDonald had been based. Although Chief Joseph had Meanwhile, Jim McLeod received a surrendered, another Nez Perce telephone call from a colleague chief, White Bird, distrusting the who knew a young Indian promise the US Government had forester, named Tom Branson, made regarding safe passage back from the Flathead Indian Reserva- to Idaho, made a desperate last tion near Missoula. Tom had bid for freedom. Under the cover mentioned to Jim’s colleague that of darkness and in a blizzard, he he was part Scottish by descent. and about one hundred Nez Perce Jim telephoned Tom and, during people successfully broke through the conversation, was told that the US Army lines and made for Tom’s great-great grandfather was Canada and Sitting Bull’s camp. a Scottish fur trader, named Chief White Bird was joined in Angus McDonald. In December Sitting Bull’s camp by a young 1994, Professor Hunter made the relative who was later to write up first of several trips to the Flathead the story of the Nez Perce war Reservation and met with Tom from their perspective – his name Branson. Tom introduced him to was Duncan McDonald. his now late great-uncle, Charlie McDonald, who at the time was Professor Hunter first came across one of the tribal elders. Charlie this story when researching his was the grandson of Angus and book A Dance Called America. He nephew of Duncan. He remem- was intrigued by Duncan McDon- bered his Uncle Duncan very well. ald, a Nez Perce Indian with a Professor Hunter recalled meeting name that was redolent of the Charlie at his home situated Highlands of Scotland. Further amongst some of the most research established that Duncan’s spectacular scenery in the world. father, Angus McDonald was a fur The Rockies in this region rise to trader for the Hudson Bay Compa- 10,000 feet and their most ny who had crossed the Rocky prominent summit is McDonald Mountains in the 1830s and had Peak, named after Angus. To the married into the Nez Perce people. north is Glacier National Park; its Duncan’s mother belonged to a centrepiece being McDonald Lake, leading Nez Perce family. Professor named after Duncan. During this Hunter contacted a friend in first meeting with Charlie, Idaho, Jim McLeod, who also had

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Professor Hunter was shown old with White Bird’s escape from the photographs, letters and docu- US army in blizzard conditions. ments belonging to Angus. Some These Highland roots in them- of these letters dated back to the selves are impressive; however, 1840s and were written by Professor Hunter discovered that Angus’s sister, Margaret, and sent the ancestors of Duncan McDon- from Dingwall in the Scottish ald and the present-day Highlands. Professor Hunter was McDonalds on the Flathead further intrigued by the family Reservation go back much further and, with the permission of the than 1692. They extend, by way of Indian family, set about further Glencoe’s McDonald chiefs, to research with the aim of writing Aonghas Og, Angus McDonald of the story of the two very similar Islay who, in the course of societies, the Scottish Highland Scotland’s 14th-Century War of Clans and the Indian people of Independence, was a key ally of the American West. King Robert the Bruce. They Professor McDonald established extend beyond Angus of Islay to that Angus had been born at a Somerled, the 12th-Century small settlement called Craig, warrior prince who founded, in Torridon, in 1816. Craig was a effect, the Lordship of the Isles. victim of the Highland Clearances They extend, ultimately, to and today there remains only one Somerled’s earliest authenticated surviving building. Angus’s father, ancestors, such as Gofraid, son of Donald, registered his birth across Fergus, who came to the High- the loch at Applecross. Angus’s lands from Ireland in the year 835. grandfather, another Angus, had Professor Hunter then turned his family connections linking him to attention to how the McDonalds Munial in Knoydart, but lived in came to be in North America. In Glencoe in the late 18th Century the early 1800s, Thomas Douglas, at a place called Inverigan. This the 5th Earl of Selkirk, became Angus, as a teenager, was a concerned with the plight of the soldier in the Highland army that, Scottish crofters who were being in 1746, was defeated at Cul- displaced by their landlords. He loden. And this Angus’s father, considered that there was little John MacDonald, had fled into that could be done to prevent the the snow-covered Glencoe hills, as Highland Clearances, but wanted a small boy, on the night, in to investigate ways in which he February 1692, when Scottish could help them find new land in government soldiers massacred the then British colonies. Selkirk his McDonald clan. This, noted spent some time in the United Professor Hunter, is in parallel States and Canada and got to know the leading men of the

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North West Company, many of spirited and adventurous. His whom were Highlanders. He was requests were fulfilled by a 21- informed about the lands known year-old named Archibald as Les Prairies, and a watercourse McDonald. Archie’s father was named the Red River, and consid- Angus McDonald of Inverigan, ered that this might be an ideal Glencoe. Archie left Glencoe and place to establish his Highland set sail for Canada on one of the colony. By happy coincidence, most gruelling journeys ever made Selkirk’s wife held shares in the by emigrants from Europe to Hudson Bay Company and this North America. Terrible weather enabled him to buy a tract of land conditions meant that the party from the Company. This land was had to overwinter in Hudson’s Bay four times the size of Scotland and it was Spring 1814 before and cost him just ten shillings. they headed south to the Red Selkirk now had the land for the River colony and set up their colony, but needed to find people settlement. Today, this settlement to move to the area and settle. is the city of Winnipeg. Initially, These people were found in the times were difficult at the Red Highland settlement of Kildonan. River and there was fighting Selkirk came up with a scheme between the settlers and the whereby, knowing that military Metis, a mixed-blood people who manpower was needed in Can- depended on the buffalo hunt. ada, he suggested to the British Professor Hunter noted the irony Government that he would raise a that the Kildonan folk, who regiment of people from Kildo- themselves were evicted from their nan, take them to Canada and, own homes, in turn evicted the when the fighting was over, the Metis from their land. In time, life regiment would be disbanded at at the Red River became more the Red River and the men’s settled and Archie McDonald was families would be shipped over to posted west to the Columbia River join them. This scheme was country. He eventually took charge rejected. However, Selkirk perse- of all Bay Company operations on vered and, when the Kildonan folk the far side of the Rockies. Here were due to be evicted in May Archie married a Chinook Indian 1813, he took about one hun- woman and had a son, Ranald dred, at his own expense, to McDonald. Ranald travelled the Canada via Orkney. world, and after stints in Japan, Selkirk needed someone to be in China, Australia and Scotland, he charge of his new colonists. He returned to the American West was seeking a young man from a where, in his old age, he was well good family who spoke Gaelic, know to his second cousin, and whilst reliable, was also Duncan McDonald, the man who

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accompanied Chief White Bird to resistance to white settlement. the camp of Sitting Bull. Duncan’s Where there had previously been father, Angus, was a great- many millions of Indians there nephew of Archie McDonald of were now, in all of the United the Red River settlement and the States, just over 200,000; all living Bay Company. He made his own on reservations. Today, there are journey to America in 1838 and many more Indians once again, was employed by the Bay Compa- but they continue to live difficult ny and posted in Southern Idaho. lives where poverty, unemploy- Angus married an Indian girl ment, alcoholism and drug abuse named Catherine in 1842 and are rife on the reservations. they moved north in 1847. However, many Indians, including Professor Hunter commented that the McDonald family, are making to the white people, a family like efforts to put their society back Angus’s was ‘beyond the pale’. A together, with some success. The white, like Angus, married to an Salish Kootenai Community Indian, was known as a squaw- College on the Flathead Reserva- man and the children of that tion provides young Indians with marriage, such as Duncan and his an education that honours their numerous brothers and sisters, traditions, culture and heritage. In were breeds, or half-breeds. All a similar way, the Gaelic-medium were spoken of, and treated, with College, Sabhal Mor Ostaig on contempt. Yet, both Angus and Skye aims to do the same. Catherine, in relation to the Professor Hunter concluded by societies from which they came, remembering a visit to the were people of high standing. Flathead Reservation when he was Angus was descended from the told, “we have a saying here chiefs of the Glencoe MacDonalds about our songs. As long as our and Catherine was related to the songs are sung, we say, our chiefs of the Nez Perce. people will be here. And today The Nez Perce war of 1876, which our songs are being sung much led to Chief White Bird and more than once they were.” Duncan McDonald joining the Professor Hunter commented that camp of Sitting Bull, was one of it “seems appropriate to think of the last episodes of its kind. The the McDonald story as a song to Indian West was largely over by which all the many McDonalds then, just as the Highlands of the that I’ve mentioned have added, clans was also over. Nine years or are adding, their few notes. after the Nez Perce war, Geronimo This song’s been heard for a long, of the Apache surrendered to the long time already. It will, I hope, United States military, bringing be heard for a long time to about an end to the Indian armed come”.

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Professor Alan Watson FRS Emeritus Professor of Physics, University of Leeds C T R Wilson, Ben Nevis and the Higgs Boson 14 March 2013 Kinlochleven High School

C T R Wilson made observations Physics, with the citation “for the of the ‘glories’ while working at method of making the paths of the Observatory on Ben Nevis. A electrically-charged particles passion to reproduce this phe- visible by condensation of nomenon in the laboratory led vapour”. A fundamental compo- him to invent a device called a nent of his work was the cloud chamber. This apparatus, invention of the ‘cloud chamber’, described by Lord Rutherford as which was inspired by a short “the most original and wonderful period of work undertaken on instrument in scientific history”, Ben Nevis in his early years. The was used in many experiments to device was absolutely crucial to study ‘elementary particles’, the development of particle particularly in the 1930s and physics, findings from which have 1940s. These discoveries led to provided the foundations for the creation of the field of particle many of the significant develop- physics and, most recently, to the ments in the field, right through discovery of the Higgs boson, to the most recent work of which was postulated to explain Professor Peter Higgs and the why particles have mass. This talk discovery of the Higgs boson. CTR painted a picture of C T R Wilson died in 1959, age 90, not long as a scientist and as a person, and after becoming, at the age of 85, showed how important his work the oldest Fellow to have pub- was in developing one of the lished a paper in the Proceedings most exciting fields of modern of the Royal Society. Professor physics. Wilson, Scotland’s first Watson’s PhD supervisor knew Nobel Laureate in Physics, is much Wilson and talked a great deal less well known than he deserves about him. This helped inspire to be and this talk aimed to help Professor Watson while a student rectify this. in Edinburgh and throughout his Charles Thomson Rees Wilson career, and he believes that there (also known as ‘CTR’) was born in is an important need to recognise 1869 in Glencorse, to the south and promote the work and legacy of Edinburgh. In 1927, he became of C T R Wilson. the first, and indeed the only, Scot Internationally-renowned scien- to be awarded the Nobel Prize in tists such as Lord Rutherford, who

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discovered that the atom has a invention that was to achieve the nucleus by firing energetic alpha laboratory replication Wilson particles from radioactive sources sought. To describe how Wilson’s at matter, described Wilson’s cloud chamber works, Professor cloud chamber device as “the Watson explained the phenome- most original and wonderful non of condensation by means of instrument in scientific history”. J two simple demonstrations, the J Thomson, discoverer of the first with audience participation. electron, provided an insight of This entailed members of the Wilson as a man who has “rarely audience first breathing onto their been equalled as an example of hands normally and then through ingenuity, insight, skill and pursed lips. With the latter, the air manipulation, unfailing patience is cooler because as the air and dogged determination”. This expands on leaving the mouth, it was exemplified by the fact that cools. In the second demonstra- he did his glass blowing himself tion, a bicycle pump was used to and, though apparatus regularly pressurise air in a plastic bottle. broke and needed replacing, he When the pressure is released would set about redoing this with quickly, the released air rapidly amazing patience. expands and cools, leaving the In 1894, Wilson worked for a few bottle full of condensation. This is weeks at the meteorological the essence of Wilson’s technique. observatory on Ben Nevis, which In the cloud chamber, where a gas he cited as an inspiration in his is cooled very quickly in a carefully Nobel lecture in 1927, when he controlled manner, condensation described “the wonderful optical of any liquid vapour present takes phenomena shown when the sun place on particles and dirt in the shone on the clouds, especially air and on the surfaces of the the coloured rings surrounding container. the shadow cast of the hilltop or John Aitken, from Falkirk and also the observer, the so-called a cloud scientist, had already ‘glories’, greatly excited my discovered that when water interest and made me wish to vapour condenses in the atmos- imitate them in the laboratory”. phere, it always does so on a These ‘glories’, Professor Watson nucleus, typically the dust particles explained, are the rainbow-like in the air, and he speculated that effects that can be seen around if there was no dust in the air the shadows of objects when the there would be no fogs, clouds, cloud is below you when in an mists or rain. CTR improved aeroplane or on a high mountain. Aitken’s techniques and built the The ‘cloud chamber’ was the first prototype of his cloud

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chamber. This incorporated a leaking away. Despite this, 10cm-wide volume containing air Coulomb found that there was saturated with water vapour. A always a leakage, which much system of tubes and valves later became associated with the allowed him to cool the air inside presence of ions in the air, with very rapidly, expanding the such ions being formed when a saturated water vapour: he was charged particle rips one of the able to measure the volume electrons off the atom, leaving a before and after the expansion positively charged ion and an very precisely. By 1896, X-rays had electron which usually attaches been discovered and Wilson took itself to something very quickly. an early X-ray tube and shone it Ions are in the air all the time and, into his apparatus. The conse- indeed, one of the huge puzzles quence discovered was that he of physics in the latter 19th would get a dense fog when the Century related to where these expansion ratio exceeded 1.242, ions came from, as even if you which his precise measurements shielded things with lead, the loss determined to be one part in of charge couldn’t be prevented. 1200. Thomson and Rutherford To help study this ionisation, attributed the conductivity of the Wilson greatly improved the air to the production of ions, operation of an existing device – whereas Wilson concluded that the electroscope. In 1901, he the condensation nuclei in his suggested that “the continuous chamber were ions created by the production of ions in dust free air X-rays. This was a fundamental could be explained as due to insight. radiation from outside our Much earlier, in 1785, Charles atmosphere” – an extraordinary Coulomb was studying electro- jump of thought at the time. In a static phenomena. He would study designed to try to show charge up materials and watch whether this speculation was true, how they behaved, leading to the Wilson took his electroscope into development of an equation a railway tunnel near Peebles and called Coulomb’s Law, where the looked to see whether the rate of product of the charge divided by discharge was slower in the the square of the distance tunnel than outside. At the time, between them tells you the force nothing was known about between two objects. The objects radioactivity in rocks and in fact he he used were gilded metal actually saw as much discharge spheres suspended by silk rods, inside the tunnel as he did silk being an extremely good outside in the open air. This was material to prevent charge from disappointing, in that his insight

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had seemingly been proved to be electroscope in a balloon, without wrong, and he turned to his other oxygen, to a height of five interest, atmospheric electricity, kilometres – he found that the for which he remains very well- number of ion pairs produced per known today. This aspect of his cubic volume per second in- studies also came from his time at creased by about a factor of three the observatory on Ben Nevis by the time he reached five when he was caught in an kilometres above the Earth. Hess electrical storm, a phenomenon speculated that CTR had been that was to occupy him deeply for correct and that there was indeed the next ten years, and indeed the radiation coming from outside the study of thunderstorms was a Atmosphere, and it was this that consuming interest for the rest of was responsible for the ionisation. his life. By 1910, the nature of This radiation came to be known radioactive rays was better as ‘cosmic rays’ and one might understood and Wilson had the argue that Wilson was the first idea of seeing and photographing cosmic ray physicist. the tracks of ionisation left by the The first use of the cloud chamber particles. This was achieved by in cosmic rays was made serendip- making the air clean enough itously in 1929 by a Russian using an electric field. He had scientist, Skobelzyn, who was learned about photography at an firing X-rays into a chamber with a early age and took the first images magnetic field at right angles to of the tracks of alpha and beta the direction of incidence; the particles within his cloud chamber. magnetic field bends the paths of He also took pictures of electrons charged particles and allows their by firing X-rays into the cloud momentum to be measured. chamber. Professor Watson Skobelzyn was measuring the commented that, technically, the energy of the electrons in a study pictures Wilson published in 1912 of the Compton Effect, but in one are superb and it would be photograph he identified a unlikely to be possible to produce particularly energetic particle that better even with modern, more was very unusual and was not sophisticated equipment. Early in associated with the X-ray beam. the 20th Century, others took up This was the start of the combined Wilson’s idea that the ionisation use of cosmic rays and the cloud that caused electroscopes to chamber to study what we now discharge was coming from call particle physics. outside our Atmosphere. In 1912, A dramatic finding was made with Victor Hess, an enthusiastic the cloud chamber in 1933, with Austrian balloonist, took an the discovery of the positive

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electron, now known as the Mendeleev for chemical elements. positron. This was the first New discoveries of different example of ‘antimatter’ and was particles continued, such as found using a cloud chamber quarks and gluons, which are measuring about one foot across, present in such as the proton now with a lead plate in the middle seen as not being ‘elementary’. and a magnetic field at right Often scientists postulated the angles. Whilst most cosmic rays existence of particles and then come downwards, in this inci- experimental work followed in dence a particle was identified which these were often found. that went upwards, with the track Nowadays, there is a Standard bent more after going through Model of particle physics which the lead plate where it lost energy. combines quantum mechanics, Although such a particle had been the special theory of relativity and predicted theoretically the year all the new particles and provides before, it was only discovered an understanding of the final using the cloud chamber; no ‘periodic’ table of fundamental other technique then available particle elements. This table could have been used to find this includes families of electrons, particle. The ‘muon’, a particle muons, tau-mesons, neutrinos that can be thought of as a heavy and quarks; all matter is com- electron, was discovered later in posed of these elements. The the 1930s using the cloud model also explains, by the chamber, with many other exchange of what are called ‘elementary’ particles discovered carriers, the forces that hold the with it after World War II. Al- particles together: the gluon; the though CTR played no direct part photon which is responsible for in this work, his cloud chamber the electro-magnetic force; and was the tool that enabled these the weak nuclear force concerned hugely important discoveries in with beta decay. The Standard the field of particle physics to be Model is a very successful descrip- made many decades after the tion of nature, created through chamber was invented. the work of many people over Moving forward to modern times, many years. Indeed, it is regarded Professor Watson described how, as a crowning achievement of by the early 1960s, a huge 20th-Century physics and un- number of particles were known – doubtedly one of the great something like a particle zoo! Gell intellectual advances that have Mann had arranged the particles been made. in patterns in tables, similar to the However, until recently there was a periodic table developed by missing element, as evidence for a

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mechanism that gives particles when someone such as Mrs mass was lacking. The most Thatcher enters the room, the straightforward theory and politicians cluster around her, so mathematics of the forces and that if she moves around at the quarks lead to the conclusion that same speed, her momentum particles should have no mass. To increases as her mass has in- address this, Professor Peter Higgs creased, because she has to drag proposed a new idea. Before this, the other politicians around with Newton had said that force is her. The more important the equal to mass times acceleration; person is, the more people will thus the weight of something is cluster and the more mass they equal to the mass times the local will create. This illustrates how a acceleration due to gravity. field can be thought of as giving a Einstein used mass to bend particle mass. In the same field, a space–time, which led to the rumour spreading that Mrs prediction of objects such as black Thatcher is coming can move holes. Within these theories, it around the room such that even if was assumed that particles did she does not appear, the rumour have mass, since that was what has mass, with that mass repre- was observed, although it was not senting the Higgs particle. known how the mass arose. Higgs By the 1980s, scientists were in a speculated that there is a field in position to know what they were the Universe with which particles looking for to some extent, and interact and acquire mass; the they developed the Large Hadron stronger the interaction, the Collider, an enormously complex greater the mass. From his work particle accelerator constructed at came the idea that there should the CERN laboratory in Geneva. be a particle with the properties of This massive device generates a boson, which is now specifically high numbers of particles and referred to as the ‘Higgs boson’. accelerates them in opposite His seminal paper was published directions around a large circle, in 1964, when he was a faculty smashing them together in certain member of Edinburgh University. regions to create a spray of To try to convey the very subtle particles which can then be ideas postulated by Higgs, analysed. The number of collisions Professor Watson used an analogy involved is enormous, with one offered by Professor David Miller, thousand million (109) happening University College London. per second. Looking for one Imagine a group of politicians particle in ten million, million chatting at a cocktail party; they (1013), particularly when the represent the field. However, particle isn’t visible as it has a very

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short life, is very complicated, and without CTR’s original work. In it is only observed via the associat- support of this, he cited Blackett’s ed decays predicted with the Biographical Memoir of C T R Standard Model. The mass of the Wilson, written for the Royal particle is derived from its decay Society in 1960. There, Blackett products. A significant ‘bump’ in listed the particle discoveries the distribution of measured made in the cloud chamber, and masses shows that a particle has added: “There are many decisive been observed. Despite the experiments in the history of completely different scale, the physics which, if they had not particle detectors at the collider been made when they were made, use the same principle as the would surely have been made cloud chamber, in that the tracks much later by someone else. This of the particles are bent by might not have been true of magnetic fields and made visible, Wilson’s discovery of the cloud but in an electronic way. chamber. In spite of its essential Professor Watson concluded with simplicity, the road to its final a reminder that much of this achievement was long and originated from Wilson seeing the arduous. Without his vision and glories on Ben Nevis, recapping superb experimental skill, man- Rutherford’s quotation about the kind might have had to wait many cloud chamber as “the most years before someone else found original and wonderful instru- a way”. As such much more ment in scientific history”. He should be done to recognise and suggested that the Large Hadron commemorate the work and Collider and the work going on legacy of C T R Wilson. there might not have come about

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Professor Michael Barrett FRSE Professor of Biochemical Parasitology (Infection Immunity and Inflammation Life Science), University of Glasgow The Scientific Life of Dr Livingstone 19 March 2013

On the 200th anniversary of David not be reconciled. The young Livingstone’s birth, Professor David, however, found a way Michael Barrett described the forward: inspired by the writings man, his life, and his achieve- of Thomas Dick, an eccentric ments as explorer, doctor and scientist from Broughty Ferry, who humanitarian – as well as an wrote that science and religion important figure in the Scottish were striving for the same truth, tradition of tropical medicine. he persuaded his father that he David Livingstone was a remarka- could study medicine so that he ble Victorian – an explorer, doctor, could ‘save the heathen’ as a scientist, naturalist and writer. He missionary. Livingstone studied was, Professor Barrett said, one of medicine in Glasgow, before the most astonishing figures in applying to the London Mission- the history of humanity. In a ary Society – where he was to lecture to mark the 200th anniver- meet the missionary Robert sary of Livingstone’s birth, Moffatt, who was home from Professor Barrett focused on the Kuruman, in South Africa. Living- scientific achievements of the mill stone had intended going to boy from Blantyre, in the context China, but the opium wars of his life more generally. In intervened, and he decided to particular, he described Living- follow Moffatt and go to south- stone’s contribution to and ern Africa instead. Livingstone understanding of tropical medi- quickly made a reputation for cine. David Livingstone was born hard work and derring-do – the in Blantyre in Lanarkshire, and famous episode where he fought lived with his parents and siblings off a lion, which left him with a in a small room in a tenement for broken arm, only enhanced his mill workers. From the age of 10, image. He married Moffatt’s he worked 14 hours a day in the daughter, Mary, who travelled mill, then attended school for two with him across the Kalahari hours and read until midnight. He Desert. was keen to study science, being It was here that Livingstone was to fascinated by fossils, flora and make one of his first significant fauna, but his strictly evangelical discoveries in Lake Ngami; a large father wouldn’t let him, believing body of water so close to the that science and Christianity could Kalahari was important if his idea

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of opening up Africa to legitimate Interestingly, another eminent trade and agriculture was to Victorian, Charles Darwin, held succeed. Livingstone was keen to similar views, and had a similar life find a route into central Africa and pattern at this point (studying walked many thousands of miles medicine in Scotland, theology in to try to find a way. Walking London, then travelling, although through Africa was tough – there in Darwin’s case it was to South were no roads, and there were America). John Murray published threats from wildlife – not just the Darwin’s Origin of the Species in ‘big beasts’ we associate with 1858, the year after the same Africa, but tiny creatures such as publisher brought out Living- the mosquito. At the time, it stone’s Missionary Travels and wasn’t known that malaria was Researches in South Africa. carried by mosquitoes, and Livingstone’s writings were Livingstone had repeated attacks remarkable for the beauty of his of the disease; indeed, he nearly descriptions, but also for the died. Meanwhile he was showing observations of natural history. He his scientific zeal and curiosity. discovered several new species – When he first saw the Victoria such as the honey guide, a bird Falls, for example (he was the first which annoys and irritates to bring this incredible landmark humans and leads them to a bees’ to the attention of Europeans), it nest, knowing that the humans wasn’t enough for him simply to will raid it for honey and the bird wonder at their beauty and can feast on their leavings. majesty: he immediately took his Despite this skill as a naturalist, he sextant and other scientific disagreed with Darwin on evolu- equipment and proceeded to tion, saying he had witnessed no measure it and record his observa- ‘struggle’ for life on the plains of tions. Deciding that the Zambezi Africa; but this avowal of a river was the answer to finding a ‘stubborn Christian’, sticking to workable route, he went back to the idea of God as creator, was at Britain and proceeded to raise the odds with his writing, in which he money for what was to be an ill- described evolution in practice. fated expedition. Livingstone was Livingstone’s observations feted as a hero back in the UK, contributed greatly to human and his ideas and writings were understanding of medicine. For influential. He believed that the example, he observed the associa- slave trade was the biggest tion between the bite of the impediment to development in tampan tick and relapsing fever, Africa, for example, and this was a and probably gave the first view that gained some momen- description of an arthropod tum with his backing. transmitting disease. His work was

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followed up by other great Barrett. Livingstone won funding Scottish pioneers of tropical for his Zambezi expedition on the medicine, such as Patrick Manson, basis that it would open up who established that mosquitoes mineral-rich central Africa for acted as a vector for disease, and trade, and he also wished to encouraged the amazing all- ameliorate the lot of the African rounder and polymath Sir Ronald people, but he was thwarted by a Ross to investigate the life cycle of number of circumstances. Perhaps the malaria parasite, and establish the main barrier was the un- how it was transmitted by mos- navigable rapids of the Zambezi, quitoes. which he hadn’t previously This discovery had huge signifi- noticed and which – despite the cance; because mosquitoes were horror of his travel companions – implicated, people could protect he tried to conquer time and themselves by sleeping under again. Other issues were famine, mosquito nets and by draining cholera and the growth of the swamps. Of course there were slave trade, which all told against also drugs for malaria. Livingstone him. He did find a tributary, and himself was assiduous about did find what is now known as taking quinine to ‘cure’ himself of Lake Malawi, but that wasn’t what ‘African fever’, and worked out he had set out to do. Nevertheless the correct dosage, which was to he reported that the area was ripe take it until it caused ‘ringing of for conversion by missionaries, the ears’. He also invented pills and a number arrived – only to die called ‘Livingstone Rousers’, in very quickly from malaria. His wife, which the active ingredient was Mary, also died. Livingstone felt quinine. Some of Livingstone’s very guilty and responsible for the ideas didn’t quite work in practice. missionaries’ deaths, because he For example, he noted that if had assumed they would take domestic animals in Africa were quinine, but hadn’t advised them bitten by the tsetse fly, they to do so. The enterprise was became emaciated and died, but considered a fiasco, and Living- wild animals didn’t. It would be stone was profoundly too difficult to train wild animals – embarrassed, returning to Britain such as buffalo – in Africa to pull this time as a villain, rather than a carts, so Livingstone imported hero. Indian buffalo – which were By this time African exploration already domesticated – thinking was all the rage, and Livingstone they too would be immune. They, joined the latest great debate, however, weren’t resistant and which was over the source of the died. “It was fruitless, but he was Nile. Explorers such as Richard always trying,” said Professor Burton and John Speke were

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competing – and Livingstone, still Although the cause of death is wanting to find ways into Africa, generally given as malaria and thought he’d look for it too. It internal bleeding caused by was harder this time to raise the dysentery, Professor Barrett money, but Livingstone travelled believes that Schistosomiasis, or back to Africa, to Zanzibar, and bilharzia, an infection caused by spent his time tracing rivers to try parasitical tropical worms found to find the source. He became very in water, is a likely candidate – ill, and lost his medicine chest; he based partly on the knowledge was dependent on Arab traders, that Livingstone had terrible and eventually travelled to Lake bleeding haemorrhoids, for which Tanganyika, where his supplies he refused an operation on the were stolen. He was in a parlous grounds that it would be ‘embar- state, and rumours of his death rassing’. It is likely, then, that were already circulating in Britain. Livingstone fell victim to one of It was at Lake Tanganyika that the the tropical diseases that still kill famous meeting was to take place people today, despite his contri- between Livingstone and the bution to our understanding of journalist Henry Morton Stanley, parasitology. Professor Barrett who had been sent to find him by finished by outlining the current the New York Herald newspaper – state of malaria, and neglected and who probably didn’t actually tropical diseases, saying that say ‘Dr Livingstone, I presume’. efforts were underway to continue Stanley brought him new life, the work of Livingstone, and other supplies and medicines, and tried great Scottish pioneers of tropical to persuade him to go back to medicine, in making such condi- Britain. This Livingstone refused to tions a thing of the past. do, and he continued to try to But who is today’s Livingstone? find the source of the Nile, but Professor Barrett could only had lost his scientific instruments. describe a composite: as a He didn’t know where he was as naturalist, David Attenborough, he traversed inhospitable swamps whose television programmes are and, in fact, was out of his way by engaging and fascinating, much miles. like Livingstone’s books; as an Livingstone died on 1 May 1873. explorer, astronaut Neil Arm- He was eviscerated and his heart strong, and as a preacher and buried in Africa, then his body human rights activist, Martin was dried and transported on foot Luther King. “It takes a collection for over a thousand miles by his of people – an extraordinary attendants, before being returned achievement for a mill boy from to Britain, where he was buried in Blantyre whose 200th birthday we State in Westminster Abbey. celebrate today.”

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Ken McGoogan Author John Rae: The Forgotten Hero of Arctic Exploration Part of the Edinburgh Lecture Series 22 April 2013

Ken McGoogan started his story Orkney, where his father was the about the heroics of John Rae by Factor for the Hudson’s Bay taking his audience back to Rae’s Company’s station at Stromness. origins on Orkney, 200 years ago Orkney was the last port of call for in 1813. The reason he was so the HBC sailing ships heading excited by Rae’s achievements, he across the Atlantic to Canada. It explained, was that he went on was where they picked up water from his island origins to become and sustenance for the long one of the greatest figures of voyage. They couldn’t get any 19th-Century exploration. There more until they reached Disko Bay are two main reasons for Rae’s in Greenland, so Orkney was an place in history, and they involved important stop in the supply line. his role in solving two of the Rae’s father was at the centre of greatest mysteries of the age. First, this business and many Orcadians Rae discovered the final link in the decided to take jobs with the fabled Northwest Passage from company. They were hardy, tough the Atlantic to the Pacific; second- and disciplined men and were ly, he discovered the fate of Sir company mainstays for many John Franklin’s expedition to find decades. Rae grew up on Orkney, that passage in 1845. hunting and sailing, but he also But there were two very different trained as a doctor between 1829 Raes at work at the time. One and 1833 in Edinburgh. When he image captures Rae as a Scottish was 19, however, he decided to gentleman; the other portrays Rae begin his medical career by taking in the garb of native North a job aboard an HBC ship as the Americans, wearing Cree leggings ship’s doctor. Sailing into Hud- and Inuit footwear. With Rae, the son’s Bay, his ship was trapped by latter image was quite deliberate, the ice and Rae’s special qualities as he wanted to be identified with began to emerge. He and the crew native peoples. This was one of lived on the ship while held up the distinctive things that set him and Rae found out he was not apart from other explorers of the only useful as a doctor but also as time. a hunter. Rae’s future as an explorer is The ship eventually arrived at the explained by his childhood on HBC post at Moose Factory,

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Ontario, and the people he by a bagpiper. Rae laid down a worked with there also began to challenge, saying an Orkney crew realise how extraordinary he was. could out-row the natives in a He was a bundle of energy with race. A bet was placed and the great stamina, who proved following year, when Simpson himself time and time again as a returned, Rae had built his boat great outdoorsman. and trained his crew. They set off When the Factor at Moose Bay around a nearby island and the asked him so stay on, and realis- Orkney crew won handsomely. ing that the HBC life suited him Simpson became aware that well, Rae let the ship sail on everything that was being said without him. He had decided that about Rae was true. he did not just want to be a The company at this time was doctor, but when he did put his itself trying to find the Northwest medical training into practice it Passage to further its own trading was for the natives as well. On interests. The Royal Navy was one occasion, he put on his snow attempting to find it in large shoes and walked 105 miles in sailing ships such as the ones that two days to tend to a patient. It transported Franklin and his ill- led to him becoming known as a fated crew. Rae, however, figured superhuman figure. His contem- that it might be better to make poraries referred to him as the the attempt in smaller boats. He greatest snow-shoe walker of his decided to take an expedition of age and he also became known 12 men in two boats and winter for the hunting prowess that above the Arctic Circle, a feat that stemmed from his childhood. had never been done before. What set him apart, however, was Simpson agreed, but only after his willingness to learn and use Rae had polished his surveying native hunting techniques for and navigational skills. In winter animals such as caribou. His best 1846/47 Rae and his team set off friend at the time was a Cree for Repulse Bay, on the east coast hunter, which revealed his very of the Canadian mainland, where egalitarian attitude to those they became the first explorers to around him. overwinter above the Arctic Circle. At the time, George Simpson was As well as being the leader, he running the HBC in Canada. He was the main hunter, learning was known as a real “little travel and survival techniques emperor”, McGoogan said, and from the local Inuit. He learned when he arrived at Moose Factory how to make his sleds run faster, on his way around the trading how to build igloos so he could posts, he arrived in a native canoe travel further and stay out on the wearing a top hat and preceded

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ice for longer periods and how to Rae went back to the Arctic to live off the land. resume the research. By that time, Later in 1847, Rae returned to he was an ice expert and, finding HBC headquarters in England, at “young” ice – ice that forms every the time when concern was year and then melts – he reasoned mounting about the expedition that the area he was in (now led by Franklin. It had departed known as Rae’s Strait) was the two years earlier to find the final link in the Northwest Passage missing links in the Northwest that remained to be found. Passage along the Canadian coast While out on the ice, Rae met a that Franklin had charted earlier. group of Inuit hunters and they But nothing had been heard of stopped to talk. Rae noticed an Franklin and his men for two years interesting cap band that one of and he was supposed to be back. them was wearing. Asked where The Arctic Council – part of the they got it from, they told him it Royal Navy – determined to find was from a place where more than out what had happened and 30 white men had starved to despatched an expedition under death. Rae decided to continue the command of Sir Charles his exploration but told the Inuit Richardson. Looking for an that he would pay for any arte- effective second-in-command, facts they could bring to him. Richardson read about Rae’s feats When he met them again they in The Times. He said that he had brought some of Franklin’s found his man. personal possessions. They also Rae joined the search with told him what had happened to Richardson in 1848 and various the final survivors, including expeditions took place over the evidence that some of them had next three years, mapping the resorted to cannibalism in their land and the islands north of the final days. That wasn’t enough for Arctic Circle. Franklin and his men Rae, McGoogan said. He checked were believed to be somewhere their story again and again north of the mainland coastline in through the best native interpret- an unknown area called Victoria er in the area. Eventually satisfied Land. they were telling the truth about what had happened to the In 1851, Rae mapped Victoria Franklin expedition, he returned Land, setting off in his small boats to London to submit his report to once the sea ice had melted. A the HBC. piece of timber from what was thought to be from one of Back in London, Rae came up Franklin’s ships was found and against his most implacable foe, taken back to London. In 1854, Lady Jane Franklin, the wife of Sir

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John, who was deeply offended to a house in Kensington in by news that her husband and his London, where there is a plaque team of British sailors might have that records that this was one of resorted to eating human flesh. his residences. Although Rae had not intended In the Arctic, however, there are that part of his report to be made few tangible reminders of Rae’s public, it emerged in an interview role in opening up the whole published in The Times. Lady region. McGoogan said he was Franklin, a formidable character in determined to correct that and, in her own right, then enlisted the 1999, he went out to Gjoa Haven, literary might of Charles Dickens where Amundsen’s ship was to produce several articles repudi- berthed in 1904, and from there ating Rae’s evidence. Even though on through Rae’s Strait to a Rae would eventually be vindicat- location where a cairn was built to ed, the combined forces of Lady mark Rae’s presence in the area. Franklin and Dickens were enough He took with him a plaque that he to deny Rae the knighthood he attached to the cairn, which was richly deserved for not only still there when he returned 13 finding the truth about her years later in 2012. His aim now is husband’s fate, but also the final to establish the cairn as a viable link in the Northwest Passage. It destination for the ships that now was only 50 years later, when the ply the Northwest Passage and an Norwegian explorer Amundsen area that is now not so difficult to became the first to sail Rae’s Strait, reach as it once was. Although that Rae was finally vindicated. Rae has not been forgotten on After his Arctic explorations Orkney – the islands are commem- ended, Rae settled back in Orkney orating the 200th anniversary of with his Canadian wife in a house his birth this year – his story that is now a B&B. Later, while still deserves to be more widely known pursuing a life of exploration and and his feats more widely appreci- surveying in America, Rae moved ated.

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Revisiting Tapping all our Talents 23 April 2013

In April last year, the Royal Society universities and research insti- of Edinburgh published its report tutes, business and industry, and 'Tapping all our Talents'. In our learned and professional bodies. report we drew attention to the Together with the Scottish high percentage of female Resource Centre for Women in graduates in Science, Technology, Science, Engineering and Technol- Engineering and Mathematics ogy at Edinburgh Napier (STEM) who leave these sectors. University, the RSE hosted a We made the case for a strategic seminar on Scotland’s strategy for and coordinated approach to lifting barriers to women in STEM. tackling this issue and called for a This seminar focused on the Programme of Action that progress that organisations within included specific recommenda- Scotland have made towards this tions to government, research goal, and identified areas that still councils and other funders, need to be addressed.

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Professor Tom Devine OBE HonMRIA FBA FRSE University of Edinburgh A Puzzle from Scotland’s Past: Why did the Scottish Enlightenment happen? 25 April 2013 Lockerbie Academy

The Scottish Enlightenment is was not formally articulated until widely regarded as the nation’s 1901. Professor Devine described most important and influential how the concept then “slum- contribution to the intellectual bered” for many years; indeed and cultural life of humanity. From Professor Trevor-Roper suggested science to philosophy, history to in the 1960s that there was a medicine, economics to geology distinct disinterest in the Scottish and beyond to numerous other Enlightenment. Within the past subjects, Scottish thinkers of the generation, however, the concept 18th Century helped create a new has become ‘flavour of the understanding of the contours of month’. Professor Devine stated existence. Why this happened in that, “it is truly remarkable that a Scotland is a conundrum; Scot- small country of just over 1.1 land seemed a most unlikely million people had such an seedbed for such an intellectual extraordinary impact on the revolution. In the decades before thought of western civilisation. the great creative transformation, There can be no doubt that what it was regarded as a desperately we mean by the Scottish Enlight- poor country on the outer fringes enment and all it entailed is of the great centres of European Scotland’s greatest ever gift to civilisation in the grip of a Tale- humanity. It is scarcely believable ban-type culture of unyielding that that particular gift will ever be religious orthodoxy fundamentally reproduced, given its scale, range opposed to innovative thought. and quality”. The Scottish Enlight- This lecture considered this enment was part of a larger challenging question and sought movement which occurred in to resolve one of Scottish history’s certain ‘hotspots’ throughout most enduring mysteries. Europe, including some German In the mid 18th Century, in the states, France, parts of Italy, and midst of the European Enlighten- the Low Countries. Professor ment, the renowned French Devine described the essence of philosopher, Voltaire, wrote “we the European Enlightenment as look towards Scotland for all our threefold. First, it implies, by the standards of civilisation”. Howev- terminology itself, a dawn after er, the ‘Scottish Enlightenment’

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darkness and many of the literati should be able to do it in free- who were involved regarded dom, without the possibility of themselves as having come out of either State intervention, State the darkness into an age where punishment, or hostility or the Sun started to shine in an punishment resulting from a intellectual context. Secondly, it religious organisation”. comprised a studious and com- Professor Devine continued by mitted opposition to accepting discussing the features of the authority for its own sake. The Enlightenment that were distinc- attitude of the men of the tively Scottish in nature. During Enlightenment period in Europe the Enlightenment, there was an was that the critical intellect plus unprecedented depth and range evidence should be used against of intellectual activity amongst a authority in order to find out the wide range of subject areas, truth and establish how far one including economics, history, could go to known knowledge. It geology, science, medicine, was noted that this aspect of the architecture and literature, all of Enlightenment ushered in “a which were beginning to develop period of massive discussion and as distinct disciplines. Some of robust dialogue, including the these developments were associ- forensic analysis of old issues that ated with the great Scottish ‘hero’ had long been accepted but for figures of the Enlightenment, which there might be new including Smith, Hume, Ferguson, perspectives and insights”. Hutton and Watt. Furthermore, Finally, a theme running through- because of the migratory behav- out the entire continental iour of the Scot from the 13th experience of this intellectual Century onwards, individuals of revolution was the notion of middle class and professional ‘toleration’. Professor Devine rank, who had been educated in described this as truly revolution- the Scottish universities, spread ary because, only a century before, their knowledge across the Europe had experienced the Atlantic to the United States. absolute horrors of the Thirty Professor Devine noted that, “it is Years War. This was a conflict now more or less agreed by which was based on religious American scholars that at least confrontation; on the most one strand in the ideologies that virulent form of sectarianism. led to the great revolution of “However, the Enlightenment 1776 – the Declaration of Inde- attitude was one of toleration, pendence and the first namely that human beings, constitutional documents of the especially those who were willing USA – were firmly grounded on to consider these critical issues, views of Ferguson, Hutchison and

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Hume”. It was also noted that the the questions such as ‘why?’, Enlightenment in France, which is ‘with what consequence?’ and often regarded, due to thinkers ‘what were the different levels of such as Montesquieu and Voltaire, causation?’ The main challenge of as being at the very top rank of the Scottish Enlightenment is that the European Enlightenment, was it is a puzzle; the glories of the a distinctively anti-clerical, antireli- Scottish Enlightenment seem to gious movement which took place evolve from a society where the in a broadly loose and secularised seedbed did not seem to promise society. The Scottish scene was anything like this degree of quite different, as running intellectual dynamism and the through the Scottish Enlighten- freedom and toleration of human ment was Christian tradition; thought. Professor Trevor-Roper indeed, several of the literati of brought attention to this particu- the period were ministers of the lar conundrum, describing Church of Scotland. Professor Scotland in the late 17th Century Devine considers Calvinism to be pre-Union period as “a society key to understanding this phe- riven with factionalism, intoler- nomenon, a factor which he ance, fanaticism, poverty and returned to later in the lecture. A irredeemable human insecurity”. second institutional distinguish- Professor Devine considers this ing factor of the Scottish description as “painting a picture Enlightenment was that it was of the Scottish religious establish- emphatically lodged in the ment of the late 17th Century as universities of the country. “So very reminiscent of the Taleban many of the individuals that made rule existing in Afghanistan today, Olympian contributions to the in terms of its fundamentalism dynamic worked within the and horror of plurality, its horror precincts of the Academy and, of different opinion”. Looking at furthermore, these individuals late 17th Century Scotland from also became involved in clubs and that particular perspective, there societies. Scotland’s Enlighten- does seem to be considerable ment was emphatically convivial empirical support for such and its membership saw no condemnation of the pre-Union problem with having a great time nation. Examples include that of and pursuing the lubrication that Edinburgh student Tom Aiken- could result in innovative head who, in December 1696, thought”! was sentenced to death for For Professor Devine, Scottish blasphemy for referring to the History is an analytical subject; it New Testament as the fables of asks questions and tries to answer the imposter Christ. Additionally,

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following the Glorious Revolution previous generation of historians of 1688, when the Stuarts were assumed and argued? The answer expelled, and when Presbyterian- is emphatically no! As with most ism became the accepted societies, it is complex, there are establishment religion of Scot- hues of light, dark and grey”. He land, the Episcopalians who had noted that there has been an ruled between the Restoration of historiographical revolution in our 1660 and the Revolution of 1688 understanding of pre-Union were themselves uprooted. The Scotland. This is because the Episcopalians became the ideo- conventional wisdom from the logical spine of Jacobitism. These end of Jacobitism in the 1750s were people who had a deep through to the 1960s was one of ideological hatred of the removal emphatic Unionism and inevitably of the Stuarts, they were intellec- there was a set of assumptions tuals and they lent a cerebral that the Union was the ‘sine qua dimension to the Jacobite crusade non’ of Scottish advancement and right through to the 1740s. development and that pre-Union Furthermore, the last decade of Scotland was inadequate by the 17th Century in Scotland was comparison. Added to this was particularly difficult; there were the fact that the literati of the lean years of unrelenting harvest Scottish Enlightenment were failure due to a mini ice age and emphatically Unionist; seeing climatic catastrophe, which also themselves as global thinkers and resulted in Scotland losing 15% assuming in their writings that the of its population between 1692 horrors of pre-1707 Scotland, and and 1698 from famine-related especially the horrors of fanati- death and migration. Additionally, cism and intolerance, had at least Scotland had to contend with the been diluted and finally banished horror of the Darien Scheme, an by the civilising force of a relation- attempt to found a Scottish ship with a more advanced society colony in Panama, which resulted south of the Border. Professor in massive bankruptcy and loss of Devine commented that this Scottish life. particular set of assumptions has This, therefore, is “the stuff of been substantially diluted by paradox – the puzzle. How can researchers over the past thirty you reconcile such a paradox years. The main results of this which seems challenging”? In an research dynamic are that whilst attempt to solve the puzzle of the there were undoubtedly disasters Scottish Enlightenment, Professor in the 1690s, these were untypical Devine asked “was pre-Union and did not especially represent Scotland really as dark and the last twenty years of Scotland nightmarish a country as a prior to Unionism. Secondly,

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Scottish mercantile activity was the forces driving the Scottish dynamic in this period. Earlier Enlightenment was their move- historians have focused on the ment into the intellectual difficulties of the Darien scheme, crossroads of the Continent, the but have neglected the fact that Low Countries, in the later 17th Scottish entrepreneurs were active Century, when the whole tide of throughout the English Imperial the intellectual migration moved Empire before 1707. Furthermore, from the Catholic countries to the there was a revolution happening Low Countries. The Low Countries within the Scottish universities were considered the crossroads and, below the surface, universi- because, in the 1690s, the ties were moving towards new Huguenot Protestants expelled thoughts and teaching ideologies. from France flooded into the Finally, the elites of the society in region. The Huguenots were Scotland, despite the terrorism of totally committed to toleration the Kirk, were in fact steadily and also to foundational develop- moving in a more secular direc- ments in universities. The tion. Material improvement was foundational reforms of the very much on the agenda; Scottish Scottish university system flowed connections with Europe were from the Continent and especially dying and new connections with from the catalytic developments in the USA being forged, even the Low Countries. before 1707. In conclusion, the Professor Devine returned his differences, therefore, between thoughts to Calvinism stating, post-Union Scotland and pre- “...of all the forces relevant to the Union Scotland have now been Scottish Enlightenment, this is at modulated. There is a consensus the heart of the matter”. Previous between historians that there is analysts have regarded Calvinism more continuity, which lessens the as the emphatic constraint on reality of the puzzle. Enlightenment because of its core Since the 13th Century, Scotland intolerance and hatred of diversity has experienced very high levels of and innovation of ideas. Professor out migration. Focusing on the Devine argues otherwise and intellectual connections through suggested that” if you cannot put Diaspora, Professor Devine Scottish Calvinism at the core of commented that although the analysis, then you have left the Scotland had three pre-Reforma- centrepiece out”. He commented tion universities, it still continued that the obvious reason for this is to send many graduates abroad the extraordinary effect of the for further training. There were Calvinist revolution of the 16th Scottish intellectual enclaves Century on Scottish schooling. By throughout Europe and one of the 1670s, it was the normal

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thing for a Lowland parish to have Century Scotland, that although a school. This was not intended to there were poets, artists, drama- be an intellectual development, tists and writers of literature, the but was a religious development whole dynamic of the Scottish by the Fathers of the Kirk to Enlightenment is emphatically ensure the Bible could be read philosophical, scientific and and that lay persons could historical”. become trained Elders of the Kirk. In addition to Calvinism, the This is important, because it Scottish University system of the meant that by the 18th Century, in 18th Century also contributed to terms of elementary schooling, it the Scottish Enlightenment. was an advancement compared to Leading University academics were the majority of Europe. It also only paid a modest stipend; their showed that a poor country is not main source of income came from necessarily backward. The level of the size of their classes, which schooling above the parish meant they had to teach and schools was also powerfully teach well in order to attract influenced by the Calvinist custom. Additionally, the Scottish Revolution; the so-called Gram- universities reshaped themselves mar Schools were established for from the late 17th Century a talented elite of boys aged 9 to onwards, teaching in English 13. These were extremely well rather than Latin and, above all, educated boys, a trained cerebral dictation by rote gave way to elite who may have then gone on discursive teaching and tutorials to gain entry to the University were introduced. Furthermore, system. Professor Devine considers this period saw the foundation of this to be a factor in why there intellectual clubs, which were was such a Scottish disproportion- highly convivial and open to ality in the careers of Empire in the intellectual discussion. 18th and early 19th Centuries. Professor Devine considered that “The heart of the Calvinist “none of this could have hap- explanation of Enlightenment pened if it hadn’t been for the comes from John Miller, who contextual revolution that took argued that because of its place in Scotland in the first half continued hatred for the arts, the of the 18th Century. This meant Calvinist tradition of Scotland had that in terms of the governance of moved the national psyche, the church, there was a movement especially at elite level, in the towards Moderatism; a movement direction of philosophy, science towards the acceptance of a and formality of language. It is a degree of diversity of opinion”. fascinating conclusion, if you look The reasons for this were many, at the history of 18th and 19th

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partly to do with the new material intellectuals didn’t have to take emphasis of Scottish society as the sides; instead they could indulge economy improved and partly to in a greater freedom of argumen- do with the Patronage Act that tative intercourse knowing they meant that land owners often had would not be nailed by some the final say in the selection of hostile establishments. So the ministers, often selecting those environment changed and, with who were more compatible with this change, these forces, the their ideals. Furthermore, during continuation of a form of intellec- the 1740s and 1750s, many tualism from the late 17th hardliners within the Kirk left the Century, the force of the Calvinist established church, leaving a tradition, and a force for the harmonious form of governance cerebral and educative mecha- within the Church of Scotland nisms, were allowed to flourish in which allowed the latent Enlight- Scotland and to have an influence enment of Calvinism to flourish. because of the wider political, Moreover, following the final social, economic and religious destruction of the Jacobite threat changes of the period between at Culloden, “Scottish politics 1700 and the 1770s”. became boring and this meant the

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Professor Chris West CEO, Royal Zoological Society Edinburgh From Gannets to Pandas – 100 Years of Progress at Edinburgh Zoo 30 April 2013

July 2013 marks the centenary of wars, immense social change Edinburgh Zoo. Chief Executive, and huge technological and Professor Chris West took the scientific progress. opportunity to look back at how it - The present position – challeng- has evolved and its role today as a es, opportunities, conservation “refugee camp” for endangered and education. species as well as a major visitor - How to make the greatest attraction. The Professor, who was continuing contribution to a introduced by RSE President, Sir healthy planet. John Arbuthnott, is an international expert in animal Reflecting on the speed of conservation. He took up his change, the Professor said that current post last year after a career 100 years before Gillespie began working in zoos from the UK to work there were fewer than a Australia. billion people in the world. The Industrial Revolution was taking Recently, Professor West looked off and an American ornithologist down from Corstorphine Hill and observed a flock of passenger imagined what it was like for pigeons so vast it took three days Thomas Haining Gillespie at the to pass overhead. By 1913, start of his enterprise to create a Martha, the last passenger zoological garden for the “abid- pigeon, was in a Zoo cage and the ing benefit” of the people of western world was descending Edinburgh and Scotland. He into industrialised warfare of believes that while the Zoo’s unparalleled scale. founder would be pleased at its progress, he would be horrified at The first resident of Edinburgh the devastation humanity has Zoo was a young gannet blown wrought on nature. The natural ashore at Leith and bought for world he wanted to share is now 18d. This was followed by an array “battered and shrunken and of animals hired from a travelling under increasing threat”. collection which arrived by train before being paraded through the The lecture covered three themes: streets to the Zoo. Among them - How the Zoo has adapted and were wolves which staff unloaded developed through two world into their new home – but soon

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found wandering free, having crowds of visitors – people had failed to realise they could tunnel few holiday options and fun days straight through the earth floor. out were valued. Demobilisation At around the same time, a after the Second World War relationship began with the brought a new arrival and a well- Salvesen whaling fleet, which deserved retirement for Wojtek, a began collecting penguins and bear enlisted in the Polish regi- seals in the South Atlantic which ment which had travelled with the were brought to the Zoo. These, troops from North Africa to Italy. along with a gannet, became part “There are even some remarkable of the Zoo’s coat of arms. It was photos of him man-handling also the origin of Edinburgh’s artillery shells during the battle of continuing position as a world Monte Casino,” said Professor leader in the understanding and West. conservation of penguins. The Professor then paid tribute to Penguins have become one of the Roger Wheater, “the man who most famous attractions at the brought Edinburgh Zoo into the Zoo. This is in part because of the modern era”, putting the focus penguin parade, which began in on conservation and welfare. 1951 when a keeper accidentally During his 26 years as CEO, the left the enclosure open and then Royal Zoological Society of discovered he was being followed Scotland which runs the Zoo, also along Corstorphine Road. took on the Highland Wildlife Affection for them is so great that Park. During this period, the one of the king penguins, Sir Nils arrival of high-quality TV docu- Olav, has been appointed a mentaries helped nurture public colonel in the Norwegian Army. interest in animals and their natural environments. Figures In its early decades, the Zoo gave such as David Attenborough, Jane visitors an otherwise impossible Goodall and Gerald Durrell went opportunity to meet animals from on to become champions of well- the wild and understand more run Zoos as centres for education about them. Times have brought and the preservation of endan- changes – gone are the chimps’ gered species. tea parties and the emphasis is now on replicating naturalistic Growing knowledge and aware- conditions and encouraging ness brought debate about natural behaviour. conditions and Professor West said Edinburgh made the right The two world wars brought decision to stop keeping certain pressures, including rationing for species because it lacked the the animals. Many men were away fighting, but there were still

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space – “if you can’t do it proper- The Zoo is also a leader in genetic ly, you shouldn’t do it”. research, including for Scottish The role of the Zoo today is far eagles. It is also cooperating with broader than in the past and governments to combat poaching. includes: Discussing some of the threats to species, the Professor described - Holding species which are the medicinal use of rhino horn as extinct in the wild “absurd”, saying it is nothing but - Captive breeding to return “powdered toenail”. animals to the wild Marketing, weddings, shop sales, - Public education sponsorship and other activities - Scientific research are all essential to raise funds for - Field support – for example conservation. So too is the helping the Scottish beaver presence of animals such as trials meerkats, which are not endangered but – like having big name - Technical, veterinary and bands at music festivals – pull in husbandry training. crowds who then enjoy the less As a charity, receiving no govern- famous animals. ment money, the Professor said Professor West then turned to a the Zoo needs to attract visitors discussion of the current state of and financial supporters in order the planet and the change which to pay for its work. One example is humans have brought. When its efforts to breed Sumatran agriculture first emerged, people tigers. Captive breeding may be build fences to keep out the wild. their only hope of survival as The seesaw has tipped and we current trends mean “it’s likely now build fences to keep the that tigers are going to die out in remaining fragments of the wild the wild in the next 10 to 15 in. Around half of all animal and years”. plant species have been lost and One of the biggest changes in the the rest are declining at 1% a year. history of the Zoo has been the The cause is the immense and creation of the Budongu Trail. This inequitable level of consumption state-of-the-art centre offers and a rapidly expanding human chimpanzees a high quality of life population. Decline in nature free from hunters and habitat endangers humans – around a destruction. Rather than standing billion people rely on sea fish for alone it is twinned with a field protein, yet stocks are heading for station in Uganda, where the Zoo collapse. supports chimps in the wild. Despite the sense of detachment from nature which comes from

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urbanisation, we depend on it for amphibians and fish. At the same survival. Its degradation threatens time, the Zoo wishes to continue us, whether through the loss of to become increasingly active at phytoplankton which clean our air the frontline of conservation. and water, or the loss of trees and One immediate example is the environments that act as buffers panda breeding programme and against hurricanes and tsunamis. the attempted artificial insemina- Nature brings benefits estimated tion of the Zoo’s female as part of at $3 trillion a year, but is not the international drive to save factored into human activity. them from extinction. With just Zoos, according to Professor West, 1,600 remaining, every birth can play an invaluable role in the matters. The pandas are also future by reconnecting people immensely popular with the with nature and encouraging public, and the money they have them to recognise their place in a helped raise has allowed the Zoo natural world. They are well to improve the penguin pool. placed to do this because they are Thanks to their presence, the Zoo at the heart of communities, expects to be able to fund other attracting visitors from across the important projects. socioeconomic spectrum. In order Looking ahead to 2113, Professor to fulfil its potential, the Zoo West said he hoped people would needs to modernise. A review is be able to look down from taking place which is looking at Corstorphine Hill on a Zoo which which species are kept and their continues to be successful and habitats. Professor West said it is valuable, but also on a world that currently a little “fur and feather has transformed its relationship heavy”, so the future may bring with nature. more emphasis on reptiles,

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Professor Hugh Cheape Programme Leader, Sabhal Mor Ostaig College Professor Donald Meek Professor Emeritus of Scottish and Gaelic Studies, University of Edinburgh Gaelic Culture of Lochaber: Lifting the Night – A’ fuadach na h-oidhche 7 May 2013 The Sunart Centre, Strontian

Professors Hugh Cheape and ening, touching on aspects of life Donald Meek discussed the Gaelic and culture not always covered by culture of the Lochaber region, the scholarly historical texts. focusing on the poets and Professor Cheape’s first image storytellers of the area. This event showed St Fillan’s bell, a 6th comprised a bi-lingual approach. Century relic typical of the Celtic Professor Cheape explained that church and a symbol of a mission- he would discuss the Gaelic ary church that carried its message culture of the Lochaber region by hand and mouth within using images of material culture Scotland: a starting point for from the distant past. The culture written history and language. A of the past is often identified by second image relating to early monuments such as medieval Gaelic culture depicted Cille castles and burial sites, and by Choirill church, located in the industrial features such as the Braes of Lochaber near Roy Caledonian Canal and the lead Bridge. This is a typical example of mines of Strontian. However, the a very early phase in Christianity, most persistent aspect of culture when the church was named after in the region is the Gaelic lan- its founder; in this case ‘Cairell’, guage which, within Lochaber, an Irish saint. The building dates back at least 1500 years. standing on the site today dates Much of the most useful source from the 15th Century, but the material about Lochaber’s culture original 7th Century ‘church’ was can be found not only in the actually founded on an earlier ‘usual’ historical tomes, but also important pre-Christian site, in documents detailing studies suggesting the location had written by local historians and religious significance even before interested community members; St Cairell. The grave of the Gaelic many of these documents are poet Iain Lom (John MacDonald of written in the Gaelic language. Keppoch) is situated at the door These records of history from an of the church. However, Professor ‘insider’s’ viewpoint can be Cheape explained that this is extremely informative and enlight- incorrect, as Lom was actually

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buried elsewhere and the grave- Other surviving remnants of stone mistakenly placed here in material culture include brooches the 1890s. Curiously, however, worn on Highland dress and items this grave does mark the burial such as charm stones; bringing place of another great Gaelic life to the traditions and supersti- poet, Domhnall mac Fionnlaigh tions of the past. nan Dan. Professor Cheape showed the In terms of the first Millennium, audience two maps which he one of the major upheavals in the considers encapsulate Highland region related to the arrival of the history in a simple way. The first Norse people in the 8th Century. illustrates the extent of the The Norse reign lasted until the Lordship of the Isles, the rule of 13th Century and, in addition to Clan Donald, spreading across to changed lifestyles and new the east coast of Scotland into the traditions, the arrival of these Earldom of Ross and down to the people left a mark on the Lochab- south end of Kintyre. The Lords of er landscape in terms of language; the Isles were a major force, most often noticeable in place traditionally ruling just over half names. Out of the Norse period of of Scotland in the mid 15th rule developed the extremely Century. The Kings of Scots, important historical era, the particularly James I, II, III and IV, Lordship of the Isles. The Lords of felt challenged by their presence; the Isles were descendants of the even more so when the Lords sons of Somerled of Clan Donald formed a treaty with the Kings of and were very powerful and England. They sought to change influential, both in Scotland and this situation and, using the law, internationally. They traded within declared that the Lordship of the Europe and their most important Isles no longer existed and shared trading port was Galway, Ireland. its land amongst other people in Remnants of material culture the form of charters. Professor representing this era include Cheape’s second map depicts the gravestones upon which images ‘new’ boundaries of rule; the are carved; not only depicting the Kings of Scots empowered the wealth and power of the Lords MacKenzies in the north and the but also detailing aspects of Campbells in the south, effectively everyday life. One gravestone meaning that what little remained dating from the 15th Century of the Lordship was ‘squeezed’ in shows detail of a clarsach (harp), the middle, with Lochaber in the similar to that preserved in the midst of this. Professor Cheape National Museum of Scotland commented that much of what which belonged to Queen Mary. happened in the region in the

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following centuries, particularly clothing – in kilt form or other- the Jacobite uprising, was largely wise. due to this realignment of Other pictures show differing territory. The Battle of Culloden in means of transport throughout 1746 signified how successful the ages, including sledges and and assertive Gaelic Scotland had wheeled carts, many of which become, on both a national and took advantage of the drove international stage. Since the roads, tracks and military roads. 1690s, the region had been Gaelic tradition and writing recruited by the Kings of England reveals many details about and Scotland to fight their wars. transport, including different However, the government later terms used in different places. Part turned against Gaelic Scotland of the Highlands’ recovery after and, under the guise of Jaco- Culloden was the success of the bitism, which much of the west cattle trade as demand grew from coast supported, they crushed the Britain’s involvement in the Jacobite army at Culloden. What Imperial Wars. Droving trade in was life like in Gaelic Scotland for cattle developed in the 1760s and individuals? flourished through to the Napo- Five years after Culloden, when leonic Wars, leaving a big General Roy was making his impression on Scotland; remnants geographical survey of the of the routes are still in existence Highlands, one of his surveyors today, for example the resting drew a picture of a character from cairns found on the roadside Fort William entitled Gillie Wet between Fort William and Spean Foot (Errand Runner). This shows a Bridge. man in typical dress of the time; The woodlands of the area were contrary to popular belief about also very important to the culture Highland dress, he is not wearing of the region and evidence of this a kilt! Other examples of dress is found very strongly in Gaelic from the time include the body of song; one of the names of a man from Shetland who was Lochaber in Gaelic is ‘Lochaber of discovered fully clothed and the Trees’. Prevailing opinion from preserved in the peat. As in the archaeologists and other experts illustration of Gillie Wet Foot, his states that the oak woods were everyday clothes are not that being destroyed as soon as unusual; he is dressed similarly to settlement and farming began. In anyone from northern Europe. Lochaber, however, woodlands Very few people from the Lochab- were a managed and protected er region, or even in Scotland in resource; Clan Ranald’s over- general, wore tartan or plaid lordship in the area and the

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importance of the oaks for body of work to choose from. building galleys meant that wood Many of the principal Gaelic keepers were appointed to keep poets, prose writers and scholars charge of the woodlands. The hailed from the Lochaber area and woodlands and associated were prolific in their writing. He grazing regimes were, however, explained that he would simply severely impacted upon by the provide an overview of the Gaelic advent of sheep farming from the literature associated with Lochab- 1790s onwards. The ensuing er and deliver this from an ‘owl’s Highland Clearances are thor- eye view’ of the region. The owl oughly studied in history today has many associations with the and detailed accounts of and region; indeed the Owl of Strone perspectives on the impact of this is a protagonist in one of the era are also recorded in the Gaelic area’s famous songs. language. The period of religious Domhnall mac Fionnlaigh nan disruption in the mid 19th Dan, the poet buried in Cille Century, when the Kirk ceased to Choirill churchyard, requested to be able to perform the social role be buried here so that he could that it once did, also colours the see the land from a particular Gaelic voice very strongly in both angle. Gaelic song and verse is literature and art. Professor closely related to and inspired by Cheape showed an image the landscape. Professor Meek depicting a minister delivering a commented that in current times church service from a boat to his we are obsessed by turning congregation on the foreshore. everything into text. However, Furthermore, schooling, which much of Gaelic verse and text was had largely been the responsibility originally song; for example, Oran of the church, began to break- na Comhachaig (The Song of the down. However, with the Owl) by Domhnall mac Fionnlaigh development of the Free Church nan Dan. Gaelic verse also of Scotland, the Ladies Highland contains lots of harmonies, not Association was founded and was just musical, but those describing extremely important in creating the relationship between land and schools in the Highlands and landscape, people and environ- Islands until the 1872 Education ment. Oran na Comhachaig is Act took over. replete with this and Professor Professor Meek continued by Meek suggested that it is possible discussing the Gaelic literature of to “see the landscape” as you Lochaber, stating that the region read the song. In this song, the is very significant in the cultural owl is speaking to an old hunts- history of Scotland, with a vast man and reminiscing about the grand old times; “when men were

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men and clan chiefs were clan that their own kindred aligned chiefs”. In this era, the Keppoch with the new powers, for example, MacDonalds were a very impor- the MacDonalds staying loyal to tant family and are represented as the Catholic tradition. One poet such within this song. The owl who was very close to these and the huntsman talk about all changes was Iain Lom (John the people they have seen; the MacDonald of Keppoch). His owl has seen all the great folk and poems are full of battles and is asking “where are they now”? warriors. For example, the Battle Professor Meek describes the of Inverlochy 1645 describes how song as “summarising the whole he saw the battle. Professor Meek cultural heartbeat of the area”. considered how “looking back at The huntsman describes the these old verses makes you think landscape, the hills, Ben Nevis and about what was there before and paints “concise verbal photo- how important it is; the history of graphs” for the listener. This song the place and its impact upon the has been recited throughout the culture; especially when you visit Gaelic world and has had parts Old Inverlochy Castle today, now added and removed over time, as just a ruin”. There is no doubt is usual in an oral tradition. about Iain Lom’s loyalty in this However, the song cannot belong poem; the Campbells were the to any other part of Scotland; it ‘baddies’ and the MacDonalds clearly depicts the Lochaber virtuous in their actions. He landscape. Furthermore, it tunes describes the horrors of war in all in to many different traditions in their glory and paints amazing the Celtic world as well as the images of his MacDonald heroes, Gaelic one and as such, summaris- lending life to a past world. es the character of the area. The poets of Lochaber at the time The 17th Century was a tumultu- did not compartmentalise the ous time and a time of landscape into distinct regions as retrospection. Domhnall mac we do today, for example, distin- Fionnlaigh nan Dan was thinking guishing between Ardnamurchan about great times long past in his and Nether Lochaber; they had a poetry. Other chiefs and powers much more cohesive, larger were coming into the area – the community approach. Gaeldom Campbells, for example, pushing was linked in ways other than in from the south – and civil wars territory, such as systems of kin were commonplace. and kith. These are the sentiments Professor Meek commented that that influenced Iain Lom’s writing. there was a Gaelic way of seeing The Owl’s flight takes the audi- all of this; they saw it in the way ence to Keppoch and the

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important MacDonald family. bites, Protestants and Catholics Sileas na Ceapaich (c.1660– on occasion. His poem An Airc (An c.1729) was one of the female Ark) describes him deciding to poetesses from the region; a build an ark and giving boarding daughter of a Keppoch chief and passes to the passengers. Howev- brought up in the chief’s house- er, you would only receive a hold. boarding pass if you supported Her writing gives a female aspect Prince Charles (Bonnie Prince to Gaelic poetry, for example, the Charlie). The poem is a brilliant affection for music. Her poem piece of satire in which he Cumha Lachlainn Daill, commem- comments on the various folk orates the death of a harper and who did or didn’t support The describes the importance of the Prince. Professor Meek described harp player who travelled it as “almost like a summation of throughout the area and kept the all of the attitudes and ideas that lines of communication open; like went on during the Jacobite era. an internet of the time. The He used the ark as a metaphor for beauty of Gaelic verse is that it judging the contribution of the opens doors to worlds long chiefs, his friends and his foes to forgotten; it gives a context to the cause of The Prince”. many of the objects found in our Poets have commented on and museums today; for example the celebrated all the different phases harps and the importance of of development of the Highlands, music as a communication tool. from rebellions to Clearance, to Alastair Mac Mhaigstir Alasdair the arrival of industry in the form (Alexander MacDonald) was born of steamships and the Caledonian at Dallilea House in Ardnamur- Canal. Part of the role of Gaelic chan. He was a top ranked poet of poets in the Highlands was to the region; indeed the plaque on advocate what they thought was Dallilea House describes him as the best cause; what in their eyes the “greatest of all Gaelic Poets”. would change the world for good. Professor Meek described him as a Whether it was Bonnie Prince “complex yet extraordinary, Charlie or the steamship, they brilliant character; you never know were there to give consultation, quite what you are going to get advice and opinion, in addition to from him”. He composed poems simply noting changes and in a variety of styles, somewhat historical occasions. Allan Mac- schizophrenic in nature. Unlike Dougall’s, Song on Steamship some of the other Gaelic poets, he Highland Chieftain, charted the changed his allegiances many arrival of the steamship and times and sided with the Jaco- provided remarkable descriptions

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of the event for a blind poet! He steamship and the captain are the saw that the industrial revolution heroes and Gaelic song tradition was going to change the region is being adjusted to suit the and the world. Industrial Revolution. Professor Professor Meek also commented Meek noted that there are many that his is an interesting example more examples of great Gaelic of the standard Gaelic praise poets from the Lochaber region; poetry that was originally used for however, to cover their work the great chiefs. In this song, the would take a lifetime!

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Discussion Forum Illuminating Biology and Robotics through Contemporary Classical Music: Launching Lab Notes 14 May 2013

Speakers: Dr Christine Knight, Senior Policy Research Fellow, ESRC Genom- ics Policy & Research Forum, College of Humanities and Social Science, University of Edinburgh; Dr Lorraine Kerr, SynthSys Project Manager for Experiments, University of Edinburgh; Mr Martin Clark, Independent film maker and Dr Jane Stanley, Lecturer, University of Glasgow & RSE Young Academy of Scotland member. When we think of robots we tend to think of humanoid stereotypes from blockbuster films. The reality of robots in the twenty-first century scientific laboratory is very different. Lab Notes is an innovative project that brought a classical music composer and a film-maker into a modern systems biology lab. This public event launched the resulting piece of music (Streamlines) by composer Dr Jane Stanley, Lecturer, University of Glasgow & RSE Young Academy of Scotland Member and accompanying film by freelance film- maker Martin Clark. The project team described the creative process of bridging the arts and the sciences. Audience members had the chance to discuss the music and film in a Q&A session, and to listen to more of Dr Stanley’s music in an informal session. Chaired by Professor Alan Miller, FRSE, Deputy Principal (Research and Knowledge Transfer), Heriot-Watt University.

Artistic science or scientific art?

Lab Notes is a 10-minute film and encourage the “research leaders original music work inspired by a of the future” in Scotland and talk specialist robot used by systems about science with the general biologists for research at the public. So does the film illuminate University of Edinburgh. The the science? And what did the production is the end result of a team members learn from each collaboration between a scientist, other? a social scientist, a composer and The “Robot Lady,” Dr Kerr, was a film-maker, brought together taken by surprise when she first under the Scottish Crucible saw the film, and did not recog- programme, which funds innova- nise her familiar assistant. She and tive interdisciplinary projects to her colleagues sometimes speak

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to the robot, affectionately calling film it so there was a certain it “Armstrong” and treating it as amount of punctuation for the if it has a human personality. music, to exaggerate the fast and “When I come back from holiday, I slow repetitive movements.” hope it’s not feeling neglected,” Stanley was also fascinated with revealed Dr Kerr. “But maybe this the “dexterous movements of the says more about me than the pipettes” and the “iterative robot!” movements of the robot,” but the Dr Kerr and her colleagues also two collaborators didn’t want the think of the robot as a helper who music to “agree” with the automates much of their work movements in a literal way. and frees them up to focus on the Sometimes, sounds do coincide other jobs a robot cannot do. She with movements, and energy also explained that one of the seems to “transfer” from piano to challenges for many researchers robot, but these are happy was processing the masses of data accidents rather than an attempt produced by the robot – and the to “choreograph” sound and “personification” of data, to motion. make it easier for people to Dr Knight explained the back- interpret the figures. “Sometimes ground to the project, stressing people see or ‘smell’ patterns in the importance of public engage- data,” she added. ment and explaining Scottish Clark also saw the robot in more Crucible funds 30 projects per human terms. “It started to look year, to help participants see how like a wildlife film,” he said, “and their research “impacts on we saw all these human and society” and learn how to “com- animal movements.” Composer municate their work to a wider Jane Stanley also wanted to audience.” The main aim of Lab highlight the anthropomorphic Notes was to “harness people’s qualities of the robot and its fascination with robots and “organic” characteristics, likening challenge common misconcep- a cluster of cables to spider’s legs tions.” Now that the launch has and seeing human faces in parts taken place, Lab Notes will be of the robot. entered in experimental music and When Clark and Stanley first met science festivals, and uploaded to discuss the project, they online. decided to avoid coordinating the Dr Kerr outlined the everyday tasks movements with sounds. Clark of the robot, which is housed in filmed the robot at work in the lab the Kinetic Parameter Facility in before Stanley started composing SynthSys and used by academic the music, and said he “wanted to and commercial researchers for a

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wide range of tasks in systems Stanley was also conscious of the biology, including high-through- use of technology in producing put assays – basically, moving lots the music, which parallels the of liquids around to conduct high-tech nature of the robot, different tests. One of the projects pointing out that the piano itself it assists is a study of the Circadian is “a highly complex form of Clock by Professor Andrew Millar, technology” which is also “pro- who is trying to improve crop grammed” to move like the robot. productivity and help plants adapt “There were numerous out- to different environments. comes,” said Stanley. “Some were Another project looks at Soay unexpected – which for me were sheep who run wild on the island the most interesting. Working on of St Kilda, to find out why some the project has changed the way I sheep live longer than others, by feel about the musical form, analysing blood samples for seeing how a film is edited and genetic clues. The key advantages coming into contact with col- of the robot – a Freedom Evo 2- leagues in other disciplines.” 150 liquid-handling robot made Professor Miller said that Lab by Tecan – are accuracy, flexibility, Notes brought together people speed and the ability to automate from the very different worlds of repetitive tasks, keeping track of art and science, but several people every single detail of the process. in the audience wondered if the Dr Kerr also commented that the project brought different disci- film maker had interpreted the plines closer together or movements of the robot rather illustrated just how far apart they than the esoteric details of are. experiments. Clark said he was Other people also said the film aware the robot handled biologi- focused more on the robot than cal materials, but focused more on science – and that the film raised the appearance of the robot and more questions than answers. the way that it moved, rather than the science involved. For Stanley, “The music seemed inspired by the challenge was to “crystallise” the physical aspects of the robot. the images in musical form. She Did you make a conscious effort also said she wanted to convey to take out the science?” one the “mood” of the film and was person asked. Someone else also influenced by the “sweeping and described the film as “a seventies gliding” movements of the robot robot sex horror,” asking if this itself, which she also saw as may have a negative impact on “austere and sinister, alien and public understanding of science. other-worldly.”

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Dr Knight, the social scientist, film. Clark also said the robot had welcomed these comments and an “undesigned” functional said she thought this may be beauty and looked quite old good for publicity and stimulating fashioned. debate. “Sometimes it’s good to The collaboration clearly made all raise questions,” she said, “and the participants think about their make people feel uneasy.” It is not own work as well as learn about a “chirpy film” about robots, she the other disciplines involved. And added. in some ways, their stereotypical Film-maker Martin Clark described roles were reversed, with scientists the star of the virtually colourless confessing that they speak to the film – a liquid-handling robot – as robot as if it is human and also “eerie and sinister,” and this writing scripts for its performance, response has clearly influenced and artists who describe this the style of the “dark brooding” “human” robot as an alien.

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Alison McLure Institute of Physics Women in Science: Antarctic Experience 15 May 2013 Ben Nevis Hotel, Fort William

The Antarctic is a remarkable Why is it that there are so few well continent - remote, hostile and known female scientists? It was uninhabited. Yet it is of key not until 1991 that the number of importance to our understanding female physics professors doubled of how the world works. For the in number – from one to two. early explorers, Antarctica was the Today they number around 36; ultimate survival contest. For however, this still only represents scientists, it remains a place of 6% of the total. There are very few intellectual challenge. This talk women employed in the higher discussed the kind of science echelons of physics; indeed, a carried out in the Antarctic, and recent Royal Society of Edinburgh how a physics degree took Alison (RSE) report highlighted this and to Antarctica and what life is like encouraged new ways of thinking there. to rectify the situation. Many This talk focused on three main women who study the sciences at areas: women working in science; university graduate and get Ms McLure’s own career in relevant employment. However, science; and her specific experi- many leave early in their careers ence in Antarctica. When asked to due to family and cultural reasons. name famous women who have The RSE report emphasised the worked in science, the only cost of this waste of talented suggestion from the audience was resources; physics significantly ‘Marie Curie’. Ms McLure noted contributes around £9 billion to that this is the usual answer and the Scottish economy, more than that very few others are regularly the financial services. Ms McLure mentioned. More recent well commented that science offers an known contributors include Jane interesting, challenging and Goodall and Dame Jocelyn Bell sometimes lucrative career path Burnell; in the latter’s case and it is a great shame that many perhaps most ‘famous’ for not women continue to miss out on winning the Nobel Prize. Bell opportunities. Burnell made a major contribution Attitudes to females working in to the discovery of pulsars; science are changing and hopeful- however, as the junior member of ly will continue to do so. Many the team, was not included in organisations are working to their award. overcome these hurdles; for

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example, Girl Geek Scotland, who forecasting. Following another encourage young females to stint at the Met Office College for embrace their ‘geekdom’ and training, Ms McLure spent time pursue their interest in the working in both the London sciences! Weather Centre, alongside well Both Ms McLure’s parents were known figures such as Michael physics teachers, but this wasn’t Fish and Ian McCaskill, and the the only influence to her choosing Aberdeen Weather Centre, a career in science. Whilst she fulfilling an ambition to return to always enjoyed the subject, she Scotland. also found a real life use for During her time in Aberdeen, she physics and maths through her worked closely on forecasting for love of sailing and the navigation the oil industry. This required new involved therein. After studying skills such as wave forecasting. physics at university, Ms McLure Whilst semi-submersible rigs can applied for and obtained a job cope with small choppy waves, a with the Met Office; she consid- swell lasting more than 16 ered that this would be an seconds could cause big problems opportunity to link her interests in and require the use of extra outdoor activities and her physics anchors. As such, meteorology degree. She spent a few months involves a lot more than the visible training at the Met Office College aspects of television and radio and then moved to Bracknell to weather forecasting. Additionally, work on research into meteoro- utility companies, such as gas and logical instrumentation. This electricity providers, require involved developing instruments accurate forecasts in order to meet that would work on the tops of customer supply and demand; mountains, allowing the installa- indeed Ms McLure stated that the tion of automatic weather stations electricity companies require a which, due to adverse weather forecast within two degrees conditions, are preferable to Celsius every hour to ensure there people doing manual recordings. is enough electricity available. Ms Many instruments can, however, McLure also worked closely with be seriously affected by weather the RAF; in this role she was often conditions such as riming; Ms asked for forecasts, but when she McLure commented that some- asked for which location, sometimes it is the simple adaptations times she was informed it was top to instruments that work best in secret! these conditions, rather than After ten years working for the complicated technologies. After Met office and a five-month three years working on this secondment to Antarctica, Ms research, she moved to weather McLure decided to consider other

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career options. She commented toilet! Britain spends a lot of that physics gives you a certain money being in the Antarctic and flexibility in thinking, transferable cynical opinion suggests that its skills and a confidence to try other presence there relates to ‘land things. She spent time working grabbing’ and future mineral for the Dunstaffnage Marina, rights. Ms McLure commented which was a completely different that, in reality, the presence of the environment to the Met Office; for BAS offers the opportunity to Scottish Water, mapping pipelines conduct some vitally important and water treatment plants; with science; for example, the hole in the Scottish Executive as a policy the ozone layer was originally officer advising Ministers on discovered by an Antarctic sheep and beef farming during scientist. Current research focuses the Foot and Mouth crisis; and on, amongst other aspects, with the Scottish Leadership climate change and sea-level Foundation, helping to develop studies and the potential impact leadership skills in the public on human life. sector. Her current employment Science is also intrinsically impor- with the Institute of Physics brings tant and fulfils a basic human together her science background need to discover and understand. and policy and business experi- Many other countries are also ence. The role involves promoting involved in Antarctica and are physics in many different ways, often working in partnership on from engaging youngsters to various projects. People have had advising ministers on policy work an interest in exploring Antarctica and public engagement. This job for many years, as demonstrated has also allowed her to undertake by the famous expeditions led by further expeditions with the the likes of Scott and Shackleton. British Schools Exploring Society Whilst these forays were largely (BSES), taking youngsters to Polar about discovery and exploration, regions to conduct scientific they also involved some scientific experiments and projects. endeavour. Ms McLure comment- During her ten years with the Met ed that Scotland has its own Office, Ms McLure experienced a Antarctic explorer and scientist. very varied career. One of the William Speirs Bruce led an highlights of this was the oppor- excellent expedition in 1902 and tunity to take part in a five-month established the first permanent secondment to the Antarctic with weather station in Antarctica. the British Antarctic Survey (BAS). However, as his expedition was However, she commented that she successful and he brought all his nearly didn’t get the job because men back alive, he didn’t achieve the base didn’t have a ladies the fame of Scott and Shackleton!

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(In fact one of Bruce’s men died of enable data to be transmitted a heart attack but this was the relating to air temperature, result of a precondition). pressure, wind direction and The Antarctic is a huge continent speed. This information is particu- which, unlike the Arctic, is larly important for forecasting founded on a land mass. This land weather conditions for the mass is sinking under the weight aeroplanes travelling to the of the ice which, on average, is Rothera base. For planes coming 10,000 feet (3,000 metres) deep. from the Falkland Islands, the Working in the Antarctic involves nearest airport to Rothera is in the huge distances between locations; South Orkney Islands and, after for example, the distance between pilots reach a certain point, they the British bases Rothera and have to be sure of having enough Halley is around two thousand fuel. As such, if the conditions at kilometres. These distances and the base mean they would not be the intense conditions require an able to land, this could be on-site meteorologist to forecast dangerous. There are also other weather in order to meet the smaller research stations located unusual logistical demands of the in Antarctica, often consisting of location. Needless to say, the only a scientist and mountaineer Antarctic continent is very cold; staying in a tent. Accurate fore- the coldest temperature ever casts are vital for ensuring these recorded there was minus 89 remote parties stay safe and also degrees Celsius. To put this in to enable them to plan their work context, at minus 40 degrees a schedule. On occasion, however, it cup of coffee will turn instantly to wasn’t only Antarctic weather that ice crystals. The Antarctic is also was necessary to forecast; with technically a desert, due to the many of the supply ships travel- lack of precipitation; in the region ling onward to Montevideo in known as the ‘dry valleys’ it hasn’t Uruguay, they would receive a snowed for several thousand ‘warmer’ outlook! years. Life on the Antarctic base is quite Ms McLure was based at Rothera, utilitarian. Workers live in barrack an area quite far north and a houses with generally one room difficult place for weather fore- shared between four. However, as casting, as it is on the cusp of Ms McLure was the only female differing weather systems. Her on base, she had a room to work involved taking measure- herself. This wasn’t always ideal, ments, installing automatic as it was located next to the noisy weather stations and forecasting bar and as she had to be up early conditions. Equipment used to prepare the forecast, it wasn’t included weather balloons, which particularly conducive to sleep;

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indeed on occasion she went to get the same brief as the BAS sleep in a quieter area of the base, employees about not approaching in an empty shipping container! them! However, there is also much Because the base is inaccessible in evidence of ‘nature in the raw’; in winter, food and fuel supplies are the form of bloodied and scarred spread throughout the various animals. buildings. If supplies were kept in Skidoos are the main form of one location, a disaster such as transport in and around the base fire at this time could create severe locations. Ms McLure noted that it hardship and even cause those can be difficult to get a perspec- overwintering on the base to tive of distance in the Antarctic perish. Ms McLure commented due to the white environment and that although the base feels very air quality. Because of this and the modern and safe, it cannot be other dangers of the region, there forgotten that it is also a very are many safety routines to follow, dangerous and isolated place. both at the base and when Employees also assist in the travelling further afield. cleaning of the base and assisting Environmental impact is also an the cook. Most of the food eaten extremely important consideration is pre-packaged and it is always an for workers in the Antarctic and, exciting time when the supply whilst some impact is inevitable, planes bring in fresh fruit and many procedures are in place to vegetables. Free time is spent keep this to a minimum. For climbing, walking, taking photo- example, all human excrement is graphs and spending time in packaged up and flown out of explorers’ huts. One of the Antarctica back to the Falkland locations of the huts, Fossil Bluff, Islands. Workers are also some- is full of fossils of tropical ferns; times involved in helping to clear remnants of a time when the rubbish from sites associated with climate on the Antarctic continent much earlier expeditions. was very different. The wildlife of Ms McLure finished by comment- the region is also fascinating, ing that a career in science can particularly the penguins and lead to life-changing experiences seals. Ms McLure commented that and opportunities that could not they are very inquisitive; they don’t otherwise be realised.

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Professor Allan Macinnes FRHistS FRSE Professor of Early Modern History, University of Strathclyde Lochaber: Bandit Country or Jacobite Heartland? 21 May 2013 The Sunart Centre, Strontian

In the eyes of central government, Ireland, but Scottish clans differed Scottish and British, the Lochaber in that they aspired to have district was regarded as the charters which gave them rights to epicentre of Highland disorder the land on which the clan had and disloyalty from the 15th to settled. Most clan chiefs did not the 18th Centuries. How justified have full title to their estates and, was this reputation? Mitigating furthermore, land titles could be factors such as the mountainous given to other landlords, who in environment, overlapping jurisdic- many cases had rights of heritable tions and religious jurisdiction, meaning they had denominationalism have to be powers of mutilation and death. brought into the equation. But we During the time of the Lords of can reverse the question. Was the Isles, this was reasonably well central government the real regulated. However, following the problem, through its incapacity to collapse of this reign in the late cope with clanship, with its 15th Century, competing inter- levying of unsustainable taxes, ests, and new families moving in and with its deliberate confusion to the region, could lead to of banditry with Jacobitism? partiality and had very severe Professor Macinnes commenced consequences if, for example, you by stating that, “much of the were a Campbell in a MacDonald historiography about banditry and jurisdiction. As such, to enforce Jacobitism can be reduced to a these rights of property, it was simple equation: Lochaber is full sometimes necessary to keep a of bandits, Lochaber was very group of ‘hard men’; the caterans. supportive of the Jacobites; This complicated situation therefore, Jacobites are bandits continued through the 15th into and bandits are Jacobites”. The the 16th Century but, at the same Highland bandits, or caterans, time, the clans further afield from have a longstanding association Lochaber were becoming more with clanship. Clans were formed settled and in these other areas from the 11th to the 14th the caterans had largely disap- Centuries and revolved around peared. ties of kinship. Clans were Professor Macinnes commented common in both Scotland and that it was mainly in Lochaber that

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there remained concentrated most notorious bandit clan in groups of bandits. Government Lochaber. statistics show that in 1587 there The pacification programme were 95 clans with a bandit introduced to the Highlands and problem and of these 34 had Islands by James VI led to the serious issues; all of these clans expropriation of various clans, were located in the Lochaber including the Macleods from region. Seven years later, figures Lewis and the MacDonalds from show there were fewer clans with Kintyre. This led to smaller families bandit issues; only 11 were such as the Macmillans and seriously affected. However, again, Macphees coming into Lochaber these were all within Lochaber. who also needed to make careers Some of the explanation for the for themselves, and an easy way to prevalence is afforded to the do this was to act as bandits. terrain of the region being limited Furthermore, Lochaber people in terms of pastoral and arable also played a major part in the land, but this doesn’t explain why Wars of the Three Kingdoms in other similar areas didn’t have the mid 17th Century, which led such a problem. In any predomi- to huge-scale devastation and nantly agrarian region, there will displacement, putting a premium be peak times for labour; for on bandit activities as a means of example, harvesting and sowing living and survival. The prevalence and, in between, people need to of banditry in the region cannot, be gainfully employed. In the however, be simply explained as a Lowlands of Scotland this led to a result of unfortunate events and huge problem of vagrancy, but in hardship. Certain people in the the Highlands during these ‘quiet’ area revelled in the ‘sport’ of times, people mounted cattle banditry and cattle rustling; they raids as an almost competitive enjoyed stealing things or ‘lifting’ sporting endeavour. Additionally, as it was known at the time. Lochaber was also an attractive Professor Macinnes quoted the area for inmigration. example of Allan Cameron of In the 16th Century there was a Lochiel who, aged 104, wrote to custom that if a chief married into Sir James Grant of Freuchie in a family, then that family could 1645 in words to the effect, send up a contingent of people. “terribly sorry, we didn’t realise it One of the most famous contin- was your lands we were stealing gents that came and stayed in cattle from, if only we’d known, Lochaber was the Kennedys from we’d have stolen them from Carrick. Having little else to keep somewhere else”. Banditry by the them occupied, they became the caterans in Scotland, similarly by

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Ireland’s rapparees, was also used increasing emphasis on clan chiefs as an expression of social protest. becoming landowners and In the 1650s, Scotland was working their estates commercial- occupied by Cromwell’s forces and ly. Moreover, cattle droving was Lochaber, due to its terrain, also becoming commercially became a major centre for viable; it was more profitable to guerrilla resistance or freedom sell your cattle than to eat all of fighting. At this time, the High- them. The traditional ritualistic land clans were joined in their cattle raid held as a virility test for activities by groups of people who young men was a dying tradition; came from Ireland, the Borders the last one was carried out by the and the north of England and MacDonalds of Keppoch in 1670. further embellished Lochaber’s More commonly, what developed reputation as bandit country. were freelance bandit activities, Professor Macinnes recalled one involving 10 to 14 people, story arising from the memoirs of compared to the traditional ritual Sir Ewen Cameron of Lochiel, which could involve hundreds. In grandson of Allan, who led the some areas outwith Lochaber, the resistance to Cromwell in the area people who undertook this had and was captured near Loch no connections at all with specific Arkaig. As a gun was held to his clans; they had left the structured head, he bit the officer in the neck order of clan community. Profes- and killed him. This enhanced the sor Macinnes stated that well Lochiel Camerons’ reputation as regulated systems of dealing with bandits and savages so strongly the banditry were well established that when the Jacobites invaded in the region; the most important England in 1745, with Lochaber tradition being that, if you were men at the fore, English newspa- able to establish that cattle had pers reported stories saying that been stolen by a family in Lochab- nursemaids were frightening er or the Highlands, a process of children by telling them that arbitration could be entered into. Cameron of Lochiel was coming This justice system was based on and that he would eat the babies. reparation rather than retribution; in return for returning the cattle Despite this enhanced reputation, and paying a fine, everything was the association of caterans with cleared and mutilation or hanging the clans was diminishing, with a avoided. Lowland landlords greater emphasis on enforcing entered into this arrangement pacification and imposing quite frequently with Highland different systems of justice landlords; it was well organised, emerging alongside the growth of with, depending on the size of commercialism. There was an

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family, six to twelve people campaign promoting the notion representing each side, with a of the Highlands as a centre of panel whose decision was disorder that had to be sup- binding. However, frustrations pressed militarily. Professor arose because there could be long Macinnes notes a dichotomy in delays. A system of information the historiography of Scotland in money, known as ‘tascal’ money in this period. Studies of the Cove- Gaelic, was also operated, nanting era focus on how the whereby messengers were sent to government victimised this group find out who was involved in the of people using the excuse of the banditry and paid for their work. existence of hardliners in the Other landowners paid for movement to impose fines and ‘watches’ on their property and taxes on Presbyterians. Historians Highland clans often hired out have been happy to berate the their surplus men to work as government of the time for the watchers in other areas. Most perceived attack on the Covenant- famous were the MacFarlanes, ers, but are very reluctant to who operated in the southern acknowledge that it was the same highlands, controlling access to government people dealing with Glasgow, and the Farquharsons, the situation in the Highlands. “It operating in the northeast is doubtful that if the government towards Aberdeen. Both of these were vicious, mendacious officials families turned these watches into in their dealings with the Low- blackmail operations or protec- lands, they suddenly became the tions rackets and, as such, the good guys in the Highlands”. The main racketeers were not located Highlands is not an area with a in Lochaber but on the Lowland strong Covenanting history; peripheries to the south and east. Protestantism in the region is The cateran situation in Lochaber mainly Episcopalian and there are was not helped by the murder of large numbers of Catholics. With the young chief of the MacDon- a lack of hard-line Presbyterianism alds of Keppoch and his brother in Lochaber, historiographers have in 1663, by their uncle. The young had to find an alternative reason chief was trying to wean his clan to explain the government’s away from banditry and, as such, actions in the region; predomi- the murder was perceived as nantly that the clans and the confirming that Lochaber was caterans were indistinguishable. indeed a centre of uncontrolled Professor Macinnes commented banditry. This event was used by that many of the difficulties arose central government to tar all the from how Britain was run at this clans in Lochaber with the same time. Charles II was a very able but brush and they began a huge lazy monarch, who left Scotland to

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be run by the Duke of Lauderdale, with government intervention, who created the beginnings of a such as brinkmanship, developed fiscal military state that involved within the region. When occa- raising taxes but required the sions arose such as the threat of military to enforce them. Lauderd- troops being sent into the ale didn’t want to use armies to Highlands to collect unpaid taxes, undertake this and, instead, commercial networks from started taking militias from the Lowland cities would forewarn the Lowlands to the Highlands to deal clan chiefs, enabling them to pay with bandits, and Highlanders to a portion of their taxes and the Lowlands to deal with Presby- avoiding this situation. A cat and terianism; a sort of ethnic contest. mouse game ensued for much of Above all, he was focused on the late 17th Century and broke raising taxes. In 1670, a character down on only three occasions, nicknamed the Hawkit Stirk two of these within Lochaber. In (Donald MacDonald from Kep- 1669, troops were brought in to poch), who was engaged in collect the excise and were bandit activity, led a contingent ‘escorted’ out of Lochaber by the into Rannoch to occupy estates Camerons of Lochiel and the held by the Menzies and, as a MacDonalds of Keppoch. Again, result, the government decided in 1682, Cameron of Lochiel that they had to be forcibly attacked the government forces; evicted. However, the orders given his justification being that they to the troops as they left Stirling were collecting the taxes unjustly stated that they should deal with as they had killed a female the Hawkit Stirk when they cowherd in the process. He was reached Rannoch but, more summonsed to Edinburgh for this importantly, they should deal with and avoided anything but a small a long list of defaulting tax payers fine because he took with him a between Stirling and Rannoch. contingent of Lochaber clansmen “This was just one example of who liberated the witnesses from how the government was abusing prison, plied them with alcohol, its position, exploiting a situation and because they were inebriated and developing it beyond what it in court, he only got a fine. actually stood for”. The whole notion of endemic In Professor Macinnes’ opinion, if lawlessness and banditry in the the government seriously wanted area was largely dispelled when to bring order to Lochaber, they James VII, then Duke of York, should have sought to impose established the Commission for local government through a Pacifying the Highlands in 1682. Sheriffdom and created a shire of The Commission’s reports showed Lochaber. Strategies for dealing that there was, in fact, very little

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banditry in the Highlands and it in 1689, the Keppoch MacDon- was certainly not endemic. alds were actually outlawed by Professor Macinnes maintains that both sides. Furthermore, they this can be explained by the subtle behaved very much as a ‘clan changes in society at the time. apart’, not taking part in any of Cattle droving had become the major campaigns and instead enormously profitable, mainly due extorting money from Inverness to the growth of London into and destroying the lands of the Europe’s largest city and the Royal Mackintoshes. Professor Macinnes Navy’s burgeoning demand for commented that the “MacDon- salt beef, and this increased alds of Keppoch were very much wealth enabled people to acquire against the grain in the area, but smallholdings, which led to more for Lowland polemicists they fit responsibility and a focus on the perception that if you are commerce in place of banditry. Jacobite you are a bandit. This is a However, as the situation started prevailing feature of the 18th to improve, rebellions broke out Century, an equation based on a when the Catholic James VII took few aberrant activities”. the throne in 1685. The closest Jacobitism stands for two things; rebellion to Lochaber was that by first, a dynastic support based on the Earl of Argyll. The Earl of clan values of protection, prestige Atholl mobilised the clans in the and tradition projected onto the Lochaber area to put an end to Stewarts as the high chief of this rebellion. Government troops Scotland; and secondly, a confes- were sent to Lochaber and were sional element based on the met with resistance from Lochiel. Stewarts’ Catholic faith. Only 5% This was, however, an unusual of the Scottish population were occurrence in a period of more Catholic, but a high proportion of responsible behaviour. these were based in the MacDon- The last clan battle was fought by ald clans of the Lochaber area. The the MacDonalds of Keppoch and majority of clans in the area were the Mackintoshes at Mulroy in Protestant, but Episcopalians, 1688; battles among clans were including Cameron of Lochiel and fading out and disputes more MacDonald of Glencoe who, for regularly resolved by law. Follow- their reluctance to give up the ing this, King James VII outlawed Stewarts, became known as non- the MacDonalds of Keppoch a few juring Episcopalians. Furthermore, months before he was removed Lochaber is only one part of the from the throne. The incoming Highlands, and the heartlands of King, William of Orange, also Jacobitism were not exclusively in outlawed them and thus, at the the Highlands; there were also time of the first Jacobite uprising strong connections in the north-

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east and the Borders. In these they were all Popish and therefore areas a third factor came into play bandits. from 1707, that of anti-Unionism, Professor Macinnes concluded or patriotism; at the core of the that, despite the opinion of the belief in Jacobitism. polemicists, the Highlands were At the same time as Jacobitism definitely changing at this time, was becoming entrenched in west sometimes in very subtle ways. Highland society, there is also The impact of cattle droving and evidence to suggest there was a its associated wealth enabled the huge increase in bandit activity in change of settlement patterns, the early 18th Century. Professor particularly in terms of townships, Macinnes noted that, when and brought about an increase in examined forensically, this was population. This was compound- actually a polemic increase in ed by seasonal migration, the banditry; not necessarily an advent of consumerism and increase in bandit activity but an changes in traditions and, with increase in the polemical associa- this, attitudes. For example, the tion of Jacobites with bandits. replacement of the repatriation One of the best illustrations of system by a process of straightfor- this is the account of General ward retribution, resulting in Wade, who on being sent to the bandit acts formerly described as Highlands to maintain the peace ‘lifting’ becoming theft. in 1725, produced a list of bandit These social changes resulted in clans. This list matched exactly the banditry largely continuing as a clans who fought for the Jacobites form of social protest; in certain in 1750 at Sherrifmuir and areas due to loss of land brought included the Earl of Breadalbane, about by early Clearances and also whose grandson was a leading due to the growth of extractive British diplomat. It would be a industries which required a strange situation whereby the migrant workforce, which brought leading British diplomat to the about some objections. After court of Louis XV was actually a 1745, some major gangs also bandit, and made the list appear began to operate in Lochaber for slightly specious. Moreover, post- survival reasons. Professor 1745, the Reverend Alexander Macinnes noted that “in all the McBain wrote that “Jacobites are brutality imposed by the Duke of Popish bandits”, despite evidence Cumberland and his acolytes in that many Episcopalians were the aftermath of Culloden, it is involved. Additionally, Edward the Lochaber area that resists the Bruce, a government surveyor, most”. The last example made of concluded that the Jacobites’ any Jacobite was the case of Dr lands deserved to be forfeited as Archibald Cameron, who was

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assassinated in 1753 for his Camerons were once more fully involvement in the last Jacobite engaged in the workings and plot. His testimony, smuggled out commerce of Empire. “Certainly from the Tower of London, stated there is a legacy and tradition of he was going to his death for a Jacobitism and banditry, but long cause he totally believed in and, as before the last Jacobite campaign an Episcopalian, was totally horizons were changing. Commer- committed to. cialism was growing and new Things, however, weren’t quite horizons brought about through that simple. Archibald Cameron Union and Empire. Lochaber’s was a committed Jacobite, as were reputation for banditry has been the Camerons of Lochiel, but they somewhat over-emphasised in were also very much committed to historiography. Whilst organised the belief in property and banditry died out in the 1750s, progress and the wealth associat- other forms of illicit activity, ed with it. The Camerons were including poaching and distilling, involved in colonial activity as early continued and probably still as the 1680s and were very happen today”. Professor Mac- entrepreneurial. Following the innes is unconvinced that banditry Jacobite Wars and by 1749, the has actually ended in Lochaber!

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Professor Jeremy Smith FRSE Professor of English Philology, University of Glasgow English and Scots: Using the Past to Explain the Present 24 May 2013 West Highland College, Kilchoan

The character and distribution of the Turkish football club the languages of present-day Galatasaray. Place names can take Britain derive from their complex on their own life and remain in histories. This talk explored how the landscape, even when the present-day speech and writing people who first used them have can be used to find out how long since moved on and the people spoke in the past, and an originating language is no longer attempt was made, using evidence spoken in a place. Considering such as place names, to link the local Gaelic place names in language development to geogra- more depth, Professor Smith phy as well as history. The focus explained that Kilchoan is formed was on English and Scots, but the from two parts, ‘Kil’ originating discussion was relevant for other from the Gaelic word for Church, languages as well. ‘Cille’, and ‘Choan’, relating to an Professor Smith started by individual named ‘Chòmhghain’, commenting that, as a language who founded the church in this historian, it was exciting for him location. Other words found in to be speaking to an audience in a place names in the area also have linguistically complicated location. recognisable elements: the ‘Ach’ He explained that his talk would in Acharacle means field; ‘Allt’ focus on language, linguistic relates to burn; ‘Ard’ meaning phenomena and how current point or high place, found in language can reveal interesting place names including Ardgour things about its history. During his and Ardnamurchan; ‘Bal’ referring drive to Kilchoan, Professor Smith to farm or township; and ‘Ben’ had the opportunity to see many meaning Hill. However, some road signs, which contained words found in Gaelic place evidence of many different names, such as ‘Corrie’, ‘Larig’ and languages, including varieties of ‘Meall’, do not actually have an Celtic, Gaelic and Norse. Celtic equivalent in English. Professor and forms of the Gaelic language Smith commented that it is usually were once widespread across obvious from a mountain’s name Europe and evidence of this can what shape it will be; those still be seen in references to named ‘Sgurr’ or ‘Stob’ will Galicia in Spain, Gaul and even usually have pointed peaks, whereas those described as

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‘Meall’ are more rounded in lent illustration of how a place shape. Gaelic place names can name can incorporate different also be quite poetic, for example languages and cultures. ‘Cud- ‘Buachaille Etive Mor’ in Glencoe bright’ refers to the Northumbrian translates as ‘The Great Shepherd saint, Cuthbert; the Northumbrian of Etive’. However, many of the hegemony spread from the north place names are also descriptive of England to southern parts of and once translated into English Scotland. ‘Kirk’ is the Norse for are not quite so poetic; for ‘church’ and therefore, the word example Ben Mor or Beinn Mhor Kirkcudbright means the church simply means ‘Big Hill’. of Saint Cuthbert. The third Professor Smith commented that interesting cultural element of it is also interesting to consider Kirkcudbright refers to the the way in which languages sequencing of the two words interact with each other. Language ‘Kirk’ and ‘Cudbright’ which is in a is not a pure entity, it borrows Celtic format. In Germanic words and becomes corrupted languages, names are usually over time and place. An example ordered with the specific element of this is found in the Scots word followed by the generic part, for ‘dreich’, which many would example, Jeremy (specific) Smith assume is authentically Scottish (generic). This is the opposite to but is in fact derived from an Old Celtic names, for example, Norse word. Norse has left its Edinburgh was formerly known as mark on many Scottish place the Celtic Dunedin; the ‘Dun’ names and other aspects of the referring to ‘Castle’ and ‘Edin’ language. For example, the place being the specific part, ‘Edin’s name Dingwall, relates to the Castle’. In the current Germanic Norse word meaning a place for a format ‘Edin’ has been brought to traditional assembly. Other places the front and ‘Dun’ has been using this Norse term are found replaced with ‘Burgh’, changing throughout Europe in locations the meaning from ‘Castle’ to where the Norsemen settled; ‘Town’ or in the German lan- Þingvellir or Thingvellir in Iceland; guage, ‘fortified town’. Thingwall on the Wirral near Kirkcudbright, therefore, brings Liverpool, Tynwald, the Manx together three cultures of the Parliament; and Tinwald in region; it has a Celtic ordering, a Dumfriesshire. Furthermore, the Norse generic and includes the Yorkshire Ridings were originally name of an Anglo-Saxon saint. referred to as the ‘Thrithings’ and Existence of such place names have now developed into the usually indicates an area with a ‘Three Ridings’. Kirkcudbright in rich history of settlement by south west Scotland is an excel- different cultures.

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Following the discussion about are markers of historical develop- place names, Professor Smith ment, so is the speech and writing continued by considering the used by everyone, everyday. The history of the English and Scots present can explain the past just languages. English has existed for as the past can explain the many centuries and is found, in its present”. earliest forms, carved on stones The history of English is typically and depicted in runes and divided in to four periods: Old inscriptions dating from 7th English, also known as Anglo- Century. The earliest printed Saxon up to around 1100AD; books in English date from the Middle English, the language of 15th Century, and from the 16th Chaucer; Early Modern English, Century onwards scholars began the language of Shakespeare; and to consider that English itself was Late Modern English, which worth studying and books were continues to this day. Scots and written detailing how the lan- English in Scotland also has a guage was pronounced. At the distinct set of periods: Old English end of the 19th Century, technol- up to 1100AD, a particular version ogy was developed and used to of Anglo-Saxon known as Old record people’s speech on Northumbrian; Older Scots to cylinders. The Scots language is about 1375, of which only very closely related to English, but fragments of information remain; has a complicated relationship Early Scots from 1375 to 1450; with it; some people regard it as a Middle Scots from 1450 to 1700; distinct language and others as a and Modern Scots, 1700 to dialect or sub-variety of English. A present day. Professor Smith language akin to Scots has been explained that from around the documented since the 14th period of Modern Scots, it is also Century. Materials and resources possible to distinguish a form of from the past are known as the language known as Scottish witnesses and scholars today Standard English. People started spend much of their time interro- to write about this in the 18th gating these witnesses. Professor Century and referred to it as Smith commented that a major ‘Scottish purged of vulgarity’. resource for the study of the Languages and their development history of language, other than cannot be formatted in to a rigid inscriptions and text, is the ‘family tree’-style diagram with set present-day language. Its current boundaries and specific dates format is the result of history and when changes occurred. Lan- the things people say and write guage development is a more and their accents are receptacles fluid process with ongoing subtle of history. “Just as place names changes; for example to vocabu-

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lary, altering it over time and ‘regard’ from the verb ‘regarder’ place. Professor Smith likens (to look at) and ‘commence’ from language to a “river picking up ‘commencer’ (to begin). There are and depositing material as it also many words from Latin and moves along”. increasingly from other languag- Scots vocabulary is formed from es, such Urdu and Hindi, for various different sources. Words example, ‘pyjamas’, ‘bungalow’ originating from Celtic often and ‘shampoo’. These words are relate to cultural objects, animals often described as loan words, and topographical features. Other but Professor Smith commented sources include Low German, with that this is not technically correct words such as ‘golf’ and ‘scone’ as it suggests they will be given and, as previously mentioned, back at some point. However, Norse words, for example, ‘dreich’. sometimes words do drop out of There are also words deriving favour and are no longer used in a from French, such as ‘fash’, from language. the verb ‘facher’ (to be irritated) Evidence of the sources of words, and words relating to Latin, which can be found in documents, are largely found in Scots Law ancient poetry and writing and in terminology. Furthermore, there inscriptions on material culture. are some Old English words which Old English looked very different only survive in Scots, for example, to the language we read today; it ‘gloamin’, ‘haugh’ and ‘bannock’. included different letters such as In present-day English, words that one similar to the Icelandic originate from old English are ‘thorn’, (Þ, þ), standing for ‘f’. often mono-syllabic nouns which There were also letters known as form the core vocabulary, such as ‘Ash’, (Æ æ) and ‘Eth’ (Ð, ð). ‘hand’, ‘head’ and ‘wife’. English Professor Smith read a piece of also has Norse words, including the poem Beowulf in Old English basic pronouns, and French words pronunciation, commenting that which are often used to ‘show some academics differ on how off’. This relates to the time after they believe it was pronounced, the Norman Conquest when but by and large there are accept- people wanted to use French- ed ways. On first look, and derived words to indicate their hearing the Old English text from status and intelligence. It is Beowulf, it appears like a foreign interesting that many of these language but, on closer study, ‘posh’ words are not special in aspects of current English can be French, they are simply the basic identified. Peculiarities include the word that everyone would use. fact that Old English had more They do not have any connota- than one word for ‘the’ and tions of ‘grandeur’; for example, special endings for ‘the’ depend-

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ing on the role it was playing in a claim for authenticity in that it the sentence. This is common in was created from the oldest an inflected language; they have manuscripts. special endings to denote the Professor Smith also showed relationships between words. Old examples from other early texts, English survives in manuscripts; including the first Shakespeare for example, the Lindisfarne folio, dating from 1623, and Gospels from the 8th Century. written in Early Modern English. In This manuscript draws on the the line from Macbeth, “No, this Celtic traditions of book illumina- my hand will rather the multitudi- tion and uses the ‘diminuendo’ nous seas incarnadine, making whereby the first word of the the green one red,” the verb section starts with a big letter and incarnadine is placed at the end of subsequent letters decrease in size the sentence, splitting the order within that word. In this manu- of a complex verb phrase. Incarna- script there are also ‘scribbles’ that dine is an ‘inkhorn’ term, a ‘fancy’ have been added at a later date. word borrowed from another Professor Smith explained that language, in this case Latin, which these were added around 1050 by is deemed to be unnecessary or Aldred, who felt the need to gloss overly pretentious. Shakespeare the manuscript and added words uses it here to show an element of in between the Latin to help ‘class’. In some of his other plays, people read it. These scribbles are for example, Love’s Labour’s Lost, among the earliest recordings of Shakespeare mocks the use of Old Northumbrian, the ancestor these words but uses it here as a of Scots. The actual words are not character trait; Macbeth and his very exciting or revealing but their wife often try to hide things using existence is of utmost importance fancy words, for example “the to the history of language. Over great kwell”, an old word for time the English language killing. Shakespeare was the first developed and changed; for person to use the word incarna- example, the Ellesmere manuscript dine in English. of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales is Printing started in Scotland in written in Middle English and 1508, continued for two years looks and sounds more recognisa- and died out, only reappearing in ble than the Old English of 1560. An example of an early Beowulf. One of the earliest Scots printed Scots text is Dunbar’s texts to have continually been in Golden Targe, in which Dunbar print is Barbour’s Bruce. Originally uses something similar to an composed in the 1370s, it was inkhorn term in the phrase first compiled in a printed edition ‘golden candle matutine’, (golden in 1616, the cover of which makes morning candle), referring to the

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sun. Matutine is an ‘aureate’ term. guttural sound similar to that at These date a little earlier than the end of ‘loch’l; this can still be inkhorn terms and are derived seen in some pronunciations of from the Roman Catholic liturgy, ‘bright’ (bricht) and ‘might’ which is then transferred across to (micht). Scots pronunciations can the vernacular. Aureate means still be found in many parts of the gilded or gold; fancy in some way. world with Scottish connections, A final text, Burns’ ‘Tam for example, Ulster and the O’Shanter’, includes elements of Appalachians in the United States. Scottish Standard English. The The words ‘good’, ‘food’ and words ‘hame’ and ‘dame’ rhyme in ‘flood’ are largely pronounced in Scots but ‘storm’ rhyming with different ways in England and ‘warm’ is Scottish Standard Scotland; in Scotland ‘good’ and English, they do not rhyme in ‘food’ rhyme but do not in Scots pronunciation. This is the England, the vowel is longer in beginning of the phenomenon of many parts of England and makes language and class; 18th Century an ‘oo’ sound. However, speakers Scotland was beginning to of English from both countries associate some words and pronounce flood the same. Why pronunciations with particular do these words sound different class groups, something that had despite the end letters being been common in English since the exactly the same? There have 16th Century. often been suggestions that During the latter part of the talk, spelling should change to reflect Professor Smith encouraged the the differences; however, this audience to participate in some ignores the basic function of interactive exercises used to show spelling. Language in its written the differences in pronunciation. mode is designed for long There are many examples in Scots distance communication through where the Old English pronuncia- both time and space. Spelling is a tion has been kept where it has fossil history and contains changed in English; for example evidence of how words were ‘How now brown cow’ is ‘Hoo pronounced in the past. It can be noo broon coo’ in Scots. Some convenient to have an agreed sounds have mostly disappeared spelling system that is not even in Scots. The ‘gh’ in the word dependent upon the pronuncia- ‘sight’ would originally have had a tion; otherwise ‘fish’ could be spelled ‘ghoti’!

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Franco–British Conference New Waves in Marine Energy in partnership with the French Embassy and in association with the SuperGen UK Centre for Marine Energy Research 4-5 June 2013

Executive Summary ble resources available, it seems The Royal Society of Edinburgh only natural that wave and tidal (RSE), in partnership with the energies would be next. The Science and Technology Depart- French Environment & Energy ment of the French Embassy in Management Agency (ADEME) London, in association with the asserts that much of Europe’s SuperGen UK Centre for Marine marine energy resources are to be Energy Research (UKCMER), and found off the coasts of the British with the collaboration of France Isles and France. The technically Energies Marines (FEM), hosted a exploitable wave and tidal current Franco–British conference on resource around Brittany and Marine Energy on June 4th and Normandy could supply over 50 5th, 2013. This event, gathering TWh/year from around 18 GW of almost thirty high-calibre speakers generating capacity. A study from both countries, representing published by the UK Carbon Trust the complete spectrum of stake- estimates that the practical tidal holders of the field, academics, current resource that could be policy makers, regulators, and extracted from UK waters without industrials, helped give an significant impact on the overall audience of around 100 people a resource or the environment is wide overview of this thriving around 21 TWh/year from 10 GW renewable energy sector. of installed plant. A similar capacity of wave generation in the France and the UK share a strong UK could supply around 40 TWh maritime history, as they are two annually. nations resolutely turned towards their shores. With the develop- The UK and France are pioneers in ment of marine transports, the early deployment and grid fishing, trade, aquaculture, connection of marine energy tourism and offshore oil and gas generation. RenewablesUK exploitation, the relationship with estimates that, if the sector is the sea has always been strong for developed, wave and tidal energy both countries. Given the impera- technologies could be worth £6.1 tive to decarbonise the energy billion to the UK economy by supply chain and the rich renewa- 2035, creating nearly 20,000 jobs. Scotland, in particular, has led the

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development of marine energy gave a thorough presentation of since the 1970s, with the govern- the sector in France and in the UK. ment and industries now showing Starting with a general overview, strong support to this developing Mr David Krohn (RenewableUK), sector. Mr Yann-Hervé de Roeck (FEM), There is a range of activity in speaking on behalf of the ADEME, France, from strong academic and Mr Henry Jeffrey (University of research to demonstration and Edinburgh, on behalf of the deployment projects. Some Ocean Energy System (OES) projects are currently ongoing Programme of the International between these two countries, Energy Agency (IEA)) presented such as the Marine Energy in Far the UK, French and international Peripheral and Island Communi- background. ties (MERiFIC) Project in Cornwall. Delegates were then introduced However, there is considerable to the relevant research organisa- scope to extend and add to these tion in the UK (SuperGen collaborations and this was the UKCMER, Professor Ian Bryden) theme of the Conference. and France (FEM, Mr Yann-Hervé During the Conference almost all de Roeck), as well as the European discussions took place under the framework, with a presentation common theme of meeting the on the European Energy Research challenges of the imminent Alliance (Mr Henry Jeffrey). deployment of the first arrays This introduction stressed the through bilateral cooperation and continuing importance of public sharing knowledge in marine funding, through which govern- energy research, in areas such as ments can send a strong and clear upscaling, deployment, environ- signal to investors and help mental studies, standardisation, propagate private funding in resource assessment and numeri- these new technologies. A cal modelling. number of British-based compa- Overview of the Proceedings nies have received both British and European funding for the Presentation of the field in France deployment of first arrays (namely and the UK through the Department of On the first day of the Confer- Energy and Climate Change’s ence, opened by Sir John (DECC) Marine Energy Array Arbuthnott, President of the RSE, Demonstrator (MEAD) competi- Mr Pierre-Alain Coffinier, General tion and EU’s NER 300 funding). Consul of France in Edinburgh, However, some uncertainties and Professor Robin Wallace, remain in the context of the Chair of the SuperGen UKCMER, Electricity Market Reform, and

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discussion continues about the Group, 20 countries (amongst Contracts for Difference. Another which are some of the most issue faced by UK developers may influential countries in the world be the submarine cable installa- such as the US, the UK, Germany, tion and network connection, as Canada and Japan) are already the highest resources can be in working together in this pro- deep water offshore from geo- gramme to ensure efficient graphically remote locations. Early cooperation, and the creation of projections are that, with sus- common regulations. tained support, there could be 50 Afternoon sessions MW of installed capacity by 2020. The afternoon sessions began France enjoys a strong electricity with breakout sessions on network, and the grid is less of an standards and commercialisation issue. However, licensing process- and on environmental monitor- es can be a bit more complex, and ing, followed by extensive may delay – or even maybe put off presentations on tank and sea – investments. But thanks to both testing technologies and installa- public and private funding (e.g. tions. EDF), they expect to have the first Standards and Commercialisation array grid connected in Paimpol- Bréhat by 2014. The main point Marine energy devices are still a stressed in the ADEME’s introduc- young technology, and many tion was the importance of the challenges will remain before they collaboration between MRE can be successfully taken to a developers and the offshore wind commercial stage. Comparing sector, as they require a similar different devices fairly mandates pool of skills, and may well be the need for common standards deployed in the same areas at the and regulations, for researchers, same time. investors and other stakeholders. This session presented different The importance of collaboration, ways to approach this subject, mentioned by Mr Krohn and De from the views of EDF in France Roeck early on, was stressed again (Ms Marta Nogaj, EDF) to Europe- in the presentation of the OES an FP7 Research projects such as Programme of the Institute for the EquiMar Programme (Profes- Energy Systems (IES). The aim of sor David Ingram, University of this event was summed up by Mr Edinburgh), along with the IEC Jeffrey: “Competition is healthy, standards (Mr Henry Jeffrey, collaboration is essential”. The University of Edinburgh) and DNV OES’s role is to connect, educate, studies (Mr Ben Waldron, Det inspire and facilitate research in Norske Veritas BV). These studies ocean energies. Although France often focus on protocol, device is not yet a member of the OES

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classification and the considera- Sea testing was introduced with a tion of the various risks linked to presentation of the European these technologies and their Marine Energy Centre (EMEC, Mr mitigation. Max Carcas) in the UK, and an Environmental Monitoring overview of France’s sea-trial test sites, along with a more detailed The environmental impact of MRE overview of the SEM-REV test site devices is an omnipresent issue, (Mr Sébastien Ybert, FEM/ Labora- and being able to monitor this toire de recherche en impact is a key part of the deploy- Hydrodynamique, Énergétique et ment of marine energy devices. Environnement Atmosphérique Both France (FEM, presented by (LHEEA), Ecole Centrale de Mr Phil Monbet, and the French Nantes). In the UK, Mr Stuart Research Institute for exploitation Brown (FlowaveTT) and Professor of the Sea (IFREMER), with Mr Deborah Greaves (Plymouth Antoine Carlier) and the UK (Dr University) presented on state-of- Annie Linley, Natural Environment the-art tanks in Edinburgh and Research Council (NERC), and Dr Plymouth. Finally, Mr Luc Simon Ben Wilson, Marine Alliance for (RTSys) talked about RTSys’ Science and Technology for technologies and methods for the Scotland (MASTS)) have been underwater noise measurement. conducting environmental studies in the areas where devices will Roundtables most likely be deployed, and this The first day of the conference session allowed speakers to was concluded by three roundta- compare methods and results. The bles, allowing participants and importance of a wide collabora- speakers to share views and tion was stressed by the debate about some key subjects participants. of the Marine Energy sector: tank Tank and Sea Testing and sea testing, environmental monitoring, and capacity and Testing is one of the most crucial skills building. Those discussions steps of the development of a were once again placed under the marine energy device. As stressed challenge of the deployment of by the speakers during this the first arrays, and the ongoing session, developers have to test evolution of the sector. In particu- their devices, again and again, lar, the debate on capacity and and then test them some more. skills building raised a number of There is a wide variety of testing interesting issues, such as the facilities, both indoor and out- education of tomorrow’s marine door, spread across Europe, and energy professionals. If MRE especially in France and in the UK. technologies are to help the

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sector reach the ambitious companies to present their objectives set for 2020 or even projects and plans for the deploy- 2030, a significant number of ment and the commercialisation engineers and technicians will be of their devices. This included needed. Tomorrow’s engineers are ScottishPower Renewables (Mr today’s students, and the question Alan Mortimer), Pelamis Wave of their education is a key point in Power (Mr Ross Henderson), the success of the field. In the UK, Alstom Ocean Energy (Mr Ken the SuperGen Phases 1 & 2, and Street), DCNS (Mr Yvan Coutzac) now UKCMER, have trained and Marine Current Turbines (Dr students for and in the sector for Scott J Couch). Such projects eight years, joined more recently presented a wide range of by the Industrial Doctoral Centre benefits, especially in terms of for Offshore Renewable Energy jobs, and the need for qualified (IDCORE) programme. UKCMER people was once again stressed by hosts seasonal schools across the the speakers. UK. The idea of a bilateral summer The academic sector was also school was raised, and received represented by Dr Jean-Frédéric with great enthusiasm from both Charpentier, who introduced his France and the UK. work at the French Naval Academy, Day Two helping to improve the efficiency The conference continued on June and reliability of tidal devices. The 5th with two sessions about the importance of both private and future of the sector and the public funding was once again challenges of the first arrays. stressed in these presentations, These talks featured an interesting showing the results that invest- mix of major companies such as ments from both the government Siemens, Alstom and DCNS, and and companies could achieve. The their focus on the imminent opportunities for Franco–British deployment of first arrays, and on collaboration in this field were Small and Medium Enterprises also identified, with the roadmaps (SMEs) and their important role in aiming at the deployment of the the ‘support functions’ such as first arrays in 2015– 2016, to pool numerical modelling, noise skills from both sides of the measurement, environmental channel and help achieve these characteristics studies, etc. ambitious objectives. Upscaling and Array Development Numerical Modelling and Re- source Assessment This first session focused on demonstration arrays and devel- MRE development relies on the opment, allowed some major marine environment as well as on tidal and wave resources. Howev-

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er, the arduous offshore environ- staff to support the marine energy ment in which these devices have sector, and the importance of to be installed is slowly being summer schools and short appreciated. It is also important to training programmes raising choose carefully the location for awareness for students from both one or several devices, in order to countries. He followed up by benefit from the waves and the reminding the audience that “we tides in the most effective way. do not inherit the Earth from our The last four speakers introduced parents, we borrow it from our their studies on resource assess- children” (Antoine de St Exupéry; ment (Mr Jérôme Cuny, Open may also be an Indian proverb), Ocean), numerical modelling for stressing the importance of the MRE engineering (Mr Hakim exchange of environmental data Mouslim, INNOSEA) and model- to help define appropriate and ling of arrays (Dr David Forehand, efficient environmental monitor- University of Edinburgh), illustrat- ing methods. Finally, “experience ing how more flexible and is simply the name we give to our accurate models can be used to mistakes” (Oscar Wilde), address- predict device behaviour. Finally, ing the topic of testing and its Mr Christophe Maisondieu, from normalisation, so that a test IFREMER, gave the final talk of this performed in any tank, sea site or workshop, presenting the MA- laboratory could be recognised as RiNE project, a Franco–British a valid step in the development collaboration on resource assess- towards commercialisation of a ment and mapping in French and device. He stressed the need for a British island communities. common policy and the promotion of testing, validation and Closing Remarks adoption. Mr Yann-Hervé De Roeck, Execu- Conclusions tive Director of FEM, closed the Conference symposium with a few The Marine Energy sector, still a quotations and relevant remarks. young field amongst renewable First of all, he reminded the energies, is facing a number of audience of the conclusions after challenges to reach its full the first day’s roundtables, which potential in the next few years, gave “clues” for new and rapid culminating in the deployment collaboration between our two and exploitation of the first arrays countries. He said “there is no around 2015. France and the UK wealth but men” (from French share a similar approach to these author Baudin; sometimes challenges, relying on an effective attributed to Adam Smith), partnership between private and echoing the need for qualified public sector, as well as policy

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makers. In France, this task is tremendous progress in the past overviewed by a private– public ten years, as was stressed by Mr agency: FEM, which aims at Max Carcas when presenting ten becoming a world-class cluster in years of work at the European the field of MREs. The SuperGen Marine Energy Centre (EMEC), UKCMER in the UK gathers 16 of every speaker agreed that there is the most prestigious universities, a strong need for continued conducting research in this field, support in R&D. Many issues have all the while maintaining close still to be solved, and it is crucial links with industry and the that research continues to government. The importance of accelerate deployment, monitor SMEs (for example universities’ and mitigate environmental spin-offs such as INNOSEA in impacts, and ensure safe mainte- France) in R&D for marine energies nance and operation. As stressed was stressed, as many studies are by Professor Robin Wallace at the under way in these companies, end of the event, this Conference, and their work is key to the though it was not the first development of supporting example of Franco–British collabo- technologies for the field (for ration, had identified extremely example, numerical modelling, valuable opportunities for resource assessment, noise improved bilateral collaborations monitoring, etc.). Even though the in marine energy. Marine Energy sector has made

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Professor Maggie Gill OBE FRSE Senior Research Fellow, Department for International Development Feeding 9 Billion People 14 June 2013 Ben Nevis Hotel, Fort William

The human population is expect- food supplies. He considered that ed to reach nine billion sometime the Earth’s resources were limited around 2050. Given that, even at and this would lead to catastro- present, around one billion phes that would in turn limit people don’t have enough to eat, population growth. Today, the how can the world grow enough term ‘Malthusian projection’ is food to feed nine billion? The talk associated with a pessimistic illustrated the many factors which outlook. Experts involved in the affect the availability of food (e.g. agriculture and food production climate, waste and choice of diet) sector largely agree that the world and gave suggestions on what can produce enough food to feed each of us can do to help ensure the current seven billion. However, that nine billion people can whilst we have not yet experi- indeed be fed. enced the catastrophes predicted The current population of the by Malthus, the ever-increasing world is just over seven billion population brings with it cause people, of which 63 million live in for concern. the UK. Projections predict that by In recent decades, issues sur- 2050, the world population will rounding food security have been reach somewhere between nine important to governments and and ten billion. In recent decades, individuals; particularly in the early the population has increased 1970s due to significant food exponentially; in 1750, there were price spikes. Following the less than one billion people and introduction of reforms to the by 1930, three billion. This rapid Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) increase has been particularly in the 1980s and ‘90s, food prevalent in developing countries surpluses were commonplace compared to developed countries; within the European Union and indeed, the population of Scot- ‘butter mountains’ and ‘milk land is fairly static. In the late lakes’ continued to grow and 1700s, the Reverend Thomas acted as buffers in terms of food Malthus was the first person to price. Today, following further draw attention to the exponential CAP reforms, these surpluses have nature of population growth, been depleted and much less compared to the linear increase in food is kept in reserve in Europe.

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Despite the fact that, between the meet the population’s needs, 1970s and the 1990s, we were could cause major problems in able to increase world food other nations. In the UK we production by more than the import a lot of our food, including increase in population, there are cereals, fruit and vegetables. Many currently between 800 million and countries have more arable land one billion people in the world and more suitable climates than who do not have enough to eat we do for growing fruit and and are severely malnourished; vegetables all year round and we reports of stunted children and are, therefore, somewhat depend- children whose development is ent upon what happens in these impaired are increasing. countries. It is difficult, however, Professor Gill commented that to predict where climate change is further increasing food produc- actually going to have the most tion levels will be made all the impact; scientists are making more difficult by changing diets predictions but nobody really and environmental issues. Climate knows what is going to happen. change causes uncertainty in However, it can be predicted that terms of crop yields, but also large parts of the world will means that some of the crop experience a decrease in crop yield varieties grown in the past can no and this will affect us in terms of longer be grown due to changes imports and price. Professor Gill in temperature. The pace of commented that arable food climate change has increased in production may actually increase recent years. Whereas in the past in some developed countries; farmers have had time to adapt, it however, this will be significantly is widely recognised that the pace outweighed by decreases in other of change today is so fast that we parts of the world. These statistics need to ‘up our game’ in terms of are particularly concerning, given developing the scientific knowl- that the countries that are likely to edge to ensure we meet these experience decreased crop new challenges. Climate change production are also those where does not only affect food produc- population continues to rise most tion in developing countries; so rapidly. far in 2013 it has been reported Professor Gill noted that the that one third of the United increases in food production in Kingdom’s wheat crop has been the 1970s and ‘80s were at the lost to the winter floods. Uncer- expense of the environment, tainty in crop yield leads to which at the time made little volatility in prices, which, whilst impact on the political agenda; a the UK is not particularly affected situation which has been very due its ability to import food to different in more recent times.

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Scientists have been measuring which in turn led to a seventeen- increasing levels of carbon dioxide fold increase in her maize yield in the atmosphere since 1958 and over five years. Because of this, predicting the impact on the she increased her income and was climate using mathematical able to buy additional products models. However, it was many for her family, moving in a small years before the evidence gath- way to a market economy. Profes- ered was put to policy makers, sor Gill commented that this and even longer before the Kyoto example shows that a ‘win–win’ Protocol was agreed. Other situation can be achieved, increas- environmental impacts relating to ing production whilst creating a agriculture include: increased sustainable environment – known livestock in an area having an as sustainable intensification. impact on the landscape, for However, Professor Gill also example, forested areas being suggested that, in very recent turned in to grassland; occurrenc- years, due to the economic crisis es of illegal logging; and water in western countries, discussion pollution from chemicals and about the environment has once animal effluent. As a member of again taken a slight back seat in the European Union, the UK is political importance in these subject to strong legislation which nations. It is, however, high on the controls much of the environmen- agenda in developing countries, tal impact. However, in other where the impacts of changing countries, whilst legislation may climate are increasingly having an exist, the implementation and impact on the livelihoods of poor regulation of this is less stringent. people. Professor Gill highlighted the Furthermore, an additional potential for increasing food challenge is the change of diet in production whilst still having some countries with fast rates of beneficial effects on the environ- economic growth; for example, ment. She cited an example from India and China, where increased Malawi, where a lady farmer had a wealth correlates with increased small plot on which she planted meat consumption. The UK’s maize but was having difficulty in consumption of meat has re- feeding her family. She was doing mained fairly constant since the some beneficial things for the 1960s, but has experienced a rise environment; for example, in pig and poultry meat replacing planting legumes and pigeon beef and mutton. Intensification peas to improve the soil nitrogen. of poultry production has brought Having acquired a little more down the cost of the meat; a knowledge, she planted five trend that is also the case in other different tree species on the land, countries. Pigs and poultry,

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however, need a lot of grain in can eat. The challenge is that in intensive systems, whereas beef countries where average income is and sheep can grow on grass increasing, people want to eat diets. Consequently, large areas of more meat, which puts more land that were used to grow grain pressure on the environment. for human food will be used to There is also a moral dilemma grow grain for livestock. Growing about telling people in other the crops to be eaten by livestock countries that they should not results in less total food yield than aspire to eat in the same way as simply growing the grain to feed we do in developed countries. In directly to the human population 2005, Peter Menzel photo- and, as such, the net contribution graphed the weekly consumption of producing meat to food of food by families around the security is considerably lower. world, which were published in Looking forward to 2050, it is the book, Hungry Planet What the projected that we need to increase World Eats. Professor Gill drew our total food production by attention to the stark contrast 70%, which includes an extra between a Sudanese family living billion tonnes of cereal grains; in a refugee camp in Chad and a half of which is projected to be German family. The Sudanese consumed by livestock. Professor family subsisted on sorghum, Gill asserted that we need to think corn, pulses, spices and very little about the different types of food meat and fish, costing little more we use and consume and think, as than $1 per week. Conversely the individuals, about the resources German family consumed a much used in our food production. more varied diet, including a large However, not all livestock farming amount of processed foods, meat, is ‘bad’. In Scotland, there is very fruit and vegetables, at a cost of little arable land and, therefore, around $500 per week. Professor most Scottish beef and lamb is Gill made the point that it is these produced directly from the huge discrepancies in consump- feeding of grass and heather and tion styles that will cause is therefore not in competition difficulties in feeding nine billion with grain. Different farming people; it is not solely a matter of systems are appropriate for population numbers, but choice different areas. In terms of the of diet and the resources required world as a whole, there is twice as to meet this. In the last fifty years, much land under grass than there processed food has become is under arable production. commonplace in developed Therefore, we need to use this countries and meeting this land to feed our livestock and demand uses valuable energy and convert this into something we resources. Additionally, much of

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the fruit and vegetables eaten the UK which, in addition to the year-round in western countries monetary cost, has an environ- are imported, again having an mental cost in terms of landfill environmental impact. The current sites. Calculations show that 65% challenge, therefore, is not just of waste is avoidable; of all food how much food we can produce, purchased, 17% is not consumed but how we distribute it more and this doesn’t account for the evenly. large quantities of food that are So, how do we produce more wasted by restaurants and hotels. food, improve the distribution of Vegetables, fruit and bread all food and protect the environment have high levels of waste; indeed, at the same time? Professor Gill 32% of bread purchased is not noted that when people talk consumed. Fair Trade also has about sustainable development, relevance; the proportion of food they are often considering future sold under the Fair Trade label has generations, but the people alive increased faster in total than that today are also likely to suffer the of organic food. This shows that consequences if nothing is done there is a concern in the UK about to improve food security. Govern- the moral aspects of food produc- ments across the world are tion. Retail sales of Fair Trade have particularly interested in food grown to £1.32 billion; indeed, security; if prices go up and 42% of bagged sugar sold is Fair people can’t get enough to eat, it Trade. Fair Trade is an example of can destabilise a country. Govern- where consumers have changed ments will take action in such what is on offer in supermarkets. situations; for example, during the Professor Gill suggested we food price spikes in 2007, the should also think about the Indonesian Government stopped impact on the environment when the export of rice. These increased choosing the sort of food we eat, prices in 2007 also demonstrated particularly with regard to season- how dependant countries are ality and origin. For example, salad upon imports; Indonesia’s is now available to purchase all decision had an impact around year round; but for this to happen the globe. Furthermore, countries in winter, the salad either has no longer have the buffer supplies been grown under glass with of previous decades, which affects heating or it has been imported – the global food price. One of the both having negative effects on key things we can do to improve the environment. Imports of fruit the situation relates to food and vegetables can also have waste. 8.3 million tonnes of food negative impacts on the origin waste is disposed of annually in countries. For example, Spain has

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a lack of water, yet uses vast Professor Gill concluded by quantities to grow fruit and restating the key messages; vegetables to export to other feeding nine billion by 2050 is countries. not just about producing more Furthermore, the huge glasshous- food, but also about ensuring es used to grow these foods use equitable distribution; thinking high amounts of energy and about the resources used to cause light pollution. Professor produce the food; considering the Gill commented that people impact on the environment; and acting as individuals and making realising we can all make a more thoughtful choices can have contribution. We can continue to an effect on food production and feed people, but we need to future food security. change some of the ways we produce food and need to change the ways we consume food.

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Professor Iain Stewart MBE Scotland Rocks! 17 June 2013 Ben Nevis Hotel, Fort William

Iain Stewart examined the remark- system and the heat inside the able geological heritage of planet, its engine, moving Scotland and explored how we material around and keeping it protect this magnificent legacy alive. His perceptions in the late and how best we communicate 18th Century are similar to the the importance of the rocks Gaia principles today; the Earth as beneath our feet to fellow Scots. a whole interconnected system. Professor Stewart has a funda- Hutton’s discoveries were extraor- mental interest in reaching out dinary for the time; the popular the general public and trying to explanation being that rocks were stimulate their interest in geology. solely formed through sedimenta- He stresses that his numerous ry processes where layers are built television programmes on the up over time. His ideas, which subject, however, are entertain- later became know as Plutonism, ment not education – but if focused on the notion that the people are educated through heat in the Earth made some rocks them that’s a bonus! He considers molten, which lead to changes in that Scotland’s rocks are impor- their structure. One example of tant and should be treasured. this is Glen Tilt in Perthshire which Hutton visited in 1785. He noted James Hutton FRSE, the ‘Father of the existence of boulders made Modern Geology’, was a farmer’s from metamorphic schist that son from near Edinburgh. Writing showed intrusions of pink granite, at the time of the Scottish Enlight- implying that the granite had enment, his 1788 paper, Theory of been molten and then cooled. the Earth, clarified some of the fundamental principles of geology Within Hutton’s theory of Pluton- and established the subject as a ism is the concept of a very long proper science. Through careful geological timescale with “no observation of Scottish geology, vestige of a beginning, no he realised the importance of the prospect of an end”. At the time Earth’s internal heat to the of his writing, the standard perpetual formation of the planet. theological dogma was that the For Hutton, the Earth should be Earth was very young, about considered as a physiological 7,000 years old. Hutton considered it to be pointless to discuss

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the age of the planet because, as geology. A new global theory of a natural system that is constantly the Earth developed in 1960s, changing, there is no beginning including an understanding of and end, just a succession of plate tectonics developed by different worlds. Hutton regarded Arthur Holmes at Edinburgh Siccar Point in Berwickshire as University. He first presented his conclusive proof of his geological theories in the 1920s, but his theories; today it is perhaps the ideas were not widely accepted most famous geological location until the 1960s. Today, his model on the planet. Professor Stewart is the one used in the modern described how at Siccar Point understanding of plate tectonics; there are two obvious types of the planet exudes heat, causing rocks; horizontal Old Red Sand- the surfaces to crack, which stone overlies the older, grey, creates midocean ridges and vertically-upstanding rocks spreads a ‘conveyor belt’ of rock (Silurian greywacke). The older across the ocean floor. This new grey rocks are formed from mud rock cools, becomes more dense laid down on the ocean bed; and, as it gets older, is so cold and marine organisms in them show dense that it becomes unstable that it is from the deep ocean – and sinks back down into the over 1000 metres deep. The Old mantle – resembling an elegant red sandstone rocks are complete- planetary recycling system. This ly different and are derived from system is not just recycling rock, sand and gravel laid down in a but also gases and water. It is this desert environment. Between the process that continues to provide two rock forms there is an us with water and is responsible irregular erosion surface. Hutton for our atmosphere. Today, these studied this environment and concepts are known as earth understood that it would take system science. millions of years for this landscape Professor Stewart commented that to form; firstly for the sediments when people think of a country, to form, then for these to raise up they often have a very clear idea of to the surface, plus the time what defines that country; people needed to erode that landscape pick certain moments from a and then for the next desert continuum of history that define landscape to form on top of this. the nation. In geological terms, it Thus, the basic template of the is difficult to define the age of a theory of the planet was devised country – the rocks under our feet by Hutton in the late 18th Century are all part of history and have and Scottish rocks underpin the had an extraordinary journey understanding of modern through a whole series of past

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‘Scotlands’. Indeed, in reality, that the rocks at the bottom were Scotland is made up of fragments the younger specimens. Discus- of other places and has a complex sions on the subject continued for history. Professor Stewart admit- decades, as Murchison had no ted that, at first glance, rocks can time for these suggestions. be very boring; they are mostly However, when he died the grey! He cited the example of Geological Survey was taken over rocks found in a stone wall in by Archibald Geikie. Geikie Rhynie in Aberdeenshire which decided to put an end to these are around 407 million years old. claims and arranged for a team of At the time they were formed, the experts to visit the area and map world looked very different; places the geology with the intention of we now know as America, Mexico, reinstating the Survey’s reputation etc. were all located in different as the ‘expert’ geologists. Two parts of the globe and Scotland experts, Ben Peach and John and England were nowhere near Horne, visited the outcrop and did each other. The rocks at Rhynie are indeed discover that, as the important because, if they are cut amateurs had suggested, the and polished, exquisite fossil older rock was on top; a lack of evidence of stems of plants, fossils in rock indicates an older including some at cellular level, age. However, they also noticed a are clearly evident in the layers of narrow band of crushed rock lying volcanic sinter. These rocks are the between the other layers of rocks; earliest evidence of ecosystems described as a “vast rolling and and, as such, Rhynie is a site of crushing mill of irresistible international importance. Such power”. Their discoveries led to rocks, therefore, are not just rocks, the assessment that the order of but portals to the past. the layers of rock was being In the mid 1800s, the geologist disturbed by a slab of rock being Roderick Murchison was the pushed up and over another one Director of the Geological Survey through tectonic action; the old and subscribed to the traditional rock from lower down was being theory that rocks formed in pushed up and put on top of sedimentary layers with the oldest younger rock. Until this time, at the bottom and the youngest theories relating to ‘building’ on top. Some amateur geologists, mountains focused on the notion including a school teacher, that they were pushed up from Charles Lapworth, suggested that the base; this notion of a sideways this wasn’t always the case and thrust creating mountains was quoted the example of Knockan therefore a revolutionary thought Crag in Assynt, where it appeared in geology. Peach, Horne and their

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team continued to map the area CO2 is released back to the for ten years, in incredible detail. atmosphere; however, this was Henry Cadell FRSE also studied the not happening and the CO2 was geology of this area and devel- remaining trapped in the root oped a geological experiment systems, leaves and stems. As which attempted to recreate the such, the atmosphere was Earth’s processes. He showed that becoming less CO2-rich and forces coming in from the side can consequently the air temperature push rocks on top of each other was dropping. Evidence of the and form mountains resembling a Carboniferous period, about 300 layer cake of slices of different million years ago, can be seen in aged rocks on top of each other. the fossilised tree trunks found on The structure that these geolo- the Fife coast, with carbon still gists discovered in early locked in. The changes in atmos- 20th-Century Scotland, through phere towards the end of the their detailed mapping, is now Carboniferous period led into the known as the Moine Thrust. Ice Age, with ice sheets nearly Scotland is one of the best places reaching tropical areas. In the in the world to study geological Carboniferous period, the oxygen- formations; geologists have been rich atmosphere meant that giant studying and recording here for beasts, including dragonflies up centuries. There are many varieties to 1.5 metres wide, were common of rocks and the country has been and, although the Carboniferous exposed to periods of glaciation period was short-lived, important- in the past. Carbon dioxide (CO2) ly, Scotland’s coal deposits were levels from 400 to 500 million formed in this period from the years ago can be ascertained from preserved vegetation. the chemistry of plants left in The extraction of fossil fuels for vegetation traces. Plants first human use started in Scotland in developed about 450 million the mid 19th Century, when years ago in an extremely warm James ‘Paraffin’ Young patented a time period, when there was a lot new extraction process for the oil of CO2 in the atmosphere. Plants found in the shale rocks to the photosynthesising immediately west of Edinburgh. For a short started to draw down the CO2 time, Scotland was the centre of a and, at the same time, oxygen was global oil industry, before the being pumped into the atmos- expansion of the industry in the phere; CO2 levels went into Middle East meant that Scotland freefall over the next 50 to 100 could not longer sustain it in million years. Normally, when economic terms. Professor Stewart vegetation dies it decays and the continued by considering how

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Scotland’s rocks are protected and of the most unusual and impor- treasured today. The first geologi- tant sites. For example: An Corran cal map of Scotland shows the on Skye, which has some of the diversity of the rocks in the earliest dinosaur footprints in the country and Scottish stone has UK; Loch Morar, where contorted been exported across world rock strata can be seen; and throughout the decades; indeed, Tyndrum, where there is early much of New York was built from evidence of mining. Reasons for a Scottish stone. Stone built lack of protection include the Scotland; the evidence can be associated financial costs; more seen in our cities’ streets and finance has been put towards stone, as an industry, worked for a protecting biodiversity instead. living. However, today, many Furthermore some authorities are quarries are going out of busi- less willing to award protected ness, but stone remains important status in case it hinders industrial as part of Scotland’s heritage. The and economic development Geological Conservation Review nearby. Professor Stewart asked (GCR) aims to highlight sites of “what do we want to do with our importance to the international rocks?” The answer isn’t to just community. These are sites that protect them and keep them away are scientifically important from people; they have a role to because they contain exceptional play and should be important in features that are not found education. Scotland needs to elsewhere, or they are sites that promote geology, understand it are nationally important because and appreciate it, and rocks need they are representative of our to be allowed to communicate history – our ‘Crown Jewels’. their heritage. Professor Stewart stated that it Global Geoparks are areas of would be possible to reconstruct outstanding geology, where the the entire history of Scotland’s geology underpins the community ancient past from the GCR sites. and is part of the sustainable There are 834 GCR sites in future of that community. There Scotland, including Siccar Point are currently two Global Geoparks and Rhynie, 77% of which are in Scotland – in Shetland and the afforded Site of Special Scientific Northwest Highlands. The process Interest (SSSI) protection, which for inclusion is constantly being deters their destruction or revised and updated and, in the impairment from activities such as last round, Lochaber Geopark was building works or fossil seekers. considered not to have enough However, 23% of Scotland’s GCRs support to continue being a viable are not protected, including some Geopark, according to UNESCO’s

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criteria, and was demoted due to fell to 17 in 2012. From 2013, its lack of sustainable investment Scottish Higher Geology has been and salaried staff. The Lochaber discontinued. These low numbers Geopark still carries out the same reflect the fact that no geology work and functions as a Global teachers have been produced for Geopark, but is not classed in the nearly 30 years. In England, official status. The Northwest however, GCSE and A-Level Highlands and Shetland are due student numbers are increasing. for renewal in late 2013 and On a positive note, Scotland is the indications are that they will face first country in the world to the same issues as Lochaber. develop a geodiversity charter. The Furthermore, later in 2013, Scottish Geodiversity Charter has UNESCO is likely to raise the been signed up to by key organi- status of Geoparks to the same sations such as Scottish Natural level as World Heritage Sites; as Heritage, the British Geological such there needs to be a change Survey, the Royal Scottish Geo- of attitude to make Geoparks graphical Society and several local important in Scotland and ensure authorities. Professor Stewart Scotland continues to have a emphasised that this is a tremen- Geopark presence. Professor dously encouraging step, but one Stewart commented that almost that now needs to be followed up any part of Scotland could be a by resolute action to protect and Geopark, and countries the world enhance Scotland’s remarkable over are queuing up to become geoheritage. Geoparks. However, there is not Furthermore, Scotland needs more the same emphasis on their new initiatives to get people importance in Scotland. He interested in the subject. Geology commented that there needs to is important not only to Scotland’s be a sea-change in terms of cultural and economic history and attitude to ensure the continued heritage, but also to its future, as importance of geology in Scot- it underpins many vital industries, land. It is nearly thirty years since including tourism, oil and gas. It is the last geology teacher graduat- also integral to the development ed in Scotland. Moreover, the of new energy sources; for number of students studying example, carbon storage and geology at school continues to fracking. fall; in 2011, 60 students took Higher Grade Geology and this

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Professor Ian Frazer FRS CEO and Director of Research, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia Vaccines to Prevent and Treat Cancer Joint lecture with the Scottish Cancer Foundation, supported by the Cruden Foundation 24 June 2013

Sometimes described as ‘God’s instrumental in developing) that is gift to women’ for his work in already drastically reducing developing the HPV vaccine which incidence of the disease in aims to wipe out cervical cancer, countries running immunisation Professor Ian Frazer gave some programmes. Finally, he looked at fascinating insights into the role the prospects for using immuno- that immunotherapy already plays therapy to treat established HPV in preventing and treating cancers infection, and the challenges that – as well as some glimpses to the remain. future. So why should we focus on If he’d been asked to give this talk cancer? In Australia, cancer is the 20 or 30 years ago, said Professor most common cause of death, Frazer, it would have been a very and there have been estimates short lecture indeed; it’s only that this will be the case world- recently that we’ve known for sure wide by 2050. Around 70 per cent that viruses cause cancer in of cancer is preventable (with humans. Likewise, using the effort) and we can now cure immune system to prevent or treat around 50 per cent. Our chances cancer is a relatively new concept, of getting cancer depend on our but one in which there has been genes (accounting for around 10 tremendous progress in the last per cent of risk); what we do to two to three decades. ourselves, for example, smoking In his lecture, Glasgow-born and (30 per cent); what we do to the Edinburgh-educated Professor environment (30 per cent); and Frazer outlined the 21st Century what we catch it from (30 per challenge of healthy ageing, cent). explained why cancer is such an There’s “quite a list” of things we important target, and looked at can do to prevent cancer, he said, what can be done to prevent and but the messages have tended to treat it. He focused in particular be confusing, and too full of on the human papilloma virus ‘thou shalt nots’. For example, on (HPV), which causes cervical cancer, one page of a newspaper it might and on the vaccine (which he was say that coffee prevents cancer,

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while another page might say it found abnormal cells in the latter causes it. “It’s not just about but not the former) that it is not telling people what they need to caused by ‘licentious behaviour’ do,” he added, although he but that the risk is greater among pointed out that behaviour women who are ‘excessively modification is effective. For sensitive morally’. It is now example, smoking accounts for established, however, that cervical around 40 per cent of avoidable cancer is a rare consequence of cancer worldwide, obesity (in the chronic infection with papilloma developed world) around 10 per viruses, which are transmitted cent, and alcohol also around 10 sexually. Since it is a challenge to per cent. If these avoidable control infection, it is better to cancers were prevented, then it prevent it – hence the search for a would save around 30 per cent of vaccine. [At this point Professor healthcare costs – and mean more Frazer declared a potential conflict money was available for medical of interest, in that he and the research, and for treating the University of Queensland benefit cases that remained. financially from the commercial Immunotherapy, that is, using the sale of the prophylactic HPV immune system to tackle disease, vaccines discussed in the talk.] is now an established component It was around 1980 that Harald of cancer therapy. There are zur Hausen found the viral link several approaches. These include between HPV and cancer; he was prophylactic vaccines, for example, disbelieved at first, but went on to hepatitis B and HPV, and using win a Nobel Prize. HPV infection is immunotherapy to treat cancers in common, and 95 per cent will practice, for example, Herceptin resolve spontaneously, but around for breast cancer. Around 20 per two per cent will progress to cent of cancers are caused by cancer over 15 years. Unusually, it infections, including papillomavi- is possible to detect pre-cancerous rus, hepatitis B and C, and Epstein cells one to two years after Barr virus. Focusing in particular infection – it is these cells which on cervical cancer, he pointed out are detected via screening pro- that it is a disease of the develop- grammes, when treatment will be ing world. effective in most cases. It took Over the years, there have been a around 15 years to develop an number of theories about what HPV vaccine, in what Professor causes cervical cancer; perhaps Frazer described as a billion-dollar most notably (following a study process. Development of the comparing incidence among nuns vaccine was possible because of to that among non-nuns, which genetic engineering research, and

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was challenging in as much as it tell their children: ‘get this shot’,” necessarily had to involve many he said. Bhutan, a poor country thousands of people and a ‘hard which values its health, did it too, end point’ to prove efficacy, and largely down to influence from even more to prove safety. Post- the ‘royal grandmother’, he marketing surveillance has shown added. Professor Frazer said the that from 44,000,000 doses over case for introducing immunisation 24 months, 12,424 people programmes worldwide is reported possibly associated compelling, adding that the events, mostly non-serious, with evidence suggested it has a bigger fainting the most common. impact in terms of benefit than Adverse events in pregnancy were the polio vaccine. But what about similar in both the vaccine and the when the virus is already there? placebo groups. Following the Professor Frazer said there is no introduction – and good uptake – evidence that cervical cancer of the vaccine in Australia, the vaccines are therapeutic for proportion of Australian-born existing HPV vaccines. Despite women with genital warts fell promising results in the lab, it has markedly (in younger age groups). to be borne in mind that “mice The proportion of heterosexual lie”, he added. Immunotherapy men diagnosed with genital warts [for existing HPV infection] might also fell (across all age groups) work in animals, but not in suggesting that vaccinating humans. Although, apparently, women protects men (who were there’s a good immune response not vaccinated) too. to the vaccine, vaccination makes Professor Frazer described a no change to colposcopy and project to introduce an immunisa- histology. tion programme in Vanuatu, a Researchers continue to work on group of islands off Australia with several likely ‘leads’. For example, just five doctors for 250,000 it would appear that adding people, one vaccine fridge, no inflammation to the mix could reliable electricity, and high risk of help mobilise the immune system HPV infection and associated pre- to beat the virus. An early (Phase cancer. Immunisation was 1b) trial on patients with recurrent delivered as part of a programme genital warts has shown that which included educational while the vaccine alone is ineffec- sessions, aimed at parents, tive, immunotherapy and children, school staff and govern- inflammation works better than ment. The people of Vanuatu were either alone. This is a basis for keen to protect their women, and clinical trials, he added. A similar uptake rates were high. “Mothers approach may also prove success-

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ful in treating squamous skin infections may be possible, but cancers, which are a major epithelial immunology is focused problem for Australia. on minimising damage and there The “take-home message”, he are some technical barriers to concluded, is that vaccines to overcome, and that embedding prevent HPV associated cancer research in health practice is should rapidly reduce disease critical to moving forward with burden where they are deployed, health care. that immunotherapy for HPV

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Blood Curdling Stories from Scottish History 27 July 2013

This talk was a journey back in time with best-selling author Allan Burnett to an age of magic, monsters and mayhem. One learnt about Lochaber's role in the nation's dark and bloody past, and discovered how you can use historical facts and legends from the Dark Ages to the Second World War to spice up your own creative writing.

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Jesse Schell Distinguished Professor of Entertainment Technology, Carnegie Mellon University Dr Chris van der Kuyl FRSE Technology Entrepreneur The Leisure Revolution Part of the Edinburgh International Festival 2013 Supported by the Turing Festival 11 August 2013

Professor of Entertainment companies have developed reward Technology Jesse Schell, of systems that are similar to games. Carnegie Mellon University, and The two worlds are getting closer. technology entrepreneur Chris van The growing sophistication and der Kuyl FRSE, each presented a plummeting price of electronic short lecture on gamification in sensors already allows computers business and society and the to respond to many human future of gaming. They then actions. It is possible to imagine a joined writer Ben Hammersley to world in which they are in every discuss the immense influence of drink can or cereal box, where all video games on the contemporary activities are monitored and win world and to answer questions points. Life itself becomes a game, from the audience. with companies boosting sales by Professor Jesse Schell prompting behaviour with Many companies believe the route rewards. to success is through making their But this underestimates the products and services more like complexity of human motivations. games. According to Professor According to Professor Schell, the Schell, the reality is more subtle seeming logic of taking some- and they need to learn how to thing people like, adding build pleasure into the customer something else they like, and experience. Some of the big expecting them to buy more does successes of the video games not always work. Indeed this type industry have been unexpected – of gamification can backfire. He such as Club Penguin or Guitar cited a study in which two groups Hero. What they have in common of children were asked to draw is that they “reach out to the real pictures – one was paid the other world”, perhaps by involving unpaid. The former produced lots social networks, toys or physical of poor quality drawings, while activity. At the same time, many the others took time to enjoy the

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activity. Once the session was over, you want to do. In the one case, the researchers left the children to we optimise for speed and their own devices for a while. The efficiency; in the other, we take unpaid group carried on drawing our time because it is for pleasure. because it was fun, the paid Professor Schell said: “You never group did nothing as it now hear someone say ‘hey, you seemed only worth doing for remember I was talking about cash. Rewards debased rather taking a two-week holiday? Well, I than promoted the activity. have figured out how to get it It is often suggested that fun is a down to just six days’.” big motivator in games. But Avoiding pain and seeking Professor Schell pointed to how pleasure can both be strong often players become frustrated motivators – but they are very and annoyed with games, yet carry different and are even handled by on. Self-determination theory says separate parts of the brain. As this is because they are satisfying society becomes more affluent, deep-seated mental needs. These the opportunity to seek positives are: becomes increasingly influential. - Competence – the desire to be We eat foods we like rather than good at something seeking nutrition to survive; we want jobs that are fulfilling rather - Autonomy – freedom to do than just to pay the bills. Consum- things as you wish er items such as cars now tend to - Relatedness – a desire to be sold on the basis of how they connect with others make you feel rather than whether “Video games are very good at they are efficient. making you feel competent, and A fundamental shift has taken certainly you have autonomy; you place between the 20th and 21st can play the game the way you centuries as we gear the world to want, and most games are about be more pleasurable. As a conse- playing with other people and quence, many businesses are finding ways to connect,” said the turning to games designers to Professor. He added: “Fun is a nice find out how to make products or aspect of games, but it’s these services more pleasurable. This three things that make games can be highly effective, but it has work so well.” to be remembered that most To fully understand why games products and services have a work, and why some things don’t practical function, whereas games work as games, it is helpful to are entirely about pleasure. recognise the difference between Pleasure is complex and depends things you have to do and things on context, so business has to be

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careful to adopt only those or nine. None of my compatriots aspects of games that resonate who grew up as gamers have with their market. Frequent flier really given up,” he said. “We still miles are great for business love games, it’s part of our travellers because the rewards culture”. make them feel important Turning to what makes computer because they travel so much. In games appealing, Dr van der Kuyl some shops, people might feel described five fundamental bad if a reward system highlight- dynamics: ed how much money they spent - Challenge: the promise offered there. by the designer is of a challenge Rather than turn things into to be overcome. games, the key for business is to - Tasks: Players normally have to improve the motivational design perform tasks of increasing of what they offer. “Pleasure difficulty. A good designer will seeking and pain avoidance are be like a sports coach, taking the motivation for everything we the player forward in increments do, and pleasure seeking is the until they can achieve feats that key to motivational design in the would have initially been 21st Century.” The future, impossible. according to Professor Schell, does not belong to businesses - Reward: People like accolades, that gamify, but to those asking but it is not why they play. why a consumer will get pleasure - Co-operation: Many of the from the experience they offer, biggest phenomena are online and finding out how they can multi-player games that are all make it feel even better. about the individual’s role Chris van der Kuyl FRSE within a team. While Dr van der Kuyl still regards - Competition: Winning can be a computer games as a niche major motivator, but for most industry, he pointed to statistics players it’s about progress that underline how deeply now it rather than being the best. now permeates society. These Efforts by business to gamify have include that it is the world’s enjoyed mixed fortunes. “Some of highest-grossing entertainment it works really well and some of it medium. The audience is matur- is terrible and really contrived,” ing, with the average player being said Dr van der Kuyl. Common 34, and is broadening, with up to approaches can include “badge 40% of players being female. “I’m collecting”, but this can lose its 43 now and have been playing appeal quite quickly. Giving computer games since I was eight “missions” with clear steps

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through to an eventual goal can This ran counter to the general work, as people like to be part of direction of the industry, where something larger than themselves. the wisdom was that success SETI (the Search for Extra Terrestri- demanded budgets of $100 al Life), for example, attracted million and teams of 500. huge support when it asked Looking to the future of the people to lend it the processing industry, Mr van der Kuyl identi- power of their own computer fied the human–game interface as systems to help analyse data from the key obstacle and opportunity. deep space. Right now, players need pads, One of the most impressive keyboards or touch screens. These examples of how much people have intrinsic limitations and a like to co-operate came from the leap forward is needed. He games industry itself. Swedish anticipates that this will initially developer Markus Alexej “Notch” come through voice command Persson came up with a compel- but, within decades, we are likely ling idea for a ‘sandbox’ game, in to develop ways to control games which a central character called by thought – perhaps via electron- Steve could craft his own world by ic sensors that interpret our day – but faced a struggle to movements and responses. And survive by night. With no money for businesses wanting to learn to develop it, he appealed online from the industry, Dr van der Kuyl for small donations in return for a suggested there is a need to make free copy once complete. a fundamental distinction be- Dr van der Kuyl, who has had a tween explicit and implicit major role in the emergence of gaming. The former attempts to the game, said people loved being turn something into a game; the part of the project. Called Mi- latter borrows techniques and necraft, it is now the single ideas to make something more biggest piece of interactive enjoyable. entertainment in the world today. What is particularly exciting in What people enjoy is that, just like terms of the influence that games being a child in a sandpit, they have on society is that many of decide what they want to do. them nourish and foster creativity. While there is a storyline, ulti- Increasingly, games companies are mately it’s a vehicle for the collaborating with players and imagination. encouraging them to amend their Intriguingly, Minecraft uses lego- products, because they have like block characters and images learned to value this creativity. rather than sharp realism and was Equally, there is vast potential in largely the vision of one person. the interactivity offered by

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gaming. This is something that Dr vast that people increasingly rely van der Kuyl believes will become on trusted curators to guide them. ubiquitous. It offers huge oppor- This provides huge possibilities tunities to engage new audiences for people like festival organisers, in novel ways. who can offer both the visceral Rather than displacing the real, experience of being personally the virtual offers enhancement. present at a performance, and the The celebration of the physical chance for people to come offered by something like the together online to share and Edinburgh Festival can only gain discuss what they most enjoy. from greater engagement. Indeed, Through routes such as this, the content in the virtual world is so world can become gamified in a positive way.

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Moshe Kam Head of Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, and Director of the Data Fusion Laboratory, Drexel University, Philadelphia How Art Intersects with Technology in Cinema Part of the Edinburgh International Festival 2013 13 August 2013

Described as a ‘cinema enthusiast artistic expression, and on cinema for as long as he could remem- as a catalyst for new technology in ber’, technology expert Moshe the inventor’s laboratory. He gave Kam explored man’s fascination some intriguing glimpses into a with moving images across the future where cinema experience millennia – from cave painting in may well transcend sound and prehistoric France to prospects for vision, and involve also the senses sensory cinema in the future. of touch, taste and smell. Even In France 30,000 years ago, the before the invention of cinema, earliest known artists attempted there were many attempts to to convey movement and percep- create the illusion of moving tual depth in cave paintings. They images. The most advanced sketched contours and added efforts involved the use of a series extra legs on bison to make them of still images, photographed or look three-dimensional and painted, and then projected in mobile. These early drawings, quick succession so that they were according to Moshe Kam, express perceived by the human eye as man’s quest to depict moving and moving. Such efforts, based on three-dimensional images – they the theory of persistent vision, represent a very early precursor to have been explored since the mid- cinema as it developed from the 19th Century, though the basic late 19th Century to the present ideas were sown much earlier – time. In his talk, Professor Kam they are even mentioned in described the long technological preliminary forms by Euclid and route to current-day cinema, as Newton. well as the inspiration and In the late 19th Century, however, motivation for the technology that three technologies converged to enabled moving images. He also enable and accelerate cinema discussed the barriers and technology. These technologies setbacks that cinema technology were optical toys, photography has encountered over more than a and projection. Early optical toys century of intense innovation and included the phenakistoscope and expansion. Kam spoke about the zoetrope (or “wheel of the technology as an enabler of new devil”), both of which employed

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permanent ‘hardware’ (mostly and limited budgets, professional- mechanical, cranked by hand) and grade cinematic works of art. replaceable ‘software’ – strips of Professor Kam described the cycle painted images which were of successful cinema inventions. shown on the device. When these First, a need is identified, or a still images of progressive move- physical constraint is described as ment were viewed in quick limiting. Researchers and develop- succession, usually through a ers offer an invention to meet the peephole or a slit, they gave the need or overcome the physical viewer an impression of move- constraint. Next, the new inven- ment. Another invention was the tion is ‘showcased’ in new movies, praxinoscope, a device made by then adopted more widely and Émile Reynaud, which led to his starts the path toward commer- Theatre Optique – a 1892 moving cialisation. Often this process picture show considered to be the causes the retirement of technical first presentation of projected methods which are incompatible moving images to an audience. In with the new invention, or are no the inaugural presentation, on 28 longer economical. (This develop- October 1892 in Paris, Reynaud ment sometimes leads to showed three cartoons, each passionate pleas from traditional- lasting about 15 minutes and ists, who are strongly invested in consisting of 500–600 individual- the old technology and refuse to ly2 painted images. It was a let it go.) The emergent technolo- one-man show; Reynaud served as gy almost always enables and photographer, writer, editor, spurs new artistic expression, producer and projectionist. although it may leave behind Only forty years later, the staffing some artists and performers who situation was very different. Film are unable to adjust to the new was being described as “the environment. Formal standards for nearest modern equivalent to a the new technology follow, modern cathedral,” on the basis allowing mass production and of the number of people involved wide distribution. At this stage, and the diversity of their profes- new physical constraints are often sional contributions, from identified, and the cycle starts directors to actors to soundmen. anew. In 2013, however, we seem to be Examples of this process of getting back to the one-man- invention, innovation and diffu- band idea of cinema. The wide sion include the arrival of the availability of film-making tools cinematic technologies of projec- now enables the efforts of small tion, film-base development, groups, or even single individuals, sound, colour, widescreen and who can create, with small crews digital technology, each having an

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impact on multiple aspects – from scope was the handiness of the how movies are filmed and cinematographe – it was light and produced to how they are fi- transportable. nanced, marketed and distributed. In 1895, the first Lumière footage Keys to the success of new cinema – showing workers leaving the technology have been maximisa- Lumière family factory – was tion of on-screen effect whilst recorded using the cinematogra- minimising investment in technol- phe. Owing to this and many ogy and infrastructure, and being subsequent movies, the Lumières compatible with existing stand- are remembered not just because ards (backcompatibility). of their technological inventions, Professor Kam then focused on but also due to their achievements developments in projection. as cinema artists. Their short Projection was one of the main movies were not meant just to be bottlenecks in the early history of a showcase for new technology, cinema, with early solutions not but had structure, design and allowing projection of a movie story line. Unlike most earlier simultaneously to multiple movies, such as the ones showed viewers. He discussed Thomas in kinetoscope parlours, the Edison’s kinetoscope, which Lumière movies were carefully achieved some popularity. Howev- staged and directed. er, the short movies it offered Artistic innovations followed could be viewed by only one apace – improvements in the way person at a time. To accommodate that sequences were shot, how a crowd, Edison built special ‘cuts’ were made to ensure a kinetoscope parlours with continuous viewer experience, and multiple devices (the first parlours how viewers were guided to were established in New York and develop inference and interpret London in 1894). A breakthrough the emerging language of cinema. in the technology of projection Technological advances made it was achieved by Auguste and possible for cinematographers Louis Lumière, who built on the and directors to expand artistic work of Reynaud to use patented expression and develop a new perforated film in a new type of visual vocabulary of the art. They camera/projector. Their cinema- used this vocabulary to communi- tographe – a camera, projector cate with growing and and developer in one device – increasingly-appreciative audienc- allowed simultaneous viewing of es. the same movie by many people. Professor Kam described how An additional advantage of the ‘special effects’ were introduced, Lumières’ technology over citing the work of impresario and Edison’s bulky and heavy kineto-

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magician George Méliès, who in 1935, 95 per cent of Holly- exported tricks from his theatre wood’s output had synchronised and circus shows to film. Méliès, sound. incidentally, wanted to buy a The introduction of sound had cinematographe from the Lu- significant impact on then- mières’ father in late 1895, but existing practices – cinemas had to was refused on the basis that be able to play sound for one cinema would likely be a short- thing. In about a decade (and in lived fad, so the Lumière family spite of the fervent protests of may as well exploit it while some traditionalists) the new interest remained. This incident is technology put the silent movie to possibly the first (of many) bed. For a period of time, restric- prophesies of the imminent tions imposed by the new sound ‘death of cinema.’ Many of the technology had an adverse impact cinematic techniques used today on lighting and shooting angles – have their roots in the early days buzzing arc lamps had to be of cinema. A notable example is replaced by incandescent bulbs, Dziga Vertov’s Man with a Movie and noisy projectors had to be Camera (1929), which uses isolated in bulky projection multiple techniques popularised booths. Tinted and toned movies, and honed decades later, includ- the precursors for movies in ing double exposure, fast motion, colour, were discontinued because slow motion, freeze frames, jump film development had to take into cuts, split screens, Dutch angles, account the needs of the optical extreme close-ups, tracking shots, track, and because tinting/toning footage played backwards, and tended to reduce the quality of stop motion animations. Cinema sound reproduction. Kam demon- continued to develop throughout strated how the emergence of the 20th Century; sound was one sound techniques and the use of of the most significant areas of mixed silent and talking scenes progress. Edison was a pioneer in were employed by film-makers to this area as well, but again he was invent new artistic effects. One eclipsed – this time by Emile example is Hitchcock’s Blackmail Berliner, whose gramophone used (1929), where the director mass-produced discs which were develops an ongoing ‘dialog’ with superior to the cylinders used in the new technology of sound Edison’s phonograph. Then the along with the deployment of the technology moved to ‘sound on main narrative of the film. Kam film.’ In 1926, the first commercial compared the mixing of silent and screening took place of a feature talking scenes in Blackmail to the film synchronised to a recorded mixing of digitally photographed soundtrack; only nine years later, and Super 16-mm photographed

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scenes in Black Swan (2010). In e-paper and facial recognition – both cases, the use of multiple are now available, or nearly so, technologies becomes part of the others, such as Harry Potter’s artistic fabric of the movie. Despite invisibility cloak, time travel, flying cinema’s close relationship and cars and human cloning, are more dependence on technology, challenging (and in some cases cinema has been used repeatedly physically impossible) to realise. as an agent to caution against Turning briefly to robots (and technological advances and their cyborgs), Professor Kam highlight- consequences. Cautionary movies ed them as a popular feature for about technology have been commenting on technology in appearing since the early 20th films, and for expressing desired Century, and include the classic specifications of future robots. Metropolis (1927). Major themes Many serious developers of robots of Metropolis include the aliena- were inspired to build actual tion of the individual in the functioning robots in their modern city and the heartless laboratories by robots that were oppression of workers by technol- proposed originally in the movies. ogy (with a destructive robot to A recent study done at the boot). More recent examples of University of Cambridge found technophobia in the movies that the more films with robots include The Terminator (1984), viewers saw, the more positive Blade Runner (1982) and Minority their attitudes towards robots Report (2002). Cinema and became. It did not matter if the television have, however, been depicted robots were socially also catalysts for technological ‘positive’ or ‘negative.’ invention and development. The Professor Kam ended his talk by ‘23rd-Century communicator,’ mentioning a few of the areas he from the original series of Star didn’t have time to delve into, Trek, bears a striking resemblance such as colour technology, to the present-day mobile phone, animation, and the development while Star Trek: The Next Genera- of the cinematic musical score. He tion, offered flat touchscreen also alluded to current and future computers similar to today’s developments, including 3D, tablets. Tablet-type computing virtual reality and the convergence devices were also shown in 2001: of movies and games – showing A Space Odyssey (1968), while that art and technology are certain Fahrenheit 451 (1966) demon- to continue to intersect in cinema, strated an interactive big-screen now and in the foreseeable television. While some of these – future. and other developments such as

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Professor James Hunter FRSE Professor of History of the Highlands and Islands, University of the Highlands and Islands The Appin Murder Part 1 – Historical Context 3 September 2013 Ben Nevis Hotel, Fort William Described as one of the greatest control, as their previous owners remaining murder mysteries in had launched an armed insurrec- Scotland, the Appin murder is the tion against the British State. The subject of much speculation. The rebels, known as Jacobites, had consensus is that the wrong man tried to overthrow the ruling was convicted. In part 1 of a two- order; from the West Highlands part event, the historical context they marched deep into England, of the story was discussed. Part 2 their efforts ending in 1746 at the then re-examined the evidence Battle of Culloden, where the using expert witnesses, taking Jacobites were broken and account of modern methods of dispersed. As a result, the landed detection and scientific forensic properties of some of the Jacobite techniques. leadership in the Highlands were On Monday 25 September 1752, confiscated and taken over by the Scotland’s High Court returned to government. One of these estates Session in Inverary having just was the Ardshiel Estate and it was completed a very welcome 24- here that, on Thursday 14th May hour break. Prior to this, the court 1752, Colin Campbell received had sat for 53 hours straight, two musket bullets in his back. without formal intermission, James Stewart was not the hearing the case of James Stewart, gunman and was not accused of who was accused of conspiracy in actually shooting Campbell; the murder of Colin Campbell of however, the prosecutors in Glenure, the Red Fox. Although Inverary contended that he had a this was the way criminal courts large part in the planning of the were held in Scotland at this time, crime. The Dempster, the court a trial of such length was quite official in charge of proclaiming exceptional. A guilty verdict had sentence, announced that on been reached the previous day Tuesday 7 November James and James Stewart’s sentence was Stewart would be “transported due to be pronounced. over the ferry of Ballachulish and Campbell was a government carried to a gibbet to be erected employee; the Factor of three on a conspicuous eminence upon West Highland estates that had the south side of the said ferry”. been placed in government James Stewart “upon Wednesday

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the 8th day of November…would the Stewart homestead in Glen be hanged by the neck until he be Duror and joined the British army dead”. Thereafter, James’ body around 1742”. was to be chained in a cage and In 1745 Charles Edward Stewart, left suspended on a gibbet thirty Bonnie Prince Charlie, landed in feet high. His corpse and skeleton Moidart to recruit a Jacobite army remained there for several years, which he intended to use to seize guarded by the army in the first power from London; a plan which instance, and strongly reinforcing was certain to involve the Duror the message that this is what locals. The Appin region which would happen to anyone who included Duror was the heartland took issue with the way in which of Clan Stewart, the leading the Highlands were being run. families of which traced their Born about 1705, James Stewart ancestors to Anglo-French came from Duror. He was an adventurers who arrived in illegitimate son of John Stewart, Scotland in the Middle Ages. the Laird of Ardshiel; however, Some of these became Scottish being well educated and a man of Kings, forebears of Bonnie Prince substance, he was in no way Charlie, and others settled in marginal to the Stewart clan. Argyll, spoke Gaelic and evolved James, an entrepreneur and over time in to clan chiefs. Clan businessman involved in rearing Stewart came under pressure from and trading cattle, was a long an endlessly expanding Clan standing tenant of Glen Duror, his Campbell and the Stewarts tenancy leading to his Gaelic became limited to the Appin area, nickname, Seumas a’ Ghlinne which covered a larger area than it (James of the Glen). is known as today. This caused Accounts from the time remember enmity between Clan Stewart and him as a kindly man; indeed, he the Campbells of Barcaldine, was foster father to a number of which was intensified by political orphan children, among them a difference and divergence, the young man called Allan Breck Stewarts being Episcopalian like Stewart who had been left most Jacobites and the Campbells fatherless by one of James’ being intensely Presbyterian. relatives based in Rannoch. Allan The Appin Chief in 1745 was Breck, a waster who squandered Dougal Stewart, a hopeless both his father’s inheritance and character who preferred life in much of James’ money, is a key Edinburgh; therefore, the man figure in the Appin Murder story. who actually took Clan Stewart in Professor Hunter commented that to war was Charles Stewart of it must have been “somewhat a Ardshiel – the legitimate son of relief to James when Allan quit the man who was also James’

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father. Charles mobilised the had also departed for France and Appin regiment of the Jacobite joined the French army. army, about 260 men, including Prior to Culloden, James had James as an officer. By mid given up the tenancy of Glen September, 1745 the Jacobites Duror and settled in Achindar- had reached Edinburgh, from roch, a more arable holding, where they marched to confront where he held an over fifty the government forces at the percent stake in the property. Battle of Prestonpans at which the During Charles’ absence, James Jacobites were victorious. From undertook to collect the rent from this battle emerged a young the Ardshiel Estate tenants and government soldier who wished forward these to France; he also to change sides – Allan Breck took advantage of being in charge Stewart. and resumed his tenancy of Glen The Battle of Culloden survivors, Duror. Professor Hunter comment- including James Stewart and Allan ed that even in 1749, when Colin Breck, had returned to Duror by Campbell was put in charge, May 1746. By this point, the Fort James continued as ‘under Factor’, William garrison’s commander, collecting the rents for Campbell Captain Scott, had unleashed his and the government rather than troops on Duror; cattle were Charles – he did, however, collect seized and homes burned, a a higher figure than the nominat- British Army standard practice at ed rent and handed on the the time. At Ardshiel Estate, difference to Charles. Despite the Captain Scott dismantled Charles profound Stewart / Campbell Stewart’s home stone by stone, political differences, Colin and leaving his wife with just a hut to James appeared to be on friendly live in; Charles, who as a Jacobite terms, indeed they were actually commander faced death if found, related as distant cousins. In 1750 was hiding in the hills, in a cave at their partnership broke down, Lagnaha. He had a constant guard partly because of disputes over which included Allan Breck. rent, but also because Campbell Eventually, Charles managed to had begun to be regarded with escape to France, where he was suspicion in the south, due to his joined by his wife Isabel and family links to the Camerons of children. Ardshiel Estate was Locheil, who were Jacobites, and confiscated by the government his friendships with other Jaco- and Colin Campbell put in charge bites. Campbell was accused of of its administration. Following being too soft on Jacobites and, Charles’ departure for France, his to cover his own back, he removed interests were looked after by his James from Glen Duror and half brother, James. Allan Breck installed his cousin John Camp-

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bell as tenant. There was also Jacobite spy and regularly slipping growing suspicion on James’ part in and out of Scotland. His visits and that of other Stewarts in to Scotland were undertaken Appin that Campbell of Glenure’s surreptitiously, as he was a intention in abusing his govern- deserter of the British Army and, mental power was to mount a as such, a wanted man. Professor Campbell takeover of the Estates Hunter surmised that it is proba- in Appin, including Ardshiel. In ble that he was the means by May 1751, James formally gave up which the money from the Estates Glen Duror and his other Ardshiel in Duror reached Charles Stewart lands in Achindarroch and moved in France. In the early part of to Acharn Farm, where he became 1752, Allan Breck arrived in Leith a Campbell tenant. Professor by sea and travelled north by way Hunter noted that James highly of several prominent Jacobite resented the ongoing annexation households and arrived back in of the Ardshiel Estate by Camp- Appin, staying with James at bell, particularly when, in 1752, it Acharn. He is recorded as having became apparent that Campbell made loud threatening comments was going to instate both his about what he would like to do to nephews and the staunchly Campbell of Glenure; remarks Presbyterian minister, John which at the time were regarded MacAulay, as tenants in Achindar- as merely ‘pub talk’, but following roch. Relations between James Campbell’s killing, were seen in a and Colin Campbell continued to different light. Furthermore, a sour. On Hogmanay 1751, James ‘shadowy gathering’ involving a encountered Colin Campbell and number of the younger Stewart some of his associates in Kental- gentry, including Allan Breck, took len Inn; after several drams, harsh place around the end of April in words were exchanged and an isolated locality in the hills to Campbell, fearing for his safety, the south of Duror. This gathering drew his sword. During the Spring was described as a ‘shooting of 1752, it became apparent that match’, but what exactly hap- various well established tenants of pened here remains somewhat Ardshiel and Achindarroch shrouded in mystery. It is widely properties were going to be suspected, however, that this was evicted on the 15th May to make a critical gathering of those way for Campbells’ relatives and involved in a conspiracy to kill clients. This was therefore a time Colin Campbell and may have of high tension in the region. been an opportunity to select the At this point, Allan Breck had best musket or shooter. been enlisted in the French army for some time, doubling as a

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In April 1752, Duror was awash lawyer produced the Court of with rumours of the forthcoming Session Sist and this caused alarm evictions and a possible organised to Campbell, who rode quickly to resistance including the Stewarts’ Edinburgh where he persuaded Clan Cameron allies. James another judge to overrule the Sist. Stewart departed Duror bound for Whilst in Edinburgh, Campbell Edinburgh and staying with many recruited his lawyer nephew Jacobite households during his Mungo Campbell as his tempo- journey – this is later seen as rary assistant, believing it would evidence of conspiracy during his be useful to have him alongside trial and his Edinburgh activities during the evictions. On Friday 8 seen as proof of his deep seated May, six days before the murder opposition to Campbell’s plans. and seven days before the James aimed to put the Ardshiel planned evictions, Colin and tenants’ case to the Barons of the Mungo returned to Glenure. Exchequer, an Edinburgh-based Allan Breck is also known to have group who held overall responsi- been in the area on Friday 8 May, bility for the confiscated estates. staying at Fasnacloich, the Stewart Unfortunately, James missed the gentry’s clan home. On the Barons’ meeting in April and, as following Monday morning, Colin they wouldn’t meet again until and Mungo Campbell rode north June, which would be too late for out of Glenure heading for his purposes, he sought assist- Lochaber. During this journey, they ance from a Court of Session crossed the Ballachulish ferry and judge who proved sympathetic it was known they would return and authorised a Sist (suspension) the same way the following of the 15th May evictions. By 27 Thursday bound for the Kentallen April, James was back in Duror Inn, where they would overnight with his Court of Session Sist and prior to carrying out evictions on convened a meeting of the the Friday. Professor Hunter tenants to announce the good commented that Allan Breck news. James arranged for his almost certainly knew of these lawyer cousin to come to Duror movements and on the Monday from Maryburgh, now known as he left Fasnacloich and headed Fort William, and on 1 May they back to Acharn. During his time at accompanied the Ardshiel tenants Fasnacloich, Allan is reported to to a meeting at Campbell’s home. have been wearing his French The tenants offered to match the Army outfit, consisting of a long rents that Colin Campbell would blue coat, red waistcoat, blue receive from their replacements, breeches and a feathered hat. At but Campbell rejected this out of Acharn he swapped his clothes for hand. Upon this decision, the a more modest set belonging to

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James. During James’ trial, there had come across the ferry, to was endless discussion relating to which the ferryman answered no. the clothes Allan had been Professor Hunter ascertained that wearing in the days prior to and Allan must have already known on the day of the murder. Be- this, as he had been able to see tween the Monday and the the road whilst fishing. This action Wednesday, Allan spent time in a could be construed as evidence of whole set of gentry Jacobite careful planning, whereby Allan households; this was regarded as tried to set himself up as the suspicious and conspiratorial by suspect in order to take the fall the trial, especially as one of the and then disappear once the households, Ballachulish House, is killing has occurred. Following his within a mile of where Campbell conversation with the ferryman, was killed. Meanwhile, at Acharn, Allan continued in the direction of James continued to try to find a the wood of Lettermore and was legal means of stopping the not seen again for certain that evictions; including sending day. Later the same afternoon, messengers to Maryburgh to Colin Campbell and his three bring his lawyer cousin Charles companions crossed the ferry. As Stewart to Duror, wanting him to they left the ferry, they met be in attendance should the Alexander Stewart, the Laird of tenants refuse to leave their Ballachulish and the man in properties. His cousin declined to whose house Allan Breck had get involved. Professor Hunter been staying. As politeness contended that the fact that dictated, Campbell dismounted James was undertaking this action and they walked together until hardly suggests that he knew in they reached the boundary of advance that Colin Campbell was Alexander’s property. In Professor going to die that same day; or Hunter’s opinion, this meeting alternatively, “it was a cunning was probably not a coincidence; it bluff to suggest he didn’t know had the effect of spreading out when in fact he did”! Campbell’s party, as his compan- On the Thursday, before midday, ions went on ahead. Colin Allan Breck went to fish the burn Campbell mounted his horse and that runs into Loch Linnhe. From rode after his companions into there he could see the road on the the wood of Lettermore, ultimate- other side of the Loch at Onich, ly to his death. Colin’s colleagues, which is the road that Campbell including his lawyer nephew would take back to the Ballachul- Mungo Campbell, reported ish ferry. In the early afternoon, hearing a single shot, upon which Allan approached the ferryman they turned around and found and asked him if Colin Campbell

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Campbell dying with two bullets packman to Maryburgh to call in in his back. some debts. The packman During the investigations, Mungo returned on Saturday evening Campbell reported seeing a man with three guineas and learned carrying a musket on the high that James, along with his son, ground above the murder site. also Allan, had been arrested by The suspect was wearing clothes the army. The packman and James’ that Mungo varyingly describes as wife were permitted to meet with those resembling the items Allan James, when they spoke in Gaelic, Breck had borrowed from James a language that the British at Acharn. Furthermore, John soldiers did not understand. The Mackenzie, a servant accompany- following day, the packman met ing Campbell, reported that James with Allan Breck and gave him the Stewart did not seem surprised money and his French Army when told about Campbell’s clothes. The money that James death, neither did he go to gave to Allan was to prove part of Lettermore to offer help; this was, his downfall and helped to hang however, mitigated by a statement him as a conspirator to murder. that James’ wife feared for his Allan Breck left the area on safety were he to be amongst Monday morning and was last Campbells at such a heated and seen to the east of Kinloch dangerous moment. Rannoch. Allan Breck, now the prime suspect, was never seen On the night of the murder, again for certain in Scotland. Donald Stewart, a nephew of the Laird, was informed that Allan At James’ trial in Inverary, there Breck was outside Ballachulish were eleven Campbells on a jury House with a message. There is a of fifteen. The trial was presided very strong tradition in the area over by Archibald Duke of Argyll, which has stood the test of time Clan Campbell’s Chief and the that it was in fact Donald who British Government’s main killed Campbell. Donald met with representative in Scotland. Allan and it is reported that Allan Professor Hunter commented that told him that he had no hand in the Duke’s post-guilty verdict the shooting but that he would comments reveal the political and have to flee the country, not just social climate of the time. “In the because he was a suspect but year 1745, the restless spirits of also, as a deserter, he would hang the disaffected Highlanders again anyway if the army caught up with prompted them to raise a third him. Allan asked Donald to go to rebellion. ‘You [addressing James Acharn to ask James for money to Stewart] and your clan formed a fund his escape. James had little regiment in that impious service ready cash and as such sent a and in which you persevered to

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the last. The Divine Providence at identified with him as a member first permitted you to obtain some of the country’s ruling order”. The advantages but…at last Heaven Duke’s choice of closing words to raised up a great Prince who… did James reflect this concern: at one blow put an end to all your ‘though you do not now stand wicked attempts. …If you had accused as a rebel…yet I may say been successful in rebellion you with great force of truth, that this might have been giving the law murder has been visibly the effect where you now receive the and consequence of the late judgement of it and we, who are rebellion’. The Jacobites never this day your judges, might have again posed any great threat to been tried before one of your Britain or its government; howev- mock courts’”. Professor Hunter er, Archibald Campbell and his concluded that “in condemning fellow politicians could not know James Stewart to hang in chains, this at the time and they feared a the Duke of Argyll was very further Jacobite uprising which mindful of the danger posed by would lead to their own over- the Jacobites to Britain’s perceived throw, hence the ferocity of civilisation, this civilisation being, response to what happened in the as far as the Duke was concerned, wood of Lettermore.

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The Appin Murder – Part II A Case Review of James of the Glen Chaired By Professor Sue Black FRSE 4 September 2013 Ben Nevis Hotel, Fort William

Described as one of the greatest can be no legal or moral justifica- remaining murder mysteries in tion for premeditated murder in a Scotland, the Appin murder is the civilised society and such a subject of much speculation. The heinous crime must be investigat- consensus is that the wrong man ed rigorously and all efforts made was convicted. In part 1 of a two to bring the perpetrator to part event the historical context of justice”. She explained that the the story was discussed. Part 2 expert witnesses on the panel then re-examined the evidence in would review the significance of a ‘Case Review’ using expert the evidence presented at the witnesses and taking account of original trial of James Stewart, modern methods of detection and who was hanged for the crime of scientific forensic techniques. accessory to the murder of Colin The panel of expert witnesses Campbell of Glenure, using a comprised: professional approach with no room for the consideration of Professor David Barclay, Forensic folklore, myth or conspiracy Scientist theories. The existing trial evi- Professor Anthony Busuttil, dence would be examined Emeritus Professor of Forensic through the lens of modern Medicine scientific technology and using The Rt Hon Lord Cameron of forensic approaches that have Lochbroom QC, FRSE been developed over the last 250 Dr Karly Kehoe, Historian years. Professor Black informed the audience that they would act Professor Caroline Wilkinson FRSE, in the capacity of jury and that it Professor of Craniofacial Identifi- was their legal and moral duty to cation put aside any bias, sentiment or On 14 May 1752, a cold-blooded preconceptions and consider the murder took place in Appin. The evidence as it was presented victim, a government employee, during the panel discussions. was going about his legal busi- The killing of Campbell was an ness when two musket balls event that was very much a ripped through his back and he consequence of the political was felled, dead within minutes. climate in Highland Scotland Professor Black stated that “there during the mid eighteenth

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century; it was not simply a local powerlessness, people were being event, nor merely a feud between evicted from their homes and two family groups. In 1752, six tensions were running high. years after the Battle of Culloden, Dr Kehoe briefly outlined the the region was in the middle of events of 14 May 1752. Colin government retribution; meaning Campbell of Glenure, the victim, estate seizures and evictions, was returning from Fort William to social dislocation and extreme Appin on his way to serve eviction hardship for those suspected of notices at the Ardshiel Estate the being Jacobites, or of simply following day. He was accompa- being sympathetic to their cause. nied by his lawyer nephew, At a local level, this period was Mungo Campbell; his servant, characterised by an intense social John Mackenzie; and a Sherriff and economic upheaval; a way of Officer, Donald Kennedy, who was life was being unravelled and it to assist in the evictions. Allan was painful. Prior to the Jacobite Breck Stewart, James’ foster son, rebellion of 1745, there had the man accused of actually already been a move by the shooting Campbell, had been Highland elites to integrate more seen around the area, specifically fully into a developing commercial fishing a local burn and also economy, partly to fund new asking the ferryman at Ballachul- lifestyles, but also to complete ish whether Glenure’s party had their transition from clan leader- crossed the loch. Following this ship to landowners. Historian Dr conversation, Allan Breck disap- Kehoe commented that Professor peared from the scene. Campbell Allan Macinnes argues that and his companions crossed the Culloden may have actually ferry to Ballachulish and when enabled the clan elite to make they reached the shore they had a their escape from traditional chance encounter with Alexander trusteeship and the obligations Stewart, a local Laird. Campbell that went along with it. James dismounted from his horse and Stewart and others like him were spoke with Alexander whilst the under pressure on two fronts; to remaining party continued ahead. protect their communities and Campbell remounted his horse to own interests, but also to support rejoin the party and entered the those who had fled to France after wood of Lettermore. At some Culloden. The Highlands were point a coat was dropped and becoming more integrated into a Mackenzie dropped back to commercial economy and people retrieve this. A shot was fired and were being forced to accept upon hearing this Mungo turned changes that were being imposed. back to find his uncle dying with There was a great sense of

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two musket ball wounds in his did not know the man, although back. he had seen his face. The trial Professor Black asked retired documents also record that Scottish judge, Lord Cameron, to Mungo Campbell saw two holes detail some of the evidence that in Glenure’s belly where the was presented at the original trial. musket balls had exited and that Lord Cameron commented that in the place where Glenure was both the precognitions and the shot “the wood is thick on both trial evidence are written in the sides and the ground on the side third person and are therefore not from where he was shot is rugged verbatim evidence. Mungo and stony with bushes where the Campbell appeared before the murderer could easily have Sherriff Depute on 18 May to give concealed himself and that the his witness evidence. He is ground there rises up hill towards reported as having said that he the south, though there are places asked Colin Campbell, as they where the murderer might be were approaching the wood of nearly upon a level with Glenure Lettermore, whether Ballachulish and also places that are so (Alexander Stewart) had said situated that a person standing anything to him about removing there might see the most part of the tenants of Ardshiel, to which the road from the ferry to the Campbell had replied in the wood and even a part of the road negative. He continued, stating between Fort William and the ferry that it was seven or eight minutes and which place is not a musket thereafter that Glenure was shot shot from the spot where Glenure and immediately cried out “Oh, was murdered”. John Mackenzie I’m dead, take care of yourself for gave evidence stating that he had he’s going to shoot you”. Mungo dropped a coat that belonged to started to run up the brae imme- Donald Kennedy and had turned diately beside the road and back to collect it and was, there- observed a man with a gun in his fore, behind Glenure when he hand, clothed, he thought, in a heard a shot but did not know short, dun coloured coat with where it came from or which breeches the same and he direction. He carried on into the believed the person to have been wood to find Mungo Campbell at such a distance above Glenure wringing his hands and Glenure in the wood when he observed lying on the ground with a large him that “notwithstanding any amount of blood about him. speed he could make his escape, Donald Kennedy gave similar he could not be the person that evidence, although he was ahead fired the shot that killed Glen- of Mungo and Glenure. ure”. He also commented that he

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The trial of James Stewart started blood stained clothing; clothing on 21 September 1752. In that had been worn by Allan accordance with proper legal Breck; guns found hidden practice, Allan Breck Stewart’s following the crime; a powder name was called in court and, as horn found in Allan Breck’s coat; he was absent, he was declared an and identification evidence outlaw and fugitive. The trial provided by Mungo Campbell. proceeded without him. Through- Professor Black asked the audi- out ence if they required any further the trial, the Lord Advocate was clarification of the evidence quite clear that a vital part of the quoted by Lord Cameron. Lord Crown’s case was to satisfy the Cameron agreed that the basis of jury that Allan Breck Stewart was the case against James Stewart the assailant, stating, “I shall rested ultimately on the assump- point out to you the evidence that tion of guilt of Allan Breck as the Allan Breck was the actual gunman and, therefore, if it was murderer which I admit to be a impossible to prove that Allan was fact that was incumbent on us to guilty based on the evidence prove, in order to convict this presented, the case against James panel [James Stewart] of wilful would not stand. accession to it”. The indictment is Professor Busuttil continued a very long document and begins proceedings by explaining that, as by stating that James Stewart and a forensic pathologist, he is Allan Breck Stewart “are guilty, trained to believe only what he actors, or art and part of the sees with his own eyes, what he heinous crime of murder”. The can smell, feel and examine; phrasing ‘art and part’ means that witness testimony and evidence is a person can be guilty of murder useful but people can often be even if they did not actually mistaken. Forensic pathologists commit the act. Examples of this visit the scene of crime and put forward in the case against examine it. They also examine the James included the lending of body itself; measuring and clothes to Allan Breck, the dissecting to look internally for arranging of the return of his damage, identifying the cause of French clothes and providing him death and in the process recon- with money. Lord Cameron structing the incident. A forensic detailed the hard evidence that pathologist’s role is to give an was available to the court for opinion to the best of their forensic consideration at the time knowledge and belief. In the case of the trial; this comprised the of Colin Campbell, the indictment description of the place by Mungo states that “Allan Breck Stewart Campbell; medical evidence; fired upon the said Colin Camp-

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bell from behind his back, and Professor Busuttil stated that shot him through the body with there are three possibilities about two balls, of which wounds the the shooting. First, there could said Colin Campbell died upon have been one gunman who took the spot in less than an hour a shot and then reloaded and after”. The body of Campbell was fired again, hitting Campbell very examined by two doctors but only close to the first shot. Medically, inspected, not dissected; it was this is impossible, because it found to have been shot by two would take several seconds to musket balls, entering at the back, reload a musket and, having been one on each side of the backbone. shot, the victim would move One shot had exited about half an within this timeframe. Unless the inch below the navel and the second shot came instantaneous- other about two inches from it ly, or together with the first, it towards the right side. They were would not be possible for it to mortal wounds from which the come out next to the first shot in victim died. Professor Busuttil the body. The second possibility is commented that a major problem that the gunman loaded his gun for forensic pathologists is to with two balls, known as a chaser identify which are the bullet entry bullet. However, if this was the and exit wounds; as the wounds case, the bullets would not come are similar, they can be confused if out with equal velocity and it not careful. Professor Busuttil would be usual for one bullet to surmised that, assuming, Camp- move astray from the other. The bell’s entry wounds were at the third and most probable conclu- back and the musket balls had sion is that there were two passed right through the body, shooters both shooting at the then they must have missed the same time and hitting the target major arteries such as the aorta as almost simultaneously. Professor Campbell took about one hour to Black interjected and asked if die; if the aorta had been hit he there had been a full post-mortem would be dead within five examination at the time, would minutes. It is probable that he had there have been any additional internal bleeding that was not evidence available? Professor catastrophic enough to kill him Busuttil stated that even if they immediately. Furthermore, if he had not done a full dissection, was shot in the back it is likely measurements alone would help that other organs such as the liver to pinpoint where exactly the and intestines would be dam- bullet wounds occurred. If the aged. If he had been shot from body had been dissected, it would the front there would be a similar be possible to establish the exact result. trajectory of the shot. Lord

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Cameron asked whether damage times as fast as a musket but, to the clothing the victim was because the bullets are much wearing would help establish in smaller, the amount of damage any way where the bullet came the musket balls would do at their from and its trajectory. Clothing muzzle velocity is much the same. evidence would determine However, when the large musket whether the back was an entry or balls fly through the air, the effect exit wound. An audience member of gravity and air resistance enquired whether the evidence weighs on them very rapidly and could show that Campbell had at a distance of 200 yards it would actually been shot from the front be necessary to aim four people rather than the back. Professor higher than the target to ensure Busuttil said that this cannot be hitting it. This difficulty is further determined, particularly as the ball compounded by the fact that went right through, the entry and there are no sights on a musket to exit wounds would have been of a help aim and it is not easy to similar size. Professor Black guess the distance from the commented that the only evidence intended victim and, as such, presented that the shot came difficult to get the trajectory from behind was that given by exactly right. Professor Barclay Mungo Campbell, who in actual commented that it is, therefore, fact did not see the shooting; he difficult to understand how a assumed that Glenure was shot concealed gunman could be from behind. Furthermore, the deadly accurate with his aim. This musket balls were not retrieved fact also throws into doubt some from the scene. of the activities that supposedly Forensic scientist, Professor occurred prior to the crime. For Barclay, passed around examples example, a shooting match took of two musket balls, weighing place near Duror and it is com- over an ounce each and measur- monly thought that this was to ing about 17mm in diameter. He select the best gun and gunman. stated that forensic science is all However, Professor Barclay noted about context; scientific results that everyone involved in such an mean nothing unless they can be activity would know that it is not interpreted in their correct possible to fire a musket accurate- context. In this case, all reports ly at long range, thus no need for state that Campbell was shot by a shooting contest, possibly two musket balls and, although making it more likely to have been this would mean a low muzzle a covert meeting to organise the velocity, the weight of the balls killing. Furthermore, commented would mean they caused a lot of Professor Barclay, “the shots are damage. A modern rifle is four too closely grouped to have come

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from one gun; even if you fired at Professor Black commented that your victim at point blank range none of the witnesses mentioned you would be very unlucky to be even one puff of smoke let alone hit by both balls. Tests done at two. Professor Barclay commented Glasgow University show that at a that there could be twice as much distance of ten yards there is a smoke but in the same location. It divergence of one foot. If using is important in forensic science to two balls in the same gun and establish all the possible alterna- they are diverging by one foot, tives and then try to eliminate they would not be as close them; in this case the possibilities together as the wounds in are that someone shot Glenure Campbell’s body. It is perfectly from a concealed location and possible that the musket was then ran off up the hill, however, double shotted, but this would Mungo’s evidence makes this reduce the muzzle velocity by unlikely. Professor Barclay stated more than half and it would have that “another possibility would be to be at very close range”. that the only person who de- Professor Black asked if there was scribes the shooting in evidence is anyone other than a member of Mungo, but nobody eliminated Glenure’s party that would have him from the suspects, we would been in a position to shoot him at need to eliminate him from a point blank range. Professor modern-day enquiry”. There is, Barclay considered that the man however, no evidence or folk seen running away on the hill is history to support that Mungo an unlikely suspect, as the cloud was in any way a suspect; indeed of powder formed when the shot the trial evidence states that none was taken would have indicated of Campbell’s party were armed. where the shot came from and, Professor Barclay also believes that therefore, the logical conclusion is a double-shotted gun is an that there was at least one other unlikely scenario, “it loses so person involved. “It is possible much power and diverges so far that two shots could be fired that it would be highly unlikely to almost simultaneously from two hit the target with both shots, let guns once the target came into alone in such close proximity to view; in those circumstances it is each other. It would make far possible that someone twenty more sense for it to be two shots yards away could be hit by two from two guns, particularly as, if musket balls. The firing of the the first shot had missed the weapon is quite a long event and victim, the target would easily be it is perfectly possible that the able to identify from where the sound of two shots overlapping shot was fired, due to the smoke, could sound like one shot”. and make their way to face the

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assailant or retaliate. It takes forty- ent enough to get a good five seconds to reload a musket description. When asked to with a further shot, plenty of time describe faces people often find for retaliation. Professor Barclay this quite difficult, even if they are noted that standard British Army looking directly at them. People tactics dictated that if you were tend to describe features as shot at by a musket from conceal- ‘average’ or ‘ordinary’; therefore, ment and it missed you, you ran when a good description is given towards the direction of the shot. it is usually because the person is Professor Black summed up memorable or distinctive. Allan Professor Barclay’s evidence Breck is also known to have been review, asking if there were two wearing his French Army uniform shooters and a third person on around the area prior to the crime; the hill, what would be the role of this comprised red and blue cloth, the third person? Professor feathers and buttons, which was Barclay stated that it is common very extravagant for the time. It is practice, even today, for example also known that he changed his in IRA shootings, to have multiple clothing the day before the people involved, both to cover shooting and took on a more each other and also as lookouts. sombre outfit, although he is still Professor Black asked Professor described as wearing blue plaid Wilkinson if the man on the hill trousers, which would not be could have been Allan Breck common. Mungo’s description of Stewart. Professor Wilkinson, a the person he sees on the hill Professor of Craniofacial Identifi- changes over time; his first cation, revealed a facial composite description states the man was of Allan Breck that she had wearing a dun jacket and dun created from descriptions of him trousers. He changed his mind in found in various sources. Written a later description and said it was descriptions recorded by a French a darker jacket. We don’t know Army clerk describe him as having why he changed the description; black curly hair, a long face marred however, at no time did he by smallpox scars, deep set eyes describe the man as wearing blue that were grey in colour, a long plaid trousers. Furthermore, if nose and an ordinary mouth. He is Mungo knew Allan Breck, then he also described as being about 5’ would have recognised him. It is 10”, quite tall for the time. From known from other sources that, this description, Professor Wilkin- following the murder, it was son suggests that Allan Breck was thought that someone had seen not an average looking person; he Allan Breck in Carlisle and Mungo was somebody you would was asked to go to Carlisle to remember as his face was differ- identify him because he knew

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him. The person seen in Carlisle a difference; the longer you see wasn’t Allan Breck, however. This them for, the more likely you are evidence shows that Mungo to remember them”. The length would have been able to identify of time that passes after an event him and, therefore, had he seen before a person is asked to him on the hill at the murder site, remember it is also significant. would have recognised him. None This is relevant to Mungo’s of the witness evidence Mungo testimony, as the first written gives of the man on the hill description he gives is four days matches Allan Breck, neither does after the shooting. This is a Mungo ever identify the man as significant amount of time to Allan. Professor Black asked “on affect recall; the ideal time is what scale of likely to unlikely is it within twenty-four hours. After that the man on the hill fleeing this, people tend to take on other the seen is Allan Breck”? Profes- information that comes to light sor Wilkinson commented that, and put it in their testimony, not based on the evidence from the necessarily consciously. This might eye witness, it does not fit with it be the case in the change of jacket being Allan Breck at all. “In colour in Mungo’s testimony, for general, eye witness memory is example; he could have heard fairly awful. We know from other people mention that Allan laboratory research that people’s Breck was wearing a darker colour memory of an event is appalling jacket than he first described. and varies significantly from other Professor Wilkinson stated that, people who saw the same thing. “our memory in general is very The argument has always been bad; however, our ability to that this is because we can’t recognise people we know is very properly represent a crime in the good. If you know someone very same way in a laboratory setting, well then you can recognise them but we now know from DNA from very little information. From evidence that there is a huge CCTV work, we know that you can number of people who have been recognise someone’s face from as wrongly identified and convicted little as nine pixels if the image is based entirely on misidentification moving. If Mungo Campbell knew from eye witnesses”. Memory is Allan Breck well enough to very poor and is affected by many identify him then he surely would things; for example, high stress have recognised him even in a situations lower people’s memory stressful situation”. Lord Cameron ability, not just of people’s faces commented that he thought but of the event as a whole. “We smallpox scars and very black hair also know that the amount of would have been noticeable even time that you see someone makes at a distance and also that it

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would seem to be an obvious evidence to prove that Allan Breck question to ask Mungo Campbell Stewart shot one of the muskets. whether he recognised the man As such, the expert panel deter- on the hill, but this doesn’t seem mined that Allan Breck Stewart to have happened either prior to was indicted for murder with no or during the trial. Professor direct evidence to support this. Wilkinson noted that “we do Lord Cameron commented that know from eye witness memory there was, however, circumstantial that when things are very unusual, evidence that was capable of we remember them, so blue supporting that he could have trousers would have been noted been there. Professor Black then more readily than dun coloured asked Lord Cameron to direct the trousers”. audience jury to consider their Professor Black asked the expert verdict. In response to the ques- panel if, based on the indictment tion of whether, “on the material that Allan Breck Stewart was now presented, would you [the responsible for the murder of jury] be satisfied that Allan Breck Colin Campbell of Glenure and was the actual and only person that James Stewart was guilty of who assassinated Colin Campbell aiding and abetting him, there is of Glenure”, the audience jury any evidence that Allan Breck returned a unanimous ‘not guilty’ Stewart was the man that Mungo verdict. With this conclusion, there saw at the scene. They answered, was not a legitimate basis for the no. Furthermore they did not case and conviction against James consider there to be enough Stewart to have been pursued.

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Enlightening the Constitutional Debate A series of events held during 2013 and 2014 to Enlighten the Constitu- tional Debate in advance of the referendum on Scotland’s future relationship with the rest of the United Kingdom, organised by the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the British Academy. Full reports of every event have been published individually and the series culminated in an event on 8 April 2014 to launch a book bringing together the discussions that have taken place. The book will serve as a historical record of the Society’s contribution to a very significant period in Scottish history. Scotland and the EU 13 March 2013 at the Royal Society of Edinburgh Neil Walker FRSE Regius Professor of Public Law and the Law of Nature and Nations University of Edinburgh Graham Avery St. Antony’s College, University of Oxford and European Policy Centre, Brussels Diana Panke Professor of Political Science, University of Freiburg.

The purpose of this seminar was to facilitate and inform the public debate on Scotland’s constitutional future, by examining, in the context of a referendum vote in favour of independence, issues relating to Scotland’s accession to, and membership of, the European Union.

Tax and Spending 17 April 2013 The British Academy This seminar consisted of presentations by three speakers followed by a round-table discussion forum. The Chatham House rule applied.

Topics covered included : UK Government’s Scotland Analysis Programme Principles for Distributing a Block Grant around the UK The potential fiscal situation in the event of Scotish independence

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Defence and International Relations 29 May 2013 at the Royal Society of Edinburgh Lieutenant Colonel Stuart Crawford Stuart Crawford Associates, former SNP defence advisor Dr Phillips O’Brien Reader in Modern History and Convenor of the Global Security Network Professor William Walker Professor of International Relations, University of St.Andrews Rt Hon Lord Robertson of Port Ellen Former Secretary General of NATO and former Secretary of State for Defence

This seminar examined questions on how the UK’s role within NATO might be affected by constitutional change, and about the future of the UK’s nuclear deterrence, given the SNP’s anti-nuclear policies. The seminar also discussed how the UK’s position on the international stage might be affected by constitutional change, and what the implications of separating the Scottish and UK armed forces might be. The latter half of the seminar addressed questions from the audience. The discussion was chaired by Lieutenant General Sir Alistair Irwin, Presi- dent of the Royal British Legion for Scotland.

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The Real Economy 20 June 2013 at the Royal Society of Edinburgh Mr Brandon Malone Chairman, Scottish Arbitration Centre; Mr Stephen Boyd Assistant Secretary, Policy and Campaigns Department, Scottish Trades Union Congress; Professor Gordon Hughes Professor of Economics, University of Edinburgh Professor Jeremy Peat OBE FRSE Director of the David Hume Institute The public discussion seminar on the Real Economy was the fourth in a series of seminars aimed at enlightening the debate around Scotland’s constitutional future. The Real Economy refers to aspects of the economy besides banking, currency and financial and monetary policy. This seminar examined Scotland’s global reputation and attractiveness as a trade and business destination, Scotland’s energy market, and Scotland’s labour market, and how these might be affected by constitutional change. This seminar aimed to bring new perspectives into the debate on Scotland’s constitutional future. The discussion was chaired by Mr Douglas Fraser, Business and Economic Editor, BBC Scotland.

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Currency, Banking and Financial Services after the Scottish Referendum 24 July 2013 at the British Academy This seminar was conducted under the Chatham House Rule, which encourages frank exchanges by not attributing comments to named participants. This seminar was the fifth in a series of seminars organised by the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) and the British Academy (BA), aimed at Enlight- ening the Constitutional Debate ahead of the Referendum on Scotland’s constitutional future. It took place at the British Academy in London, and assembled invited economists, academics and other experts to discuss the options for currency, banking and the financial services following the Referendum. In the event of Scotland becoming independent, it will have to confront decisions around what currency to adopt and how to regulate banking and financial services. Monetary policy issues have an overlap with fiscal issues, to the extent that there is interdependence between monetary and fiscal policy. Moreover, the background context of a significant budget deficit in the UK and the aftermath of the financial crisis make the issues considerably more complicated than they would have been in 2008. Thus it is important to learn from the experience of other nations which have made related decisions, as well as looking at the specific issues facing Scotland. This seminar examined the experiences of other countries which have undergone a break-up similar to that proposed for Scotland and the UK. It then examined the options available to Scotland in the event of independence, and gathered views and feedback on these options.

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Culture and Broadcasting 24 August 2013 at the Scottish Parliament James Boyle Chairman of the National Library of Scotland and former Head of Radio Scotland and Controller of Radio Four David Elstein Chair of Open Democracy; Ruth Wishart Journalist and Commentator Rt Hon Brian Wilson former MP, former Minister for Energy and the Founding Editor and Publisher of the West Highland Free Press

The public discussion on culture and broadcasting was the sixth in a series of ten events intended to Enlighten the Constitutional Debate in advance of the Referendum on Scotland’s future relationship with the rest of the United Kingdom on 18 September 2014. The series is organised by the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the British Academy. The speakers were invited to discuss the impact of constitutional change on the culture of Scotland, asking how Scotland’s artistic, literary and cultural contribution would be affected by the outcome of the Referendum. The speakers were also asked to discuss the impact that there might be on the media in Scotland, whether broadcasting, the traditional print media or new outlets that have emerged in recent years through the rapid growth of digital communications. The discussion was chaired by Magnus Linklater CBE FRSE, former Editor of The Scotsman and also the Scottish edition of The Times.

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Borders, Immigration and Citizenship 25 September 2013 at the Royal Society of Edinburgh Professor Bernard Ryan Professor of Migration Law, University of Leicester Professor Jo Shaw Salvesen Chair of European Institutions, Dean of Research, and Deputy Head, College of Humanities and Social Sciences University of Edinburgh Professor Christina Boswell Professor of Politics, University of Edinburgh Ms Sarah Craig Lecturer in Public Law, University of Glasgow, and Co-Convenor, GRAMnet (Glasgow Refugee Asylum and Migration Network)

The public discussion on borders, immigration and citizenship was the seventh in a series of ten events intended to Enlighten the Constitutional Debate. The speakers were invited to discuss how constitutional change might affect the citizenship rights and status of those living within and outside an independent Scotland, including the relationship of residence to nationality, questions of dual nationality, and freedom of movement within the British Isles and the wider European Union, as well as the relationship between citizenship and national identity in a new Scotland. Chair: Professor John Curtice FRSE, Professor of Politics, University of Strathclyde

266 PUBLICATIONS Proceedings A: Mathematics: RSE Sessional Review: Six issues were published: Parts 2010/11 (Sessions 2008/09 & 142.5, 142.6 (2012); 2009/10, combined); 143.1, 143.2, 143.3, 143.4 (2013) 2012 (Session 2010/11); Earth and Environmental 2013 (Session 2011/12) Science Transactions: RSE Annual Review: 2012/13 Five issues were published – (April 2012–March 2013) 102.4; 103.1 (‘spontaneous’ issue Science Scotland: with a Special Section on Biochar); Two issues were published: 103.2 (Special Issue on Climate No. 13 – The Business of Biomedi- Change); and 103.3/4 (double cine Special Issue celebrating the life No. 14 – Inside Geoscience and career of the vertebrate palaeontologist Wann Langston Lecture/Conference Reports: Jr.) RAE/RSE Joint Annual Lecture - ReSourcE – the RSE’s Newslet- March 2013 – Growing Health- ter: care Issues 37 (Autumn 2012); 38 Technology Businesses – Bringing (Winter 2012); Engineering Innovations to 39 (Spring 2013); 40 (Summer Market with Limited Resources. 2013) Ian Stevens, CEO, Touch Bionics RSE Directory: 2012/13 ISBN: 978 0 902198 71 5

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Policy Advice POLICY ADVICE INQUIRIES ADVICE AND BRIEFING PAPERS Spreading the benefits of digital Among the key Advice Papers participation produced were: During the 2112/13 session, the Financing of Business Innovation Society launched its Inquiry into in Scotland digital participation, with the aim This report focussed on the of publishing its final report financing of innovation in during the 2013/14 session. companies in Scotland, examining The digital participation Inquiry aspects of the financial environ- was set up to explore how digital ment that supported or technologies and the internet constrained businesses to grow were being used by the public, and develop. businesses, government and An extensive series of interviews charities on a day to day basis. It and meetings took place with a had also to examine the opportu- wide range of investors and nities that digital technologies commentators. could offer to people and businesses online. It had also to study The three principal recommenda- why many remained offline at a tions that emerged were: time when digital exclusion was That a senior advisory group likely to lead to increasing should be established to investi- exclusion from society and the gate and report on the feasibility economy. of mobilising new sources of risk The Inquiry took evidence from capital in Scotland. individuals, organisations and That the infrastructure available to businesses across Scotland on support Scottish companies in these issues. It considered issues connecting with sources of equity of skills and motivation, as well as investment in Scotland should be technical issues of openness and reviewed. accessibility. It aimed to under- That an evaluation should be stand the different ways undertaken of the potential for organisations and individuals and feasibility of creating new used the internet and digital vehicles to provide access to loan technologies for wider social, funding for emerging Scottish economic and cultural benefits – companies on terms that would including health, wealth and be viable for businesses and wellbeing. acceptable to lenders.

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Triennial Review of Research Women in STEM Careers Councils In a follow up to the Tapping all This submission to the UK our Talents report the Society Department of Business, Innova- made a submission to an Inquiry tion & Skills made the following being conducted by the House of observations and recommenda- Commons Select Committee on tions: Science and Technology. The basic structure of the Re- This submission reinforced the key search Councils had largely been messages of the earlier report, successful in supporting UK which had highlighted the cost to research. The submission cau- the economy of the loss of female tioned against restructuring in the scientists as well as the loss of hope of making efficiency gains. opportunity for individuals and The Society fully supported the made a number of key recommen- maintenance of the Haldane dations including that further Principle at the heart of research action should be taken to close policy. the gender pay gap, that universities should be encouraged to The RSE welcomed the establish- follow the Athena Swan awards ment of the Technology Strategy programme or equivalent and that Board and the proposed new businesses should introduce more Technology Innovation Centres. flexible job designs. On the question of constitutional change the Society expressed the view that it fully supported the retention of a UK-wide system of Research Councils. In relation to the economy, with the economy struggling to emerge from recession it was commented that it would be the worst time for the UK to reduce its investment in Research.

270 Policy Advice

Post 16 Education Bill (Scotland) Requirements for Entry to The Society made a submission to Programmes of Teacher Educa- the Scottish Parliament Education tion & Culture Committee on this Bill. The Society responded to a Key recommendations consultation by the General Teaching Council for Scotland on The Society observed that there entry qualifications for initial seemed to be an absence of an teacher training. overarching strategy for post-16 education. The GTCS had proposed that new entrants to primary teaching Concern was expressed about the degree courses should have a Bill providing Scottish Ministers modern language at SQA level 6 with significant powers to (Higher or equivalent). There was determine principles of govern- already a requirement for English ance or management in at level 6. However mathematics universities, potentially undermin- was only required to level 5 and ing the autonomy of the there was no requirement for a universities. science at all. Support was expressed for the The RSE in its response set out a measures to ensure that access to case for there to be a requirement higher education should be based for mathematics and one science on ability and potential, rather at level 6, to clearly indicate that than personal or financial circum- they were on parity with languag- stances. es in importance at primary Regionalisation of the colleges schools and to tackle the widely was seem as acceptable for most recognised lack of confidence colleges to preserve opportunities among primary teacher in teach- for learners in the context of ing science. reduced resources. Concern was expressed that even with savings due to this the college sector may not be able to fulfil the wide ranging training, education and life-long learning roles expected of it in the face of the substantial funding restrictions it was experiencing.

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SUBMISSIONS February 2013 During the Session, the Society AD 13-04. Triennial Review of produced the following to the Research Councils . UK Dept of Scottish Parliament and/or the Business, Innovation and Skills . Scottish Government. April 2013 Advice and Briefing Papers BP 13-01. Commission on School October 2012 Reform. Proactive paper. April. Financing of Business Innovation May 2013 in Scotland. Proactive BIF paper. BP 13-02. Need for a Balanced 15 Oct. Energy Portfolio. AD 12-11. Development of a AD 13-05. Requirements for Entry knowledge exchange office. to Programmes of Teacher Scottish Funding Council. Education. GTCS consultation. November 2012 BP 13-03. Scotland as a Science AD 12-12. Aquaculture and Nation. Briefing for SP Debate. Fisheries (S) Bill. SP Rural Affairs AD 13-06. New Food Body. and Environment Committee. 2 Scottish Government. AD 12-13. Treasure Trove in AD 13-07. Science and Engineer- Scotland. Proactive Paper. ing in the Independence Debate. December 2012 Scottish Science Advisory Council. BP 12-02. Scientific Evidence in June 2013 Public Policy. Briefing Paper for BP 13-04. Parliamentary LINKS day. Scottish SP Debate. Briefing for Parliamentary LINKS January 2013 Day. AD 13-01. Post-16 Education Bill. August 2013 SP Education & Culture Commit- AD 13-08. National Performance tee. Framework. SP Finance Commit- AD 13-02. Public Services Reform. tee. SP Local Gov and Regeneration September 2013 Committee. AD 13-09. Women in STEM AD 13-03. Scottish Code of Good Careers. House of Commons HE Governance. Committee of Science & Technology Select Scottish Chairs' Steering Group. Committee. AD 13-10. Proposals for an Independent Fiscal Body. SP Finance Committee.

272 EVENTS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 2012 Christmas Lecture - English and Scots: using the On the 11 December 2012 past to explain the present (Fort Katherine Grainger CBE delivered William and Kilchoan) the prestigious RSE Christmas - Enhancements in Disability Lecture, where she talked about Sport (Fort William) the challenges she has faced - Exploring the Dark Side of the along with the successes she has Universe (Kilchoan, Strontian) had over the past 12 years in her - Feeding 9 Billion People (Fort career. The lecture was attended William) by students and teachers from Lochaber High School and was - Gaelic Culture in Lochaber webcast ‘live’ by BBC Scotland to a (Strontian) worldwide audience. - Industrial Pioneers - Aluminium Industry in the Highlands RSE@Lochaber (Kinlochleven) Following the highly successful - Kate Leiper, Illustrator (Stron- regional RSE@ projects in Ar- tian) broath and Dumfries and Galloway, and the launch of the - Lari Don, Author, (Kinlochleven) RSE@ Lochaber project last year, - Legendary Landscapes (Ardgour, the RSE has, this Session, deliv- Upper Achintore, Isle of Eigg, ered 50 events in Lochaber, Caol) comprising 16 Public Lectures, 27 - Lochaber - bandit country or School Talks (Secondary and Jacobite stronghold? (Stron- Primary), five School Workshops, tian) one School Discussion Forum and - Patrick McGill and How Ireland one Family Event / Library Talk. Modernised Scotland (Mallaig) Topics covered were as follows - Pioneering Weathermen of Ben - A Case Review of James of the Nevis (Fort William) Glen (Fort William) - Pitch Perfect (3 sessions) (Fort - A Lochaber MacDonald in the William) Camp of Sitting Bull (Mallaig) - Scotland Rocks! (Fort William) - Allan Burnett, Author (Fort - Seabed Mapping (Acharacle, William) Strontian, Kinlochleven, - Cathy MacPhail, Author (Fort Glencoe & Duror, Fort William) William, Kinlochleven ) - The Appin Murder, Historical - C T R Wilson - The Wilson Context (Fort William) Chamber (Kinlochleven) - The Navvy, the Priests and the King (Mallaig)

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The Journey to Gold (Fort following talks took place in other William) areas across Scotland: - Women Pioneers in Science (Fort A Guided Tour of the Solar William, Kinlochleven) System (Stirling) - Your Language, Your Landscape, Antarctica (Edinburgh) Your History (Glencoe, Duror, Chromatography (Aberdeen- Ballachulish, Kilchoan) shire) Other core activities which also Exploring the Dark Side of the took place this year were: Universe (Stirling, Edinburgh) Start-Up Science Masterclasses To Infinity and Beyond (Stirling) 31 interactive Start-up Science World of Work Day (Larbert) Masterclasses for S1 and S2 pupils Prizes and Awards in university venues around Scotland. The autumn 2012 - The RSE Beltane Prizes for Public programme was held in Dundee, Engagement 2012 were Heriot-Watt, Aberdeen and presented at the Nevis Range, Glasgow, and the Spring 2013 Aonach Mor on 17 September series in Dundee, Heriot-Watt, St 2012. Professor Tom Devine Andrews and Glasgow Universi- OBE FRSE, one of Scotland’s ties. leading historians, was awarded the Senior Prize and ýThe Discussion Forum University of Dundee’s Dr Nicola The annual RSE Discussion Forum, Stanley-Wall was announced as featuring a day of learning and the ýwinner of the Innovator’s debate between S5 and S6 pupils Prize. Both prizewinners from Arbroath High School. The delivered events in the area on discussion focused on Enhance- 17 September. Dr Stanley-Wall ments in Disability Sport. As this delivered a schools workshop event was such a great success, it and Professor Devine delivered a was repeated later in the year at public talk/question time event Lochaber High School. A resource on Scottish History. pack was developed after the Collaboration event and these are available to schools throughout Scotland in - The Jill Todd Photographic hardcopy or via the RSE website, Award took place at the and shortly through GLOW. beginning of November 2012. These activities were to support Schools Talks the work of talented photogra- As well as the school talks which phers from major Photography took place as part of the and Arts Degree programmes in RSE@Lochaber project, the

274 Young People

Scotland and included a lecture - Turing 100 YP Activities – Twit- on 1 November 2012, and a Test was a competition the RSE Masterclass held at the RSE on 2 ran using Twitter. The Twit-Test November 2012, followed by a was a contemporary take on the private view and award ceremo- ‘Turing Test’ for artificial ny that evening in the intelligence. Working as Whitespace Gallery, Edinburgh. individuals and as class groups, The events were a big success, using a secure twitter stream, and thanks were passed to the school pupils and their teachers RSE. took part in a real-world - For the third year in a row, the experiment where they had to RSE hosted the National Final, work out which tweets in a to showcase the best student twitter stream were real and placements of a Summer 2012 which were fake and also how Environmental Placement to fake it themselves. The aim of Programme, facilitated by the was to make school-aged Bright Business Partnership Ltd. children aware of the potential The National Final took place at dangers of digital media. The the RSE on 6 September 2012 competition took place as part and provided an excellent of National Science and Engi- opportunity to show what neering Week 2012. On students on the placements had Wednesday 11 April the achieved and what the host Prizegiving for winners of the businesses are doing environ- Twit-Test took place at InSpace, mentally. Edinburgh.

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RESEARCH AND ENTERPRISE AWARDS The following awards were made in Session 2012/2013

RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS

CRF European - Visits from CRF European - Visits from Europe to Scotland Scotland to Europe Dr Sergei Alymov. Russian Acade- Dr Amy Bryzgel. The Sarajevo my of Sciences. A History of Soviet Centre for Contemporary Art, The Ethnography Zagreb Museum of Contemporary Professor Dr Mihael Kovac. Art, Centre for Contemporary Art, University of Ljubljana. Scotland Serbia. University of Aberdeen. and Slovenia: the Role of Books in Performance Art in Eastern Europe the Digital Age Dr Laura Moretti. Dr Maurizio Dr Abraham Kovacs. Debrecen Messina, Biblioteca Marciana, Reformed University. Research Venice, Italy. University of St project: The Impact of British Andrews. The manuscripts and Evangelicalism on the formation printed works by Daniele Barbaro of New Orthodox Calvinism of (1514-70) ?Debrecen: 1864-1914 Dr Deirdre Shaw. Professor Nil Professor Dr Elisa Martinelli. Ozcaglar-Toulouse, University of Universita di Modena e Reggio Lille 2, France. University of Emilia. Retail Buying and Country Glasgow. Visualising Ethical of Origin Consumption Dr Conchúr Ó Giollagáin. National Professor Elaine Shemilt. The rural University of Ireland. Developing a landscape of the Provinces of Collaborative Research Project on Frosinone & Isernia in the regions the Sociolinguistic Demography of Lazio and Molise, Italy. Universi- and Vitality of Gàidhlig- Speaking ty of Dundee. The role of the Districts image in War, Identity and Diaspora Dr Catalina Maria Torres Figuerola. Universitat de les Illes Balears. Professor Claire Squires. Professor Assessing the social acceptability Miha Kovac, University of Ljublja- for wetland management policies na, Slovenia. University of Stirling. in the face of climate change Scotland and Slovenia: Scotland and Slovenia: the Role of Books in Dr Ioannis Varalis. University of the Digital Age Thessaly. Liturgy and Sacred Architecture in the Balkans, Fourth Dr Martine Julia Van Ittersum. to Eighth Centuries Jeroen Vervliet and Ingrid Kost, Peace Palace Library, The Hague.

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University of Dundee. ‘Hero of Scottish Government Personal International Law: Celebrating the Research Fellowships Tercentenary of the Publication of Dr Davide Bulgarelli. University of Hugo Grotius’ De Jure Belli ac Dundee,. Structure, functions and Pacis in 1925' host control of the barley rhizo- Ms Hannah Young. Professor sphere microbiota Barbara Fornefeld, University of Dr Claire Cousins. University of Cologne, Germany. University of Edinburgh. Searching for life on Dundee. Bereavement, Loss and Mars: analogue and technology- People with Profound Intellectual based approaches and Multiple Disabilities (PIMD) Dr Ross Inglis. The University of CRF Personal Research Fellow- Edinburgh,. Molecules for Low ships Temperature Refrigeration Dr Samantha Pitt. University of St Dr Mark Larance. University of Andrews,. Molecular mechanisms Dundee. Analysis of Calorie of NAADP-regulated signalling via Restriction and its Role in Ageing Two Pore Channels from Nematodes to Humans Dr Yong Sung Park. University of Dundee. A new framework for experimental study of tsunamis Dr Bartlomiej Waclaw. The University of Edinburgh. Physical processes in the biological evolution of cellular populations

ENTERPRISE FELLOWSHIPS BBSRC Enterprise Fellowship SE Enterprise Fellowships Dr Yanina Sevastsyanovich. Dr Philip Benson. University of University of Birmingham. Devel- Aberdeen. A Diagnostic Screening opment of improved hosts for Test for Major Psychiatric Disor- production of cytoplasmic and ders secreted recombinant proteins Dr David Heath. University of Strathclyde. Rapid Assessment of Skin Moisture Dr Efthymios Klampaftis. Heriot- Watt University. Colour-PV Dr Christopher Leburn. Heriot- Watt University. Chromacity 278 Research and Enterprise Awards

ARTS AND HUMANITIES

Small Grants ment and the West Indies, 1750- 1850 Dr Kormi Anipa. University of St Andrews. Juan de Valdes, “Dialo- Mr Sean McLaughlin. University of go de la lengua. “ A Diplomatic the Highlands and Islands. Edition. Edited by K Anipa Creative Practice in Post-Compul- sory Popular Music Education Mr James Blake. Edinburgh Napier University. Learning from Korea. Dr Veronica Maxwell. Open Media skins as public art in University. Study and Analysis of Scotland Copper-based Artefacts from Late Neolithic to Middle Bronze Age Ms Susan Brind. Glasgow School Sarakeno, Boeotia, Greece of Art. Curious Arts - No 6 Dr Katie Overy. University of Dr Amy Bryzgel. University of Edinburgh. Group Rhythm Games Aberdeen. Performance Art in for the Language Classroom: Eastern Europe Dissemination and Knowledge Professor Ian Campbell. University Exchange of Edinburgh. Pirro Ligorio’s Professor Andrew Pettegree. Oxford Codex: Edition University of St Andrews. Luther: Dr Sarah Dillon. University of St Publicist. The Reformation as a Andrews. What Scientists Read: media phenomenon. How does literature influence Dr Andrew Radford. University of scientific thought and practice? Glasgow. Mary Butts and British Dr Matthew Graham. University of Neo-Romanticism: The Enchant- Dundee. Myths, miracles and co- ment of Place option: the African National Professor Richard Rodger. Univer- Congress and the struggle against sity of Edinburgh. Insanitary City: apartheid H D Littlejohn and the “Report on Dr Lauren Hall-Lew. University of the Sanitary Condition of Edin- Edinburgh. The Sound of National burgh (1865)” Identity in Scottish Politics Professor Ian Russell. University of Mrs Susan Hamilton. RCAHMS. Aberdeen. Engaging Scottish Crossing Cultures: Making Audiences in the Formatting and Scottish Cultural Heritage Data an Design of a Critical Edition of the International Resource James Madison Carpenter Collec- Dr Sara Karly Kehoe. Glasgow tion of Traditional Song and Caledonian University. Our Worthy Drama Countrymen?: Highland Develop-

279 Review of the Session 2012-2013

Dr Jose Saval. University of Dr Anna Groundwater. Chris Fleet. Edinburgh. Manuel Vazquez University of Edinburgh / National Montalban monograph Library of Scotland. ‘Mapping the Dr Tamara Trodd. University of Nation: representations of Edinburgh. Art After Photography: Scotland 1200 to 1750’ Machines and Technologies in Art Dr Henrietta Lidchi. Dr Stuart from Duchamp to the Digital Allan. National Museums Scot- Professor Florian Urban. Glasgow land. Hidden in Plain Sight: School of Art. Architecture and non-European collections in Romantic Nationalism - Balmoral military culture Castle in a European Context Dr Gavin Miller. Dr Alette Willis. Mrs Joanne Wishart. Shetland University of Glasgow / University Museum and Archives. From the of Edinburgh. Scottish Health wilds of Shetland to the forests of Humanities Seminar and Master- Jamaica: the life and work of class Series James Robertson (1753-1829) Dr Anita Quye. Dr Klauss Stauber- Workshops mann. University of Glasgow / National Museums Scotland. Dr Alex Benchimol. Professor ReINVENT: reconnecting and Philip Schlesinger. University of recreating 19th century Scottish Glasgow. Securing Scotland’s textile manufacture Voice: Strategic Responses to the Digital Media Revolution in the Dr Ben Saunders. University of National Press Stirling. Organ Donation and Transplantation Policy Dr Stephen Bowd. Dr Gordon Findlater. University of Edinburgh. Between Apes and Angels: Human and Animal in the Early Modern World

280 Research and Enterprise Awards

RESEARCH SCHOLARSHIPS AND PRIZES

Carnegie Caledonian Scholar- Cormack Vacation Scholarships ship Mr Feyishayo Olukoya. University Ms Helen Mary Green. University of St Andrews. Conditions for the of Glasgow. Perceptions of Pasts emergence of magnetic fields and Landscapes in the Planning from the solar interior Processes of Scotland Mr Owen Turner. University of Ms Rebekah Mayhew. University Edinburgh. Investigating the of Stirling. The species and optical properties of galaxy functional composition of bird clusters using data from the Pan- communities in regenerating STARRS sky survey tropical forests Ms Vaiva Vasiliauskaite. University Cormack Postgraduate Prize of Glasgow. Space-based sensors Pasquale Galianni. University of St for space weather mitigation Andrews. Testing quasilinear Mr Daniel Williams. University of modified Newtonian dynamics in Glasgow. Automated Searches for the Solar System Stellar Flares in Kepler Data Cormack Small Astronomy Ms Susan Ripley Wright. University Research Grant of Edinburgh. Cosmic Dawn: the Professor John Campbell Brown. era of the first galaxies Life in the Universe Lessells Travel Scholarships Cormack Undergraduate Prize Mr Ashak Ashekuzzaman. Glas- Mr Samuel Irvine. University of gow Caledonian University. Field Edinburgh. Assessing Habitability Study Research to Evaluate and in Large Exoplanet Datasets using Identify the Feasibility of Using Simple Climate Models Layered Double Hydroxide (LDH) based Adsorent to Remove Ms Susan Ripley Wright. In Search Arsenic from Groundwater in of Hidden Galaxies Bangladesh Mr Allan Ross Macneil. University Mr Daniel Garcia Yarnoz . Universi- of Glasgow. Electrostatic potential ty of Strathclyde. Exploitation of calculations for complex dust Solar Radiation Pressure and Tidal geometries and charge distribu- Forces around Minor Bodies tions as catalysts in planetary atmospheric evolution Dr Saurav Goel. Heriot-Watt University. Experimental and multiscale simulation investiga-

281 Review of the Session 2012-2013

tion of the upper bound of the Mr Christian Maluk. The University ductile-regime machining parame- of Edinburgh. Innovative Thermal ters of nanocrystalline-silicon Measuring Techniques for Fire carbide Testing Environments Mr Qiteng Hong. University of Ms Fiona Ni Mhearain. Heriot- Strathclyde. Intelligent systems for Watt University. Digital Signal improved configuration and Processing for the Land Mobile management of power system Satellite Channel protection Mr Srikanta Sharma. University of Mr Sean MacDougall. Heriot-Watt Dundee,. Fabrication of high University. Nano structures for resolution ultrasound transducers nano up-converters: making the for screening and diagnosis of invisible, visible cancer of GI tract

SCOTTISH CRUCIBLE Mr Grant Jordan Allan. University Dr Christopher Jefferson. Universi- of Strathclyde. ty of St Andrews. Dr Matteo Ceriotti. University of Dr Christiane Kerlen. Dr Kerlen Glasgow. Evaluation. Dr Mags Currie. The James Hutton Dr Rong Lan. University of Strath- Institute. clyde. Dr Eimear Dolan. Robert Gordon Dr Gareth Lloyd. Heriot-Watt University. University. Dr Caroline Gauchotte-Lindsay. Dr Julien Lonchamp. Heriot-Watt University of Glasgow. University. Dr Kathleen Gough. University of Dr Leah Macaden. University of Glasgow. Stirling. Dr Ross Goutcher. University of Dr Haralampos Moiras. University Stirling. of Glasgow. Dr Cindy Gray. University of Dr Helen Mulvana. University of Glasgow,. Glasgow. Dr Philip James Walton Hands. Dr Sarah-anne Munoz. University University of Edinburgh. of the Highlands and Islands. Dr Lisa Iversen. University of Dr Sandhya Patidar. Heriot-Watt Aberdeen. University. Dr Joseph Jackson. University of Dr Richard Payne. University of Strathclyde. Stirling.

282 Research and Enterprise Awards

Dr Lucy Pickering. University of Dr Elaine Webster. University of Glasgow. Strathclyde. Dr Ben Saunders. University of Dr Lasani Wijetunge. University of Stirling. Edinburgh. Dr Adam Andrew Stokes. Universi- Dr Ben Williamson. University of ty of Edinburgh. Stirling. Dr Jaime Toney. University of Dr Oliver Witard. University of Glasgow,. Stirling. Dr Rachel Walcott. National Dr Juan Ye. University of St Museums Scotland. Andrews.

283

MEDALS, PRIZES AND PRIZE LECTURESHIPS

Royal Medals Beltane Public Engagement Sir John Cadogan Senior Prize 2013 Professor Michael Ferguson Professor Caroline Wilkinson Sir Ian Wood. Beltane Public Engagement Innovators Prize 2013 Sir James Black Prize 2013 Dr Chris Speed Professor Christopher Haslett IEEEE/RSE/Wolfson Microlec- Professor Andrew Whiten tronics Award 2013 Sir Thomas Makdougall Bris- Professor Richard Muller and bane Prize 2013 Professor Richard White, both of Dr Aidan Robson University of California, USA, for pioneering innovation and Sir Walter Scott Prize 2013 leadership in micro-electro- Professor David Hewitt mechanical systems (MEMS) Patrick Neill Prize 2013 technology. Dr Marc Dweck Pro Meritas Medal 2013 Lord Kelvin Prize 2013 Dr Russell Allan Leather, formerly The Gannochy Trust. Professor Peter Davies Mr Angus Macmillan Shearer. Thomas Reid Prize 2013 Professor Alan Walker, University Dr Gordon Pentland of Edinburgh. Henry Duncan Medal 2013 Mr Neil McLennan

285

GRANTS COMMITTEE The Grants Committee considered 13 applications and a sum of £10329.42 was awarded. Approximately 51% of this sum was awarded as travel assistance.

Travel Assistance Research Visitor to Scotland Professor Clive Greated. For travel Professor James Hough. To enable to China. £925 Professor Steven Penn, Depart- Professor Paul Garside. For travel ment of Physics, Hobart & William to Kenya and Malawi. £950 Smith Colleges, Geneva, New York, to visit the School of Physics Professor Ben Harte. For travel to and Astronomy at the University Italy. £500 of Glasgow in the autumn of Professor David Jasper.For travel to 2013. £950 Lithuania. £439 Professor Graham Caie & Dr Chris Professor Sean McKee.For travel to Jones. To enable Professor Brazil. £600 Akinobu Tani Hyogo, University of Teacher Education, Kato, Japan to Professor Ian Parsons.For travel to visit the University of Glasgow in USA. £895.42 November 2013. £950 Professor Marian Wiercigroch. For Professor Pete Smith & Professor travel to South Africa. £950 Doerthe Tetzlaff. To enable Support for Meetings Professor John Bradford, Boise Professor Ian Jackson. Pigment State University, Boise, Idaho, USA Cell Development Workshop. to visit Aberdeen for 12 days of £750 field work and analysis in August 2013. £950 Professor Tracy Palmer & Dr Sarah Coulthurst. Young Microbiol- ogists Symposium on Microbe Signalling, Organisation and Pathogenesis. £750 Professor Charles McKean. A New Platform for Scottish Renaissance Studies. £720

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INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMME 21-23 November 2012 4–5 June 2013 A joint workshop with the The RSE organised a Franco– National Natural Science Founda- British conference in partnership tion of China (NSFC) took place at with the French Embassy in Londo the RSE in Edinburgh. The two- and in association with the day workshop on “Energy Policy SuperGen UK Centre for Marine and Renewables in Scotland and Energy Research on the subject of China” involved speakers from New Waves in Marine Energy. The Scotland and China, with the conference provided an opportu- purpose of establishing collabora- nity for academics, practitioners tions to then be supported and stakeholders to exchange through the RSE-NSFC Joint ideas and experiences on marine Project scheme. energy in the UK and in France, to 26 November 2012 present new scientific concepts and discuss their social and The 2012 MacCormick European commercial implications to the Lecture lecture was delivered by public and to generally raise Allan Little, BBC World Affairs awareness of French and British Correspondent ,who has been science. reporting the changing shape of our world for over two decades. 18 June 2013 The MacCormick European On 18 June a delegation of 20 Lecture is named after the late Members of the Chinese Academy Professor Sir Neil MacCormick in of Sciences (CAS) visited the Royal recognition of the contribution Society of Edinburgh to learn how made by him to Scottish and the RSE promotes research and European politics and the interna- commercialisation in Scotland. tional work of the RSE. 29 July 2013 27 November 2012 The highly prestigious James Clerk The RSE held a joint conference Maxwell Medal was presented at with the European Movement in the IEEE Honors Ceremony in San Scotland and supported by the Diego to Professor Richard Muller European Commission Office in and Professor Richard White, both Scotland and the Centre for of Berkeley University, USA. It is Advanced Study of the Arab the only joint award made by the World on the topic of Europe and IEEE and the RSE. The presenta- the Arab World. The conference tion was made jointly by the examined the relationships President of the IEEE and by the between the regions and how Chief Executive of the RSE, Dr Europe can promote stability, William Duncan, at a high profile peace and prosperity in Arab ceremony that was telecast countries. worldwide. 289 Review of the Session 2012-2013

3-10 September 2013 19 September 2013 RSE President, Sir John Arbuth- A delegation from the Society of nott, visited China with Professor Swedish Literature in Finland Tariq Duranni, Vice President, visited the RSE and met with International, at the beginning of Fellows and members of staff. The September and had meetings delegation was especially interest- with: Britain’s Ambassador to ed in the RSE’s activities in the China, National Natural Science field of humanities and the social Foundation of China (NSFC), sciences. Chinese Academy of Sciences 23 September 2013 (CAS), Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), CAS Institute of A delegation of four representa- Microbiology (IMCAS) and the tives from the Sichuan Academy of CAS Institute of Genetics and Social Sciences visited the RSE. Development Biology (IGDB). The 28 October – 1 November 2013 President also hosted an RSE A joint workshop with the reception and dinner for invited National Natural Science Founda- guests. tion of China (NSFC) took place in 16-17 September 2013 Beijing. The workshop on the Professor Peter A Davies FRSE, topic of ‘Computational Cognitive Professor of Fluid Dynamics, Neuroscience Psycholinguistics Director, The National Telford (particularly in relation to Chinese Institute, University of Dundee language processing), Interaction organised a ‘Norway-Scotland and Communication Visual Internal waves symposia’ in Oslo. Cognition Social Neuroscience’ The RSE contributed £6000 involved speakers from Scotland towards the cost of Scottish and China, with the purpose of participants at the workshop as establishing collaborations to well as some international experts. then be supported through the The event aimed to develop links RSE-NSFC Joint Project scheme. between the RSE, the Norwegian Academy of Science & Letters and the Iceland Society of Sciences.

290 International

Exchanges awarded during the session

Czech Republic - Incoming Italy - Incoming Dr Karel Angelis. University of Professor Gianfranco Capriz. Edinburgh. Professor Peter University of Pisa. Professor Robin Doerner. University of Edinburgh Knopps. Heriot-Watt University Hungary - Outgoing Dr Arianna Rinaldi. Sapienza Professor Stephen Osborne. University of Rome. Dr Matthew University of Edinburgh. Professor Nolan. University of Edinburgh Gyorgy Jenei. Corvinus University, Open - Incoming Budapest Dr Matthew Augustine. University Professor Charles William John of St Andrews. Professor Steven Withers. University of Edinburgh. Zwicker. Washington University in Dr Robi Gyori. Eötvös Loránd St Louis University Professor David Cobham. Heriot- India - Incoming Watt University. Dr Abdallah Dr Nandadula Bairagi. University Zouache. Institut Supérieur of Stirling. Dr. Jozsef Farkas. Economie Administration Gestion Jadavpur University - IAE Assistant Professor Nilanjana Das. Professor Sir Thomas Martin University of Glasgow. Dr Colin Devine. University of Edinburgh. Selman. Visva-Bharati Professor Angela McCarthy. University of Otago Professor Mandal Swapan. Heriot- Watt University. Dr Patrick Ohberg. Dr Philip Ebert. University of Visva-Bharati Stirling. Professor Roy Cook. University of Minnesota Professor Mohan Sharma. Univer- sity of Edinburgh. Professor Noel Professor Gareth Leng. University Smyth. Kurukshetra University of Edinburgh. Dr Valery Grinevich. University of Heidelberg Professor Baljeet Singh. University of Glasgow. Professor Raymond W Professor Wilson Che Kei Poon. Ogden. Post Government Gradu- University of Edinburgh. Professor ate College Ignacio Pagonabarraga. Universi- tat de Barcelona Professor Sushil Kumil Tomar. University of Glasgow. Professor Dr Christopher Stock. University of Ray Ogden. University of Panjab Edinburgh. Dr Efrain Rodriguez. University of Maryland,

291 Review of the Session 2012-2013

Professor Aziz Sheikh. University Dr Paul Campbell. University of of Edinburgh. Professor Daniel Dundee. Professor Chris Brennen. Kotz. Maastricht University California Institute of Technology Dr Andrew Shinn. University of Dr Stella Chan. University of Stirling. Dr Mark Freeman. Edinburgh. Professor Tatia Lee. University of Malaya The University of Hong Kong Dr Xinhua Shu. Glasgow Caledo- Dr Tamas Gyorfi. University of nian University. Chi-Chao Chan Aberdeen. Professor Tuomas MD. National Institutes of Health Ojanen. University of Helsinki (NIH) Dr Mike Ludwig. University of Dr Sally Till. University of Edin- Edinburgh. Dr Valerie Grienevich. burgh. Dr Maria Luisa Scattoni. University of Heidelberg Istituto Superiore di Sanità Professor Colin Richard Pulham. Dr Alexander Weiss. University of University of Edinburgh. Professor Edinburgh. Dr David Sinn. The Elena V. Boldyreva. Novosibirsk University of Texas at Austin State University Dr Robert Wilson. University of St Professor Susan Rosser. University Andrews. Dr Björn Gunnarson. of Glasgow. Professor Jay Keas- Stockholm University ling. Joint BioEnergy Institute, Open - Outgoing Emeryville, CA Dr Galina Andreeva. University of Dr Kevin D Smith. Edinburgh Edinburgh Business School. Dr Napier University. Dr Kathryn Raffaella Calabrese. University of Graham. Cross Cancer Institute Milano-Bicocca, Italy Professor Simon Tett. University of Dr Henry Bock. Heriot-Watt Edinburgh. Dr Michael Whener. University. Professor Benoit Laurence Berkeley National Coasne and Professor Orlando Laboratory Rojas. MIT, Massachusetts, and Poland - Incoming NCSU, Raleigh, North Carolina Dr Adam Kozuchowski. Instytut Dr David Borchers. University of St Historii PAN. Dr Steve Sturdy. Andrews. Associate Professor University of Edinburgh Rachel Fewster. University of Dr Magdalena Gawin. Polish Auckland Academy of Sciences. Dr Steve Dr Stephen Bowd. University of Sturdy. University of Edinburgh Edinburgh. Benjamin Arbel, Dr Dr Tomasz Wislicz-Iwanczyk. Tamar Herzig, David S. Katz, Instytut Historii PAN. Professor Professor Miriam Eliav-Feldon etc. Steve Murdoch. University of St Tel Aviv University Andrews

292 International

Dr Anna Kalinowska. Instytut Taiwan - Outgoing Historii PAN. Professor Steve Dr Richard Fu. University of West Murdoch. University of St An- of Scotland. Asst. Professor Han- drews Sheng Chuang. Department of Poland - Outgoing Biomedical Engineering, National Professor Tom Lenagan. University Cheng Kung University of Edinburgh. Professor Jan Dr Teuta Pilizota. University of Okninski. University of Warsaw Edinburgh. Asst Professor Chien- Slovenia - Incoming Jung Lo. National Central University Professor Mirjam Mencej. Univer- sity of Edinburgh. Dr Emily Lyle. Professor Ian Underwood. University of Ljubljana Universityof Edinburgh. Professor Wenjun Zheng. National Sun Yat Sen University

NNSFC Joint Projects Dr Baixin Chen. Heviot-Watt Professor John T S Irvine. Universi- University. Dr Associate Professor ty of St Andrews. Professor Jiafei Zhao, Dalian University of Yucheng Wu, Hefei University of Technology. Study on Natural Gas Technology. Visible-light-response Hydrate Growth Habit in Hydrate- TiO2 nanotube array for artificial bearing Sediments photosynthesis Dr Xianfeng Fan. University of Dr Hong Yue. University of Edinburgh. Professor Dr Minghou Strathclyde. Dr Jun Yang, South- Xu, Huazhong University of east University. Reliable and Science and Technology. Reduce High-efficiency Autonomous energy penalty in CO2 capture Control Technology for Airborne processes and the emission of SOx Wind Energy Systems and NOx from coal combustion Dr Yonghao Zhang. University of Professor Clive Alan Greated. Strathclyde. Dr Guihua Tang, Xi’an University of Edinburgh. Associate Jiaotong University. Understand- Professor Bing Chen, Dalian ing Unconventional Natural Gas University of Technology. Develop- Flows in Shale Rocks ment of a new buoy-type energy converter

293

FELLOWS’ SOCIAL EVENTS New Fellows’ Induction Day lan FRSE set the context for that A New Fellows' Induction Day is discussion with an intriguing held annually, shortly after the presentation about the artist and election and New Fellows are her work. The portrait will hang encouraged to attend this to be on the walls of the Kelvin Room formally admitted to the Society within the RSE’s prestigious and sign the Roll. premises on George Street, Edinburgh. New Fellows not able to attend then, and existing Fellows, may Royal Medals Event make arrangements to be formally A major highlight of the Session admitted at Ordinary Meetings of was the presentation of the RSE the Society. In certain circumstanc- Royal Medals, presented by His es, special arrangements may be Royal Highness The Duke of made for Honorary and Corre- Edinburgh at the Society on 12 sponding Fellows who cannot August 2013. attend an Ordinary Meeting. His Royal Highness also presented The 2013 Induction Day was held the IEEE/ RSE/James Clerk Maxwell on 20 May 2013. Award for 2013. Summer Reception and Higgs Fellows’ Coffee Meetings Portrait Weekly Coffee Meetings were In order to commemorate the held through the Winter and discovery of the Higgs Boson, and Spring months, as follows: to honour the man whose 9 October 2012. Northern outstanding research was instru- Ireland: from‘The Troubles’ to mental in that discovery, the RSE Peace and Reconciliation. Profes- commissioned one of Scotland’s sor Robert J Cormack FRSE leading artists, Victoria Crowe OBE, FRSE, to paint a portrait of 6 November 2012. Simonides: Professor Peter Higgs. The Poetry and Photography. Professor painting was unveiled at the RSE Robert Crawford FRSE and on the occasion of the Fellows’ Norman MacBeath Summer Reception on 14 June 4 December 2012. Fire and 2013. Safety – When Will We Ever Learn? The unveiling was followed by a Professor D D Drysdale FRSE discussion about the portrait 8 January 2013. Art and Science: between artist and sitter which Estranged Siblings. Professor J D provided a fascinating insight into Macmillan FRSE the way that Victoria was able to capture Peter’s personality on canvas. Professor Duncan Macmil-

295 Review of the Session 2012-2013

5 February 2013. An Illustrated 863rd Dinner: 8 April 2013 History of Some Early Digital Praeses: Professor Elizabeth Computers. Professor Roland N Moignard Ibbett FRSE Croupier: Professor Eric Priest 5 March 2013. The Minds of our 864th Dinner - 3 June 2013 Children. Professor Forrester Praeses: Professor David Ingram Cockburn FRSE Croupier: Professor Mary Gibby The Royal Society Dining Club Fellows’ Golf The Club was established on 3 Stewart Cup January 1820, with the view of The 14th Stewart Cup took place promoting the objectives of the at Ladybank Golf Club on 28 Royal Society of Edinburgh. In August 2012. Winner : Professor Session 2012/2013 meetings William Firth. were held as follows: Sector Group Match 861st Dinner - 8 October 2012 Praeses: Sir William Stewart The Golf House Club Elie. 16 May Croupier: Dr Alison Elliot 2013 The overall team winner was Sector C, on this occasion 862nd Dinner - 10 December representing the Humanities. 2012 Three Fellows returned the same Praeses: Very Revd Gilleasbuig individual highest scores, Paul Macmillan Beaumont was declared the Croupier: Sir Russell Hillhouse winner on count-back with a better inward half.

296 SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS - - £ Value - 3,090 99,417 3,090 7,395 155,052 5,273 156,317 9,825 166,271 6,933 134,932 32,094 147,900 32,094 36,662 397,480 20,785 397,976 32,736 167,408 32,708 167,409 (8,190) 110,110 80,580 479,115 23,170 127,908 36,373 315,414 11,582 118,490 119,355 528,885 (715) 13,856 206,930 (152) 4,292 113,057 (113,727) (179,643) e Sales Gain/ Revaluation Closing - - 115,806 £££££ Value 307,516 118,300 000 151,044 000 288,561 550 104,738 No Market Cost Proceeds (Loss) For Year Market 8, 90,000 96,327 90,000 20,900 134,701 72,500 98, 52,300 91,000 20,500 106,908 Closing Opening Purchas 130, 109,500 360,818 328,000 377,191 124,000 147,657 135,690 134,672 134,300 398,535 130,000 156,446 265,500 279,041 219,000 409,530 106,666 - 127,999 In Investment Current Holdings Gilts Treasury 2.5% Index-Linked 2020 Treasury 2.5% Index-Linked 2024 Other Fixed Interest European Inv't Bank 4.75% 2018 European Investment Bank 4.125% 20 Provident Financial 7.5% 30/09/16 Scottish & Southern 5.875% 22/9/22 Tesco 5.5% Nts 13/12/19 Vodafone Group 5.625% 4/12/25 Investment & Unit Trusts Aberdeen Asian Income Fund Aberforth Geared Int Trust Aberforth Smaller Co Trust plc Blackrock Comm Inc Trust Henderson Far East Income Trust Herald Investment Trust Ord £0.25 HICL Infrastructure Limited Keystone Investment Trust Sarasin Investment Funds Int Equity Schroder Oriental Income Fund

297 Review of the Session 2012-2013 ue 0 £ Val

£ 256 93,240 463 40,713 60,674 288,580 18,691 145,490 26,675 28,842 107,916 93,971 253,153 (5,129) 76,765 (8,058) 62,944 67,555 244,850 67,680230,775 261,696 21,300 20,517 115,233 20,517 34,642 256,402 51,302 177,287 (10,558) 32,872 (10,558) 169,099 (213) £ £ (55,351) (7,226) - (75,336) (369) (75,336) (51,454) 12,405 (51,454) (52,366) (51,975) 8,403 (53,509) 5,769 (53,509) e Sales Gain/ Revaluation Closing £ 92,984 40,250 43,430 38,172 663 40,339 - £ Value 94,716 126,799 262,053

79,074 - 62,577 - 75,705 - 220,868 No Market Cost Proceeds (Loss) For Year Market 5,125 142,424 6,900 12,300 90,000 41,079 227,906 17,550 31,300 30, 69,300 198,231 14,000 - 16,100 43,722 37,100 67,200 221,760 11,800 125,985 22,700 241,756 15,000 Closing Opening Purchas

Investment Primary Health Properties HSBC Holdings Ord US$ 0.50 Land Securities Group Barclays Ord £0.25 F&C Commercial Property Trust Current Holdings Financials Balfour Beatty Provident Financial Ord Standard Life Tr Property Investment Trust Consumer Diageo Ord 28p Reed Elsevier Unilever Ord 1.4p Pharmaceuticals Astrazeneca Glaxo Smith Kline Ord 25p Services Firstgroup Ord £0.50 Greggs Ord £0.20 Stagecoach Group Tesco Ord 5p

298 Schedule of Investments

£ 7,295 Value 211,795 Closing 9,115,145

£ 3,612 95,965 1,732 168,520 (2,542) 87,814 46,989 200,441 (8,174) 35,640 24,336 315,354 (2,635) 222,888 29,549 121,968 35,910 32,595 199,863 (1,273) 220,982 27,832 90,520 31,852 304,962 1,155,238

18,844

£ £ (4,004) 707,592 (70,227) 943(70,227) (1,885) 284,050 e Sales Gain/ Revaluationo 353 £ 43,814 92,

268 219 255 058 - - £ Value 29,849 (730,146) 29,849 291,018 7,941,062 - No Market Cost Proceeds (Loss) For Year Market 4,200 86, 3,818 94, 360 8,500 4,000 - 7,070 62, 688 225,523 8,800 134,479 32,309 22,700 153,452 57,600 182,246 40,050 222, 20,550 273,110 15,900 167, 13,000 355, Closing Opening Purchas 169,000 TOTALS Investment Current Holdings Telecommunications British Sky Broadcasting Group Vodafone Group Ord Utilities BG Group Ord Centrica Scottish & Southern Energy £ 0.5 Industrials Aggreko Rotork Ord £0.05 Smiths Group plc Weir Group Resources BP Ord US$0.25 PLC USD BHP Billiton .50 Johnson Matthey Ord £1 Royal Dutch Shell Org 25p Total EUR2.5 SA Cash

299

FRIENDS OF THE SOCIETY In 2009 the RSE launched Friends of the Society, a corporate engagement scheme established with the purpose of developing the RSE’s relationship with Scotland’s business sector. The initiative provides an opportunity for the “Friends” to find out more about the RSE and the important work it carries out. It also presents the RSE and its corporate partners with a platform to explore areas of mutual interest and develop joint projects. Members of the scheme also receive a number of tangible benefits in return for a modest annual fee.

During the financial year 2012–13 the members were:

Aberdeen Asset Management SCDI BP Scottish Resources Group FES Shell The Herald Standard Life Lloyds Banking Group Toshiba Arup Wood Group RBS

Friends of the Society Events - Friends of the Society Lunch (Winter) - Friends of the Society President’s Dinner ( Spring) - Friends of the Society Spring Reception - Friends of the Society President’s Dinner (Autumn)

301

CHANGES IN FELLOWSHIP DURING THE SESSION DEATHS REPORTED TO THE SOCIETY Fellows

William Cameron Bowman Matthew Howard Kaufman Alan John Brook Hamish Macdonald Keir David Jervis Coats Charles Alexander Mac kean John Gerald Collee Susan Lindsay Manning Robert Davidson John Mauchline John Barry Dawson Bruce Millan Gordon Bryce Donaldson James Douglas Morrison John Valentine George Andrew Kenneth Murray Durnin Alec Leonard Panchen Michael Stephen Patrick Eastham Henry Desmond Patterson James Andrew Eddison Edward McWilliam Patterson Robert Patton Ferrier Ronald John Trueman Pennington John Oldroyd Forfar Archibald Edmiston Roy George William Gray David William Arthur Sharp George Steedman Hislop Padma Kant Shukla Robin Main Hochstrasser Michael George Parke Stoker George Melvyn Howe John Anderson Strong Paul Gordon Jarvis Patrick Gerard Walsh

303 Review of the Session 2012-2013

ELECTIONS Fellows Keith Martin Ball Moira Mary Jardine Michael Peter Barrett Gareth Islwyn Jenkins Robert Bingham Allan Iain MacInnes Keir Bloomer Margaret Ruth MacLean Euan Kenneth Brechin Ian Derek Marchant Dauvit Broun Andrew John McWalter Millar Gordon Douglas Brown Elspeth Christie Reid Peter Duncanson Cameron Pauline Schaap Marion Kay Campbell William Taylor Sloan Gerard Charles Carruthers Robert Leon Stamps Peter Anthony Cawood Dorrik Andrew Vincent Stow Rene De Borst Alan James Sutherland John William Frank Rhian Merry Touyz Olivier James Garden Sethu Vijayakumar Iain Miles Macgregor Gillespie John McLaren Ogilvie Waddell David Goulson Ian James Wall Vicki Lynne Hanson Robbie Waugh Gabriele Clarissa Hegerl Robert Webb Peter T Hughes Paul Graham Wyatt Douglas Chalmers Hutchison

Corresponding Fellows

David William Cross MacMillan Harold Vincent Poor Thomas William Muir Michel Virlogeux Joseph Mathu Ndung’u

Honorary Fellows

David Cox Jean Marcel Tirole Robbert Henricus Dijkgraaf

304 STAFF CHANGES DURING THE SESSION Arrivals Departures Ms Orela Deane, Events Officer Ms Angela Nicholson, Records Ms Elizabeth Hemsley, Policy Management Officer Officer Ms Stephanie Magowan, Young Ms Karen McQuaid, Events Officer Acadamy Assistant* Ms Shona O’Brien, Financial Ms Katey Tabner, Policy Officer* Controller Ms Maggie Twomey, Events Ms Rachel Steele, Events Officer Officer Ms Janice Williams, Finance Alyssa Newman, Temporary Policy Officer Officer* Mrs Sheryl Vickery, Finance Officer

Other Staff in post throughout the Session Mr Gordon Adam, Director of Mrs Jean Geoghegan, Finance Business Development and Officer Communications Mrs Vicki Hammond, Journals and Ms Christel Baudère, HR Officer Archive Officer Mrs Catriona Blair, Events Officer Mr William Hardie, Consultations Mrs Róisín Calvert-Elliott, Business Officer Development and Events Manager Mr Graeme Herbert, Director of Ms Jennifer Cameron, Office Corporate Services and Deputy Services and IT Support Manager Chief Executive Dr Lesley Campbell, Young Ms Martina Hlinkova, Front of Academy Manager House Manager Ms Oonagh Carroll, Events Officer Mr Robert Hunter, Evening Caretaker Ms Morven Chisholm, Fellowship Services Manager Kate Kennedy, Project Officer Mr Andy Curran, Property Services Mrs Susan Lennox, Consultations Officer Officer Dr William Duncan, Chief Execu- Mrs Jenny Liddell, Communica- tive tions Officer Miss Kate Ellis, Director of Finance Mr Bristow Muldoon, Head of Press, Policy and Parliamentary Mrs Anne Fraser, Research Awards Affairs and International Manager Mrs Karen O’Neill, Admin Recep- tionist

*started and left during the Session.

305 Review of the Session 2012-2013

Mr George Pendleton, Conference Mr Brian Scott, Technical Support Centre Assistant Assistant Ms Tracy Rickard, Research Awards Julie Steele, Executive Officer Co-ordinator

306 OBITUARY NOTICES Geoffrey Herbert Beale ...... 308 Sir James Black ...... 315 Harold Burnell Carter ...... 319 Robert Bernard Clark ...... 326 Sir John Crofton ...... 330 John Barry Dawson ...... 334 Gordon Bryce Donaldson...... 338 Kenneth James Dover...... 341 John Valentine George Andrew Durnin...... 344 Professor Sandy Fenton...... 346 William Morrison Gordon ...... 348 Sir Alistair Grant ...... 351 Professor George William Gray ...... 353 Matthew Howard Kaufman...... 358 Nicholas Kemmer ...... 363 Donald A Low ...... 366 Sir Donald McCallum ...... 372 Anne Laura McLaren ...... 374 Donald Michie ...... 378 Bruce Millan ...... 382 Desmond Misselbrook ...... 385 John Murdoch Mitchison...... 387 Rosalind Mary Mitchison ...... 391 Alec Leonard Panchen ...... 394 Edward McWilliam Patterson ...... 397 Henry Desmond Patterson ...... 401 David John Robins ...... 405 David William Arthur Sharp...... 407 John Hyslop Steele ...... 411 Michael George Parke Stoker ...... 414 Thomas Johnston Taylor – Lord Taylor of Gryfe ...... 420 Professor Victor Weisskopf ...... 425 George Kenneth Hotson Younger - Viscount Younger of Leckie...... 430

307 The Royal Society of Edinburgh

Geoffrey Herbert Beale 11 June 1913 - 16 October 2009

Geoffrey Beale was recognized childhood as well as staying there internationally as a leading during his university undergradu- protozoan geneticist with an all- ate and postgraduate studies. He absorbing love of genetics, attended Sutton County School, stimulated in the early part of his Surrey from 1923 until he ob- career by either working with or tained his higher school meeting many of the key figures certificates in mathematics, who laid the foundations of physics and chemistry in 1931. His modern genetics in the 1930s and main interest at that time was 1940s. His work on the genetics music and he briefly considered of the surface antigens of Para- the possibility that he might make mecium provided a conceptual music his career and he became breakthrough in our understand- an accomplished pianist and ing of the role of the organist. environment, the cytoplasm and However, he was also fascinated the expression of genes, and he by the idea of a career in biologi- continued his interest in the role cal research. There were no of cytoplasmic elements in biological sciences taught at the heredity through studies on both county school and no one in his the endosymbionts and mito- family had ever been to university. chondria of Paramecium. He Most of his knowledge about pioneered the genetic analysis of biological sciences was obtained parasitic protozoa with his work by reading and as a result of this, on Plasmodium, and this stimulat- he resolved to go to university and ed many other scientists to take a take up biological research as a genetic approach with these career, despite much parental experimentally challenging advice about the advantages of organisms. working in a bank or becoming a Geoffrey was born in Wands- tax inspector. He accepted a place worth, London, on 11 June 1913, at Imperial College, London and, the son of Herbert Walter Beale after some difficulties he was able and Elsie Beale (née Beaton). His to get a loan from Surrey County family included an elder brother Council to support his attend- (Hugh) and two younger sisters ance. He also got a job as organist (Margaret and Joan). When he at Cheam Presbyterian Church in was about five years old the family 1931 to provide much-needed moved to Wallington, Surrey, funds. This source of income, where he spent the rest of his together with the loan from the

308 Obituary Notices

council and money he received friends with Dan Lewis, K. Mather, from other small jobs, enabled Mick Callan and A. C. Fabergé him to finance his studies. To with the latter stimulating his reduce costs, he lived at home and interest in Russian culture and cycled from Wallington to Imperial language. College in South Kensington, a Although all the staff at the round trip of 20 miles each day. institute had been registered as Although he originally registered being in ‘reserved occupations’, for zoology, he switched to botany he was nevertheless called up to and in 1935 received a BSc from the army in 1941 to undertake Imperial College with first-class military training. Shortly after this honours. In his third year he he was drafted into the Intelli- attended a summer course on gence Corps (Field Security) as a plant genetics given by staff of the Corporal. He joined the Army Base John Innes Horticultural Institute Unit and was sent to Russia in a with presentations by leading convoy arriving in Archangel in figures in the field and this, plus November 1941. British troops his undergraduate studies, fired and equipment were being sent an interest in genetics that stayed to Russia to aid in the war against with him throughout his career. Germany, and Beale was instruct- After graduating, he applied to ed to facilitate the unloading of the John Innes Institute as a ships, seeing to it that their volunteer but was soon offered a contents were speeded on their job by its temporary head, J. B. S. way to the interior for the Russian Haldane. This was a great oppor- and Allied forces and liaising with tunity, because the Institute was the Russian authorities to ensure one of only two places in the UK this happened. In May 1942 he for research in genetics, and some was transferred to Murmansk and of the leading geneticists of the was promoted to the rank of time (Haldane, Darlington, Scott- Captain. He then spent a short Moncrieff & others) were period in London, before being members of staff. The job enabled posted to Finland as part of the him to receive a stipend as well as Allied Control Commission, which work on a PhD degree, initially was overseeing the Armistice under Haldane’s supervision but between the Russians and the later was nominally supervised by Finns. He had an important role in Darlington. He received the PhD in the negotiations, particularly 1938 for his thesis ‘The genetics given his knowledge of Russian. of Verbena’. From 1935 to 1940 He describes (in his unpublished he worked on different projects autobiographical notes), in his that were being investigated in own laconic way, that his main the institute and met and became achievement during the war was

309 The Royal Society of Edinburgh

to learn Russian. However, the Waddington who offered him a facts would suggest that his lectureship at the Institute of contribution was significant Animal Genetics in Edinburgh. because he rose to the rank of Geoffrey had a fruitful stay in Captain and, in 1947, was Bloomington, Indiana, and awarded an MBE for his military published several significant service. He always underplayed papers on Paramecium. this award, suggesting that he In 1948 he moved to Edinburgh received it for just being there, and continued this research on and in a letter to Dan Lewis he Paramecium with the immobiliza- commented, ‘Doubtless thou- tion surface antigens with the aim sands of others have been of elucidating the relationship awarded an MBE too, but still it’s between the genes and environ- better than nothing, like a PhD.’ ment. Using a genetic approach On completion of his military and the unique features of the service, his job at the John Innes system, he showed the essential was still technically available to role of the cytoplasm in determin- him, but he decided to take a post ing the expression of these at Cold Spring Harbor (USA) and immobilisation antigens. This led joined Milislav Demerec’s labora- to one of the first models of the tory in 1946 to work on the rate regulation of gene expression by of mutation of Escherichia coli the environment. These findings from phage sensitivity to resist- need to be considered in the ance. At this time many leading context of knowledge at that time. geneticists visited during the The nature of the gene was summer or attended the regular unclear and a number of pheno- symposia, and so he was able to types were considered to be meet Luria, Lederberg, Delbrück, determined by non-nuclear Sonneborn and others at a time plasmagenes with unconventional when these scientists were laying modes of inheritance. The genetic the groundwork for microbial analysis undertaken by Beale genetics. He was also friendly with allowed him to develop hypothe- Barbara McClintock and it is ses that began to explain the possible that his discussions with phenomenon of antigenic her aroused his interest in variation as the product of the cytoplasmic inheritance. In 1947, interaction between the gene, the he obtained a Rockefeller Fellow- cytoplasm and the environment ship to work with Sonneborn on and to move away from the Paramecium at Bloomington (USA) concept of plasmagenes. In 1954 but this required that he return to he published a monograph the UK at the end of his stay. His entitled ‘The genetics of Para- return was made possible by mecium aurelia’ reviewing the

310 Obituary Notices

current and past research on this they killed sensitive strains. The organism together with a general results from a series of experi- introduction promoting the value ments led to the metagon of genetic analysis and the utility hypothesis which postulated that of Paramecium as an experimental there were genetic elements in the system In 1963, based on his cytoplasm that determined the research, he was appointed as a killer phenotype. These findings Royal Society Research Professor generated considerable scientific and he held this position until his interest because they provided retirement in 1978. Based on the support for the concept that prestige of this appointment he phenotype could be determined was able to obtain funding from by non-nuclear genetic elements. Edinburgh University and the Subsequently, a careful reinvesti- Wellcome Trust, he was able to gation of the experiments showed design and build The Protozoan that the basic observations on Genetics Unit and developed a which the metagon theory was research group devoted to based were not repeatable, and protozoan genetics. He continued the metagon hypothesis was his work on the immobilisation reluctantly declared defunct by antigens in the subsequent 15 Beale himself. years with the characterization of The work on symbionts as the antigens and biochemical extranuclear genetic elements led analysis of their synthesis, essen- Beale to the study of the genetic tially provided one of the first determinants of mitochondria. examples of the regulation of After the identification of DNA in gene expression by environmental mitochondria in the early 1960’s, conditions. The establishment of a lot of interest was generated in the Protozoan Genetics group determining the nature and allowed him to also expand his function of the genes in this research into other areas, initially organelle. Beale considered that with Paramecium but subsequent- Paramecium was an ideal system ly with parasitic protozoa. for trying to address these Research in Sonneborn’s laborato- questions and research largely ry in the 1940s and 1950s had carried out with two PhD students identified a series of Paramecium in his lab demonstrated the stocks that produced a substance different mitochondrial compo- or particle capable of killing other nents were determined by nuclear sensitive stocks. He started and mitochondrial genes. At the research on one class of particles, time, these studies represented a the mate killers that contained the significant advance in our under- symbiont (mu), so called because standing of the genetics of it was only during mating that mitochondria and provided a

311 The Royal Society of Edinburgh

sound basis for the role of led to the extension of the extranuclear elements in deter- research to the human malaria mining cell phenotype. The status parasite Plasmodium falciparum. of the whole field was summa- This work laid the foundations for rized by Beale & Knowles in 1978 the genetic analysis of by the publication of a book P. falciparum pioneered by Carter, entitled Extranuclear genetics. Walliker and Wellems working at In the mid 1960s, he was invited the National Institutes of Health to a couple of parasitology laboratories in Bethesda, Mary- meetings at which the question of land and subsequently leading to genetic exchange in protozoan the genetic mapping of important parasites was raised and this traits such as drug resistance. stimulated his interest in the In 1976 he was awarded a six- genetics of parasitic protozoa. He month Royal Society Visiting was advised by C. Garnham to Professorship to Chulalongkorn work on rodent malaria because University in Bangkok and used the complete life cycle could be this to establish a collaborative undertaken in the laboratory. With research programme on malaria funding from the MRC, the first with Professor Sodsri Thaithong. crosses were undertaken in 1971 He helped to set up a malaria and established the foundations research laboratory at the universi- of genetic analysis in malaria ty to undertake the analysis of parasites. Interestingly, Beale diversity in P. falciparum with the largely let others in his laboratory use of isolates from the region. drive these projects, while he This collaboration continued for acted as a source of critical advice more than 20 years and linked the and comment. Beale used many of Edinburgh and Bangkok laborato- the results generated in his ries with a research focus on drug laboratory on protozoan parasite resistance and strain diversity. The genetics and diversity as the work resulted in many fundamen- subject matter when he was tal findings on the diversity and invited to give the Royal Society population genetics of Plasmodi- Leeuwenhoek Lecture in 1976. um. Work over the next 20 years In summary, this phase of his covered the genetic analysis of scientific career took on a com- malaria drug resistance, virulence, pletely unexplored area of and the classification of the research with an important rodent malarias into species and human pathogen and laid the subspecies. The success with the groundwork for many other development of genetic markers scientists working on parasite for detecting diversity and the diversity and genetics. This genetic analysis of rodent malaria seminal work showed that genetic

312 Obituary Notices

analysis could be undertaken, that sive school. Essentially he was a the parasite was haploid, that very cultured person with his resistance to chloroquine and interests in the arts, science and pyrimethamine was genetically society, and education but he was, determined and that virulence had by contrast, also interested in a genetic component. Although sport (swimming and squash) and, others were responsible for much in his sixties, sports cars. During of the experimental work, Beale his working life in Edinburgh, he was responsible for the concepts established strong friendships and the initial vision, which he with two colleagues, Charlotte followed with enormous energy (Lotte) Auerbach and Henrik and dedication. Beale was Kacser whom he consulted for formally recognized for this work views and ideas on his own work with an honorary DSc (from because he respected their Chulalongkorn University) in scientific judgement. He helped 1996, presented personally to Lotte in her latter years when her Beale by HM King Bhumibol. health began to deteriorate and, Geoffrey was one of the first on the basis of her recollections, foreigners to be so honoured letters and publications, wrote an He was dedicated to his research account of her and Robson’s and science, working in the famous and fundamental discov- laboratory every day but was also ery of mustard gas as a mutagen. devoted to his family. In 1949 he His respect for these two people married Betty McCallum and, over played a role in shaping many of the next 25 years, they brought up his scientific directions. three children (Andrew, Steven He continued working after and Duncan). Although Betty and retirement, going to the laborato- Geoffrey were divorced in 1969, ry each day until 1998, often by they remained very good friends bicycle or on foot from his home. until her death. He had a wide He remained active in research range of non-scientific interests during this period, travelling to encompassing music, ballet and Thailand each year to undertake theatre; he and his wife were his work on malaria as well as patrons of the Edinburgh Festival. travelling to Italy and the USA to He would often relax by playing follow his interest in ciliate the piano, and he encouraged his protozoa and contributing to sons to take up music. He also discussions and manuscript developed an interest in progres- writing. After 1998 he spent sive education and its principles much less time on research but which very much fitted in with his began the preparations for a new own views on life, and in fact he book on Paramecium which was sent two of his sons to a progres- aimed at extending and moderniz-

313 The Royal Society of Edinburgh

ing his previous book published three sons, Andrew, Steven and in 1954. As he proceeded, Duncan. He will be fondly remem- however, he became more and bered by a large number of more affected by his age and postgraduate students for the deteriorating health and luckily he training and inspiration that he accepted J. Preer’s offer of help provided, with many going on to with the manuscript. This involved establish very successful careers in a significant input to accommo- research. He was always modest date a lot of new material and this about his achievements and, in final book was published in 2008, contrast to many research group when Geoffrey was 95 years old. leaders, was always very generous He passed away peacefully in his about authorship, often letting sleep at the Chamberlain Nursing others take the lead even when Home in Edinburgh on 16 Octo- the original concept for a piece of ber 2009. He is survived by his work was his own. Andrew Tait

Geoffrey Herbert Beale MBE, FRS, FRSE, BSc (Imperial College, London), PhD (University of London); Born 11 June 1913; elected FRSE 1966; died 16 October 2009.

314 Obituary Notices

Sir James Black 14 June 1924 – 22 March 2010 First Published in The Independent on 24 March 2010. Reproduced with permission from The Independent Sir James Black invented the first son, who “more or less manhan- modern blood-pressure drug, dled me into sitting the propranolol, and the first modern competitive entrance examination ulcer drug, cimetidine, which rank for St Andrews University”. As a among the most important timid 15-year-old he was inter- medical advances of the 20th viewed for a scholarship and was century, having saved countless awarded the Patrick Hamilton lives and abolished overnight the entrance scholarship, unaware need for ulcer surgery. Sir Michael that the family budget would not Rawlins, chairman of the National have stretched to another univer- Institute for Clinical Excellence, sity student. An elder brother, regarded Black as “the greatest William, had studied medicine drug-hunter of the 20th century. there. Not only did he develop two As a condition of the scholarship entirely novel classes of drug, he lived in St Salvator’s Hall, a beta-blockers and H2 antagonists, modern residence designed on which had a major impact; but he the Oxbridge model, where his also introduced a unique ap- fellow students were from a wide proach to drug discovery by using range of classes, a mind-broaden- agonists as the starting point for ing experience for a boy from the the development of specific Fife coalfields. He found hard, antagonists.” disciplined study more enjoyable Black was born into a Baptist than daydreaming. One of the family in Uddingston, South teachers who inspired him was Lanarkshire and brought up in professor D’Arcy Wentworth Fife. He was the fourth of five sons Thompson, the polymath who of a mining engineer and colliery wrote the science classic On manager. They were a musical Growth and Form. While at St family and imbued him with a love Andrew’s, Black met Hilary of singing. He was educated at Vaughan at a student ball and Beath School in the Fife mining they married when he graduated, town of Cowdenbeath, where, he two years later. He joined the said, he coasted through his physiology department under schooldays but for an intense Professor R. C. Garry, and taught period spent studying music from Hilary for a year; he said she was 12 to 14, followed by two years of the best student he’d ever had. mathematics, mentored by his She went on to study poetry and brilliant teacher Dr John Water- law. 315 The Royal Society of Edinburgh

Garry was trying to discover how acid secretion in the stomach, and the intestine absorbs sugar Adam Smith, concerned with selectively. A research student had increasing blood supply to the shown that sodium iodoacetate heart when the arteries were eliminates the selectivity of the narrowed. intestine and destroys intestinal By 1956 Black had the aim of cells. Black, wondering if the finding a specific adrenaline substance was a general poison receptor antagonist. He ap- and questioning what it did to proached ICI Pharmaceuticals for blood pressure, discovered that it help and ended up working for seriously and permanently them at Alderley Park, Cheshire, reduced it. This led to the ques- for six years. These were, he said, tion which influenced his thinking some of the most exciting years of from then on: when and to what his life, an “educational tour de extent does local blood act as a force.” Working with two brilliant metabolic throttle? medicinal chemists, John Stephen- Pitiful academic prospects and the son and Bert Crowther, he learned need to repay a student loan about pharmacology and deduc- drove the Blacks to move a year tive organic chemistry. He was later to Singapore, where Black convinced that the histamine lectured in physiology at the King antagonists of the day blocked Edward VII College of Medicine only the alpha receptors and that and continued research into a beta agonist was needed to intestinal blood flow and absorp- block, say, histamine-stimulated tion. They returned to the UK in acid secretion. 1950 with no home or job, but Then Edward Paget, head of Black “knocked on physiology pathology at ICI, took a post at department doors and encoun- Smith Kline and French and asked tered more sympathy than I Black to find him a biologist to expected”. A chance meeting with run their biological research, Professor Garry in Oxford Street adding, half in jest, “how about led to a post with Professor you?” Black took the job, agree- William Weipers at the University ing to run the lab if he could have of Glasgow’s veterinary school. a free hand to pursue his beta- Over the next eight years Black receptor research. By 1972 established a physiology depart- cimetidine (trade name Tagamet) ment with state-of-the-art was in development and Black teaching and research laborato- was looking for a new project: “I ries. He worked mainly with two was now totally committed to academic surgeons: George arranging marriages between Smith, who was interested in the bioassay [establishing a sub- effects of histamine and 5HT on stance’s potency or nature by

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testing it on living tissue] and not-for-profit research. Black was medicinal chemistry.” given the title of professor of Attracted by the possibility of analytical pharmacology. He freedom from commercial con- regarded his five years there as the straints, he accepted the chair in most productive and happy of his pharmacology at University life and in 1988 he received the College London. He wanted to Nobel prize for his work there on establish the combination of beta-blockers and ulcer drugs. bioassay and medicinal chemistry He was Chancellor of Dundee as an academic pursuit, which he University in his later years and the felt was “as exciting as astrophys- university now has a centre named ics or molecular biology”. In after him. His first wife died while teaching, he wanted to establish a he was at Denmark Hill and he pharmacology course based on later married Rona McLeod chemical principles, biochemical MacKie, professor of dermatology classification and mathematical at Glasgow University. modelling. He failed to achieve Black was universally liked for his either of these: his ideas on modesty, tolerance, courtesy and education had curricular difficul- good humour, and respected for ties. his work. “To have invented one When John Vane of the Wellcome new class of drug, the beta- drug company invited Black to blockers, would have been join him, he accepted eagerly. He impressive,” said Jeff Aronson, spent 1977 to 1984 there, but president of the British Pharmaco- found, as others had done, that logical Society. “To have invented the company was traditional, a second, the histamine-receptor feudal and conservative: “En- antagonists, would have been trenched attitudes can absorb exceptional. But to have invented reformist efforts like a punch two new classes of drug that bag.” But he made good progress revolutionised the management with his own research in analytical of the conditions for which they pharmacology. His problems were were intended – and in the case of resolved when the Wellcome the beta-blockers had other major company offered him the chance unexpected benefits, for example to establish a small independent in angina – was outstanding.” He research unit, and funded it. was given a Lasker award – a sort King’s College, London and its of mini-Nobel – in 1976 and was medical school welcomed the made a Fellow of the Royal Society unit, based in Dulwich and called in the same year. He produced the James Black Foundation. It 200 research papers, many of had modern, purpose-built major importance. premises in Denmark Hill and did Caroline Richmond 317 The Royal Society of Edinburgh

Science, James Black once told me, matters to children is the calibre is best kept as a low-profile and enthusiasm of individual activity, and I never met any man science teachers. more genuinely concerned that he Black’s father ended his working should not become a “celebrity”, life as the manager of the huge writes Tam Dalyell. None the less, Cardowan Pit, outside Glasgow. he effectively used the award of a Of his five sons, one became a Nobel Prize to plead for a way to Church of Scotland minister, one a be found of making more money psychiatrist in Vancouver, a third a available to universities without civil engineer, and another a the sort of strings that can lead to teacher. Public service was their controversial research not being ethic, and Black never asked for supported. He believed most anything in the way of royalties revolutionary work begins by for his work, arguably the most being, at the very least, mildly lucrative pharmaceutical advance controversial. One reason for his in the 20th century. success with beta-blockers, he A close colleague, Professor told us, was that he had been Desmond Laurence, head of “quite naive”, and had never pharmacology at University doubted that what was in the College, London, pointed out that 1950s a controversial theory was Black was a man of geniality, as quite right and could be exploit- well as genius. He and his wife, ed. Professor Rona McLeod MacKie, No university could have found a led a cheerful social life based on more suitable choice for the an extensive interest in and exalted position of Chancellor knowledge of the arts. My own than Dundee, with its internation- experience chimes exactly with al reputation for biochemical Professor Laurence’s observation: excellence. As a Scottish MP, I can “You know he’s completely his testify to Black’s interest in the own man. Not only is it intellectu- encouragement of school pupils, ally exciting to work with him, and particularly of young teachers there’s always a laugh as well.” of science. As he saw it, he owed Above all I shall remember Sir his career to the inspiration of Dr James Black for his delicious John Waterson at Beath High chuckle. School, concluding that what Tam Dalyell

Sir James Black, OM. MB, ChB, FRCP, FRCPE, FRS, HonFRCS HonFRSE. Nobel Laureate 1988. Born 14 June 1924. Elected HonFRSE 1986. Died 22 March 2010

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Harold Burnell Carter 3 January 1910 – 27 February 2005

Harold Burnell Carter died on 27 produced individuals with musical February 2005. His working life, or artistic talent. Among the most though centred around a single notable was Harold’s father, theme, led him into two succes- Norman St Clair, a leading sive careers, in animal science and professional portrait painter and historical scholarship. The theme designer of stained glass windows running through Carter’s life-long in New South Wales (NSW). work was the Merino sheep as a Harold Carter recalled the times producer of fine wool. The reason he spent during weekends and for this interest lay in the fact that holidays in his father’s studio at Merino fine wool had long 76 Pitt Street, where he would provided the backbone of the read while his father painted. He economy of Australia of which remembers joining “endless Carter was a native son. Typically lunchtime debates as other artists, over 50% of Australia’s export architects, lawyers and journalists, earnings from the 1830’s to the took their tea and sandwiches th mid 20 century came from the with us around the sitter’s dais”. sale of Merino wool. By the Other childhood experiences 1930s, as Carter began his work, included living and working major influences were about to during holidays on a farm outside affect the viability of this economy, Sydney becoming familiar with the including, as the most apparent, animals and machinery of Austral- the rise of synthetic fibres. To the ian agriculture in the early 20th young veterinary graduate, Harold century. Carter, there was a clear need for Carter attended state primary scientific investigation into the schools in Sydney, NSW, from biology of wool to sustain its 1917 to 1923. His secondary economic value in world markets. schooling, from 1924 to 1928, To this idea he devoted his life’s was at Fort Street Boy’s High work. School in Petersham, NSW, of Harold Burnell Carter was born on which he was to become School 3 January 1910 at Mosman in Captain in 1928. Sydney to Ruby (nee Burnell) and In 1929 Harold Carter entered the Norman St Clair Carter. His School of Veterinary Science at the parents were descended from mid University of Sydney, graduating nineteenth century English with a BVSc.(Sydney) in 1933. This immigrants to Australia. Succes- course was chosen not as a sive generations of the family

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qualification for veterinary future for the Australian wool practice, but “as the most relevant industry. What had to be under- professional and scientific one stood was the totality of the available at the time for anyone influences upon wool quality – interested in the problems of physiology, environment, diet, Australian animal production.” genetics and whatever else might From January 1933 to March be relevant. Hence forward, all the 1936, with a scientific liaison with directions of his working life the CSIR. (Council for Scientific would arise from, and to begin and Industrial Research) he with were focused upon, the worked on a 32,000 acre Merino single question - “What scientific sheep station in New South knowledge is needed to achieve Wales. There he gained firsthand the best economic value for experience of the animals and Australian Merino fine wool?” environments of Australian wool Leaving his work experience growing, and of the men and amongst the Merino studs of women involved in its primary south eastern Australia, in 1936 production. It provided “wide Carter gained a Walter and Eliza experience in the current prob- Hall Fellowship in Veterinary lems of the livestock industries Science. This would base him in and especially of stud sheep the McMaster Laboratory in breeding, directing attention to Sydney, with affiliations also in fundamental gaps in biological Melbourne and Adelaide. It knowledge.” enabled him to contemplate his While generations of sheep first independent scientific plans breeders had successfully achieved centring around investigations on the fine wool fleeces of the the “growth, development and Australian Merino, a slew of variation of the skin and fleece of problems remained – fleece sheep.” Following a year-long trip quality was highly variable, around the world to laboratories reversion to lower fleece quality in Pretoria (South Africa), Leeds could readily occur, climate and and Edinburgh (UK) and the USA, environment could have major he returned with greatly expanded influences on quality and quantity scientific and technical training for of fleece yield etc.. Scientific the path he intended to follow. understanding of successful On his return to Australia in April sheep breeding and management, 1938, Carter now entered fully or indeed of the biological nature into what was to become the first of the fleece itself, was almost period of his working scientific life totally missing. Such knowledge, - 15 years of often intense activity. Carter was now convinced, would As a CSIR scientist Carter and a be necessary for a competitive group of associates formed the

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Laboratory of Wool Science at the and secondary origin. The highest McMaster Laboratory in Sydney quality fleece derived from those within the Division of Animal studs which produced greatest Health and Nutrition headed by uniformity in fibre diameter. The Lionel Bull. In 1940 he married work demonstrated a major Mary Brandon-Jones, a young component of the basis of Merino English doctor. fleece “quality”. Other studies With world war in progress, many indicated a strong genetic basis to of Carter’s immediate colleagues, the variation. A foundation had friends and family were now been laid towards a scientific drawn into military service. understanding of “quality” in Carter’s work, however, was Merino fine wool. deemed essential to the post war Carter, however, was not satisfied prosperity of the nation and he that the issues were by any means was retained within his civilian dealt with. Much more, he post. Carter and his group began realised, must be known and experiments on influences, e.g. understood to guide policy for the dietary and genetic, affecting economic development of wool growth. They undertook Australian fine wool. All aspects pioneering studies on the histolo- of the study of sheep and wool gy of the wool fibre through its biology - physiological, cellular, embryonic development to dietary, climatic and genetic - maturity, describing the formation would have to be brought and growth of fibres of “primary” together in an interconnected set and “secondary” origin. of scientific investigations. Carter’s connections with the To this end, during 1942, he pastoralists and their Merino conceived the idea of a central studs continued. At a population national laboratory for the level he began to discover the scientific investigation of sheep variety of fleece forms among and wool biology. The ideas were Australia’s Merino studs. A to be shared and discussed with defining feature of the Merino Lionel Bull and with Ian Clunies fleece in comparison with other Ross. sheep breeds was, not only the Ten years Carter’s senior, Clunies general fineness of the wool Ross was also a graduate of the fibres, but also the much greater Sydney veterinary school. He had number of secondary fibres been the first officer-in-charge of relative to primary. When different the McMaster Laboratory from its Merino studs were examined founding in 1931. In 1937 he striking variation was found accepted a three year secondment among them in the uniformity of to the London headquarters of the individual fibres of primary the International Wool Secretariat, 321 The Royal Society of Edinburgh

created to promote wool in means towards its histological international markets. Clunies study, and was later Professor in Ross was elected its first Chair- the Ontario Veterinary College at man. He returned to Sydney in the University of Guelph in 1940 as Dean and Professor of Canada. Ferguson, a physiologist, Veterinary Science. would become a leader in animal Carter’s plans developed through science in Australia and, from early 1944 and a site was identi- 1978 to 1986, the year of his fied for the laboratories at retirement from government Prospect Hill in the environs of employment, was the first Director Sydney. In the following year, after of CSIRO’s Institute of Animal & sittings by a parliamentary panel Food Science within which all of enquiry at which Clunies Ross, aspects of research on animal Bull and Carter were called science were, by then, gathered. independently as witnesses, the He was to become a strong critic building of a “Sheep Biology of the hegemony of quantitative Laboratory” was authorised under genetics in Australian government the 1945 Wool Uses Promotion sheep breeding policy as it was to Act of the Australian Parliament. emerge in the late 1940’s onward. There seems to have been no Meanwhile, within a packed and doubt in the minds of those complicated programme of directly involved in the project that activity, Carter’s own research Harold Carter would continue to work frequently involved extensive be the front man in overseeing it overland travel with his field to completion and, in the eyes of laboratory equipment mounted in some, an obvious choice for its a Chevrolet truck. In it he would first director. drive thousands of miles between Merino stud sheep stations in The next several years were, south eastern Australia collecting indeed, ones of intense activity. material for analysis in the Progression of the Prospect laboratory. project formed only a part of this along side his own scientific The years 1951 to 1953 saw the research on the biology of the erection of buildings at Prospect Merino fleece. In 1946 he was Hill to the point where the first appointed officer-in-charge of the animal experimentation could Wool Biology Laboratory within begin. Harold Carter was in Bull’s Division of Animal Health charge of on-site management and Production. Carter’s principle throughout. However, when a associates included Margaret committee was appointed to find Hardy and Ken Ferguson. Hardy a director of the laboratories it would achieve the first in vitro selected, not Carter himself, but culture of sheep skin as a further Sydney University’s Professor of 322 Obituary Notices

Veterinary Physiology, C W placement at the University of Emmens, as Acting Officer-in Leeds, Department of Agriculture. Charge. Carter now had the There he developed a strong additional task of briefing working connection with the wool Emmens - who had had no firm, Sir James Hill & Son, Brad- involvement with its creation - on ford and Keighley. Its Director, the concepts and purpose of the David Knight, provided Carter laboratory. with laboratory space in one of his An additional frustration was a company’s mills. Its purpose was decision by Ian Clunies Ross, now to gather and apply biological and Chairman of the CSIRO., Austral- genetic knowledge of the wool ia’s governing scientific body, to fibre to its performance in exclude genetics from the remit of manufacture. the Prospect laboratory. In 1953 In 1970 Harold Carter retired from Carter resigned from the CSIRO. the ARC. to the village of Con- and accepted an appointment gresbury in Somerset where he within the UK’s Animal Breeding lived with his wife, Mary, for the Research Organization (ABRO) in remainder of his life. It was not, Edinburgh, Scotland. however, one of idleness. From With his family settled in the this base he developed his second environs of Edinburgh, Carter working life - that of science began work that involved genetic historian. experimentation with a small flock Carter’s interest in Merino origins of Tasmanian fine wool Merinos. had begun long before his arrival Carter had negotiated the waiver in the UK in 1954. It was an of an Australian Government integral part of his larger quest. In embargo on their export on the his view the key to the future of condition that they were for the Australian Merino lay as much experimental purposes only. Based in its past as in any other scientific on his experience in developing aspect of its study. the laboratories at Prospect, On arrival in Edinburgh this animal housing and laboratories interest continued. It’s first fruit were built at Dryden farm near the came in 1964 with the publication small town of Roslin, outside by Angus and Robertson Ltd of Edinburgh. Experiments were set Sydney, of His Majesty’s Spanish up and sampled for at least three Flock. It was a significant achieve- years after his arrival. ment. The writing had involved All, however, was beginning to go assembling, transcribing and far from well. Relations between mastering a vast number of Carter and the Director of ABRO original writings, mainly in the soured. In 1963, still in ARC. form of correspondence. This he employment, Carter took a combined with detailed scholar- 323 The Royal Society of Edinburgh

ship of trade, politics, diplomacy, items of correspondence and war, agriculture, manufacture and other papers relating to the 55 much else that surrounded the years of Banks’ working life, for activities of the men and women use in historical investigation. To who in the late 18th century were, this and to his own original for the most part unwittingly, research and writing much of the enacting the birth of the Austral- present recognition of the ian wool economy. Prominent significance and influences of the amongst the players were King life of Sir Joseph Banks can be George III of the United Kingdom, attributed. and, above all, the figure of Sir In 1996 Harold Carter was Joseph Banks. awarded an Honorary Degree of Arising from his research for the Doctor of Veterinary Science by his writing of His Majesty’s Spanish Alma Mater, the University of Flock, Carter had located a large Sydney and in 1999 he was collection of the letters of Joseph created a Member of the Order of Banks in the Sutra Library in San Australia (AM) in recognition of Fransisco. It unlocked the task that his contributions to wool science would occupy him for the rest of and to the historical background his working life and culminate in to Australia’s wool economy. In his Banks biography, Sir Joseph the Foreword to the 2007 edition Banks, 1743 – 1820 by Harold B of The Australian Merino by Carter, 1988, British Charles Massy (Random House, Museum(Natural History). To serve Australia), Ken Ferguson con- this work “The Joseph Banks cludes, “There is little doubt that Archive Project” had been Harold Carter was the most established within the British important figure in establishing Museum (Natural History) at the post-war biological research Cromwell Road, Kensington, facilities for the wool industry in London with Carter as its found- Australia and leading the research ing Director. In addition to the on the histology of the wool Banks biography, The Sheep and follicle.” Wool Correspondence of Sir In his lifetime Harold Burnell Joseph Banks 1781-1820 edited Carter had indulged the energy by H B Carter, was published by and optimism of youth for a the Library Council of New South public good in which he truly Wales and the British Museum believed. As a young man he (Natural History) in 1979. These revelled in his work, its outdoor and related publications, however, nature, the land and the animals he saw as by products of his larger he lived among, and a camarade- task – the ordered assembly into rie with the people with whom he one location of more than 15,000 worked shoulder to shoulder.

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Never apparently hurried, he In the latter decades of his life, on worked inexorably. Four hours per his retirement to Congresbury and day was, he said, a day’s work; the home, Yeo Bank, that he and, indeed, to be with him was shared with Mary his wife, Harold to experience calm efficiency. Yet, Carter became an apparently more as his travel diaries and personal secluded figure. Yet the evidence memoire record, there were times of his correspondence and when he worked, hard physical activities in historical research and mental work, for most of a 24 show him to have remained as hour day and for days on end. His energetic and engaged as scientific data records are exten- throughout his life. sive and meticulous. His historical Mary, his wife, survived Harold work was likewise based upon Carter by three years less a day. thousands of hand-typed tran- They are survived by their three scriptions of original letters (of sons. Banks and his correspondents and Richard Carter others) meticulously filed and indexed.

Harold Burnell Carter, AM. BVSc, DVSc (Hon), FRSE, FSB, FLS. Born 3 January 1910. Elected FRSE 1964. Died 27 February 2005.

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Robert Bernard Clark 13 October 1923 – 28 September 2013

Bob Clark – zoologist, scholar, and University of California (Berkeley), founding editor of the Marine where briefly held a post as Pollution Bulletin. Assistant Professor, and he Professor RB (Bob) Clark, the worked extensively at the Friday founder and long time editor of Harbor Marine Laboratory (Wash- The Marine Pollution Bulletin and ington) which he continued as Fellow of the Royal Society of Visiting Scientist throughout his Edinburgh, died quietly at his career. He forged many profes- home on 28th September 2013, sional relationships in the USA shortly before his 90th Birthday. He including that with his first wife, is survived by his wife Sue, Mary Clark and travelled widely daughter Juliet, son Stephen and forging scientific links in China his grandson Gus. through his association with the late professor Wu Bao Lin. He was Bob Clark had a long and distin- awarded a DSc by University of guished academic career, London in 1965 and appointed graduating first in physics (Chel- Fellow of the Royal Society of sea Polytechnic , 1944) before Edinburgh in 1970. reading Zoology (Exeter University, 1950). His research and writing As a polychaete biologist, Bob often reflected that early training Clark published original research as a physical scientist in a zoologi- papers and influential reviews cal context. As a Zoologist, he covering a remarkably diverse specialised in the biology of the range of subjects - morphology, marine worms (Polychaeta: behaviour, ecology and biogeog- Annelida), a group with more raphy, in addition to his than 12,000 species, and he was pioneering studies in biomechan- undoubtedly among the leading ics, the new field of polychaete biologists of his neurosecretion , and in experi- generation. He held posts at mental endocrinology of growth, Glasgow University and at Bristol regeneration and reproduction. University prior to his appoint- He created vibrant research ment to the Chair of Zoology and schools in the Zoology Depart- Director of the Dove Marine ments at Bristol and Newcastle Laboratory at Newcastle University Universities. Subsequently many in 1965 [1]. During the early years of his post-graduate students he worked extensively in the USA have pursued successful research at Universities of Washington and careers that took his polychaete

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work forwards into the molecular was a stimulating teacher particu- age. He encouraged his PhD larly at advanced level, and had a students to publish independently strong influence on degree and through them his influence programme development. He continued through following encouraged undergraduate generations as his own career teaching that involved student developed in new directions. He research emphasising the role that had an encyclopaedic knowledge University teaching has, not only of the literature and his writing in imparting knowledge, “but was always a model of lucid, more importantly, to give students succinct analysis with a rigorous the ability to think independently, attention to the details of citation to form judgements which they and precedent. His outstanding can justify and support with scholarship enabled him to tested evidence”. Following the recognise new and rapidly Tory Canyon disaster in 1967, he developing fields of study and to forged an entirely new career in set these in the context of classical Marine Pollution and his vision Zoology. His book “The Dynamics and foresight was crucial in of Metazoan Evolution” [2] is a establishing this subject as a masterpiece of scholarship, in scientific discipline, a subject in which, uniquely, he analysed which he achieved pre-eminence, theories relating to the evolution and for which he will be particu- and inter-relationships of animal larly well remembered. He was groups in the context of function- appointed to the Royal Commis- al biomechanics. He argued that sion on Environmental Pollution, any putative ancestral, or primitive working on the 8th RCEP report Oil organism, must obey the same Pollution in the Sea [4], the physical laws as living organisms, findings of which he published in a conclusion that is as valid now, a hugely influential paper in in the ‘molecular age’, as it was Transactions of the Royal Society then, and which underpins [5]. He saw the need for a dedicat- ongoing research into the ed forum to address issues relationships between animal relating to marine pollution. To groups now informed by bioinfor- address this need he began a matics. series of newsletters, at first At Newcastle University Professor produced locally and often s Clark was a dynamic and success- reporting on work of the ‘oiled ful Head of Department guiding seabird unit’ in the Newcastle strategic appointments and Zoology Department, but the attracting visiting scientists from newsletters rapidly increased in USA and around the world. He scope and carried influential

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editorial content, most often Park, later declared a World written by himself. He brought the Heritage Area. Bob Clark was very ‘newsletter ‘ under professional active in the scientific life of his publishing house management as adopted home in North East the Marine Pollution Bulletin [6,] England, he was for instance an and as the long term editor of active member of the Natural MPB, under its various publishers, History Society of Northumbria, he lead it to become the foremost and the successful editor (1988- academic journal in its field that it 1997) of the Transactions during a remains under his successor as critical period. He was also a editor Professor Charles Shepard. member of the Farne Islands His unrivalled knowledge and Advisory Committee. His commu- unmatched skill in lucid, precise nity work in the North East writing, resulted in the publica- included service as a School tion in 1978 of his text book Governor and as a long standing Marine Pollution [3]. This he Church Warden at St Georges developed through five editions Church, Jesmond, in which role be (the last in 2001), and the text exhibited the same incisiveness book remains as an ideal intro- coupled with wit and deep duction and objective summary of understanding that underpinned a highly complex field. Bob his scientific life. continued his career as an Bob Clark was one of the out- international consultant in marine standing scientists of his pollution for many years after his generation - a great scholar, writer retirement from formal academic and editor, fondly remembered life; he continued to travel widely not only for his scientific work, and advising government agen- but for his wit, good humour and cies on oil pollution incidents as friendship. We extend sympathy far afield as Alaska, China and to the family and friends who Australia. He provided evidence at survive him. the Royal Commission Enquiry on Peter Olive, Emeritus Professor, oil drilling on the Great Barrier School of Marine Science and Barrier Reef (Australia) an enquiry Technology that was instrumental in defining Newcastle University the boundaries of the GBR Marine

Robert Bernard Clark, PhD(Glas), DSc(Lond), FSB. Born 13 October 1923. Elected FRSE 1970. Died 28 September 2013.

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No attempt has been made at a complete bibliography for RB Clark - it would run to hundreds of scholarly publications. 1. Zoology at Newcastle Nature October 30 1965 page 483. 2. Dynamics in Metazoan Evolution 1964, Oxford University Press, Oxford pp 313 3. Marine Pollution (fifth edition) 2001 Oxford University Press, (first published 1986) pp 237 4. 8th report of Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution : Oil Pollution in the Sea 1981 HMSO, London 5. The long term effects of oil pollution on marine populations 1982. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond., B297, 183 -433 6. From mimeos to e-copy – a tribute to Professor RB (Bob) Clark, founding editor of the Marine Pollution Bulletin. MPB 46(9) 1051-1054.

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Sir John Crofton 27 March 1912 - 3 November 2009 First published The Independent – 5 November 2009. Reproduced by permission of The Independent For seven decades John Crofton field hospital he learned how to conducted a professional and operate at great speed – a speed public battle against tuberculosis which his professional colleagues and lung disease. have told me they really admired. For a quarter of a century, from Suddenly, he received an order to 1952 to 1977, he held the Chair move, field ambulance unit and of Respiratory Diseases in the all, to an area south of Dieppe. University of Edinburgh. A world The casualties stopped coming. authority, from 1984 until 1988 Crofton did not know that most he was Chairman of the Interna- of his colleagues had been cut off tional Union against Tuberculosis in the Dunkirk enclave. and Lung Disease. All medical specialists were John Wenman Crofton was born transported to Brittany; there he into a medical family, the son of a had to help deal with the after- GP. After a rigorous education at math of an ammunition train hit Tonbridge, for which he was by the Luftwaffe, resulting in forever grateful, he went up to many casualties. As soon as the Sidney Sussex College, Cam- most urgent casualties were bridge, where, under the helped as best the doctors could, direction, among others, of the Crofton and the other specialists Nobel Prize winner C.T.R. Wilson, were ordered to St Malo. “I did the originator of the Cloud not manage to get all the blood Chamber used to detect particles off me until we scrambled into of ionising radiation, he graduat- Portsmouth,” he said. ed with First Class Honours in the With no leave, he was on another Natural Science Tripos in 1933. His boat, around Africa, bound for undergraduate career gave more the Western Desert and Wavell’s than a few hints of what was to Army. Sent to the Eritrea Cam- follow, with many prizes and paign, he then returned to Malta, awards. He then went to St where more permanent medical Thomas’s for clinical training until facilities allowed him to hone his 1937. surgical skills on wounded British Three years after qualifying, and American troops evacuated Crofton found himself a captain from Italy. He ended the war in in the Royal Army Medical Corps Germany, going into Belsen – later with the British Expeditionary he was to spend a day in 1946 at Force south of Dunkirk. In the the second Belsen Trial – and

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Auschwitz, where he was taken primarily an American discovery. round by a Polish doctor. “It was What made Crofton’s name, the only time in my life when I laying the foundation for an could not sleep at night.” international reputation, was his Upon leaving the services he landmark 1950 British Medical moved fast; he was awarded his Journal paper on the treatment of MD in 1947 and became a pulmonary TB with streptomycin – lecturer in medicine at the Royal and the subsequent investigation, Postgraduate Medical School at in which Crofton played a leading the Hammersmith. This was a part, a controlled trial of com- dramatic and exciting time. bined therapy with streptomycin Scientific method had for decades and para-amino salicylic acid. and even centuries been widely There was another trial of inter- applied in the physical and natural mittent therapy with streptomycin, sciences. But with all but a few and then trials of isoniazid. These shining exceptions, medicine had studies, which ultimately contin- been an art, immune from such ued for almost 40 years, set the analysis. standards for the treatment of TB throughout the world. While the cobwebs of history were to linger on in many places, the He was elected one of the young- Hammersmith and a few other est-ever Fellows of the Royal institutions were stressing the College of Physicians – most have application of scientific method: to wait a little after consultant sort out the basic science; under- status before that happens. Plainly stand the physiology; critically the Royal College thought they analyse whether your treatments ought to get in a bit quick, and actually do work, rather than just they were right to do so because remembering the apparent he had been a Senior Lecturer for successes and conveniently just a year before he was appoint- forgetting the many, many ed to the Chair of Respiratory failures. Then learn the lessons Diseases and Tuberculosis in and move on. Edinburgh, one of the two established chairs in the UK. Into this academically critical environment were thrown They plainly thought in Edin- intellects of the calibre of Crofton. burgh, let’s not worry about a And here was the truly happy wise old head; let’s get a brilliant coincidence, because it was at this young one. And they got it, with a time that the tools were becoming vengeance. So a look at the job available to treat the pre-eminent titles of the authors of his papers global scourge, tuberculosis. The is instructive. Crofton J., strepto- first drug, streptomycin, was mycin registrar, takes just four

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years to metamorphose into the university establishment of the Crofton J., Professor of Respirato- day, who were apoplectic about a ry Disease. young student called Gordon Crofton took tuberculosis in Brown getting himself elected as Edinburgh and its treatment by Rector of the University, Crofton the scruff of the neck and shook opined that Brown was proving it, and did the same to much else himself a good chairman of the besides. He continued to contrib- University Court. He was quick to ute to the multi-centre studies spot what he liked to call “over- and all that they achieved; this reaction”. bustling, small-of-stature man He expressed himself strongly in galvanised the hospitals, to the support of the General Medical extent that he was able to close Council in the wake of the over 90 per cent of the TB beds in Shipman Affair, contending that Edinburgh. Among many other good systems should not be therapeutic achievements he destroyed by unique cases – “I showed, to the everlasting would not like to think there are gratitude of the working man, too many Shipmans around!” that you could continue to work Never going anywhere without a while being treated for TB. The TB related purpose, Crofton late Michael McGahey, Commu- travelled the world. Having close nist president of the Scottish connections with Basra, he set up Miners, told me that when a scheme by which the brightest Crofton was made a knight, it was Iraqi young doctors could come to the first and last time he had ever Edinburgh and other British congratulated anybody on a universities to improve their deserved ennoblement, such was qualifications. He was in the the gratitude of the mining Baghdad Hospital in the late community in Fife and the 1970s when Saddam came on a Lothians. visit at 9 o’clock, ordering the Crofton soon became a major doors to be locked and ordering power in the University of Edin- (temporarily) that all medical staff burgh, serving on the University who were due to be in the Court, the Senatus, the Commit- hospital and were late, should be tee of Patronage, and much else. sacked. He was so well organised that he My abiding memory is of travel- was one of those rare people who ling to northern France with could be Dean of the Medical Crofton and his doctor-wife of 60 Faculty as well as driving on with years, who had written an excel- his own research. It says a lot lent History of the Scottish Nurses about Crofton that unlike most of and Doctors of Royaumont, 1917-

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1918, where they performed Medicine at Bart’s, presenting miracles for wounded returning Crofton with the Galen Medal for from the Front. They knew more Therapeutics from the Worshipful than I did about Dr Elsie Dalyell, Society of Apothecaries of my mother’s friend and cousin, London, said: “This award who was an Anzac physician at recognises, above all, contribu- Gallipoli, in Serbia and finally in tions to therapeutics, and so it is France. But then the Croftons, with particular pleasure that this both life-enhancers, knew so evening the Society of Apothecar- much about so many things. ies is able to honour somebody As a mid-nonagenarian Crofton who is actually a master clinician, took three holidays in the Scottish a remarkable teacher, an academic highlands. He enjoyed an active administrator of consummate social life with friends, concerts ability, a leader in campaigning on and lectures. He also continued a global basis on health issues, with his professional commit- and on top of all that has had ments. His book on tuberculosis such an influence on the ways in for high-prevalence countries, which we make progress in which he wrote with two col- therapeutics.” leagues, has appeared in 22 At 94 Sir John Crofton was still languages and he was working on being consulted on the problems a third edition when he died. His of global TB and engaged in book on tobacco for a similar international TB advocacy and readership has been translated fund-raising. He was presented into six languages, including with the “chairman’s award” from Chinese, and he was helping with the vast European Respiratory the planning of going into yet Society at its Glasgow conference more languages. in 2004. Few have extended their In 2001, Dr John Moore-Gillon of working life up to three-quarters the Department of Respiratory of a century. Tam Dalyell

Sir John Crofton, MA, MB, MD(Cantab), Drhc(Bordeaux), HonDSc(Imperial College), FRCP, FRCPE, HonFRCPE, HonFRCPI, HonFRACP, HonFACP, HonFFCM, Hon Member of Academies of Medicine of Argentina, Catalonia and Singapore. Born 27 March 1912. Elected HonFRSE 1997. Died 3 November 2009

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John Barry Dawson 19 June 1932 – 1 February 2013

It is with a mixture of sadness at Africa from where he returned his passing and joy at his memory with truly exceptional geological that we pay tribute to Barry specimens (samples of kimberlite, Dawson, an outstanding scientist carbonatite and numerous and and great man. Barry was passion- diverse xenoliths) thanks to his ate about igneous geology and excellent observational skills, and volcanism, and undertook a also many an amazing tale to lifelong quest to understand the recount. mineralogical constitution of the Barry began his geological studies Earth’s upper mantle and the at Leeds University in 1953. His processes required to yield the studies there were interrupted by low-volume melts erupted in, for National Service which took him example, the African Rift Valley. to Canada in the Air Force. There This led him to carry out in-depth he learned to fly and developed a research on kimberlites and their passion for maps that lasted xenoliths (rock samples carried throughout his life. He graduated from depth by magma), rift- from Leeds with a 1st-class related magmatism, and the Honours Degree in 1957 and geology, properties and genesis of stayed there to study for a PhD on carbonatite magmas. In all these the kimberlites of Basutoland areas he had a great ability to (now Lesotho) under the supervi- stimulate other workers with sion of Oleg von Knorring in the complementary skills and ap- Research Institute of African proaches. His work significantly Geology. His field work was developed these fields and carried out from 1957 to 1958, improved our understanding of often in the company of his friend the nature of the mantle beneath and fellow Leeds PhD student the continents. Not only that, but Peter Nixon. his superb rock collection of Barry maintained this early interest mantle samples and East African in kimberlite and other highly Rift volcanic rocks will remain an alkaline igneous rocks throughout outstanding resource for geosci- his career. He is rightly recognised entists for decades to come. In internationally for his significant many ways Barry Dawson could be contributions to the study of regarded as the ‘Indiana Jones’ of mantle-derived xenoliths sampled igneous petrology. His research by these alkaline and kimberlitic took him to remote regions of magmas. Barry’s early work on

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kimberlite magmas and their Barry’s subsequent work on Ol xenoliths led to his publication in Doinyo Lengai and its natrocar- 1980 of the excellent and influen- bonatite lava flows documented tial book Kimberlites and their the physical and chemical proper- Xenoliths. Key contributions to ties of the lavas and the xenolith and kimberlite studies implications these have for the included his 1975 discovery of genesis of carbonatites in general. diamond in garnet lherzolite He re-visited Oldoinyo Lengai in nodules, his recognition of the 1988 to witness it in an eruption MARID (Mica-Amphibole-Rutile- phase and stimulate further work Ilmenite-Diopside) suite of mantle on the unique attributes of this xenoliths, and his mineralogical, amazing volcano. His wider geochemical and isotopic studies expertise on the nature of the of metasomatism in the sub- magmas involved in continental continental lithospheric mantle. rifts, in particular from the East On obtaining his doctorate in African rift, led to his publication, 1960 Barry joined the Tanganyika in 2008, of the authoritative and Geological Survey and was turned invaluable Geological Society of loose to map a virtually unex- London Memoir The Gregory Rift plored part of the African Rift Valley and Recent volcanoes of Valley. There he witnessed the northern Tanzania. 1960 eruption of the extraordi- On leaving Tanganyika in 1962, nary volcano Ol Doinyo Lengai in Barry moved back to Canada to which many of the lava flows were take up a Postdoctoral Fellowship made of molten sodium carbon- in Dalhousie University in Halifax, ate (or natrocarbonatite) instead Nova Scotia. From there he took of the usual silicate magma. At a up a lectureship in the Depart- stroke he resolved a controversy ment of Geology in the University over the origin of carbonatites in of St Andrews in 1964 and was the most dramatic way possible - quickly promoted first to Reader by discovering them being and then to Professor in 1975. He erupted from a volcano. He left St Andrews in 1978 to published this work in 1962 in a become the Sorby Professor of seminal paper in Nature, simply Geology in the University of titled “Sodium Carbonate Lavas Sheffield and worked there until from Ol Doinyo Lengai”. This he and his wife Christine moved work rightly achieved considerable to Edinburgh in 1989. Barry was fame through its description in Professor of Geology in Edin- the 2nd edition of Arthur Holmes’ burgh until his retirement in great book Principles of Physical 1997, after which he continued in Geology. Edinburgh as a very active Emeri-

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tus Professor - his latest paper was Barry was up dancing to the published only a few months ago, strains of the ‘Dashing White in January 2013. Despite his many Sergeant’ at the Conference years in Scotland, nearly 40 in all, Ceilidh, full of fun and optimism. Barry remained a proud Yorkshire- It says a great deal about the high man all his life. He rejoiced in esteem in which Barry was held following cricket, and enjoyed the that the Edinburgh postgraduates inevitable banter that ensued brought a bottle of malt whisky to whenever an Ashes series was in the petrology seminar held in the progress (especially more so in the week following his passing so past few years of success for that we could all drink a toast to England!). He, together with his him. much loved wife Christine, had a Barry lives on through his scientif- great love of the Scottish High- ic legacy. He published around lands, bagging many a Munro 200 papers, a seminal textbook over the years and staying for on kimberlites, and collaborated periods in their cottage near with scientists in most parts of the Glencoe. world. He gained many prestig- In addition to being an outstand- ious awards for his work. These ing scientist, Barry was included the Hallimond Lecturer exceptionally generous with his of the Mineralogical Society in time, experience and insights. 1980/1, the inaugural Norman L Always available to discuss Bowen Award of the American matters petrological and volcanic, Geophysical Union in 1987 for his he was very popular with post- outstanding contributions to graduate students, providing volcanology, geochemistry and them with wise advice and petrology, election to the Fellow- feedback on their work. He was ship of the German Academy of excellent company and a great Sciences in 1994, the Clough raconteur, always ready with a tale medal of the Edinburgh Geologi- or two based on his experiences in cal Society in 1999, and the Africa and elsewhere, and always Mineralogical Society’s Collins full of energy and enthusiasm. At Medal in 2012. Elected to the Edinburgh the postgraduates run Royal Society of Edinburgh in an annual weekend-long academ- 1973, Barry served on the Editorial ic and social event known as the Board of the journal Transactions ‘Edinburgh Graduate School of the Royal Society of Edinburgh: Conference’. Barry attended all Earth Sciences for six years (four of but one of these over the past 20 these as Chairman) and on the years, the latest less than a week Society’s Meetings Committee. before he died. Needless to say,

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Barry’s wife, Christine, died in in Alice’s Adventures in Wonder- 2004, and he is survived by a son land, he’s faded but his grin will and two daughters. We will all remain with us for a long time to miss Barry, but he hasn’t gone come. completely. Like the Cheshire Cat Simon Harley & Godfrey Fitton

John Barry Dawson, BSc, PhD(Leeds), DSc(St And), CGeol, FGS, Fellow Leopoldina. Born 19 June 1932. Elected FRSE 1973. Died 1 February 2013.

This obituary appeared previously on the Geological Society Website. http:// www.geolsoc.org.uk/About/History/Obituaries-2001-onwards/Obituaries- 2013/John-Barry-Dawson-1932-2013

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Gordon Bryce Donaldson 10 August 1941 – 28 November 2012

Gordon Bryce Donaldson, FRSE, the Department of Applied died in Glasgow on November 28, Physics, where he founded a new 2012, at the age of 71. He was research group to make and use Professor of Applied Physics at the SQUIDs. From quite modest University of Strathclyde and a beginnings, with just two staff leading member of the worldwide and one tiny laboratory the group applied superconductivity commu- grew steadily, acquiring new nity. Through most of his career facilities and members, until in the he was deeply involved in the 1990’s it had well over 20 mem- design of superconducting bers, plus a host of collaborators devices or SQUIDs and their many from elsewhere in Glasgow and practical applications. abroad. He was appointed to a Gordon was born in Edinburgh personal professorship in 1985 on August 10, 1941, but was and became Professor of Applied brought up and educated in Physics two years later. He was Glasgow, which was so very much also head of department for two his home city. After attending years from 1984 and again from Glasgow Academy he won a 1993 to 1998. scholarship to Christ’s College, Gordon’s research interests Cambridge to study physics. He extended well beyond Strathclyde. then stayed at Cambridge to do a In 1988 with funding from the PhD, working in the low-tempera- Wellcome Trust he started a ten- ture Mond laboratory on year collaboration with Glasgow tunnelling in superconductors. University and the Southern After graduating in 1966 he was General Hospital to establish a appointed to a lectureship in the new laboratory there to use physics department at the newly- superconducting devices or established Lancaster University. SQUIDs made at Strathclyde for Here he continued his work on bio-magnetic measurements on low temperature physics, in patients and volunteers. particular superconductors and 1986 brought the unexpected the Josephson effect. discovery of high-temperature In 1975 after a sabbatical at The superconductivity. This was very University of California Berkeley significant and exciting, with an (with Professor John Clarke’s explosive interest in superconduc- group) he moved back to Strath- tivity, and with funding worldwide clyde University to a lectureship in to match. In due course a UK

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National Committee for Supercon- Things Work course that he ductivity was established. Gordon developed and taught for fifteen became its Coordinator for three years, which was so much in years from 1990. Its role was to keeping with his passion for promote and support UK super- useful practical physics and conductivity research in industry science. He was appointed to the and academia, and he and his Institute of Physics Degree team visited all UK groups very Accreditation Committee (for UK many times, making sure support and Ireland). was effectively and fairly distribut- He was elected a Fellow of the ed. He was especially proud of Royal Society of Edinburgh in having established the Cambridge 1991 and served on the Grants Winter School in Superconductiv- Committee and also as Convenor ity, first held in 1991, which ran of the Physics Sectional Commit- every year for a decade, bringing tee. He was a Trustee of the James together experts for an intensive Clerk Maxwell Foundation, also in week of training for PhD students Edinburgh. and young research staff from all Gordon thrived on the interna- parts of the UK and beyond. He tional social interaction so also led missions to the USA, important for scientific creativity. Europe and Japan to promote the There were sabbaticals to Virginia UK’s position. He also made other 1981 and to Sydney Australia in fact-finding trips abroad on 1999, where he made lots of new behalf of other government friends and he brought home agencies. many new research ideas. And In 1998 he became editor of there were trips to China and Superconductor Science and twice to India, and many lectures Technology (SuST), a London- to summer-schools throughout based international journal. He Europe. He also organised and was editor until 2008, remaining chaired two international confer- on their Editorial Board for some ences, one in Glasgow in 1991 years after. He was a key member (ISEC) and a larger one (EUCAS) in from 1990 to 1993 of the Low Edinburgh in 1995, plus many Temperature Group of the smaller specialist meetings. Institute of Physics in London and Gordon made many contributions became its Chairman for the last to the advance of superconduct- three years of his tenure. ing technology. His long list of Through all this time he was much publications and contributions to involved in teaching and also in books attest to this. He will be many university matters. He was especially remembered as a co- particularly fond of the How inventor of SQUID gradiometry

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and an independent originator of He is survived by his wife Chris- non-destructive evaluation (NDE) tine, his son Ian and daughter of materials and structures using Anne, and two grandchildren. SQUIDs. Colin Pegrum

Gordon Bryce Donaldson, MA, PhD(Cantab), CPhys, FInstP. Born: 10 August 1941. Elected FRSE: 1991. Died: 28 November 2012

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Kenneth James Dover 11 March 1920 – 7 March 2010

Kenneth James Dover was born in challenge of heading a tiny Greek London on 11 March 1920, the department, albeit one with a cherished only child of Percy (Pop) long and distinguished history. It and Dorothy Dover. Early brilliance is remarkable – and will seem in Greek at St. Paul’s school was incredible to today’s academics, followed by an outstanding harried by constant demands for performance as a student at continuing publication – that at Balliol College, Oxford with a first that time Dover had published no in both Mods (1940) and Greats books at all (unless we count his (1947). The intervening years, revision, 1954, of Denniston’s 1940-1945, were occupied by Greek Particles) and only a few army service in Egypt, Libya and articles. However, the appoint- Italy. After a relatively sheltered ment was visionary: books soon early life this was a fundamentally began to pour out and the stream life-changing experience, and continued over many decades. The years afterwards Dover would still very first was Greek Word Order reminisce about the earthy (1960), an austerely precise attitudes – and language – of the linguistic study matched by the men he met at that time. But he very last, The Evolution of Greek returned promptly to the seclu- Prose Style (1997). sion of academic life, becoming a This continuing linguistic depth fellow at Balliol in 1948. This was was accompanied by a corre- soon after his marriage, which sponding literary range and was to be long and conspicuously historical sweep, displayed in happy, to Audrey (Latimer) in works on many diverse genres, March 1947. There were two ranging from the comedy of children: Alan (born 1948) and Aristophanes to the history of Catherine (born 1950). Thucydides, and on many differ- Then, in 1955, came a turning ent topics, including a remarkably point in Dover’s career. To the open account of Greek homosex- surprise of many (in both north uality, a prevailing but at that time and south) he accepted appoint- (1978) little discussed practice in ment as Professor of Greek at the ancient Greek society. Dover never University of St. Andrews, electing shrank from the sexually explicit; to leave a comfortable niche in a indeed some critics suggested well-populated classical environ- that he courted it inappropriately ment and instead to face the and to excess. Certainly he was

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ahead of his time in frank speak- office as President of both the ing. When Dover arrived in St. Hellenic Society and the Classical Andrews, he lectured to first year Association. He was elected a students on the Aristophanic fellow of the British Academy in comedy Clouds on which he was 1966 and of the Royal Society of then preparing a commentary. The Edinburgh in 1975. But he class was electrified by much talk resisted academic blandishments of the padded phallus and much to leave St. Andrews until 1976, use of four letter words, all when he became president of entirely germane to the topic and Corpus Christi College, Oxford. all uttered in the same impeccably He was knighted the following precise delivery as that used for year. Dover’s tenure of the college attention to minutiae of lan- presidency was successful but not guage, metre or textual tradition. always easy and not without Dover’s teaching was never dull controversy; in particular, it was and his standards were always marred by the suicide of a difficult exacting. Some of his innovations senior fellow. Controversy attend- prefigured general developments ed too his time as President of the in the teaching of the subject: British Academy, when he had to introduction of a beginners’ deal with the complexities language class (for which he surrounding the ‘Blunt Affair’. himself produced a typically These events are amply chronicled imaginative and typically difficult by Dover himself in his trenchant course), introduction of a non- autobiography, Marginal Com- linguistic class in ‘classical culture’ ment (1994). (which he regarded as a purely On retirement (1986) Kenneth ancillary course, unsuitable as a and Audrey Dover returned to St. final degree subject), introduction Andrews, where they made their of special subjects (where he home for the rest of their lives. himself taught Greek drama: Dover had already been elected Aristotle’s Poetics and one play Chancellor of the University in each of Aeschylus, Sophocles, 1981 and he continued to hold Euripides, Aristophanes and this position until 2005. At first Menander – all examined in a there were many invitations and single three-hour finals’ paper). much academic travel. One regular Dover made a substantial adminis- destination was Stanford, where trative as well as academic Dover spent the first three months contribution to the university, of each year over a five-year period serving twice as Dean of the (1987-92) as a highly valued Faculty of Arts, and in the wider contributor not only to under- academic community he held graduate and postgraduate Greek

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teaching, both lectures and on his love of gardening (or seminars, but also to matters of ‘horticultural engineering’ as he organisation and administration. liked to describe it, with reference When Dover heard that a Fest- to his large plot of land) and of schrift was planned to mark his the outdoors (especially bird- seventieth birthday he took a watching). He was a kenspeckle disconcertingly active interest in figure in the town of St. Andrews: the volume (published in March, tall and distinguished in appear- 1990 with the title Owls to ance, with an air of old-fashioned Athens). First, he questioned the courtesy, marked by habitual list of contributors and in the doffing of the hat to passing event, a strict criterion had to be ladies long after that practice applied, excluding all associates became obsolete. He always except former students or col- enjoyed a party and responded leagues. Then he insisted that the especially to young company. presentation should take place on After his wife Audrey suffered a neutral ground (neither Oxford stroke and was housebound, nor St. Andrews); it took place confined to a wheelchair, Kenneth accordingly at the Senate House in cared for her devotedly. Prede- London. ceased by Audrey (December, In his later years, while Greek 2009) he followed a few months studies remained a central later on 7 March 2010, just a few preoccupation and he was always days short of his ninetieth ready to comment on the work of birthday. others, Dover focused increasingly Elizabeth Craik

Sir Kenneth James Dover, FBA FRSE. MA DLitt(Oxon, (Brist), Liv, Lond, St And), LLD(Birm, St And). Born 11 March 1920. Elected FRSE 1975. Died 7 March 2010.

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John Valentine George Andrew Durnin 23 April 1923 – 23 August 2007

Professor of Physiology at the urements, and these are still University of Glasgow, John widely used. Durnin, who has died aged 84, This work involved measuring the was an international authority on body fat of more than 1000 the energy expended in a wide individuals of a variety of builds range of human activities and a and types by weighing them book he co-authored is still the under water and then measuring reference standard. their skinfolds at a number of He and his small team made sites. meticulous measurements on The underwater weighing also people engaged in various forms often had its interesting aspects, of work, leisure and household and we met a number of interest- activities. Some of these measure- ing and even famous individuals ments were made on workers in this way: Edwin Morgan for themselves (eg miners, bricklayers, example, and Antoinette Sibley, lumberjacks), but others were Anthony Dowell, David Wall and carried out on volunteers. Either Margot Fonteyn. way Durnin was usually able to He also was able to show that combine his work with pleasure. Fonteyn (then in her sixties) was Sometimes it was of great practi- able to push her heart rate up to cal value to himself and family: eg almost 190 per minute - only persuading students to have their slightly less than young fit adults energy expenditure levels meas- are able to do - because of her ured in his garden and house having maintained her fitness while digging, hoeing and sawing level so high throughout her life. trees. Durnin, a father of six whose wife, Durnin was also known interna- Joan, predeceased him, was a tionally for his work on the handsome man whose often measurement of obesity and lugubrious expression disguised weight reduction. He demonstrat- the kick that he got from life. ed the pitfalls of using height and Nothing appeared to faze him. He weight measurements as an was able to assimilate new indicator of obesity, and promot- material to include in a lecture ed the use of skinfold callipers as right up to the time of delivery, a more accurate measure. He and would arrive for work some compiled tables for the calculation 20 minutes before his lecture was of body fat from skinfold meas- due to start with words such as

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“what do you know about the opened he would simply talk to liver?” the audience. Many other things could be said He demanded high standards about Durnin: his expertise at from others. On a trip to give a squash and skiing, his studies on paper in London we breakfasted roughage and digestibility, his at Euston Station and he made at enthusiasm for travel and the least six complaints about various good life. He was not afraid to be aspects of the environment, food different. and service. On suggesting that Before beginning a paper at a maybe he could let it go at that, conference in Nice one hot and he replied: “If it wasn’t for people sunny afternoon, he announced - like me, b*****s like you to much applause - that he would wouldn’t get a decent service not show the slides he had anywhere”. In these days of brought, but if the blinds could assessments, appraisals and be drawn aside and the windows conformity, we’re unlikely to see his like again.

John Valentine George Andrew Durnin, MA, MB, ChB(Aberd), DSc(Glas). FRCPG, FSB. Born 23 April 1923. Elected FRSE 1977. Died 23 August 2007 First published in The Herald, Saturday 13 October 2007. Reproduced by permission of The Herald

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Professor Sandy Fenton 26 June 1929 - 12 May 2012 First published in The Independent, 15 May 2012 Reproduced with permission from The Independent Sandy Fenton was among the very Alexander Fenton, and his wife greatest scholars of the Ethnology Annie Stronach moved north to and Antiquities of Scotland of this Turrif, where Sandy Fenton age - or of any age. For 15 years attended the academy and he was a member of the Ancient progressed to Aberdeen Universi- Monuments Board for Scotland, ty. from 1979 to 1994. Aberdeen had the tradition of My wife was one of the Board sending its most talented gradu- members, and they had the ates for further study in civilised habit of allowing paying Cambridge and Fenton entered spouses to come on their annual and completed the archaeological expeditions to those parts of and anthropological tripos with Scotland well endowed with an optional subject of Norse and antiquities. Thus I saw at first medieval language. For archaeolo- hand Sandy Fenton’s charming gy he sat at the feet of Glyn erudition, which was a marvel of Daniel, who educated us all on serious scholarship to us all. television, and at the feet of Indelibly etched on my memory is Meyer Fortes, the great anthropol- Fenton’s explanation of life at the ogist and expert on indigenous Black House at 42 Arnol in the peoples. north end of the Island of Lewis. Fenton was grateful for the His written description, first inspiration of Cambridge before published in 1978 and reissued in going on to complete a DLit in 1989, is the greatest record of a Edinburgh, which led to his way of life that once dominated becoming a Senior Assistant so much of the Highlands and Editor of the Scottish National Islands. Dictionary between 1955 and Sandy Fenton was born in 1929 at 1959 combined with part-time Shotts, then a mining town at the lecturing in English as a foreign heart of the productive North language. He became Assistant Lanarkshire coalfield. Among Keeper of the National Museum family and friends were the of Antiquities in Scotland, Herbisons; Margaret Herbison was progressing to Deputy Keeper and later to be the miners’ MP, Director. He combined this with Chairman of the Labour Party (UK) being part-time lecturing in the and Harold Wilson’s first Minister Department of Scottish History at of Pensions. His father, also Edinburgh University.

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As Rector of the University from instrument in ancient and medie- 2003 to 2006 I know that the val times was a revelation. He was now flourishing Department of also Honorary President of the Scottish Studies regarded Fenton Scottish Vernacular Buildings as one of their founders. Later he Working Group and of the was to occupy the Chair of Scottish Country Life Museums Scottish Ethnology and Director of Trust. Many modest if interesting the School of Scottish Studies. buildings owe their survival to However, Fenton was no insular, Fenton’s work. narrow scholar. He was a foreign Fenton’s writing is characterised member of the Royal Gustav Adolf by the greatest detail teased out Academy at Uppsala, Sweden, of ancient records. In the 1970s appointed in 1978, and of the he illuminated the place names of Royal Danish Academy of Sciences Shetland and his book Scottish and Letters in 1979. He was given Country Life (1976, republished in the honour of becoming an 1999) won the Scottish Arts honorary member of the Volk- Council Book Award. His The skundliche Kommision Fur Northern Isles, Orkney and Westfalen in 1980. In 1983 he Shetland, (1978, republished in was made a member of the 1997) won him the Dag Strom- Hungarian Ethnographical Society back Award. In 1985 he published and became a jury member in an essay under the title “If All The 1975 - and subsequently for 20 World Were a Blackbird”, which years of the Europa Prize for Folk he translated from the Hungarian. Art. Almost as difficult as Hungarian is He was also President of the the language and dialect of Permanent International Commit- Buchan, but Fenton’s 1995 work tee of the International Secretariat Craiters - or Twenty Buchan Tales, for Research on the History of and Buchan Words and Ways in Agricultural Implements. Hearing 2005, really saved a subculture Fenton on site on some wind- which but for Fenton would have swept landscape describing the vanished. use of a particular agricultural Tam Dalyell

Professor Alexander Fenton, MA(Aberd), BA(Cantab), DLitt(Edin), HonDLitt(Aberd). CBE, FSAScot, FRSGS, HRSA. Born 26 June 1929. Elected FRSE 1985. Died 12 May 2012.

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William Morrison Gordon 3 March 1933 - 1 September 2012

Bill, as all his colleagues knew intensely with the linguistic as him, was an Aberdeenshire man well as the legal aspects. Peter by birth. He attended Inverurie Stein was technically his Doktor- Academy briefly, and then moved vater, but Bill always felt that to Robert Gordon’s College, Daube was his academic grandfa- Aberdeen (1946-50), where he ther. His PhD was achieved in was modern languages dux. He 1963. held a bursarship when he did his In 1960 he moved to Glasgow, MA at Aberdeen, graduating in where he was to spend the rest of 1953. As was quite common at his life. He became a Lecturer in that time, he did his law degree at Civil Law when JAC (Tony) Thomas Aberdeen at the same time as his held the Douglas Chair of Civil legal apprenticeship, completing Law. In 1965 Bill moved to both in 1955, when he was become Senior Lecturer in Private admitted solicitor. Law, a Department headed by Bill then did his National Service in David Walker. In 1969, after the the Royal Navy, a period which he departure of Alan Watson, Tony enjoyed, before returning to the Thomas’ successor, to Edinburgh, law as an Assistant in Jurispru- he was appointed to the Chair of dence at the University of Civil Law, which he held for thirty Aberdeen, 1957-60. He married years. In those days there were Isabella in June 1957, and they separate Departments in the Law had four children. Faculty; all the former depart- David Daube was Professor of ments were amalgamated into the Jurisprudence at Aberdeen from one School of Law in 1993. On his 1951 to 1955, and greatly retirement in 1999 he became an influenced the young Bill. He Honorary Professorial Research wrote an engaging account of his Fellow in the School of Law, and experience as the sole undergrad- continued to publish. His scholar- uate member in the first year of ship was careful, cautious, and the Advanced Class in Roman Law thorough, a fair reflection of his taught by Daube in 1953-54, character. although it was also attended by His chief publications were: Peter Stein, a lecturer in the Studies in the Transfer of Property Faculty. Bill was initially attracted by Traditio (1970), a reworking of to Roman law because he loved his PhD thesis, a sign of his lasting Latin, and Daube engaged interest in the law of property. It

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was also indicative in that it dealt figure of Bankton himself. As well, with both Roman law and the he pioneered the study of the later history of Roman law. Bill sixteenth-century ‘practicks’ of was the inspiration, as well as Scottish lawyers as a guide to the part-author, of European Legal nature and content of other, now History (1st edition 1985, 3rd in lost, sources. He was translator of 2000), a textbook based on a Books 28 and 29 of the Digest in course he developed which still Alan Watson’s edition for the finds a market. The massive University of Pennsylvania Press Scottish Land Law first came out in (1985), and joint editor and 1989, reaching a third edition in translator of the Institutes of 2009. Over its successive editions Gaius (1988). He edited jointly the the book tracked and explored the Proceedings of the Ninth British fundamental changes in its Legal History Conference, entitled subject, in particular the final Legal History in the Making abolition of feudalism in Scotland (1991), and edited Miscellany III which took effect in 2004. The for the Stair Society (1992). He work is a monument to his also produced a stream of articles scholarship in both its historical and of contributions to Festschrif- and practical interest. He was also ten, the many invitations for the a substantial contributor – on latter being a mark of his interna- corporeal moveable property - to tional reputation, as well as less Kenneth Reid’s Law of Property in historical contributions to the Scotland (1996), where his Stair Memorial Encyclopaedia and understanding of the Roman law the Journal of the Law Society of basis of Scots law was particularly Scotland. And then there were the useful. That was also the case with numerous book reviews for his treatment of donation in the Scottish, British, and European Stair Memorial Encyclopaedia, first journals. A selection of his work, published in 1992 and then again Roman Law, Scots Law, and Legal in a revised version in 2011, which History: Selected Essays was is the most complete analysis of published in 2007 by the Edin- the subject in Scots law. Bill took burgh University Press. over as editor of The Court Book Bill’s teaching reflected this very of the Barony and Regality of wide range of interests, for he Falkirk (Stair Society 1991) after established various courses in the lamented death of Doreen Scottish as well as European legal Hunter. He was also editor of history. His teaching, like his Bankton’s Institutes (three scholarship reflected the man. His volumes, Stair Society 1993-5), lectures were seriously researched which was notable for its detailed and carefully prepared. There was work on the previously neglected nothing showily attractive, but

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intellectually curious students and regularly responding to who attended conscientiously Scottish Law Commission and would find themselves at the end other consultations on law of his courses in possession of a reform. His willingness to put his detailed and comprehensive scholarly knowledge and capacity survey of their theme. for work at the disposal of others Apart from his teaching and made him a much respected and research, he took his fair share in admired figure in the legal the administration of the Universi- community. ty and in the wider world of law. Bill was a loyal member of the He was Sub-Dean for five years, Kirk, and apart from serving as 1964-69, and later Dean, 1974- Session Clerk at Jordanhill Parish 76; he served as Senate Assessor Church 1989-98, where he was on the University Court, 1983-88. an elder for some 45 years, he was Thereafter he became a member a member of the Joint Commis- of the Selection Committee for sion on Doctrine of the Church of Scottish Studentships. He was also Scotland and the Roman Catholic the Faculty’s representative on the Church in Scotland, and then, University Library Committee for from 1990, a member of the many years, where his wide Church of Scotland’s Panel on knowledge of Scots Law as well as Doctrine. He nearly always Roman Law and legal history was managed to keep his golf handi- of great benefit to his colleagues. cap in single figures, despite all Beyond Glasgow, he became a the claims on his time and energy. Member of Council of the Scottish Certainly time on the golf course Universities Law Institute in 1980, with his wife Isabella gave him he was the Literary Director of the some of his most happy moments. Stair Society 1984-99, and he was He was a man of quiet wit. I a member of the Editorial Board particularly like his comment on a for the Juridical Review, 1991- statement that Lord Stair had laid 2001. He was very proud to have “an imperishable foundation for been elected as Vice-President of the law of Scotland” – ‘it might be the Stair Society in 2011. He was argued that a bio-degradable elected FRSE in 1995, and LLD element was added at the Union honoris causa, Aberdeen, in 2005. of 1707.’ Fine scholar, good He also engaged with the practical colleague, honourable man, we world of the law, serving as shall all miss Bill. Chairman of Rent Assessment Olivia Robinson, with Committees in Scotland, 1982-91, Hector MacQueen William Morrison Gordon, MA, LLB, PhD(Aberd), HonLLD(Aberd), FRSE. Born 3 March 1933, Elected FRSE 1995. Died 1 September 2012

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Sir Alistair Grant 6 March 1937 – 22 January 2001 First published by The Independent 24 January 2001 Reproduced with permission from The Independent The death of Alistair Grant at the surged from pounds 75m to relatively young age of 63 was not pounds 200m. unexpected. He had been fighting In 1972, Gulliver unexpectedly left cancer and was forced to resign as Fine Fare and bought a small governor of the Bank of Scotland company, Oriel Foods, for pounds in 1999 and as chairman of 1m. Grant went with him to be Scottish & Newcastle Breweries Oriel’s managing director. They last year, due to ill-health. But he were joined by the merchant remained one of Scotland’s most banker David Webster as finance influential businessmen. director. Gulliver announced that Grant was born in 1937 and his plan was to concentrate on educated at Woodhouse Grove supplying “what a woman would School in Yorkshire. He was want to put in her shopping subsequently commissioned in basket”, and went on a takeover the Royal Signals during his spree to create a wholesale National Service. In 1958 he grocery business worth pounds joined Unilever as a management 100m in five years’ time. Over the trainee, moving to J. Lyons & Co in next few years, Oriel Foods 1963 and Connell May & Steaven- succeeded beyond most of its son in 1965. His big chance came backers’ wildest dreams. in 1968, when he became an In 1977, Gulliver and his team executive director of Fine Fare at sold Oriel Foods and started the invitation of its chief executive again, this time forming the Argyll James Gulliver. Group. This started from a bigger Fine Fare was a recently acquired base and within a few years was a subsidiary of Associated British significant force in the Scottish Foods and Gulliver had been food and drinks industry. Gulliv- given the job of turning it round er’s ambitions, though, were far by ABF’s legendary chairman, from satisfied and in 1986 he put Garfield Weston. Grant was in an unexpected but well- recruited to help in the recovery, planned bid for Distillers. which he did with great success. Scotland’s premier drinks group He was charming and enthusias- found itself on the verge of falling tic; people listened to what he prey to the upstart. In despera- said and worked hard for him. In tion, it turned to Ernest Saunders seven years, Fine Fare’s sales of Guinness for help. Saunders emerged triumphant in April

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1986 after a bloody battle during David Webster, who succeeded which Guinness’s share price him as chairman of Safeways, as mysteriously jumped from 280p Argyll soon renamed itself, said, to 350p, dramatically increasing “Alistair was an inspirational, the value of its offer to Distillers’ charismatic and gifted leader. He shareholders. commanded the respect of all Gulliver was bitterly disappointed who knew and worked with him. by the way in which Argyll was He will be remembered as a great cheated out of Distillers, although son of Scotland and one of its he rallied quickly to take over the finest ambassadors.” UK stores belonging to Safeways Grant became chairman of Inc. Grant was made chief execu- Safeways in 1993 and retired four tive and swiftly transformed the years later at the age of 60. He shops into one of the UK’s most was appointed chairman of powerful supermarket chains. Scottish & Newcastle Breweries in 1997 and governor of the Bank of Scotland the following year.

Matthew Alistair Grant, HonDBA(Strath, Napier), HonDSc(Cran), Drhc(Edin). KStJ, FRSE, FRSA. Born 6 March 1937. Elected FRSE 2007. Died 22 January 2001.

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Professor George William Gray 4 September 1926 – 12 May 2013

George Gray was an outstanding no detailed academic knowledge and pre-eminent organic chemist about the molecular structure and who became the world’s leading properties of such materials. He authority on liquid crystal materi- was invited to stay on at Hull, as als for use in displays. He an Assistant Lecturer, and to invented the first stable liquid commence research on liquid crystal materials that enabled the crystals for his PhD, which he LCD technology used in televi- received from the University of sions, laptop and tablet London in 1953 for a thesis computers, mobile phones, iPods, entitled “Mesomorphism of digital clocks and watches and Aromatic Carboxylic Acids”. That many other items of electronic same year, George married equipment. He was also inspiring, Marjorie Canavan and they enthusiastic and a true gentle- remained together and raised man, blessed with Scottish their 3 daughters in Hull. Having charisma, a great sense of humour achieved his PhD, George pro- and considerable modesty. gressed, through Senior Lecturer Born in Denny, Scotland, to John and Reader at Hull, to become and Jessie Gray in 1926, George Professor of Organic Chemistry in picked up an enthusiasm for 1978 and then GF Grant Professor chemistry and molecules from his of Chemistry in 1984. father, who owned a pharmacy in George spent the 10 years after the town. This led him to study his PhD, understanding the forms chemistry at Glasgow University, of various liquid crystal molecules, graduating with a BSc and, at the what phases they exhibited and behest of Brynmor Jones, moving what sorts of properties they to University College Hull - then possessed. This seminal research part of the University of London - allowed him to formulate criteria in 1946 to resurrect their chemis- for the design and synthesis of try laboratories after the war. materials with desired properties. Under the tutelage of Brynmor This body of understanding was Jones, George became fascinated published in his book, “Molecular by materials called liquid crystals, Structure and the Properties of which were neither crystals, nor Liquid Crystals” in 1962. Re- liquids, but a new, so called search on liquid crystals was then “mesomorphic”, phase of matter. regarded as something of a Their existence had been known backwater and he found it since 1888, but there was almost difficult to obtain funding for his

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work from the then SERC, the the Royal Radar Establishment natural source of funding for (RRE, subsequently RSRE, DERA research in chemistry. Faced with and then Qinetiq) in Malvern, who such diffidence, George sought convened a working party to and obtained funding from the explore whether the discovery by Medical Research Council and US researchers that a thin layer of from Reckitt and Colman to study impure liquid crystal could be the liquid crystal nature of the cell used to make a crude optoelec- walls in bacteria, focusing on tronic display, might offer some lipopolysaccharides in Pseu- hope for meeting this challenge. domonas Seruginosa. This also At their initial meeting, George allowed him the freedom to sufficiently distinguished himself synthesise and research the and his knowledge to be awarded derivatisation of biphenyl and an MOD contract to explore this terphenyl moieties. His success at possibility further. Concurrently, this led to him submitting a in 1971, researchers in Switzer- proposal to SERC, which was land had discovered and rejected with the advice that he published a new display mecha- should employ the services of a nism, the Twisted Nematic effect. competent organic chemist. Since This was a pure field-effect and he was then a Senior Lecturer in did not require the presence of Organic Chemistry, this was not impurities, and George focused well received, nor was it forgotten. on finding new materials for this. It illustrated, however, that the A typical twisted nematic display members of the relevant board consists of a thin layer (~ 5 did not understand the rather microns in thickness) of a nematic arcane and academic science of liquid crystal, sealed between liquid crystals. Things were about glass plates that have shaped to change, however. layers of a transparent conductor George’s opportunity to see his and rubbed alignment films on academic knowledge applied their inner surfaces. The align- came in the late 1960s, as a result ment layers caused the rod-like of a challenge, from (the now liquid crystal molecules to twist notorious) John Stonehouse, who smoothly through 90o within the was the Minister of Technology, to layer. When placed between find an alternative to the shadow crossed Polaroid sheets, which mask colour TV tube, since the UK normally appear black, the cell was paying royalties to use this effectively untwists the sheets to that exceeded the development allow light to pass through and costs of Concorde. This challenge give a bright OFF state. Applying was taken up by Cyril Hilsum, an a low frequency alternating Individual Merit top scientist at voltage to selected electrodes

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locally creates an electric field that an alkyl chain of a defined length reorients the molecules and at the other. Three of these disrupts this twisted state, so that cyanobiphenyl compounds were these activated ON areas show the liquid crystalline over a narrow black appearance of the crossed interval at around room tempera- polaroids. Removing the voltage ture and these were revealed to allows the surface alignment the world forty years ago in a layers to reimpose the twisted OFF scientific publication on 22 March state. Such a display can be used 1973. Working in collaboration with a reflector, or a backlight, with scientists at the RRE, led by behind it. The display contrast Peter Raynes, further compounds can be inverted if the Polaroid were synthesised and evaluated. sheets are made parallel and These cyanobiphenyl compounds further elements, such as tiny had a low viscosity, proved colour filters and Thin Film extremely stable (as George had Transistors (TFTs) can be incorpo- predicted) and, formulated as rated to produce complex, colour eutectic mixtures, they could LCDs. The turn ON time depends remain liquid crystalline from - on the strength of the applied 10oC to +60oC. These were voltage, but the turn OFF time patented and subsequently depends principally on the layer licensed by the MOD, through the thickness and the viscosity of the aegis of Cyril Hilsum, since the liquid crystal and may be around university baulked at the costs and 10 milliseconds, or longer. risks involved. They were then The liquid crystal materials known published in the peer reviewed then had to be heated to 70oC or scientific literature. more, usually decomposed in a This turned the field of research few minutes and were rather on LCDs into an expanding viscous, which made their re- international activity, with ade- sponse sluggish. Invariably they quate supplies of the materials comprised two benzene rings being available, under licence, joined by a double, or triple, bond from Merck Ltd (then BDH Ltd), linkage that was easily broken by due to the foresight of Ben photolysis or hydrolysis. George’s Sturgeon, their Research Director. defining achievement was to use Many companies exploited his deep knowledge and long George’s materials in their LCDs, experience of liquid crystals to the most successful being large eliminate this linkage entirely and Japanese corporations. In the UK, to synthesise a number of biphe- George, BDH, RRE and potential nyl molecules, with a cyano group manufacturers participated in a at one end, two directly coupled consortium set up by Cyril Hilsum benzene rings in the middle and to advance LCD research and a

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number of further breakthroughs 1989. He was appointed a CBE in were made, all based on using 1991 and received honorary materials from George and his degrees from Hull and many other group at Hull. Later on, George universities. He was also a adapted his knowledge to Member of the Royal Irish Acade- synthesise and evaluate a variety my. Beyond this, he personally of quite different liquid crystal won the Clifford Paterson Lecture materials, including new, ultrafast, and Prize from the Royal Society in ferroelectric liquid crystals and 1985 and the 1987 Royal Society materials for large flat-panel TV Leverhulme Medal. In 2005, the screens. It can fairly be said that Royal Society of Chemistry George’s principal invention of awarded Hull University a Histori- the cyanobiphenyls enabled a cal Chemical Landmark to multi-billion pound industry that commemorate more than 50 years spawned a very wide range of of liquid crystal research based on products now in everyday use by George’s work. He also gained the young and the not so young, significant international personal around the world. It is estimated recognition and was awarded the that 750 million LCD products, prestigious Karl Ferdinand Braun with an estimated value of £56 Prize in 1996 by the Society for billion, were manufactured Information Display, having worldwide during the last year. received the even more prestig- There are now many more LCDs in ious Kyoto Prize for Advanced existence around the world than Technology in 1995. After the there are people! Part of George’s presentation of this, George and legacy is to have enabled such a Marjorie travelled to Tokyo to phenomenal benefit to humanity. meet with the Japanese Emperor Others may have manufactured in the Imperial Palace. In recogni- the products, but George was the tion of his achievements, Hull individual that created the key Trains named their first British Rail materials that made it possible. Class 222 ’Pioneer’ high-speed George received considerable train Professor George Gray and recognition for his contributions the British Liquid Crystal Society to LCD technology. Together with honoured him by creating their his principal collaborators, he won George W Gray Medal, awarded the Queen’s Award to Industry for for contributions to liquid crystal Technological Achievement in research and technology. 1979 and the Rank Prize for George retired from the University Optoelectronics in 1980. He was of Hull in 1990 and was succeed- elected a Fellow of the Royal ed by John Goodby, his former Society in 1983 and a Fellow of research student, whom he had the Royal Society of Edinburgh in previously managed to attract

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back to Hull, from his work at Bell Although dedicated to the Research Laboratories in the USA, advancement of research into based on an industrial funding liquid crystals he admitted to a package. George became both an love of gardening and an enthusi- Honorary Professor at Hull and a asm for philately. After further Visiting Professor at Southampton quiet and happy years at Poole, University. He also moved to George died on 12 May 2013, Poole and became Advanced just two weeks after the death of Materials Consultant at Merck Ltd. his beloved Marjorie. They are In September 2006, George and survived by their daughters Marjorie celebrated George’s 80th Caroline and Veronica. Their third birthday with many of their closest daughter, Elizabeth, predeceased friends and colleagues at the them. Royal Society in London. Ian Shanks

George W Gray, BSc(Glas), PhD(Lond), HonDSc(Hull, Nott, Soton, E Ang, Aberd, Exe, CChem, FRSC, HonMRIA, FRS, FRSE. Born 4 September 1926. Elected FRSE 1989. Died 12 May 2013

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Matthew Howard Kaufman 29 September 1942 - 11 August 2013

Matthew Howard Kaufman was he qualified in medicine (1967). the Professor of Anatomy at the He then practiced as an obstetri- University of Edinburgh from cian in England before returning 1985-2007 and a world-famous to Edinburgh for his first taste of figure in mouse embryology in the research with Professor Anne latter half of the 20th century. This McLaren (1970). From there, he was due to his experimental work went to Cambridge where he did on early mouse development, his a PhD on mouse reproductive major role in the discovery of physiology in the laboratory of mouse stem cells (1981) and his Professor C.R. Austin, and this Atlas of Mouse Development was followed by a year at the (1992). This book is still a neces- Weizmann Institute in Israel. He sary reference work in every then returned to Cambridge as a mouse laboratory throughout the demonstrator, then lecturer in the world and was the basis for Department of Anatomy and was several key mouse informatics elected a fellow of Kings College resources. In his later years, (1975-85) where he was a director Kaufman published many books of studies. and papers on the history of By the time that Kaufman re- Scottish medicine and its major turned to Cambridge, he had th th practitioners in the 18 and 19 already published a dozen papers centuries. He was elected a Fellow on the very early stages of mouse of the Royal Society of Edinburgh development, on parthenogenesis in 2008, just after his retirement. (the subject of his first book, Matt Kaufman was born in 1942 1983) and on implantation within in Stoke Newington, London, into the general context of in vitro a very orthodox Jewish family. His fertilization. This work continued father, an electrician, wanted him over the next five years and to become a scribe, writing the extended into studies on how five books of Moses on parch- embryos responded to anaesthe- ment in Hebrew using a quill (this sia, excess copper, alcohol and may have explained his exquisite other potentially harmful sub- handwriting). He was however stances - he was particularly clever enough to escape this fate: interested in understanding the he passed the 11+ exam and went origin of birth defects (and later in to the local grammar school and his career, he taught a popular on to Edinburgh University where honours course on the topic). By

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1980, he had become extremely the professorial office was still skilled in dissecting very early much larger than that of the embryos and was thus an ideal Principal of the Edinburgh collaborator to work with Martin University, and was soon piled Evans on obtaining and then high with books, papers and analyzing in culture the behaviour curios from the university’s of the inner cell mass (ICM), the wonderful anatomical museum. very small group of around 40 This was not a particularly happy cells in the pre-implantation appointment for either side: conceptus that actually forms the medical teaching everywhere was embryo (the remainder forms beginning to undergo major various membranes). In culture, changes as the teaching require- the ICM proliferates to generate ments of genetics, medical what were first called Evans- sociology and molecular medicine Kaufman (E-K) cells and are now made increasing demands on the known as mouse embryonic stem curriculum at the expense of cells. It should be noted that, by other, more established subjects the time that Evans and Kaufman including anatomy, whose time- published their first paper on this honored importance was being in 1981, Gail Martin was doing diminished. Kaufman however similar work in the USA. It was for took the traditional view that all this and for his subsequent work of medicine emerged from the with stem cells that the now Sir cadaver and hence that students Martin Evans received the Nobel needed to understand anatomy Prize in 2007. properly. I recall a fascinating By 1984, Kaufman had published session when, surrounded by a 5 research papers with Evans and group of them in the dissecting other collaborators on stem cells room, he discussed the heart of and their potential, and there the cadaver, how it formed, were another 30 or so on other possible congenital abnormalities, aspects of mouse development, how it worked, what might go demonstrating a work rate that wrong and how heart disease never flagged over his entire could be handled medically and career. Kaufman ceased working surgically - it was a tour de force on stem cells in 1985 when he and the students were gripped. was offered the chair of anatomy Unfortunately, Kaufman failed to at the University of Edinburgh, a realize that only he had the position that had been initiated in richness of background that 1605 when the Professor of allowed such teaching and that Anatomy was a very important there was no longer time for this person. Some four centuries later, approach in a modern syllabus. He

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lost more battles than he should say “fine” and raise the point have because he never really again the following day in a understood the politics of different way and he would, as Edinburgh University Medical likely as not, say “yes”. For me, he School. The net result was that was a kind, helpful and knowl- anatomy teaching was cut edgeable colleague and a very dramatically and the museum good friend, if not always the shut; it is only recently that his old most modern of administrators. colleagues have managed to Kaufman took refuge from the reverse some of these cuts and to political battles in research and, have the wonderful museum over the next few years, explored reopened. the developmental anatomy of the It is fair to say that Kaufman and mouse embryo from fertilization the medical establishment in to birth in a depth that had never Edinburgh University did not get previously been attempted for any on well for two other reasons. organism. Mouse embryogenesis First, Kaufman was diagnosed in takes about 19 days and this the ‘90s with polycythaemia, a period had been divided by Karl blood platelet cancer, and given 3 Theiler (1972) into 26 stages on months to live. He did remarkably the basis of external appearance. well on drugs and regular blood Kaufman had embryos from each lettings for almost two decades, stage embedded and serially but, for all of his energy, he was sectioned to give sets of coronal, never really healthy again and the sagittal and transverse sections, unpleasant side effects of the with up to 3000 sections per set. drugs did not make him the He then proceeded to analyze and easiest of people. Second, he and photograph these sections to the establishment had different explore exactly what was happen- styles of arguing: Kaufman had ing anatomically as the mouse clearly been brought up to developed, spending evening respond to any request by saying after evening at his desk carefully “no”, and his colleagues unfortu- labeling the micrographs. The nately took this at face value. resulting Atlas of Mouse Develop- What he meant of course was that ment (1992) has several thousand this was his initial position and he pictures, each with anything up to was ready to argue, but few a hundred labels, together with others were prepared to join in complete descriptions of each the ritual – he was just viewed as anatomical system at each stage difficult. I joined his department and lengthy discussions about in 1994 and realized that, if he specialized aspects of mouse said “no”, all I had to do was to embryogenesis.

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Much to the surprise of the development. Together, we publishers, the book was an produced a formal ontology of immediate best seller (by academic the mouse embryo (essentially a standards). It is still in print after parts hierarchy for each stage) and almost 25 years and remains a key this provided the anatomical reference resource for anyone infrastructure for a database working on mouse embryos. This holding gene-expression and is because the book came out other data (known as GXD and soon after the world of molecular maintained by the Jackson genetics were starting to make Laboratory in Maine, USA). transgenic mice in which a specific The other spin-offs were however protein had been altered so as to of greater interest to Kaufman: work out the role of that protein the index that the ontology and this was usually during generated for his beloved Atlas development. Slightly to the and the graphical version of the surprise of those early mouse GXD database. Before he arrived molecular biologists, however, it in Edinburgh, Richard Baldock, turned out that making a trans- Duncan Davidson and I had genic mouse was usually easier started computational work on than analyzing it and Kaufman’s making a graphical gene-expres- book was their first port of call: its sion databases at the MRC Unit, annotated pictures and detailed but Kaufman’s knowledge and descriptions provided the baseline sectioned material were key to information for evaluating producing a resource that would hundreds of mutant phenotypes. allow a user to explore online The book led to further important both the 3D anatomy of the academic work but in a direction embryo and its gene-expression that perhaps surprised Kaufman. domains (the Although he was well aware of www.emouseatlas.org site). He the importance of mouse molecu- was the mouse authority to whom lar genetics, he had no knowledge all queries were addressed and of bioinformatics or its increasing whose presence gave the work its significance in making molecular anatomical strength, and it was a data available online. His compu- very rich, enjoyable and long- tational and developmental lasting collaboration. Unlike colleagues at the MRC Human books, informatics resources are Genetics Unit in Edinburgh rapidly never complete and Kaufman was realized that the information and involved in the ongoing informat- the pictures in the book could ics work well after he retired and provide the anatomical details for until shortly before his death. A an informatics resource of mouse supplement to the Atlas of Mouse

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Development that incorporates attention to detail, he went back recent work on mouse cell lineage to the records and produced many and modern imaging is currently books and articles on the rich and being written and will join the interesting characters who worked online resources to become his on the subject he loved so much, academic memorial. and particularly on those who had Kaufman played a prominent role been at the University to which he in the wider Edinburgh academic was so devoted. In 2005, soon world: he was elected FRCP before he retired, he curated a (Edinburgh, 1996) and FRCS well-attended exhibition to th (Edinburgh, 2000) and was, for celebrate the 400 anniversary of many years, an examiner for the the creation of the chair of FRCS exams there. He was also anatomy at Edinburgh and this chairman of the William Ramsay served to mark a reconciliation Henderson Trust that held, for between Kaufman and the Faculty phrenological reasons, a wonder- of Medicine. ful collection of 17th and 18th Throughout his career, Kaufman century life and death mask and was sustained by a very happy from these he produced a memo- marriage to Claire, originally a rable exhibition for the Edinburgh nurse whom he met early in his Festival in 1989. He was also medical career, and by their two awarded the Symington memorial sons, Simon and David. He had Prize by the Anatomical Society many outside interests, particular- (1979), the Evian health award ly old Scottish documents, English (1988) for his work on the effects 18th and 19th century porcelain of alcohol on embryonic develop- and a 1930s Lagonda sports car ment, and a Jackson laboratory that spent three times as long in award (2006) for his research on the garage as it did on the road. mouse development. But these interests were second- In his last few years in the Depart- ary: Kaufman lived to work and to ment and after he retired, write, as his 250 papers and a Kaufman focused on his long- dozen books bear witness. He held interest in the rich history of really was one of the great anatomical and surgical medicine, anatomists, albeit in a somewhat the Medical School and the great Victorian way – they don’t make anatomists and physicians of and certainly don’t appoint Scotland. With his customary academics like him any more! Jonathan Bard Matthew Howard Kaufman, MBChB, DSc (Edin), MA, PhD, ScD (Cantab), FRSE, FRCP (Edin), FRCS (Edin). Born 29 September 1942. Elected FRSE 2008. Died 11 August 2013.

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Nicholas Kemmer 7 December 1911 – 21 October 1998 First published byThe Independent on 24 October 1998 Reproduced with permission from The Independent Born in Russia and brought up in chose as his topic “Scotland Germany, the physicist Nicholas through a newcomer’s eyes.” Kemmer was personally educated Candid friends can be tiresome. by Max Born, Werner Heisenberg He was compelling and fascinat- and Wolfgang Pauli, becoming a ing and the Fabians were PhD student in Switzerland, a war entranced by his deployment of worker in Canada, and a university insights on the theme “as others lecturer in Cambridge. see us”. From there he was hand-picked in His thoughts modestly offered 1952 by the Vice-Chancellor of were crystal sharp, expressed in a Edinburgh University, Sir Edward soft Germano-English voice which Appleton, and by Max Born (both a Sherlock Holmes would immedi- FRS and Nobel prizewinners), for ately have identified as having one of the historic Chairs in spent time in English-speaking Edinburgh University, that of the Canada. I formed a friendship Tait Professor of Mathematical with him over the meal the Physics. For the next quarter of a Fabians gave him - a friendship century Kemmer was to occupy it that lasted 40 years. with distinction and to the great Kemmer was born into the advantage of generations of intellectual society of pre-First gifted undergraduates and World War St Petersburg. His postgraduates - less than gifted Lutheran father, from a Germanic students shy away from the family of the Baltic States, was a formidable challenges of abstruse purchaser of rolling stock from mathematical physics. the West for the Tsar’s govern- Professor Sir Martin Rees, the ment; he also worked for a British Astronomer Royal, said: “He really subsidiary of the American firm of was an exceptionally clever Westinghouse. Nicholas Kemmer mathematician who is remem- would say wryly that he was a real bered by those whom he taught mongrel since his mother, albeit and who read his papers and born in Moscow, came from a learned journals on both sides of family in the Upper Volga, where the Atlantic.” his grandfather had a dacha In 1957, as the young secretary of which Kemmer remembered from the Edinburgh Fabian Society, I earliest childhood, before he left invited Kemmer to speak to us. He Russia in 1916.

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He always retained a love for the Hanover to which he said he owed Russian people and said repeated- everything to the rigorous ly that he wanted to talk to teachers. Russians in a happy way, whether Sent as a student by his physics or not he came with dollars for master to the University of them. It was his early mastery of Gottingen with a letter of intro- the Russian language which duction, he was taken under the enabled him half a century later to wing of Max Born, whom ironical- do the translation of Professor Lev ly he was to follow as Stokes Landau and Professor G.B. Lecturer at Trinity College Cam- Rumer’s mightily important book bridge and later as Tait Professor What is the Theory Of Relativity? in Edinburgh. He was also taught (1959). Of all Western European by Werner Heisenberg. physicists Kemmer was probably Born at that time was publishing the closest to Landau and the his books Mechanics of the Atom brilliant mathematicians who (1927), Atomic Physics (1935), and surrounded him. The Restless Universe (1936). His mother was old Russian When in 1933 Born “got the sack Orthodox and in his early child- from Hitler” and left for England, hood there was a great discussion Kemmer, who did not have a drop as to what religion Nicholas of Jewish blood in him, decided it should take on; it was eventually was time for him to leave since, as decided by his Lutheran father an Auslands Deutsche with a and Russian Orthodox mother Baltic name (Kemmer is a place that he should be baptised in a near Riga), he was under pressure Roman Catholic ceremony. This he to join the Hitler Youth. said taught him an early lesson in Born gave Kemmer letters of “Encephalitis Lethargica”. By introduction to his friends in which he meant that circumstanc- Zurich: Wolfgang Pauli and es sometimes dictated that things Gregor Wenstel. In Zurich he did should be allowed to work out for his PhD along with Victor themselves and gave him a Weisskopf, later to be Head of sympathy later in life with Heisen- Cern in Geneva. Pauli, on telling berg’s uncertainty principles. him that he had got his PhD with Having left Russia partly on distinction, said: “Nicholas, your account of their Germanic English is better than mine. Shall I background, the Kemmer family write more promising or most made for Hanover where his promising?” In 1936, Pauli’s mother’s family, the Stutzers, had recommendation gained Kemmer relations. Nicholas had the good a Beit Scientific Fellowship at fortune to go to Bismarckschule in Imperial College, London.

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Kemmer used to joke self- critically to the building of the atomic that in 1917 he had just missed bomb. This was an exciting period the Russian Revolution, in the in atomic physics, lightened as he 1930s he had just missed being put it by going out on pub crawls forced into the Hitler Youth and in in the company of Klaus Fuchs. 1940 he just missed the Blitz. At After the war Kemmer became a the start of the war Kemmer pacifist, a Pugwasher and a stayed in the house of Orlando member of CND for the rest of his Wagner, father of Sir Anthony life. Wagner, Garter King of Arms On the recommendation of Sir 1961-78. Rudolph Peierls and Professor In 1940 he was sent to Canada Nicholas Kurti he was made a and Chalk River. Brian (Lord) University Lecturer in Mathematics Flowers FRS, later Rector of immediately after the war and Imperial College, London, remem- elected to a Fellowship of Trinity bers Kemmer both as a teacher College, Cambridge. Professor Sir who thought on his feet as he John Cadogan, Director General lectured and, as a colleague at of the Research Councils, said of Chalk River, enormously hard- him: “As his colleague in the working and yet entering into the same faculty of Edinburgh fun of canoe races organised by University and as Professor of Flowers. Chemistry I had the greatest As a member of the United admiration for Nicholas Kemmer, Kingdom Government Atomic and we found him a charming Energy Research teams based in man.” He worked on relativity and Cambridge and working from vector analysis and produced Chalk River, Kemmer contributed many papers on the theory of nuclear forces. Tam Dalyell

Nicholas Kemmer, MA(Cantab), PhD(Zurich), FRS, FRSE. Born 7 December 1911. Elected FRSE 1958. Died 21 October 1998.

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Donald A Low 14 May 1939-15 November 2001

Donald A. Low, who died in 2001, From 1974 Low’s output of was one of the ‘quiet men’ of 20th editions of and articles about century Scottish literary scholar- varying aspects of Burns’s life and ship and one particularly noted work continued until just a few now for his work on Robert Burns. years before his untimely death. A modest individual, gentle and They cover the range of academic respectful of others, Low was a experience: from short articles on man who also celebrated the rebel specific manuscripts and editorial and the rebellious. He had a keen conundrums, to popular editions sense of humour, a passion for and accounts for the general music and sport and a real love of reader. Moreover he was editor of the land. Having spent most of his at least four major critical works early summer holidays on family that were to make a notable farms in Angus, it is perhaps contribution to the new wave of unsurprising that Low, as a scholarly interest in Burns in the literature undergraduate, would final decades of the 20th century. develop a natural interest in the Indeed much of his later work is ploughman poet of Ayrshire. But now providing a major stimulus the magnetism of Burns was all for parts of the new Oxford the more powerful to him because University Collected Works of his teachers at St Andrews Robert Burns just underway at the University pushed Burns to one University of Glasgow. side, failing to see him as a key Delving into Low’s impressive figure in the literary history of the bibliography shows just how th long 18 century. The young Low naturally Burns fitted within his recognised how unacceptable this portfolio of interests. His first was. He believed that Burns’s major publication was a study of contribution was as visionary as Regency Britain entitled, with that of William Blake, whose reference to Coleridge’s ‘Kubla writing received a great deal more Khan’, That Sunny Dome (pub- attention. And when he came lished by Dent in 1977). Focussing back to St Andrews to take up his on the Regency decade 1810-20, first teaching post in the 1970s, and growing out of his doctoral after completing a doctorate at work on John Scott of the London Pembroke College, Cambridge, Magazine, Low’s study maps this Burns became part of the under- period’s rich creativity, and graduate course. examines, in particular, the

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overriding theme of freedom as it and Burns for Studies in Scottish is found both in contemporary Literature some three years before lives and literature. His fascination this (SSL, 27(1992), 128-142). for exploring how the arts and life This Regency study apart, Donald intersect is demonstrated by the Low’s major contribution to way in which his discussion literary scholarship is undoubtedly incorporates a wide variety of his work on Robert Burns. He contemporary media; from edited the popular Everyman personal writings, journalism, collection of Burns’s poems and fiction, poetry, the developing songs across the 1980s and ’90s. world of print culture, and in fine He was one of the first Burns art. While this work addresses the scholars to edit The Kilmarnock literary activity of Wordsworth, Poems (published by Everyman in Shelley, Scott, Byron and Austen, 1985) and this edition was then his next monograph explored ‘The expanded and re-titled Robert Regency Underworld’. Entitled Burns: Poems in Scots and English Thieves Kitchen (also published by with new notes and introduction Dent, 1982 and still in print), in 1993 and re-issued in 1996. A Low’s unveiling of the lives of the smaller version of this collection is thieves, gamblers, pick-pockets, still available, published by brothel-keepers and body- Pheonix in 2003. Low was also snatchers of London, provides a commissioned to write a brief fascinating and vibrant contrast to critical monograph of Burns for the goings-on of the Georgian the Scottish Academic Press series parlour or drawing room. And of studies of ‘Scottish Writers’ in here the ‘underdog’ comes to the 1986. This allowed him not only fore. It’s little wonder that the two to visit Burns’s biography, but also literary personalities of the period to provide accounts of Burns’s use who most inspired Low’s scholarly, of ‘voice and verse form’. His study as well as deeply personal inter- presents accessible readings of ests, were none other than Burns key poems such as ‘The Twa and Byron, the most famous of Dogs’, ‘The Cottar’s Saturday the ‘wild cards’ of Romantic Night’ and ‘To a Mouse’. He also literature. Low was to edit Byron: examines Burns’s satires as well as Selected Poetry and Prose for focussing on two of his greatest Routledge’s English Texts, a series ‘tales’, namely ‘Death and Dr edited by his long-standing and Hornbook’ and ‘Tam o’Shanter’. close personal friend, John This little volume concludes with a Drakakis, in 1995. He also separate section on ‘song’, provided a fascinating article on allowing Low to begin surveying the relationship between Byron what was to become one of the

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most important elements of his a baton now carried in a recent Burns legacy. It also shows Low at edition of essays by Fiona Stafford his most accessible. This series is and David Sergeant. aimed at the student and the Hot on the heels of The Critical general reader, and Low seems to Heritage came Low’s edition of thrive here, furthering a detailed Critical Essays on Robert Burns of understanding of the poetry and 1975, which clearly stimulated a songs of Burns with ease. great deal of interest in revisiting Donald A. Low helped re-establish Burns’s work and reception. This a wave of first-class scholarship of volume, again published by Burns’s work through the remain- Routledge & Kegan Paul as part of ing decades of the 20th century. its ‘Scottish Series’, included The first of his major works was essays by leading scholars of the Robert Burns. The Critical Herit- moment. Low secured contribu- age, which appeared in 1974 as tions from both David Daiches part of the invaluable series and Thomas Crawford. Daiches published by Routledge & Kegan had published his Robert Burns in Paul. This is a volume still used 1950 and a new edition had regularly today and is the only appeared in 1966; and Crawford’s repository of reviews and discus- pivotal study of the poems and sions of Burns and his work. Low songs had also appeared in two sought out contemporary critical editions in 1960 and 1966. Low’s reviews of Burns’s first ‘Kilmar- Critical Essays also included a nock’ and first ‘Edinburgh’ previously unpublished lecture by editions of Poems, Chiefly in the James Kinsley, editor of the three- Scottish Dialect of 1786 and volume Oxford edition of Burns’s 1787. Cromek’s Reliques of Poems and Songs of 1968, and Robert Burns of 1808 is also a this collection included other key major focus for materials about contributions by Alexander Scott the poet, and Low’s edition (who had just established the first presents opinions of Hugh Blair, Department of Scottish Literature Henry Mackenzie, the Words- at the University of Glasgow), worths, Coleridge, Scott, Thomas David Muireston (Editor of the Moore, William Hazlitt, James Scottish National Dictionary) and Hogg, Thomas de Quincey and Scottish composer Cedric Thorpe many others. This is a vital source Davie. Low’s wife, Sheona, of materials about how key remembers this time clearly, as it Romantic writers saw Burns and it marked the beginning of many has underpinned new scholarship suppers at the Low’s house in on Burns and his work within Bridge of Allan, just a stone’s British Romanticism more widely – throw from the University of

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Stirling where Low had moved Companion to Robert Burns of and was soon to become Profes- 2009, is dedicated, amongst sor of English Studies. Burns others, to Donald A. Low. scholars, and lovers of Scottish The final area of Low’s work to literature more generally, came to make a long-lasting mark on eat, drink, chat and develop ideas Burns scholarship is connected for further work, and here Low’s with song. Although James role as a facilitator should be Kinsley had included the songs in noted. He acknowledges, in his his famous Oxford edition (with Critical Essays, the importance and melodic notation too), Low support of the then Universities claimed that no single study on Committee of Scottish Literature, the songs had been forthcoming but it would be true to say that since James C. Dick’s volume of Low had a skill not simply for 1903. While he was not a musi- sharing his own work but for cian in the same guise as Dick, gently galvanising others! He Low’s major contribution to Burns particularly enjoyed a long studies in the 1990s – and friendship with G. Ross Roy, who possibly singly his most important contributed to his Critical Essays, contribution to Burns studies and whose major re-editing of De overall – was his editing of the Lancey Ferguson’s The Letters of 1853 facsimile of James Johnson’s Robert Burns was to be published The Scots Musical Museum by Oxford in 1985. Low was one published by Scolar Press in 1992 of the first Ormiston Roy Fellows (and now available through the at the University of South Caroli- Hardie Press in Edinburgh), na, where he was able to develop followed swiftly by his own this friendship and to work with edition of The Songs of Robert the unique G. Ross Roy Collec- Burns (again published by tion. It is notable that Low’s Routledge) in 1993. edition of Critical Essays was the These two editions were really the first of a series then to flow culmination of a project long in through the 1980s towards the the planning. In the 1970s, when 1996 bicentenary: those edited by working on both The Critical R.D.S. Jack & Andrew Noble Heritage and its partner Critical (1982); Kenneth Simpson (in 1994 Essays, Low was introduced to the and 1997); Robert Crawford (also folksinger Jean Redpath. Over the in 1997); and Carol McGuirk (in intervening years their creative 1998). And it is thus highly friendship inspired Redpath to appropriate that the most recent further her knowledge of Burns such collection, Gerard Carru- and, moreover, to sing the songs thers’s Edinburgh University Press to the original melodies which

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had inspired Burns’s lyrics. These songs, and, moreover, the crucial were the tunes most often printed place of performance. Until Low’s with Burns’s lyrics in Johnson’s involvement with Redpath’s Scots Musical Museum. Low’s singing of the songs, most introduction to his edition of the recordings of Burns’s songs in the Museum assesses Burns’s contri- 20th century featured classically bution as collector and songwriter trained singers and often stylised for this major project. He identi- musical arrangements of the fied Burns’s part in some 220 of songs. While all are interesting the 600 songs Johnson published and much enjoyed, Redpath’s between 1787 and 1803. Until simpler, unaccompanied rendi- Low’s facsimile edition appeared tions presented the songs much even fine Burns scholars had not as Burns would have understood taken on board the magnitude of them, and helped inspire a new Burns’s relationships with both generation of singers to revisit Johnson’s and subsequently Burns’s work. Many of these were George Thomson’s collections. released by Douglas Young’s Burns’s songs were seen, at best, Scottish Records in the early as poems with tune titles and 1980s, though sadly they are now were buried amongst his better- very hard to come by. But again it known and more highly regarded is surely testament to Low’s poetic output. Low’s focussing of achievement in his 1993 Songs attention particularly on the that it was this very collection Museum project, and then his re- which inspired Fred Freeman to presentation of Burns the persuade Linn Records to record songwriter/collector/recreator in all the songs in the Low edition his door-stopping Songs edition for its 12-disc collection of The of 1993 completely changed the Complete Songs of Robert Burns, general attitude to Burns’s songs performed by the moment’s at the end of the 20th century. Low leading folk performers and stated right at the beginning of completed in the mid 1990s. his Songs edition: ‘It is all too easy At home Low’s family life was full, to take songs for granted, and positive and inspirational. Nearly even easier to make the mistake of all his major scholarly work is dismissing, as undeserving of dedicated either to his wife serious attention, the words of Sheona, and/or their children for songs such as those of Burns’. But their ‘unstinting encouragement, his introduction laid down a totally positive outlook, and sense challenge to all interested in of fun’. Sheona, herself an Burns to really understand the experienced and quite extraordi- importance of melody to Burns’s nary teacher, had met Donald

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when he was a student. They colleagues in the US, London and shared an insatiable appetite for several other European destina- literature, languages, music, sport, tions. They were always able and cooking and dogs. She was always indeed enthusiastic to stop and closely engaged with Donald’s spend time to talk and engage work and was the most encourag- with others and with new ideas. ing and positive support network Sadly, Sheona died in 2013. They as his health, due to Multiple are survived by their son Chris and Sclerosis, deteriorated across the daughter Kirsty. years. But this did not hold either Kirsteen McCue of them back, with regular trips to Co-Director, Centre for Robert spend time with friends and Burns Studies at the University of Glasgow

Professor Donald Alexander Low. MA, BPhil(St And), PhD(Cantab), FSAScot. Born 14 May 1939. Elected FRSE 1985. Died 15 November 2001

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Sir Donald McCallum 6 August 1922 – 18 October 2011 First published in The Independent 16 November 2011 Reproduced with permission of The Independent An MP, in the nature of his taught by, but taken under the responsibilities, gets to know the proverbial wing of, the Tait boss of a factory which employs Professor of Physics, the great hundreds of his constituents at a German-Jewish Nobel Prize- high technical level pretty well. For winner, Max Born. Born 17 years, from 1968 to 1985, recommended McCallum to the when he was the general manager Admiralty Signal Establishment, of the important Scottish House where he participated in cutting- of Ferranti’s, and in direct charge edge work in the detection of of the new huge, then state-of- U-boats. McCallum told me years the-art factory at Crewe Toll in later that his time at the ASE had Edinburgh, I had monthly deal- imbued him with a sense of ings with Donald McCallum. He urgency and decisiveness which was quiet, softly spoken, some- held him in good stead through- what taciturm, a technically out his industrial responsibilities; supreme and managerially “career” is not quite the right competent leader of industry. word to associate with McCallum. The union officials and shop On demobilisation, after a short stewards would acknowledge that period at the Standard Telecom- McCallum was straight and always munication Laboratories, courteous to them, and would McCallum chose to be close to his punctiliously honour any agree- parents’ home and return to ment. McCallum was, equally, Edinburgh to join the then small accorded respect by his senior but go-ahead firm of Ferranti’s. managerial colleagues, some of Here he was spotted by John whom, like Bill Gregson, were Toothill (later Sir John), who had themselves heavyweights in the been the dynamic general manag- UK’s industry affairs. McCallum er since 1943. commanded authority in Scottish Toothill, author of the seminal industry. Report on the Scottish Economy Born and brought up in Edin- (1961), which bears his name, burgh, McCallum had an excellent leant heavily on McCallum, as he grounding in mathematics at acknowledged, for both back- George Watson’s College and ground information and completed a BSc at Edinburgh proposals. The flamboyant University, where he was not only Toothill and the reserved Baptist

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McCallum worked effectively in 1984 and 1987 of the Scottish harness. Eric Jamieson, physicist Tertiary Education Advisory and marketing manager for Council, he had also given huge Ferranti and a company director, service as a member of the Court recalled, “Donald McCallum was of Heriot-Watt University, and thought by all of us who worked during the development of Napier for him to be a superb boss.” Polytechnic (1988-93), which As one of McCallum’s successes, a became Napier University. decade later, in the three-year A few weeks after I took my position of president of the parliamentary seat in June 1962, I Scottish Council of Development asked a Question about industry and Industry, I was often advised in Scotland to Basil de Ferranti, by the experienced and wise MP for Morecombe and Lonsdale secretary of the SCDI, Alan Wilson, and the young Parliamentary “This is the line that Donald Secretary to the Ministry of McCallum would have pursued.” Aviation. A few days later, Basil Apart from being an authoritative observed to me in the Commons manager of a significant business, corridor, “If you don’t believe me, McCallum’s other achievement go and ask Donald McCallum.” I was his contribution to technical did – and went on asking him education. Chairman between questions for the next 30 years. Tam Dalyell

Sir Donald McCallum, CBE DL. BSc(Edin), HonDUniv(Stir), HonDSc(H-W, Napier), HonLLD(Strath, Aberd), FREng FRSE, FREng, FIEE, FRAeS, FRSGS, CIMgt. Born 6 August 1922. Elected FRSE 1972. Died 18 October 2011

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Anne Laura McLaren 26 April 1927 - 7 July 2007 First published in The Guardian, 10 July 2007 Reproduced with permission of The Guardian

Dame Anne McLaren, who has postgraduate years at Oxford, she died aged 80 in a car accident worked under JBS Haldane, Peter while travelling with her former Medawar and Kingsley Sanders, husband Donald Michie from and in 1952 obtained her DPhil. Cambridge to London, was one of The topic of her thesis concerned Britain’s leading scientists in the murine neurotropic viruses, which fields of mammalian reproductive she studied under Sanders, and in and developmental biology and the same year that she obtained genetics. her doctorate she married Donald Her research in the basic science Michie. They then worked togeth- underlying the treatment of er at University College London infertility helped develop several (1952-55) and at the Royal human-assisted reproduction Veterinary College, London (1955- techniques. Her work also helped 59). During this period they were further recognition of the impor- interested in the nature versus tance of stem cells in the nurture problem, studying the treatment of human disease. As effect of the maternal environ- she put it, she was interested in ment in mice on the number of “everything involved in getting lumbar vertebrae. from one generation to the next”. This work led them to take an Both of these areas raise serious interest in the technique of ethical issues, and Anne was a embryo transfer and implantation, leading contributor to the debates and in collaboration with me, in in the UK needed to develop showing it was possible to culture acceptable public policy regulat- mouse embryos in a test tube and ing them. Among her many obtain live young after placing honours, she was the first woman them in the uterus of a surrogate to hold office as vice-president mother. In 1959 Anne and Donald and foreign secretary in the more were divorced, although they both than 300-year-old Royal Society. moved to Edinburgh. Anne Anne was the daughter of Henry continued her work on mammali- McLaren, 2nd Baron Aberconway, an fertility, embryo transfer and Christabel McNaughten. The techniques, immunocontraception family had homes in London and and the mixing of early embryos Bodnant, north Wales, and she to form chimeras (organisms gained a zoology degree at Lady consisting of two or more geneti- Margaret Hall, Oxford. During cally different kinds of tissue) at

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the Institute of Animal Genetics. stem cells and the use of thera- Her book on chimeras, published peutic cloning. in 1976, is a classic in the field. Anne remained very informal, In 1974 she became the director unpretentious and approachable of the Medical Research Council even after she had acquired a mammalian development unit at wide international scientific University College London. It was reputation. Her visits to research there that she developed her laboratories were always popular enduring interest in the develop- with even the shyest of graduate ment differentiation of students and postdoctoral mammalian primordial germ cells. fellows. After willingly listening to She wrote another classic book, a description of their research this time on Germ Cells and projects, she would quickly Soma, in 1980. After retirement identify the salient problems and from the Medical Research come up with valuable sugges- Council in 1992, she became tions. She always conveyed the principal research associate at the feeling that research is fun. Welcome Trust/Cancer Research Her hospitality was renowned, UK Gurdon Institute in Cam- and many visitors to London bridge, a position she held at the stayed in her house. She was an time of her death. During her avid football fan, and when any career she was an author of more international match was on than 300 papers. television it was a waste of time Many of the areas in which Anne trying to talk to her. worked are associated with Anne was also a great communi- serious ethical issues. One of her cator. She became known as a principal contributions was as a fascinating lecturer and had many member of the Warnock Commit- invitations to speak at meetings tee, which produced a white all over the world. Her thoughts paper that played a major role in were always clearly presented in the passage of the 1987 Family perfectly enunciated English, and Law Reform Act and the 1990 she was a “natural” on television. Human Fertilisation and Embryol- She interviewed the philosopher ogy Act. The latter established the Bertrand Russell with ease, and on Human Fertilisation and Embryol- another occasion when she ogy Authority, on which Anne explained that she and I had served for 10 years. More recently successfully cultured mouse she had been participating in the embryos in a test tube and discussions on the ethical issues produced young after putting involved in developing embryonic them into the uterus of surrogate

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mothers, she had a white mouse 1986 a fellow of the Royal running up and down her arm. College of Obstetricians and She was always concerned that Gynaecologists, and in 1993 she science be explained simply but was made a DBE. She was also accurately to the public. Frequent- president of the Society for the ly she would come out with a Study of Fertility, president of the succinct statement such as: Society of Developmental Biology, “When the embryo is outside the president of the British Associa- woman’s body, genetics tells us tion for the Advancement of that father and mother have equal Science in 1993-94, and fellow of rights. When the embryo is inside King’s College, Cambridge, from the body, physiology tells us that 1992 to 1996. At the time of her the woman’s right is paramount.” death she was a member of the European group on ethics that Politically Anne was a liberal. advises the European Commission During the early stages of the cold on the social and ethical implica- war she and Donald kept in active tions of new technologies. contact with scientists behind the Among her many awards were the iron curtain. For a while they were Scientific Medal of the Zoological penalised by being denied Society of London (1967), the entrance to the US. The barrier Pioneer Award of the Internation- was finally overcome when the US al Fertility Society (1988, with government wanted her advice on Donald Michie) and the Royal several committees, including one Medal of the Royal Society (1990). relating to Nasa. A symposium attended by close Anne never felt she was discrimi- friends and colleagues was held in nated against as a woman, Cambridge in April on the although she was aware of the occasion of her 80th birthday. She problem. In an interview in was an inspiring colleague, and Cambridge for the Association for my oldest, dearest friend. Women in Science and Engineer- ing (AWiSE), of which she was Although her marriage to Donald president, she said: “When I was was dissolved, they remained young I never thought of myself good friends, taking regular as a woman scientist, just as a holidays with their children. She scientist, and as a woman. There leaves her son Jonathan, two was no statutory maternity leave, daughters, Susan and Caroline, we just had children and got on and stepson Chris from Donald’s with things as best we could.” first marriage. She received innumerable hon- Mary Warnock writes: I have never ours. In 1975 she was elected a enjoyed working with anyone fellow of the Royal Society, in more than with Anne McLaren.

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For me and the other “lay” fears escalated, and our deadline members of the committee of approached. inquiry set up by government in She described herself as an ethical 1982 to examine the then new ignoramus, and was sometimes technique of in vitro fertilisation amazed by the passions her work and related questions, she was an among the pregnant mice seemed indispensable teacher and guide. to arouse. But her judgment was She taught me what a true always listened to with respect. scientist should be: a combination We continued to work closely of vision and caution, of enthusi- together in the six years that asm and a strict demand for elapsed between the publication evidence. Above all, she had of our report in 1984 and the patience, not only with the slow legislation that incorporated it. In progress of scientific proof, but those years she always seemed to with the ignorance of her pupils. find time for us to address groups She was also a model of good of MPs, students or members of sense, a rock in the increasingly local women’s institutes. Our fraught atmosphere of the double act was not only informa- committee, as our differences tive, but always, for me, enormous emerged, our sometimes irrational fun.

Anne Laura Dorinthea McLaren, DBE, FRS, FRCOG. DPhil(Oxon), HonDSc (Edin,Cantab,York). Born 26 April 1927. Elected FRSE 1971. Died July 7 2007

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Donald Michie 11 November 1923 – 7 July 2007 First published in The Guardian 20 July 2007 Reproduced with permission of The Guardian

Professor Donald Michie and his romantic” behind enemy lines in former wife Dame Anne McLaren, China, Donald attempted to enrol distinguished scientists in sepa- on a Japanese language course rate fields that overlapped at one for intelligence officers. On arrival point, have died together in a car at the School of Codes and accident; Donald was 83. Ciphers in Bedford, he was told He made contributions of crucial that the course was full, and international significance in three decided instead to take up distinct fields of endeavour. training in cryptography. A fast During the second world war, he learner, he was soon recruited to developed code-breaking tech- Bletchley Park in Buckingham- niques which led to effective shire, and was assigned to the automatic deciphering of German “Testery”, a section working on high-level ciphers. In the 1950s, solving the German high-level he worked with Anne on pioneer- teleprinter cipher, code-named ing techniques which were Fish. fundamental in the development Owing to recent declassification, it of in vitro fertilisation. Donald is now clear how profoundly subsequently became one of the important Donald’s wartime founders of the field of artificial research was. In April 1944 he intelligence, an area to which he invented a technique for using the devoted the remainder of his Colossus computer, developed at academic career. It was within this Bletchley, to automatically decode field that I came to know Donald the secondary wheel of the as an inspirational supervisor of Lorentz machine, which the my PhD at Edinburgh - not only Germans used for encoding Fish. insightful, forceful and even The innovation, tested by Donald heroic, but possessing a wicked and Jack Good, endowed the sense of humour. machine with a degree of general- Donald was born in Rangoon. He purpose programmability and led attended Rugby school and was to a radical last-minute enhance- awarded an open scholarship to ment in the construction of study classics at Balliol College, Colossus II. The results were Oxford, in 1942. dramatic. Texts which previously In 1943, inspired by his father to had taken days to decipher could do “something unspecified but now be completed in hours,

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allowing repeated effective University and then at Edinburgh. interception of enemy attacks. Donald and Anne were divorced During this period at Bletchley, in 1959. Donald held frequent lunchtime While working at the department discussions with Alan Turing on of surgical science in Edinburgh, the possibility of building compu- Donald co-wrote one of the first ter programs that would display introductory textbooks on the intelligence. Before the war, new science of molecular biology. Turing had developed the mathe- However, his heart and mind were matical basis for modern digital already elsewhere. From 1960, his computation, and was applying attention returned to his wartime the principles he had developed in discussions with Turing, and in the decoding efforts at Bletchley. particular the question of whether Both Donald and Turing were computers could be programmed interested in programming to learn from experience. computers to play chess, as well as For demonstration purposes, he developing programs which could developed a noughts-and-crosses learn automatically from experi- playing machine called Menace, ence. for which he developed a general- Following the end of the war, purpose learning algorithm called Donald decided to take up his Boxes. Since no computers were offer from Oxford. His wartime then available to him, he hand- experience had diverted his former simulated the Boxes algorithm, interest in classics into a passion using a device made from an to study science. Supported by a assembly of matchboxes. By 1963, Balliol College war memorial Donald had assembled a small studentship, he received his MA in artificial-intelligence research human anatomy and physiology group at Hope Park Square in in 1949. During his subsequent Edinburgh. With the support of DPhil degree at Oxford, Donald the Edinburgh vice-chancellor, Sir put his boyhood hobby of Edward Appleton, Donald breeding pet mice to work in a established the experimental series of genetic studies published programming unit in 1965. in the journal Nature. In 1966 he was joined in Edin- In Oxford, he married his fellow burgh by Richard Gregory and student Anne McLaren in 1952. Christopher Longuet-Higgins, The following year, he received his both interested in the develop- DPhil in mammalian genetics and ment of a brain research institute. went on to work with Anne on The following year, he was techniques related to in vitro appointed to a personal chair of fertilisation, first at London machine intelligence and became

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the first director of the depart- The robot program was discontin- ment of machine intelligence and ued with knock-on effects for perception. similar research programs in the The period up to 1973 is widely US. The resulting dissolution of perceived as one of the most Donald’s research group in fertile in the history of artificial Edinburgh left him isolated in the intelligence research, and its research unit. There he continued history is documented by the his research studies into computer frequently cited Machine Intelli- chess and machine learning for gence book series of which the remainder of the 1970s. Donald was editor. By the early 1980s, automated His crowning achievement was the assembly robots in Japan were development, under a team he outstripping traditional methods led, of Freddy II, the world’s first of manufacturing in other demonstration of a laboratory countries including the UK. robot capable of using computer Additionally, computer systems vision feedback in assembling which imitated the decision- complex objects from a heap of making of human experts were parts. Unfortunately, a series of becoming increasingly successful. events conspired to bring this As a consequence, governments period of rapid achievement to an in the UK, Europe and US resumed end. large-scale funding of artificial- intelligence projects in response Disagreements concerning the to the Japanese Fifth Generation priorities of the field broke out project. between Donald, Longuet-Higgins and Gregory. At the same time, In 1986, as head of the Turing the growing economic crisis at the Trust in Cambridge, Donald beginning of the 1970s was founded the Turing Institute in cutting into the budget of the Glasgow, in honour of his former Science Research Council, which colleague’s key contributions to was starting to look for savings. the field. Under Donald’s leadership, the institute conducted Sir James Lighthill, a well-known advanced, industrially oriented British fluid dynamicist, was research in machine learning, commissioned by the Science robotics and computer vision. Research Council to analyse the prospects for the high-cost Following his retirement in the robotics project in Edinburgh. The early 1990s, he continued actively resulting report, published in in research on machine learning 1973, called a halt to artificial with his third wife, Jean Hayes- intelligence research in all but two Michie. They had married in 1971, areas.

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but she died from cancer in 2002, Donald is survived by his son after which he resumed his Chris, from his first marriage, and friendship with Anne. His first by his daughters Susan and marriage, to Zena Davies, had Caroline and son Jonathan from ended in divorce in 1949. his marriage to Anne.

Donald Michie, MA, DPhil, DSc(Oxon), HonDSc(NCAA, Salford, Aberd), HonDUniv(Stir). Born 11 November 1923. Elected FRSE 1969. Died July 7 2007

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Bruce Millan 5 October 1927 – 21 February 2013 First published in The Independent, 27 February 2013 Reproduced by permission of The Independent

That Bruce Millan, a Defence mined that teachers’ pay and Minister, Secretary of State for conditions should be a govern- Scotland and a well-regarded and ment priority. effective British Commissioner in As war ended Millan trained in Brussels, chose not to go to the the Royal Signals and was posted House of Lords says a lot about to Graz and Klagenfurt in Austria. this modest, principled, intelligent As an EEC Commissioner he and committed Labour politician. recalled that though he did not He preferred to return to Glasgow, really enjoy National Service his where he had been one of the time in Austria had given him city’s MPs. insights into European culture. He had a quality rare among When Millan was 24 Will Mar- politicians – lack of rancour. As shall, the canny and Secretary of State for Scotland talent-spotting Fife miners’ leader, from 1976-79 he was the minister recommended him to the West tasked with getting the 1978-79 Renfrewshire constituency to Scotland Bill through the House. contest the 1951 Election. After Doubtless exasperated by me, and the count, the victorious (and other stalwarts of Labour’s Vote generous) Jack Mackay said he No campaign, Millan might have had been impressed by his young been bitter and acerbic, but he adversary, adding, “One day you maintained his impeccable may well be Secretary of State for manners and decent relations Scotland.” with colleagues determined to In 1950 Millan qualified as a scupper the devolution policy. chartered accountant, and thanks He was the son of David Millan, a to his good professional reputa- roadsweeper, dustman, long- tion he was chosen to contest the shoreman and caulker in the marginal seat of Glasgow Dundee shipyard, who endured Craigton, losing narrowly to the periods of unemployment. The Scottish Office Minister of State J eldest of three brothers, he was Nixon Browne. He turned the brought up in a two-room tables in the most keenly contest- tenement. He never forgot what ed of the Scottish seats in 1959, he owed to dedicated teachers at by 19,649 votes to Nixon his primary school, Rockwell, and Browne’s 19,047. By 1964 he had Harris Academy, and was deter- a majority of 6,247.

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He was appointed Parliamentary ensure that he was not going to Secretary at the Ministry of increase the danger to health and Defence, with responsibility for social conditions that excessive the RAF. In the autumn of 1965 a drinking had already brought to flight-sergeant whose family lived Scottish families. in my West Lothian constituency One of Millan’s causes was fell into deep trouble at RAF equality for women, but his main Gütersloh; it was typical of Millan priorities were jobs and devolu- that on his next visit to BAOR he tion. He was a very private person, went to Gütersloh to ascertain the and I am not at all sure what were facts, and on his return, ever his thoughts about a Scottish courteous, he confronted the Air parliament; in every public Marshals, who acknowledged that utterance he was loyal to Labour they had been over-hasty in policy, and to the minister in day- rubber-stamping the station to-day charge of the Scotland Bill, commander’s decision. John Smith. The Scotsman in In 1966 he was promoted to September 1976 reported that he Minister of State at the Scottish had appealed to an international Office, enjoying excellent relations gathering of economists for help with the Secretary of State, the in solving the “difficult problem” formidable Willie Ross. In 1976, of financing a Scottish Assembly. when Wilson dramatically re- The chartered accountant in him signed, Ross went to the had a clear inkling of the prob- incoming James Callaghan and lems of dismantling the UK tax told him, “Jim, if you appoint regime, problems which rumble Dickson Mabon as my successor, I on to the present day. After an will make you sack me. If you opt SNP government was formed, I for Bruce Millan, I will resign with asked, “Bruce, do you have total goodwill.” This was awk- regrets?” He replied, “I’m dis- ward, since Mabon had been one mayed, but not surprised – and I of Callaghan key campaign think, Tam, that you and I should managers. But Millan it was. leave it at that.” At the top of Millan’s intray was The some-time Permanent the thorny issue of Sunday Secretary at the Scottish Office, Sir drinking. He was not a teetotaller, William Kerr Fraser, told me, “The and said “I enjoy a whisky and Civil Service regarded Bruce Millan other things, and I’m prepared to as a man of great integrity. We got listen to the opinions presented on well, in circumstances which to the Government about open- were not easy. Once he had said ing pubs on Sunday, but I’ll need ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ we knew that that a lot of convincing.” He wanted to was the firm decision. Civil

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servants value decisive ministers – tion of Mental Health, whose then but, unlike ministers nowadays, Chair, Lady Marion Fraser, recalled Millan had a crystal-clear and him as “immensely caring in a proper idea of the respective roles quiet way, immensely well-versed of ministers and civil servants.” in the problems he was confront- In 1988, required to nominate a ing, both on the human side and European Commissioner from the the medical side.” He was the Labour Party, Margaret Thatcher obvious choice in 1999 as chair of chose Millan. Sir Julian Priestley, a committee established to Secretary General of the European conduct a review of Scotland’s Parliament from 1997-2007, held mental health legislation. The Millan in the highest regard. “He “Millan Committee”, as it became initiated the move from a tokenist known, recommended numerous approach to supporting structural changes to legislation, practice development in the regions to a and procedures, proposing, for position in which structural example, to extend the definition development became a major of “nearest relative”, This was instrument of economic develop- encapsulated in the Adults with ment, particularly in new member Incapacity (Scotland) Bill, which states. Whatever the current allowed couples in same-sex problems of Spain and Portugal, relationships to act as legal just look at their roads, and other guardians of partners who superb infrastructure. That is the become incapacitated. legacy of Bruce Millan.” He married Gwen Fairey in 1953; On retirement from the EC, Millan their daughter Liz became a senior returned to Glasgow, serving as social worker, while their son Convenor of the charity Children Mark became a research scientist in Scotland and as a member of in animal behaviour at Cam- the Board of the Scottish Associa- bridge. Tam Dalyell

Bruce Millan, HonLLD(Dund, Abert, Glas), HonDLitt(H-W), HonFellow(Pais), DUniv(Athens Panteios, Sheffield Hallam), PC, HonFRSE. Born 5 October 1927. Elected Hon FRSE 1995. Died 21 February 2013.

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Desmond Misselbrook 28 May 1913 – 5 March 2005 First published in The Independent, 23 March 2005 Reproduced with permission from The Independent My first encounter with Desmond cryogenic on both sides. Yet, as Misselbrook could not have been we began to work together, more inauspicious. relations thawed, and within In 1972, I was the 10-year-old (in months Eadie and I realised that parliamentary terms) MP for West we were dealing with a heavy- Lothian, representing two-fifths of weight, who won our respect, and the infant new town of Livingston. soon our friendship. The Chairman of Livingston If the new town of Livingston is a Development Corporation was a success today - and it is more senior Glasgow councillor and successful than most new towns - solicitor, Bill Taylor, appointed by it owes much to the steely good Willie Ross, Harold Wilson’s sense of Desmond Misselbrook, Secretary of State for Scotland, in and his six years’ chairmanship. 1965. Taylor was doing a good Not only did he build on the job, and, immersed in new town foundations laid by Taylor, and his plans, wished to continue. long-term General Manager, Unexpectedly, the incoming Brigadier Arthur Purches, but Conservative government declined through his American contacts he to reappoint Taylor, and put in his ensured the expansion of firms stead Desmond Misselbrook, from across the Atlantic, the most widely seen as a place man, and spectacular of which was the “one of their own”. Cameron Ironworks from Houston Alex Eadie, representing three- in Texas, who built the biggest fifths of the new town, and I forge in Western Europe. This exploded in public. We said that was, in turn, one of the major the actions of Gordon Campbell, contributors to the North Sea oil as Edward Heath’s Secretary of and gas industry, whose potential State, constituted political Misselbrook was one of the first vengeance, and that Misselbrook to identify. was a political appointee, singu- Desmond Misselbrook’s father larly inappropriate, for a Labour was a provision merchant in ex-shale-mining, coal-mining area. Hampshire who sent Misselbrook The hullabaloo dominated the to Chatham House, Ramsgate, press north of the border for and Bristol University, where he some days. won first class honours in Psychol- Eadie and I met Misselbrook. The ogy. Throughout the Second meeting was unsurprisingly World War he was a civilian,

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responsible for the selection of one of the first earnings- related naval officers and naval ratings for pension schemes in a major particular tasks. company. He set up BAT manage- In 1945, at the instigation of the ment training, which brought an Edinburgh University Vice- ethos of reason, order, and Chancellor Sir Edward Appleton, ultimate success to those who the Nobel prizewinner who gave passed through. Misselbrook was his name to the Rutherford a man regarded in BAT as of Appleton Laboratory, Misselbrook, phenomenal physical stamina. It along with his friend James was said that there had to be two Drever, later Vice-Chancellor of teams of employees dealing with Dundee University, set up the him, one from 6pm to 10pm and Applied Psychology Unit at another from 10pm to 2am, when Edinburgh. he would often end the evening with a cheerful “And just so that This was based on the idea of a we can clear our minds, one more teaching hospital and involved a Martini”. great deal of contact with industry, an accepted idea nowadays In 1969 he made the decision to but then most unusual. exchange life in the English stockbroker belt for that of a Misselbrook left Edinburgh Strathtay country gentleman. He because he wanted pastures new was an immensely successful and joined British-American chairman of Anderson Strathclyde, Tobacco, where he came to be 1974-77, makers of heavy regarded as both “a mind- reader equipment for the coal industry, and a witch doctor”. He devel- and of Seaforth Maritime, 1977- oped a scheme for worldwide 78, besides playing a key role as remuneration of BAT employees deputy chairman of Standard Life. so that there could be an easier transfer of staff. He inaugurated Tam Dalyell

Bertram Desmond Misselbrook, CBE. BA(Brist), HonDSc(Edin). FBPsS. Born 28 May 1913. Elected FRSE 1978. Died 5 March 2005

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John Murdoch Mitchison 11 June 1922 – 17 March 2011

J.M.Mitchison, invariably known Army, one of his responsibilities as Murdoch, had a long and being the daily production of distinguished career in the ‘Mud Reps’ to help with the University of Edinburgh, begin- deployment of armoured vehicles. ning in 1953. He was born in On demobilization Murdoch London into a remarkable family. returned to Cambridge to start a His father, Dick Mitchison, was a research career in the zoology Labour shadow cabinet member department. Cambridge at that in the 60s. His mother Naomi, was time was a hotbed of new ideas a distinguished writer and her and approaches to biology. The brother J.B.S.Haldane was one of new science of molecular biology, the key founders of modern whose primary interest was the genetics. Murdoch’s two brothers structure and function of macro- are also prominent biologists. molecules, was developing fast, As a boy, he won a scholarship to stimulated by researchers with Winchester which he enjoyed, backgrounds in physics and describing most of the teaching as chemistry. Murdoch interacted excellent. This led to a scholarship with several of these molecular at Trinity College, Cambridge to biologists but maintained his own read medicine. He finished his particular interest in the biology Tripos in 1941 but by that time of cells. The range of techniques was sure that he didn’t want to available for the study of living proceed further with medicine cells was quite limited at that even before he was recruited into time, However Murdoch’s skills Operational Research (OR) for the with machinery and knowledge of remainder of the war. OR incorpo- physics led him, in collaboration rated a number of bright young with Michael Swann, to build his scientists, some went to Bletchley own apparatus for investigating Park, others were set to investigat- the biophysical properties of cell ing diverse projects of military membranes. He was an excellent concern. Murdoch was involved microscopist and their studies on with gunnery, the calculation of dividing sea urchin eggs revealed range tables, the armour plating major changes in membrane of tanks and – as he related it - stiffness during the first cleavage somewhat hilarious research into division after fertilization. This was the viscosity of mud. He ended the related to ideas about the mecha- war in northern Italy with the 8th nism of cleavage and in turn led

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to Murdoch’s interest in the cell He began to study in detail the division cycle. This field, in which way in which cells grew – their he became a world leader, was to pattern of mass increase between occupy him in one way or another one division and the next. After for the rest of his life. preliminary studies with several During the 1950s Edinburgh microorganisms, he settled on made some important new studying the fission yeast appointments in biology. Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Its C.H.Waddington came to the cells were larger and easier to Chair of Genetics, followed by study than those of bacteria and Michael Swann to Natural History had another key advantage. They who soon persuaded Murdoch to grow by linear extension and join him in 1953. He was joining divide by medial fission. This at a time of exciting new develop- meant that any pattern by which ments in cell biology and in a growth occurred could be simply University which was itself measured by rate of length growing with a number of young increase. Correspondingly the staff. It was also a very friendly position of an individual cell in place which was well-suited to the division cycle could be Murdoch and his wife Rosalind determined by a simple length (Rowy) an economic historian measurement. Additionally, it whose History of Scotland (1st allowed Murdoch and his long- edn.1970) has been a landmark in term collaborator Jim Creanor to the field. The Mitchison family – 3 make cultures of cells that divided daughters and a son - soon synchronously by selecting small became important members of cells from a growing population the University community and and allowing them to grow on. beyond. They were generous and This procedure enabled them to hospitable to a fault and a study how growth, the pattern of generation of young lecturers and macromolecular synthesis and research workers gained much metabolic activity changed during from their friendship and support. the cell cycle. In later studies it became important that the fission Murdoch rapidly picked up his yeast cells, unlike those of research programme in Edinburgh bacteria, are those of a eukaryote, where he was appointed to the i.e. those with a nucleus and resuscitated Chair of Zoology. The individual chromosomes like all importance his research was plants and animals. They thus recognized by election to the offer a good model for studies on Royal Society of Edinburgh in advanced organisms. 1966 and to the Royal Society of London in 1978.

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Murdoch’s ideas about the cell ideas that were developing about cycle were presented comprehen- cell cycle control at the time. He sively in his “Biology of the Cell was a generous lab head: in spite Cycle” (1971) a hugely influential of the time he spent in discussion, book which brought new interest only rarely did he ask for his name to the field and influenced a great to be included on the author list deal of subsequent research. He of publications, because he felt proposed the idea of a “growth his contribution was not enough cycle” which was largely inde- to warrant it. pendent of the major events of All this active research life went on the cell cycle such as DNA replica- in parallel with the extensive tion and mitosis. He also raised administration as Head of a large the question of whether cell cycle and growing zoology department. progress was determined by a Nor was his active support of master timer or by a dependent research and teaching confined to sequence of events. his own research area at the One chapter in the book was cellular end of biology. Under his about the control of cell division, leadership the zoology depart- an interest shared by young ment flourished in several researchers such as Paul Nurse, branches of this very broad field. Kim Nasmyth and Peter Fantes Murdoch was involved with when they joined his lab in the numerous professional organiza- first half of the 1970s. The tions here and internationally. He elongation of S. pombe cells served on the then Science during the cell cycle had been Research Council and was a observed to continue when its founder Board member of the progress was blocked with Royal Commission on Pollution. inhibitors and this gave Paul He played a significant part in the Nurse the idea of isolating University of Edinburgh’s adminis- mutants conditionally defective in tration at a time when academics cell cycle progress by searching for played a much bigger role than abnormally elongated cells. After now. He twice served on the leaving Murdoch’s group further University Court, once during that progress on the genetic control of particularly intriguing time when cell division led to Nurse’s Nobel Gordon Brown then a student, Prize in 2001. having been elected as Rector, Murdoch always led an excellent chose to exercise the Rector’s and friendly research group. He prerogative and chair the Court’s would spend long periods talking meetings. Murdoch enjoyed detail in the lab and his infectious and for many years skillfully enthusiasm added greatly to the chaired the University’s Works and

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Buildings Committee concerned that first Superintendent - Geoff with the development and Brooks - who, with the long line maintenance of the University’s of grounds staff who have huge and scattered estate. He followed since, have transformed knew this estate well and was the environment especially of concerned with its environment as King’s Buildings, George Square well as its buildings. Having and the Pollock Halls. Their work always been a devoted and highly contributes enormously to the knowledgeable gardener, one of quality of life of all who work in his master strokes was to per- the University. For many of us this suade the University to appoint a is one recurring memorial to a ‘Superintendent of Grounds’. He great colleague. watched over and discussed Aubrey Manning, Peter Fantes landscapes and plantings with

John Murdoch Mitchison, MA, PhD, ScD(Cantab). FSB, FRS, MemAcadEuro. Born 11 June 1922. Elected FRSE 1966. Died 17 March 2011

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Rosalind Mary Mitchison 11 April 1919 – 20 September 2002 First published in The Independent 21 September 2002 Reproduced by permission of The Independent Rosalind Mitchison was a pioneer- him she learnt to concentrate on ing social historian who opened the details of history. up a new world of social mores in In 1947 she married John Murdo- th th the Scotland of the 18 and 19 ch Mitchison – later Professor of centuries. She can be called the Zoology at Edinburgh University – first historian of “sinners” and of one of the enormously talented the poor in Scotland. scientific sons of Naomi Mitchison Most of her academic career was and the Labour MP Dick Mitchison spent at Edinburgh University, and a nephew of J B S Haldane. where her last post was as Their relationship was deeply Professor of Social History. One of close and, curiously, as much that her students, the Chancellor of of a brother and sister as man and the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, wife. Rowy Mitchison not only remembers her “not just as a created a secure and intellectually great writer but as a great teacher stimulating home, but raised four too – full of energy, ideas, inter- children, all of whom have esting information and become prominent. I remember challenging theories. History came vividly the Monopoly set of alive in her presence.” Edinburgh that they had devised, She was born Rosalind Mary now something available commer- Wrong in Manchester in 1919, cially in the shops but back then one of three talented daughters in the Sixties it had been meticu- of Edwin Wrong, a historian at lously drawn out with all the right Oxford who died before Rosalind social implications of Morningside was 10. He had followed in his and Gorgie on the board. father’s footsteps: George Wrong After Murdoch Mitchison was was a distinguished Canadian appointed to a lecturership at historian. After Channing School Edinburgh in 1953, and the family at Highgate, London, Rosalind moved north of the border, Rowy went to Lady Margaret Hall in developed an interest in Scottish Oxford to read History, and in history, starting part-time in the 1943 became an assistant lecturer Department of Economic History at Manchester University where under Professor A J Youngson. the presiding genius was sir Lewis Once her children had grown up, Namier. She was to emphasise her Mitchison began to produce a debt to Namier and those around remarkable stream of publica- him throughout her life – from tions, beginning in 1952 with an

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original work called Agricultural Mitchison was always interested Sir John: the life of Sir John in demographic change and her Sinclair of Ulbster. Eight years later study, British Population Change she wrote A History of Scotland: it Since 1860 (1977), established opens with the instruction “Go her as an important scholar. In and stand on the Castle Rock of 1978 her Life in Scotland pro- Stirling and look about you. That duced a new perspective on the is the quickest way to compre- history of the poor. It was fol- hend the basic features that have lowed in 1983 by Lordship to dictated Scottish history”. The Patronage: Scotland 1603-1745. book remains one of the required She had a passionate interest in text books for undergraduates the position of women, and serious about Scottish history: a particularly in their continued use third edition was published this of abilities and intellect within the year. family, combining independent According to Professor Christo- thought with the old-fashioned pher Smout, Historiographer to values of nurturing the young. Her the Queen in Scotland, Sexuality and Social Control 1660- Mitchison’s contributions to 1780, co-authored with Leah Scottish history “were outstand- Leneman, was a classic – a revised ing, and a breath of fresh air”. edition appeared in 1998 as Sin in He says the City. “They ranged from political and In 1991 she produced Coping economic history to biography with Destitution: poverty and and very pioneering demographic relief in Western Europe. Her work and price history. But what The Old Poor Law in Scotland: the became her real passion was the experience of poverty, 1574-1845 exploration of the lives of ordinary (2000) would have been remarka- people, seen through the Kirk ble scholarship of anybody, let Session records, which led her alone an octogenarian. into studies of marriage and her Mitchison’s strength was meticu- last, notable book on the Poor lous, Namier-like attention to Law. detail; her achievement was much new important information on the Her much read History of Scotland social and economic life of showed her mastery of narrative in Scotland. which everything came together. She will be long remembered for My wife Kathleen and I first met her common sense, humour and Rowy Mitchison in 1966, at the depth of scholarship”. golden wedding of her mother- and father-in-law. This was a great clan gathering, one of several over

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the years where the Mitchisons Our abiding memory of Rowy turned up in force. Rowy’s home Mitchison is of walking the in Dovecote Road in Edinburgh Scottish hills, and of being the was the perfect setting, with its recipients of her incredible powers lovely drawing room, windows at of observation of both the built either end, looking out to a and the natural environment. beautifully romantic garden. Rowy Tam Dalyell seemed a Mitchison as much by blood as by marriage.

Rosalind Mary Mitchison, MA(Oxon), HonDLitt. FRHistS, FRSE. Born 11 April 1919. Elected FRSE 1994. Died 20 September 2002,

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Alec Leonard Panchen 4 October 1930 – 17 January 2013

Alec Panchen died on 17January Although Alec published his first 2013 in Newcastle upon Tyne, the paper in 1951 while still an city in which he spent most of his undergraduate, it took him a working life. while to identify a research area Alec was born on 4 October 1930 that he could make his own in the City of London. After his following his postgraduate early education at the Trinity studies. Eventually he settled on School of John Whitgift in the collection of Coal Measures Croydon, Surry, he became a amphibians in the Hancock student at Selwyn College, Museum in Newcastle upon Tyne, University of Cambridge. He which had been neglected since graduated in Zoology in 1953 and DMS Watson’s work in the 1920s. received his PhD in 1957 for In 1964 Alec published the first of research on an unusual temno- a series of monographs in the spondyl amphibian from the Philosophical Transactions of the Permian of Tanzania, collected by Royal Society of London, on the his supervisor Rex Parrington. The Carboniferous members of a previous year Alec had been group of early tetrapods, the appointed as a Demonstrator in anthracosaurs, which at the time the Department of Zoology at the were considered to be close to the future University of Newcastle origin of amniotes. Using modern upon Tyne. He became Lecturer in preparatory techniques, most Vertebrate Zoology in 1960 and notably the industrial airbrasive Reader in 1972. Between1963-64 machine, Alec revealed anatomical Alec was a Senior Fulbright details never seen before, and in Scholar and temporary Assistant his beautifully illustrated descrip- Professor of Zoology at Ohio tions he set a bench mark that his Wesleyan University, Delaware, research students have since Ohio, and in 1980 he enjoyed a struggled to match. six month position as Visiting Ironically, as Alec became the Zoologist at Monash University, established authority on anthraco- Melbourne, Australia. After saurs he began to doubt their retirement in 1993 he was close affinity to amniotes. He set appointed to an Honorary Visiting out his concerns in his contribu- Professorship at the University of tion to the Parrington Festchrift Sunderland. published in 1972, and came very near to suggesting that micro-

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saurs were as likely to be the nite zonation at Watchet and the closest amphibian relatives of challenges of finding fossils in the amniotes as the anthracosaurs. fissure fills in the Mendip Hills. Today, no one would be too Many of the final year undergrad- concerned at such a proposal but uate research projects Alec at the time it was a major depar- supervised were based on material ture from the established view, collected on the field course, most and his natural caution prevented notably the fossils in the Rhaetic him from being so bold. He Bonebed which proved to be the returned to the question of apprentice piece for three of his amniote origins on numerous later PhD students. occasions, and we wrote about it Alec was an inspiring and enthusi- together first in 1988 and again astic teacher. His lectures were in 1994. In recognition of his always thoroughly prepared, outstanding published work, Alec engaging and challenging. As was awarded an ScD by the well as his final year course on University of Cambridge. He was vertebrate evolution, he gave elected to this society in 1991 and lectures on genetics, human in 1999 was elected an Honorary origins and evolutionary theory, Life Member of the Society of and in later years ran a seminar Vertebrate Palaeontology in the series on the history and philoso- United States. phy of natural science. Alec took Alec was an enthusiastic field a keen interest in evolution and naturalist who particularly enjoyed development and the latest piece bird watching and collecting and by Stephen J Gould in Natural photographing butterflies. History was often the basis of an Between 1973 and 1978 he animated discussion in the undertook field trips to Corsica, departmental ‘Tea Room’. He Kenya, Tanzania and Sarawak to coupled this with a professional study butterfly ecology, mimicry interest in the methods of and clinal polymorphism. For a classification and phylogeny number of years he ran a very reconstruction and he enjoyed the successful palaeontology field cut and thrust of the argument course for second year undergrad- during the early days of ‘cladism’. uates based at the Leonard Wills Many of these intellectual themes Field Centre in Somerset. As well were combined in his book as collecting and identifying Classification, evolution and the fossils from the Triassic and nature of biology published by Jurassic rocks of the north Cambridge University Press in Somerset coast, he introduced 1992. students to the rigour of ammo-

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Alec was a modest man, quite Carboniferous tetrapods to reserved and naturally cautious, marine reptiles and butterfly but unexpectedly he was prepared genetics. Most of us were able to to take risks when selecting contribute to his Festchrift research students and appointing published in the Zoological staff. Fortunately, for all con- Journal of the Linnean Society in cerned, his judgement was always 1998. This includes a comprehen- sound. Perhaps his boldest sive synopsis of Alec’s career by decision was to give Stan Wood Andrew and Angela Milner and a his first job in palaeontology in complete bibliography of his 1976, shortly after Stan had publications. discovered tetrapods and other In a career spanning more than 40 vertebrate fossils at the Dora open years Alec laid the modern cast site near Cowdenbeath in foundations of the study of Scotland. They worked together Palaeozoic tetrapods in the UK for three years and Stan was and supervised, supported and always the first to say that he encouraged a new generation of would not have gone on to make vertebrate palaeontologists at the his discoveries at Bearsden, East start of their careers. Kirkton and in the Scottish This is an expanded version of an Borders had it not been for Alec’s Obituary published in 2013 in The support at the start of his collect- Palaeontological Association ing career. In all, Alec supervised Newsletter Number 82. 10 PhD students, whose topics ranged from Palaeozoic fishes and Tim Smithson

Alec Leonard Panchen, MA, PhD, ScD(Cantab). FSB, FRSE. Born 30 October 1930. Elected FRSE 1991. Died 17 January 2013

396 Obituary Notices

Edward McWilliam Patterson 30 July 1926 – 5 April 2013

Edward Patterson held the Chair written in 1949, laid the founda- of Mathematics in the University tions for his first research topic. of Aberdeen for 30 years. He He then spent the years 1949- established an international 1951 as a Demonstrator at the reputation through his research in University of Sheffield. differential geometry, topology In August 1950, he married Joan and algebra and also through Maddick, who was also from three text books which he wrote Yorkshire, in her home town of or co-authored. Goole. Joan was also a mathema- As Head of the Department of tician, having graduated in Mathematics, he guided it mathematics from the University successfully through several of Leeds. Edward and Joan then difficult periods. He had a reputa- moved to the University of St tion amongst the students as Andrews, following Edwards’s being tough, fair, but always appointment as a lecturer there available and approachable. He for the period 1951-56 and where will be remembered as a first class he worked closely with Professor researcher, teacher and adminis- Dan Rutherford, FRSE. It was in St trator and also for his untiring Andrews that their only child, energy and skill in the wide range Christine, was born. She is of duties that he undertook presently on the staff of the Edward McWilliam Patterson was University of Edinburgh. After this born on 30th July 1926 in Whitby, spell at St Andrews, the family Yorkshire. His parents were moved back to the University of originally from Northern Ireland, Leeds for a further three years his father, Samuel Patterson, a where Edward held a lectureship. police sergeant and his mother, Edward came to the University of Emily Wright, a school teacher. He Aberdeen in 1959 as a senior went to Lady Lumley’s school in lecturer and, in the same year, was Pickering and then, in the 1940s, elected Fellow of the Royal Society won a scholarship to the Universi- of Edinburgh. In 1965, he became ty of Leeds, where he completed Professor of Mathematics in both his BSc and PhD degrees. In Aberdeen. He succeeded Professor Leeds, he studied for his PhD in Stanley Potter, FRSE as Head of differential geometry with department in Aberdeen at the Professor Harold Ruse, FRSE and beginning of 1974 and, together his thesis; “Riemannian spaces with Professor Potter, presided which admit a recurrent tensor”, over a time of significant expan-

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sion of the university and, in runs vigorously today. He also particular, of the Department of initiated and contributed to the Mathematics. He was to be Head Aberdeen series of Royal Institu- of Department (in rotation with tion Mathematics Masterclasses. Professor John Hubbuck, FRSE) on His efforts in each of these several occasions from then until directions continued well into his his retirement in 1989. One of his retirement. He was President of first duties was to organise the the Edinburgh Mathematical moving of the Department of Society from 1964-1965 and Mathematics from two large served as a Councillor for The interlinked houses (with their own Royal Society of Edinburgh from croquet lawn!) on the old King’s 1966-1968. He also served on the College quadrangle to the newly Council of The London Mathe- constructed Edward Wright matical Society and was on the Building, in 1975. Together with Council of the Institute of Mathe- Professor Hubbuck he was also matics and its Applications, acting involved in guiding the depart- as its Vice-President for 1973- ment (and the university) through 1974 (He had previously been the difficult times of the early elected a Fellow of the IMA in 1980s and in the merging of the 1964.) His untiring efforts in the separate Departments of Mathe- early 1980s were tragically matics and Statistics into the saddened by the premature death single Department of Mathemati- of his wife, in April 1981 after 30 cal Sciences, in 1989. years of happy marriage, a Edward Patterson served the wider bereavement which he bore with University of Aberdeen loyally and great fortitude. energetically, first in his capacity of Edward’s mathematical research Dean of Science from 1981-1984 work started in the late 1940s and and then as a member of the early 1950s when, amongst other University Court from 1984-1988. things, he studied the theory of He was also a faithful servant of recurrent tensor fields on mani- Scottish mathematics, being Chair folds and their generalisations, in of The Scottish Mathematical particular the theory of Ricci Council from 1974-1980. During recurrent spaces. This work, which this latter period, in 1976-77, he formed the basis of his PhD thesis, started the Scottish Mathematical originated with Professor Geoffrey Challenge competition (an annual Walker, FRS, FRSE and Edward’s mathematics competition for PhD supervisor, Ruse. While most Scottish school pupils) and of Edward’s papers on this subject devoted much of his time to were as sole author, he also wrote organising and leading the North at least one joint paper with section of it from Aberdeen. It still Walker. This work still continues

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amongst the mathematics and theory, publishing more work physics communities under several either alone or in collaboration guises, one of which is holonomy with Kentaro Yano. theory, and has found application The excellence of his work was to relativity theory and quantum recognised early on by the award mechanics. [Indeed, Walker’s early of the Makdougall-Brisbane prize ideas contributed greatly to the and medal by The Royal Society of theory of plane waves in Einstein’s Edinburgh for particular distinc- theory, and those of Ruse were of tion in the promotion of scientific importance in classification theory research, for the period 1960- in general relativity.] Whilst in St 1962. Apparently his wife Joan, Andrews in 1956, he published on reading the Scotsman at his book, Topology, which was breakfast one morning, informed one of the first of the modern him about this award, of which he books on this subject attempting was blissfully unaware! He spent to make it intelligible to general 1973 as a Royal Society Visiting mathematicians. One of the Professor at the University of problems it had to overcome was Malaya and, at this university, the proliferation of conventions together with universities in Hong that existed in the early days of Kong, Singapore, The West Indies topology. (To set this into histori- and in the UK, acted as external cal context, J.L.Kelley’s book, examiner. General Topology, was published Edward had a very good reputa- in 1955.) Edward’s book went tion as a teacher, being a clear through several editions and expositor and a tough tutor who translations and has an impor- was not to be trifled with. He tance well beyond its modest 128 insisted on the maintenance of pages. high standards and was always His research then turned to available for consultation with algebra and, in particular, ring staff and students alike, devoting theory and Lie algebras and these many hours to such matters. I were occupying his thoughts recall him asking me to take over when he arrived in Aberdeen. In his Junior Honours topology this period, he published the course in 1975 and discovering textbook, Elementary Abstract that it was, to say the least, non- Algebra (1965), in collaboration trivial. He understood students with Dan Rutherford, and also the well, from PhD students down to book, Vector Algebra (1968). In 12 year old school pupils attend- 1963, he translated the book, ing Mathematical Challenge, and Topological Spaces, by Claude they came to realise this and to Berge from the original French. He respect him accordingly. If Edward finally returned to manifold was considered “formal” by some

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students, this was only by way of Aberdeen for many years. (On one comparison with the large cohort occasion, during the last war, a of new staff members in mathe- lady in the village where he lived matics, some twenty years reported to the local police younger than him, who had been sergeant (who was Edward’s recently appointed (in the mid father) that a young man dressed 1970s) and who had long hair in a trenchcoat and armed with a and wore jeans! Another, more large gun had been spotted and amusing, recollection that springs was possibly a dangerous German to mind was his invitation, to all spy. It turned out to be Edward members of staff, to a dinner with his telescope!) He frequently party at his home one evening in attended my seminar on relativity 1978 (for which the only polite theory, his knowledge of differen- response was to accept). Unfortu- tial geometry adding much to the nately, it clashed with a rather discussion, and was especially important (televised) world cup supportive of my PhD students, football match involving Scotland. postdocs and academic visitors. To our eternal credit, we turned He had a love of music, was a out in force to what was a most keen pianist and enjoyed spend- enjoyable evening. ing time by the sea and walking in In September 1982, Edward the countryside. Through his love married Elizabeth Hunter, the of number theory, he had a latter having made her own fascination for numbers, especial- significant contribution to ly, according to reliable authority, mathematics in Aberdeen by her for vehicle registration plates! faithful service to that department Edward Patterson died peacefully, for many years first as senior in Aberdeen, on 5 April 2013. He secretary and then as administra- is survived by his widow, Elizabeth, tive assistant. Thus began a and daughter, Christine. His older second happy marriage, also brother, Professor Desmond lasting more than 30 years. Patterson, FRSE, predeceased him Edward Patterson’s range of by one month. interests was large. He was a keen The author acknowledges kind student of nature and, in particu- help from many sources and, in lar, of astronomy, meteorology particular, from Dr Christine and ornithology, and painstaking- Sinclair (nee Patterson) and Mrs ly kept accurate rainfall figures for Elizabeth Patterson. Graham Hall

Professor Edward McWilliam Patterson, BSc , PhD, born 30th July 1926, elected FRSE 1959, died 5th April 2013.

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Henry Desmond Patterson 17 July 1924 – 12 March 2013 First published by the Royal Statistical Society Reproduced with permission from the Royal Statistical Society Henry Desmond Patterson, or Frank Yates’s management style Desmond as he preferred to be was noted for being ‘light touch’, known, was born on July 17th, only insisting that papers which 1924, at Whitby, Yorkshire. His left the Department be vetted, and father was a policeman who invariably improved, by him. previously served in Newry, Desmond thrived under Yates’s Ireland, but transferred to York- leadership. He was encouraged to shire in the face of threats from study for a Master of Science Republican activists. degree in mathematics at the He was educated at grammar University of Leeds and Yates schools in Yorkshire and won a acted as his mentor more general- scholarship to study chemistry at ly for many years. the University of Leeds, even Much of his work in this period though his main interest was in was stimulated by problems mathematics. He graduated while arising from the analysis of data the Second World War was in from the long-term rotation progress and because of his experiments at Rothamsted and technical training was steered Woburn. Also developed at this towards a scientific role, initially in time was his interest in the design air pollution. He worked for a year of experiments with papers on as Assistant Experimental Of.cer at change-over designs where the Department of Scientific and sequences of treatments are Industrial Research’s Fuel Research applied to experimental units. Station in Greenwich. Some of this work was done in Coming across a book by Sir collaboration with H. L. Lucas Ronald Fisher inspired him to while visiting the University of write to the great man enquiring North Carolina, Raleigh. about a job at Rothamsted During this period he also made Experimental Station. Fisher no fundamental contributions to the longer worked there at that time mathematical understand-ing of but a reply came from Frank Yates complex surveys. Although in later who interviewed him and offered years he did not develop that side a job. He joined the staff at of his work as much as his Rothamsted’s Statistics Depart- research on the design of experiment in 1947. ments, his papers in the Royal Statistical Society’s jour-nals on

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the efficient design of repeated increasing crop yields world wide. surveys of the same population By the 1970s improvements in are still regularly cited as funda- statistical practices in variety mental. testing were sorely needed. Desmond regarded his time at Desmond worked with crop Rothamsted as the happiest experimenters to overcome the period of his career. It was while technical difficulties that were there that he met his future wife, impeding the use of better Janet, and that his son, Mark, was statistical practices. He introduced born. However, in 1967, with a-lattice designs, which are a class Yates retired as Head of Statistics of incomplete-block designs at Rothamsted, Desmond decided which allows virtually any number he needed to move on and he of varieties to be tested with as took up a senior post at the few as two replicates, and in small Agricultural Research Council’s block sizes which need not be Unit of Statistics (ARCUS) in the equal. These major combinatorial University of Edinburgh under its advances in design theory were director Professor David Finney. supported by some exceptionally talented researchers from across Much of his early work in Edin- the world that he attracted to burgh was concerned with the work at ARCUS. Desmond was testing of new crop varieties. He always open to new mathematical was asked to help to co-ordinate ideas and brought to them his recommended list trials of new insight into how they might be crop varieties in Scotland. Subse- used in practical application to quently, the UK Ministry of science. Agriculture invited him to extend this work to statutory variety Making full use of these improved testing in the whole of the UK. experimental designs required the From 1973 to 1983 he was development of new methods for Chairman of an analysing the results. In joint work inter-departmental committee set with Robin Thompson, then a up by the Plant Variety Rights colleague at ARCUS, a method for Office to reorganize the statistics the analysis of data from incom- and computing of official .field plete-block designed experiments trials. He helped the Ministry to with unequal block sizes was set up a new computing centre in introduced. This became known Cambridge and advised the as residual maximum likelihood National Institute of Agricultural and came to have far-reaching Botany on statistical matters. applications in the analysis of series of variety trials and in Introducing better varieties is one animal breeding, as well as more of the most direct routes to generally for the .fitting of linear

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mixed models. It pioneered the Rob Kempton’s director-ship. This efficient estimation of variance unique statistical group continues components long before they to thrive under its current name, were being used in applications Biomathematics and Statistics where they are now common, and Scotland, and embodies much of it is thus recognized within Desmond’s philosophy, encourag- multilevel modelling as one of the ing scientists to greater use of foundations of that whole area. professional statistical expertise One of the reasons for the success and undertaking statistical of this work was Desmond’s early research inspired by, and focused recognition of the importance of on solutions to, consultancy developments in modern comput- problems. ing, and during his time at ARCUS Throughout his career, Desmond’s he took advantage of the excellent capacity to work with policy computing infrastructure of the makers was a model to follow, University of Edinburgh to lead bringing scientific expertise to the development of statistical deliberations involving scientists computing. Both the fundamental of many specialisms, civil servants mathematical work which he and representatives of the farming undertook and supervised and industry. He contributed to also the applied work on the evidence-based policy making in testing of new varieties depended agriculture well before that term on his enthusiasm for computing had become the common par- applications long before they lance. became part of the normal Desmond published more than 60 environment of research. papers including two papers read When David Finney retired in to the Royal Statistical Society. He 1984 Desmond took on the role was appointed Honorary Professor of Acting Director of ARCUS. The at the University of Edinburgh and following year he steered the Unit awarded a Doctorate of Science through a review of its future degree from the University of commissioned by the Agricultural Leeds. In 1975 he was elected a and Food Research Council. With Fellow of the Royal Society of his strong encouragement the Edinburgh. His brother, Edward review recommended the setting Patterson, Professor of Mathemat- up of a new Scottish Agricultural ics at the University of Aberdeen, Statistics Service to encompass was also a Fellow. Among other staff of ARCUS and statisticians in honours received was the Silvicul- other publicly funded agricultural tural Prize of the Institute of institutions in Scotland. The new Foresters in 1973. unified statistics service became operational in April 1987 under

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Desmond was a modest man who of an intractable problem in was happiest solving problems in combinatorics. For his research the application of mathe-matics students, and colleagues who and statistics. He had a deep love worked with him, he set high of music and literature, and was standards, but his enthusiasm, as content discussing a Bruckner sense of humour and, above all, symphony or the best choice of his generosity, made him a words in a well-turned sentence stimulating and inspirational as he was in analysing the algebra mentor. Mike Talbot

Henry Desmond Patterson, MSc, DSc(Leeds), FIMA, CMath, FRSE. Born 17 July 1924. Elected FRSE 1975. Died 12 March 2013.

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David John Robins 12 August 1945 – 21 November 2009

David Robins was born in Purley, which resulted in many publica- Surrey, England and attended tions and patents and which led Purley Grammar School. The him into the area of anticancer enthusiastic and eventful experi- drugs. mentation of one of the Pyrrolizidine alkaloids are impor- Chemistry teachers attracted him tant natural products because of towards a career in Chemistry. He their widespread occurrence and obtained his BSc in Chemistry their hepatotoxicity. The most from the University of Exeter in toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids 1966 and stayed on there to carry contain a 1,2-unsaturated necine out research on the biosynthesis diol as part of a macrocyclic of pyrrolizidine alkaloids for his dilactone as in dicrotaline. David PhD work under the stimulating studied the synthesis and biosyn- supervision of David Crout (now thesis of these interesting and Emeritus Professor at the Universi- important alkaloids for many ty of Warwick). He extended this years. The highlight of his synthet- interest in biosynthesis during a ic work was the development of a two year stay from 1969–1971 at general method for the prepara- the University of Pittsburgh, USA, tion of the hepatotoxic studying vitamin K biosynthesis 1,2-unsaturated pyrrolizidine with Professor Ronald Bentley. system of (±)-supinidine. This was Following brief stays at the followed by the syntheses of six Universities of Surrey and Read- optically active pyrrolizidine bases ing, he was appointed a lecturer (necines), from 4-hydroxyproline, at the University of Glasgow in and of the macrocyclic pyrrolizi- 1974. David was awarded a DSc dine alkaloid, dicrotaline. by the University of Glasgow in A major part of David’s work 1987, promoted to Professor of involved the identification of most Bioorganic Chemistry in 1990 and of the intermediates on the elected a Fellow of the Royal biosynthetic pathway to a variety Society of Edinburgh in 1994. He of necines, particularly rosmarine- was awarded the prestigious RSC cine and retronecine from Senecio Flintoff Medal in 1999 for his pleistocephalu and S. isatideus contributions to Natural Product respectively. Feeding experiments Chemistry, in particular for his were carried out with precursors research on the synthesis and labelled with 3H, 13C, and 14C. The biosynthesis of pyrrolizidine key step in the biosynthetic alkaloids, a very productive area,

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pathway is the combination of the brief Scottish summer. two molecules of putrescine to Pyrrolizidine alkaloids exert their form homospermidine which toxic effects by bifunctional undergoes a series of further alkylation processes. This encour- transformations to yield retrone- aged David to design new cine and related metabolites. bifunctional alkylating agents, David extended his studies to based on nitrogen mustards, and quinolizidine alkaloids which are to study their interactions with found in Lupinus species. Key DNA (with Professor John Hartley, experiments with precursors University College London labelled with 13C and 15N at Medical School). One compound adjacent positions demonstrated showed ‘amazing’ alkylating clearly that retronecine is formed properties, 10000 times better at from a precursor (homospermi- crosslinking DNA than the well- dine) with C2v symmetry, whereas known anticancer drug the biosynthesis of lupinine does chlorambucil. David’s final years not involve a symmetrical precur- were devoted to designing and sor of this type. 13C–15N labelled synthesising even more powerful cadaverine was used to show alkylating agents. This work which C–N bonds remain intact in resulted in the synthesis of some the biosynthesis of a range of metal complexes, based on tetracyclic quinolizidines. nitrogen mustards, which were The stereochemistry of many of inactive prodrugs in normal cells, the enzymic processes involved in but, in hypoxic cancer cells, were the biosynthesis of a number of reduced to produce toxic com- pyrrolizidine and quinolizidine pounds. alkaloids was established using David was a stimulating friend precursors labelled stereospecifi- and colleague who bore his final cally with deuterium in illness with great fortitude. He will combination with 2H NMR be remembered with great spectroscopy. For many years with affection by his colleagues and his the aid of his wife, Helen, thou- many research students. He is sands of plants were grown in survived by his wife Helen, who every available greenhouse and in contributed enormously to his their garden for the numerous success as a researcher, and by his feeding experiments which son and daughter.. needed to be carried out during Professor J D Connolly

Professor David J. Robins. BSc, PhD(Exe), DSc(Glas). FRSE, CChem, FRSC. Born 12 August 1945. Elected FRSE 1994. Died 21 November 2009

406 Obituary Notices

David William Arthur Sharp 8 October 1931 – 25 March 2013

David Sharp was born in Folke- of perfluorocarbon ligands in d- stone, Kent on 8th October 1931. block element organometallic Although his young life was chemistry. A highlight from these disrupted by evacuation from years is a substantial paper, Folkestone during World War 2, appearing in 1959 and co- his early years were happy, secure authored with R (Ray) D Peacock, and characterised by obvious which was an early attempt to academic ability. He completed apply simple symmetry considera- National Service before going up tions to the solid state infra-red to read Natural Sciences at Sidney spectra of fluorometallate anions. Sussex College, University of In 1961 David Sharp was appoint- Cambridge; he always maintained ed to a Senior Lectureship in the that his prior army service was an Department of Pure and Applied excellent preparation for the Chemistry at what was then the rigours of academic life. After Royal College of Science and completion of his first degree, he Technology, Glasgow. The Institu- embarked on PhD research tion became Strathclyde University supervised by A (Alan) G Sharpe in in 1964; during the period 1961- the area of complex ternary 68, David played a major role in fluorides, an interest that he was developing Inorganic Chemistry to follow, together with other research and teaching together lines of research within the with the recently appointed Head chemistry of the element fluorine, of Department, P (Peter) L Pauson. for many years. His research group, which expand- Following his PhD he was ap- ed rapidly, explored several pointed to an Assistant different aspects of fluorine Lectureship in the Chemistry chemistry, the study of substituted Department at Imperial College, derivatives of phosphorus fluo- London. Inorganic Chemistry rides, initiated by his student G there was undergoing something (George) W Fraser, being a of a renaissance under the particular highlight. This period leadership of G Wilkinson and saw also a wide-ranging pro- David became part of the process, gramme, co-directed by D developing his Cambridge work (Donald) H Brown, focused on the on complex fluorides, in particular spectroscopic properties of d- fluoroborates and other weakly block coordination compounds basic anions, and in collaboration that did not contain fluorine. His with Wilkinson, exploring the use contributions were recognised by

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rapid promotion firstly to Reader broadened still further by new then to a personal Chair. Outside organometallic chemistry, continu- teaching and research, much time ing the interest in this area from was spent establishing his family his time at Imperial College and in a new location, wife Margaret initiated by his student, J (Jack) and two young children, Matthew Davidson. The formation of and Clair; a third child, Caroline, substituted derivatives of a variety was born not very long after- of non-metal fluorides was wards. The more social aspects of explored and a study of metal leading a large research group hexafluoride redox chemistry in were not neglected. He was non-aqueous acetonitrile (collabo- punctilious in making sure that ration with J M Winfield) was his students were able to flourish initiated. The latter lead to an and was particularly watchful in extensive physico-chemical the early days of those of us who collaborative programme with S had come from London. Although (Sid) Brownstein (NRC Ottawa) he did not lead social activities, he and G (Graham) A Heath (Universi- was very supportive and liked to ty of Stirling and later, University be involved. A highlight was USIC of Edinburgh) mapping the (originally the University of thermodynamic solution redox Strathclyde Inorganic Club), potentials of 2nd and 3rd row d- founded by his students in the block hexafluorides in acetonitrile. mid 60s in order to organise a This resulted in a landmark yearly residential chemistry publication in 1983, in which symposium for students of regular variations in oxidising inorganic chemistry throughout abilities from left to right across d Scotland. The programme was block hexafluorides were demon- built around student presenta- strated; later, extensions of the tions of their researches but it work to analogous hexachlorides included also golf and hill- in methylene chloride appeared. walking activities. USIC continues The cyclic voltammetry measure- to the present day and is now ments required were complex – so organised in rotation by all the were the logistics! By this time in Scottish Universities (recognising his career, Sharp was heavily the change with the title, Universi- involved in University administra- ties of Scotland Inorganic tion, during this period he served Conference). two terms as Director of the In 1968 he and his Group moved Chemical Laboratories (equivalent across the City of Glasgow, when to head of Department); these he was appointed as the first were followed shortly afterwards occupant of the Ramsay Chair of by a term as Dean of Science. Chemistry. His research was Research was a spare time activity

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and any practical work was done mug and a journal in his hands, in the evenings. The very reactive saying ‘I was in the library just components of the hexafluoro- now and found this paper’. He metallate, acetonitrile solutions then incorporated the information were contained in separated contained in the paper into the compartments of all glass cyclic lecture. He also enjoyed being in voltammetry cells, sealed under research laboratories. Postgradu- high vacuum, then transported by ate students who were working at David in his car to Stirling where the weekend could receive a visit Graham Heath did the electro- with an instruction to be careful chemical measurements. Later and to telephone him on a regular when the procedures were well basis to let him know what was established, David ceased to be happening (and to ensure that directly involved in the practical they were still functioning safely!). work but he continued to direct He took particular care of the the research overall. welfare of PG students from David Sharp had always been an overseas. Whenever he heard of a enthusiastic teacher and in the student who was ill, he would go late 70s and 80s, when he was round to their house himself, or involved heavily in designing and send a trusted Research Assistant, delivering undergraduate pro- to make sure that they were being grammes, he became increasingly looked after in what was, to them, involved with curriculum design a foreign country. and the examination regime in the This interest in, and concern for, later school years in Scotland. He overseas postgraduates translated was drawn into Pedagogical itself into a University-wide research, with A (Alex) H John- activity. After the breakup of his stone and, inevitably became first marriage, he was asked by the involved in education-centred then Principal to become an committee work, both in Edin- ‘ambassador at large’ for the burgh and London. Nevertheless, recruitment of overseas students he shouldered a full teaching load to Glasgow. He was translated and was appreciated in this role from the Ramsay Chair to a by the undergraduate students. Personal Chair and for the David’s lecturing was characterised remainder of his service at by his enthusiasm for Inorganic Glasgow University travelled the Chemistry; this was infectious; as world to negotiate programmes a result he could inspire his whereby students (undergraduate audience. A recollection from a and postgraduate) would study student illustrates the impact that for all or a part of their degree at he had on this person. He arrived Glasgow. Eventually these activi- for a 9 am lecture with a coffee ties were formalised as the Office

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for Overseas Programmes; he was with Inorganic Chemistry in involved in these and related general and, perhaps most activities for 22 years until his famously, the Penguin Dictionary retirement in 1999, at which point of Chemistry; he was involved he was appointed an Emeritus with this, firstly at Cambridge with Professor. A G Sharp, and his final edition Although in the latter part of his appeared in 2003. career, David Sharp was not Elected to the Royal Society of involved in day-to-day research, Edinburgh in 1967, David served his interest in fluorine chemistry as a member of Council from remained strong and was mani- 1985-88. fest in Editorship of the Journal of After his formal retirement from Fluorine Chemistry, an interna- Glasgow University, David and his tional journal which covers all second wife, Mary, established aspect of fluorine chemistry. He their base entirely at a cottage occupied an Editor’s chair for 24 near Aberfoyle, rather than years, retiring as a Regional Editor dividing their time between in 2001. David was a sympathetic, Glasgow and Aberfoyle, so although rigorous Editor. His contacts with chemistry and its object was, when possible, to community were much reduced. work with the authors to improve Their pastimes were almost a manuscript rather than simply entirely rural; he became an reject an inadequate account out enthusiastic bird watcher and of hand. Authors would receive spent much time walking in the their mss. annotated by the Editor locality with Mary and her dogs. in his (almost) unreadable script. Sadly his mobility decreased He remained an enthusiastic markedly during the last year of attendee at fluorine symposia and his life and he went downhill spent much time during these rapidly. He died peacefully in a events talking to current and care home during the night of prospective authors about their 25th March 2013. He is survived by work. By these means he did his second wife, Mary, the three much to raise the Journal’s profile children from his first marriage in the fluorine community. In and three grandchildren, Rosie, addition to his editorial contribu- Adam and Jamie. tions to fluorine chemistry, he was John M Winfield Editor for various volumes dealing

David William Arthur Sharp, MA, PhD(Cantab). Born 8 October 1931. Elected FRSE 1967. Died 25 March 2013

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John Hyslop Steele 15 November 1926 – 4 November 2013 Originally published by The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

The Woods Hole Oceanographic prises as fisheries management Institution announces with great and predicting the ocean’s role in sorrow the death of John H. Steele mitigating anthropogenic climate at his home in Falmouth, Mass., change. on November 4, 2013, 11 days Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on th before his 87 birthday. November 15, 1926, Dr Steele John H. Steele was director of the began his career studying mathe- Woods Hole Oceanographic matics at University College Institution for 12 years and was London at the early age of 16, an intellectual leader of the where his professors had to national and international ocean compete with incoming German science community. He was well rockets for the attention of their known for his development of students. Upon graduation in quantitative approaches to the 1946, he served in the Royal Air study of marine ecosystems, Force research establishment, having played a key role in doing research in aeronautical creating major research programs mechanics. After his discharge, in that contribute to our knowledge 1951, he answered an advertise- of the ocean’s role in global ment and found a position at the processes. Marine Laboratory in Aberdeen, Of Dr Steele’s numerous and Scotland. This institution was diverse accomplishments, he was charged with fisheries manage- most proud of his role in the ment, but Dr Steele recognized broadening of biological ocea- that doing this properly required nography from being essentially a an understanding of the broader descriptive science to a quantita- ocean environment. He was tive, mathematically based awarded a Doctor of Science discipline. The defining moment degree from University College, in his career came with the London in 1963. publication, in 1974, of his book, Dr Steele’s initial accomplishments The Structure of Marine Ecosys- involved studying currents in the tems, that spelled out his oceans in collaboration with L. mathematical approach and Valentine Worthington of the U.S., demonstrated its use with actual who was measuring the flow of data. deep water from the Norwegian The tools that Dr Steele developed Sea into the deep North Atlantic: a are central to such diverse enter- critical flux that helps govern

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Earth’s climate. Dr Steele’s interest During the 1950s, Dr Steele quickly evolved toward under- began his long-term relation with standing the processes that the Woods Hole Oceanographic govern lives of the microscopic Institution in Massachusetts. His plants and animals that are the earliest success there, with Charles basis of all marine food webs. He Yentsch, was an explanation of led sustained measurements at peculiar vertical distributions of Fladen Ground, in the North Sea, microscopic plants in the ocean. that allowed quantitative analysis These are critical because they are of nutrient supplies, plant growth the base of the marine food web, and animal production at a single playing a role similar to grass in location. He used these measure- prairie settings over land. ments to develop and test the Dr Steele’s ties with Woods Hole mathematical quantification strengthened over the years until, described in his 1974 book. in 1977, he became the Institu- During his years at Aberdeen, Dr tion’s director, a position in which Steele became involved with the he served until 1989. He used this idea of studying smaller systems platform not only to enhance the that might embrace the processes Institution’s international leader- of the broader ocean, but that ship, but to serve the interests of were small enough to allow a the broader oceanographic complete characterization of the community. Thus, he played a ecosystem. One approach to this central role in the development of involved measurements in Loch several international oceano- Ewe, on the Scottish west coast; a graphic projects that ultimately second, bolder approach involved dealt with the ocean’s role in the use of large, two-meter- defining Earth’s climate. These opening, plastic bags called projects incorporated ocean mesocosms floating in the ocean. circulation, chemistry and biologi- About this same time, Dr Steele’s cal activity. interests broadened to embrace Dr Steele never let his scientific the entire marine ecosystem. research lapse, even when serving The success of his efforts was as director. Following his retire- recognized with many honors, ment as director, he returned to a including receiving the Alexander very active research career that Agassiz Medal from the U.S. continued until his death. He also National Academy of Sciences in found time to serve as a board 1973 and his election to the Royal member of several organizations, Society of Edinburgh in 1968, and including the Bermuda Biological Royal Society in 1978. Station for Research (now the Bermuda Institute of Ocean

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Sciences), the Exxon Corporation making visits to their cottage near and the Robert Wood Johnson Aberdeen, Scotland, and spend- Foundation. ing time with their son Hugh (of Dr Steele and his wife, Evelyn, Henley-on-Thames, England), were justly famous for their daughter-in-law, Jenny, and hospitality and generosity and grandsons Adam and Owen, who shared a lifetime passion for also spent their summers with boating and entertaining. Al- them in Woods Hole. though U.S. citizens, the Steeles Submitted by retained strong ties to Britain, Mary Schumacher

John Hyslop Steele, BSc, DSc(Lond), FRS, FRSE. Born 15 November 1926. Elected FRSE 1968. Died 4 November 2013

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Michael George Parke Stoker 4 July 1918 – 13 August 2013

It was a discussion over coffee 1943. After a year of clinical forty years ago at the Imperial practice he was assigned as Cancer Research Fund (ICRF) Medical Officer to a Ghurka Laboratory in London. A group of column in Orde Wingate’s young researchers,deprecating the Chindits and prepared to be productivity of a well known dropped behind enemy lines in biologist, was quietly interrupted Burma, a highly dangerous by the Fund’s director, Michael operation, fortunately cancelled Stoker, who pointed out that the because of the Japanese retreat. object of their criticism had made With the Chindits disbanded, two distinct contributions that Michael pursued a developing had both changed her field of interest in laboratory medicine at research. He added that, if any of the Central Military Pathology the disparagers achieved the Laboratory in Poona (modern day same, they should consider their Pune). There he worked at the careers a success. Stoker’s own Base Typhus Research Unit, career, which did much to place initially under the tutelage of Britain at the forefront of research Ronald Seaton from the Liverpool into both virology and cancer, School of Tropical Medicine. He clearly attained this benchmark. considered this introduction to Michael Stoker, the son of a research as the most formative medical practitioner, had little period of his career, his work on initial enthusiasm for medicine typhus earning him a Cambridge but decided to study it as the least MD and it was to Cambridge that unattractive of the career options he returned after demobilisation suggested by his father. He was, in 1947, becoming a lecturer in however, immediately stimulated the Department of Pathology and by the teaching he received in Fellow of Clare College. Cambridge and he completed his There he initially continued his qualification at St Thomas’ work on typhus-like diseases but Hospital in 1942, amid the switched to examining Herpes upheaval of the Second World simplex virus infections, an War. The global conflict, which interest that led him to contact caused dramatic changes in so colleagues elsewhere in the many lives, saw Michael drafted University who were working on into the Royal Army Medical the emerging science of virology. Corps and posted to India in These included electron micro-

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scopists at the Cavendish Labora- Aspergillus, providing concepts tory, where he also befriended that could be applied to the leading molecular biologists, such genetics of animal cells, whilst cell as Perutz, Kendrew, Watson and biology expertise was available Crick. Work on the viruses of from John Paul and, later, Adam bacteria had made an important Curtis. At the Veterinary School contribution to the “new biolo- Bill Jarrett led work on tumour- gy” espoused by these pioneers, inducing viruses of cattle and, in because in 1952 it confirmed the middle of the decade, Bill and DNA as the chemical determinant his brother Os used the Institute of inheritance, the year before of Virology’s facilities to identify Crick and Watson elucidated and isolate the virus causing feline DNA’s structure. Michael and leukaemia, a finding with signifi- others appreciated that the recent cant implications for the development of techniques to subsequent discoveries of viral grow viruses in cultured animal causes for human cancers. cells would enable the concepts In this favourable environment, and quantitative methods of Michel Stoker, with his colleague bacterial virology to be applied to Ian Macpherson, examined the animal viruses. As he learned mechanisms by which tumour during a 6 month stay in Renato viruses transformed cells in culture Dulbecco’s Caltech laboratory in to the quasi-cancerous state that 1958, infecting cell cultures with had first been observed in some cancer causing viruses could Dulbecco’s laboratory. A major lead to changed cell behaviour initial advance was the derivation and proliferation in a focal of a line of immortal cells that fashion that resembled cancerous were otherwise normal in growth change. In 1959 he took these and behaviour. These cells could lessons to the University of be grown in bulk (and were thus Glasgow, where he became used to produce the first vaccine Britain’s first Professor of Virology against foot and mouth disease at the newly established Institute virus) and they could also be of Virology and director of the converted by tumour virus cognate Medical Research Council infection to grow and behave like Virology Unit. tumour cells. This reproducible Glasgow in the 1960s provided system was used by Michael, fertile soil for the flowering of during the most productive phase virology. The Professor of Genet- of his personal research career, to ics, Guido Pontecorvo (Ponte) was analyse the nature of tumour cells internationally renowned for his by contrasting these virally genetic analysis of the fungus transformed cells with their

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normal predecessors. Other research and attracting visitors colleagues used these, and similar from all over the world. Not cell systems to pin down the surprisingly, Michael’s skills in genetic basis for virus-induced spotting and leading talent were transformation, reasoning that, if noticed by ICRF (now the London cancers in general resulted from Research Institute of Cancer stable genetic changes to the cells Research UK) and, in 1968, he of tumours, it would be difficult became its Director of Research. to find the affected genes among Michael was undaunted by taking the many thousands in complex the reins of a laboratory that was animals. Some laboratory tumour more than five times the size of viruses, in contrast, only contained the Institute of Virology and in enough genetic material for a few need of new directions in its genes and, if one or more of these research. He disbanded much of was responsible for cancer and ICRF’s hierarchical structure and could be identified, the problem introduced smaller interactive but was simplified. In the words of potentially competitive groups, one contemporary, it went “from many with interests allied to those looking for a needle in a haystack he had initiated in Glasgow. Ian to looking at haystacks full of Macpherson and Lionel Crawford needles.” The research initiated by accompanied him to London and, Michael and colleagues in with new colleagues, the cell and Glasgow contributed greatly to molecular biology of cancer these ends. became a major focus. In the next The Glasgow years also revealed decade ICRF was among the Michael’s talent as a scientific leading laboratories in the world leader. The Institute of Virology to fulfil the promise of tumour was very well resourced and viruses to be the key to revealing covered a wide range of expertise, the genetic basis of cancer. As in from Donald Ritchie’s work on Glasgow, the research was bacterial viruses to Morag Tim- enhanced by eminent visiting bury’s clinical virology. Other workers, two of whom, Paul Berg experts recruited by Michael and Harold Varmus, would later included Peter Wildy, Kenny Fraser, win Nobel Prizes but, unlike Lionel Crawford and John Subak- Glasgow, the greater resources of Sharpe and all the above became ICRF allowed Michael to augment Fellows of the RSE and achieved up-and-coming talent with those distinction in other ways. The already at the top of their field. Institute rapidly became a major These included Renato Dulbecco, international centre for virology, another Nobel laureate and the outstanding for its teaching and world’s leading tumour virologist

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and John Cairns, former director aided by his collaborator, Joyce of the prestigious Cold Spring Taylor-Papadimitriou. Together Harbor Laboratory, both of whom they embarked on the difficult introduced new areas of research task of culturing normal and which further enhanced the malignant cells from human Fund’s international reputation. breast and examining their Much of Michael Stoker’s personal behaviour, with particular empha- success could, however, be sis on how communication attributed to three close col- between cells was altered in leagues on whom he relied daily. cancer. Perhaps the most significant was Michael later devoted more time Bill House, who, as Chief Techni- to this work by adopting what he cian, was responsible for the called the “Pontecorvo solution”. excellent resources at the Institute Ponte, irked by the administration of Virology and then oversaw the and university politics associated expansion and smooth running of with the Glasgow Chair in facilities at ICRF, eventual becom- Genetics, had resigned at the age ing Assistant Director for Research of 61 to accompany Michael to Services under Michael’s successor, ICRF. There he worked in a very Walter Bodmer. Bill’s work ethic small laboratory, on his own but has been acknowledged as an relishing the intellectual jousting inspiration by his son Stephen with colleagues around him, and (the current Chief Constable of developing techniques to fuse Police Scotland), whilst Michael together animal cells, an advance credited Bill’s management skills that was seminal to progressing with allowing him to continue the genetics of these cells. personal research. An eminent Michael shared Ponte’s belief that European scientist, seeking scientists over the age of 60 Michael’s advice on how he should cease to control, but not should lead a major laboratory, necessarily cease to influence, the was told he “needed a Bill work of their colleagues and in House.” 1979 he too retired to a small John Tooze, former Deputy Editor laboratory. This was in the of Nature, also eased the Direc- Department of Pathology in tor’s burden, keeping him Cambridge, where Michael’s informed of developments in career had first developed and research and helping to monitor which was now headed by his the Fund’s output. With much former colleague, Peter Wildy. I administration thus devolved to suspect Michael always regarded trusted colleagues, Michael was Cambridge as his intellectual able to spend some time on home and there he continued to laboratory work and here he was study normal and neoplastic

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breast cells until 1990. His final At one press conference he was discovery was of a molecule asked the inevitable but almost produced by some connective unanswerable question on when tissue cells which he dubbed cancer would be cured. He replied “scatter factor” because it “Not in my lifetime, probably not induced epithelial cells to break in my children’s lifetime but contact with one another and perhaps in their children’s’ disperse. This factor, shown to be lifetime.” It was a response that, identical to the hepatocyte growth so far, seems prescient but it was factor found by others, is now not the promise of imminent being tested for clinical applica- success that the ICRF press office tions. hoped for. In many ways Michael Stoker’s These qualities, however, made character could appear paradoxi- him a leader among scientists and cal. He was driven to succeed, yet he not only engendered loyalty he was a modest man, at pains to and enthusiasm in his staff but give credit to others where it was also made lifelong friendships due. He was clearly excited about with eminent colleagues world- research but his emotional wide. This network served him responses to triumph and tribula- well in his role as Vice President tion seemed to range only from and Foreign Secretary of the Royal moderate interest to mild annoy- Society from 1976 to 1981. His ance and he seldom gave an talents in this area were exempli- opinion without pausing to fied when he led a group of consider his words (a trait that, cancer experts on a British Council incidentally, did not flatter him sponsored visit to Czechoslovakia when he appeared in a radio Any (where he had several contacts) a Questions programme, where the few years after Russian troops in quick, if glib response would have 1968 crushed the Prague Spring. been preferable). He was egalitari- He managed to deal with govern- an and tried to mix with his staff ment dignitaries in public and on a first name basis but soon with disaffected rank and file realised that, although graduate academics in private without students might appreciate his offending either group yet also company over morning coffee in without comprising the integrity Glasgow, that was emphatically of his view on the situation in that not the case for the cleaning staff. then unhappy country. I am Importantly, he was adept at using certain that no other member of tact to achieve consensus but was our party could have achieved this also unwilling to dissemble, difficult balancing act. sometimes to the frustration of the public relations staff at ICRF.

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In truth, much of Michael Stoker’s staff, all of this in a total of 14 life was a balancing act, with the homes that the Stokers shared weight of demanding jobs being during 62 years of married life. In offset by the counterbalance of a later years, what must have been a stable family life and, in particular, considerable burden for Veronica the support of his wife. Michael became more enjoyable. Michael’s married Veronica English in 1942 eminence was recognised in the but war parted them a year later, award of CBE in 1974, a knight- with Veronica pregnant and hood in 1980 and, in the same Michael did not meet his first son year, he was elected President of until late 1946. By the time they Clare Hall Cambridge (a founda- moved to Glasgow they had two tion for senior scholars and daughters and three sons and the Fellows) a post he held for seven University initially housed this years. Veronica and Michael lived large family in a 28 room profes- in the President’s residence and he sor’s house in The Square (now recalled this as perhaps the University offices). With far more happiest period of their lives, both space than even they needed, a of them enjoying the stimulating superfluous room was used to company of the Fellowship. build one of the earliest Mirror Michael Stoker’s research career, dinghies, sailing being a hobby like those of Ponte and the through most of Michael’s life. biologist criticised by the young They later moved to Helensburgh, researchers at ICRF, recalls an era inuring Michael to the daily train when original minds, working in journeys which would also be a small groups, could produce feature of his life in London and major insights. It was also a time during which he claimed to do when a researcher’s worth could much of his writing. The acquisi- be assessed over the long term tion of a cottage on Lismore rather than a three or five year provided both the challenge of span and we will not see those renovation and family holidays times again. What will, however, and it remains in the family today. remain timeless and essential are For Veronica and the children the the qualities of scientific judge- challenges posed by Michael’s ment and leadership that are the career were frequent absences other hallmark of Michael Stoker’s interspersed with the entertaining legacy. of eminent visitors, friends and John Wyke

Michael George Parke Stoker CBE, Kt, MA, MD(Cantab), FRS, FRCP, HonDSc(Glasgow). Born 4 July 1918. Elected FRSE 1960. Died 13 August 2013.

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Thomas Johnston Taylor – Lord Taylor of Gryfe 27 April 1912 – 13 July 2001 First published in The Independent, 17 July 2001 Reproduced with permission from The Independent Both hard-headed businessman candidate subsequently, in the and socially aware politician second of which, in Edinburgh in FROM BEING a 14-year-old school 1942, he challenged the wartime leaver from Bellahouston Acade- consensus to allow the party my in Glasgow who had lost his which held the seat to choose a father in France at the age of three successor on the death of an in the First World War, to chair- incumbent, and was severely manships of the Forestry trounced. Commission and the Scottish A contact with Fenner Brockway Railways Board and membership led to a defining moment in of the international board of Taylor’s life. Brockway, who was Morgan Grenfell and House of Secretary of the Independent Lords select committees, Tom Labour Party, recalled in March Taylor’s journey was one of 1938 that Taylor spoke German constructive achievement. Having and knew Vienna. He pleaded to earn a living at 14, he became with him to go to Austria to assist an office boy in the Scottish Co- the illegal escape of a number of Operative Wholesale Society, then people whose lives were threat- the biggest commercial organisa- ened. Having lived in Germany tion in Scotland; he was eventually and witnessed the burning of to become its president. homes and business premises of When he was 20, in 1932, the Jews and the beating up of SCWS, run by elders who really innocent people in public by cared about their junior employ- brown-shirted storm troopers ees and their personal fulfilment, wielding their truncheons, Taylor gave him a scholarship which needed no convincing of the entitled him to spend a year in threat which now faced Austrian Germany on the eve of Hitler’s opponents of the German coming to power - and, crucially, invaders. to learn German. His superiors in the SCWS were He took an active part in the somewhat surprised when their Independent Labour Party, being clerk asked for his summer holiday Jimmy Maxton’s proverbial bag in March to go to Austria but carrier, and, at the age of 22, got acquiesced, impressed by his himself elected as a Glasgow City idealism. There followed meetings Councillor, fighting two parlia- in London with Brockway and in mentary elections as an ILP co-operation with exiles in Paris,

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plans were prepared. Forged doctor with a consulting room in passports with photographs and the heart of Vienna. Taylor noted signatures of the intended his consulting hours and present- escapees were provided and ed himself as a patient. hidden in Taylor’s suitcase. He was Announcing that he had come given a list of names and tele- from “mutual friends in Paris”, he phone numbers of contacts in waited for him to make the next Vienna. He coded the information, move. The doctor, however, having destroyed the numbers, by looked at Taylor blankly and said marking certain pages in a that he had no friends in Paris. He paperback, which he carried. turned out to be a locum, the At the German-Austrian border he contact doctor being off for the realised how dangerous his day. Contact with the Jewish situation was. The train stopped - doctor to whom Taylor had been and the storm troopers ques- directed was established two days tioned all passengers and later. searched some of the luggage. He One difficulty Taylor encountered was able to convince them that he was convincing individuals that was a harmless British tourist they should grasp the opportunity visiting Vienna. to escape. Some had families who The intended escapees were well- would be left behind. Others had known socialist activists whose become accustomed to the telephone numbers would inefficiency of the existing certainly be under the surveillance Austrian dictatorship and did not of the Gestapo; his instructions realise the extent of the brutality were to contact intermediaries of the Nazi regime. It was not who had been alerted from Paris, unknown under Dollfuss for were not suspect and would socialist sympathisers in the police arrange a safe rendezvous. The to warn you beforehand in the meetings took place in a pub or event of any anticipated raid on cafe with friends sitting at a your house. Taylor had to warn his neighbouring table to prevent friends that under Hitler it would anyone overhearing the conversa- be different. tion and to warn of any Gestapo After 10 days of nervous discus- raid. Taylor would recall that sion and planning, eight refugees whenever possible he had to use were on their way by separate public telephone kiosks. routes and on different days. All His first contact was a young the main railway stations were American couple who were being watched by the Gestapo in studying at the university. That Paris. Using an international worked well, but another was a timetable Taylor made plans to

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avoid them. The journey to the these dramatic changes. Unfortu- frontier would take several local nately there was little response trains; to avoid suspicion, each and he resigned from the service ticket was purchased for a of the Co-Operative Society. relatively short journey. In 1963, on the recommendation All missions were successfully of Willie Ross, the Shadow completed. Taylor told me of Secretary of State for Scotland, walking in the sunshine on a Taylor was appointed by Sir Alec Sunday morning in Vienna, the Douglas-Home as a Forestry beauty of the place shattered by Commissioner. The Forestry the shouts of “Heil Hitler” and Commission had been instituted the sharp crash of the jackboots in 1919 to make good the timber of storm troopers marching in a shortages caused by the First great Nazi parade. As he made his World War, but over the 13 years way out of town he caught a in which Taylor was to serve - glimpse of Dr Goebbels in a confirmed for a second term by restaurant. Harold Wilson, anointed in 1970 The Second World War presented as Chairman by a Labour govern- a considerable dilemma for Taylor ment, and re-anointed by Ted - he hated Hitlerism but at the Heath - came increasingly to same time was associated with the recognise its recreational respon- ILP, which had a long pacifist sibilities. tradition. He registered as a Taylor worked at constructive conscientious objector but took bipartisan relations with politi- part in relief work in Europe as a cians of different political hues. member of the United Nations George Holmes, later to be Relief and Reconstruction Admin- Director-General, but, in Taylor’s istration (UNRRA), where he was time, Research Director and involved in the resettlement of Harvesting and Marketing refugees who wandered homeless Commissioner, recalls: in Europe in post-war reconstruc- “Tom was an extraordinary tion. combination of a hard-headed During his spell with UNRRA, he businessman and a left -wing, lived in the United States and socially aware, politician. He observed the changes that took worked well with my predecessor place immediately after the war in as Director-General, the effective modern supermarket retailing. On Aberdonian John Dickson, partly his return to Scotland, he tried to because he was a chairman who direct the Co-Operative movement did not fuss. He was a great guy of which, in 1965, he was to to have at the helm.” become President, to anticipate

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An enthusiast for the develop- Commission was moved by ment of wood processing in government diktat from London Britain, he was proud to visit and Basingstoke to Edinburgh. alongside MPs the Wiggins Teape Any such transfer is traumatic for Corpach development near Fort key staff with mortgages and William. He had played a crucial children at secondary school. part in persuading Willie Ross, Taylor won justified plaudits for now the Scottish Secretary, and kindness and good sense at this Harold Wilson to siphon off difficult time for those who significant public funds to the worked in the senior echelons of project, inaugurated in 1966. He the commission. He inspired was unapologetic in the 1980s loyalty. when Corpach ceased to produce Taylor served 10 years, too, on the pulp, after being acquired by board of British Rail, serving as Finnish interests who preferred to Chairman of the Scottish Railways produce newsprint in Finland. Board from 1971 to 1980, and As Chairman he was a believer in before leaving warned the public access, caravan sites, and Government of the dangers of forest cabins - though less excited their proposed structure for the about nature conservation. His privatised industry. He took a lively first years of chairmanship interest in Scottish industrial and coincided with reviews of govern- cultural affairs. He was a member ment policy and much cost- of the Scottish Council for benefit analysis. Policies had to be Development and Industry, served tightened to provide returns on on the board of Scottish Television investment; and recreation and was Vice-Chairman of the facilities were subject always to Glasgow Citizens Theatre. The last the hot breath of the Treasury. 12 years of his business life were Taylor has been criticised in spent in the service of Morgan retrospect for being too keen on Grenfell, the leading London what Marion Shoard in her merchant bank; he was chairman seminal 1980 book The Theft of of Morgan Grenfell (Scotland) and the Countryside called “the a member of their international serried ranks of conifers” - an board. insufficient sensitivity to the In the midst of all this activity he claims of broad-leafed trees. took an active part in the House of Much of his energy - it was Lords, to which he was sent, as formidable and elastic - was Lord Taylor of Gryfe, in 1968, consumed with managing the concentrating on forestry, Scottish upheaval of 1974 in which the industry and foreign affairs. In headquarters of the Forestry 1977-79 he was one of the

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staunchest supporters of the cannot have it, the reaction will be Labour Vote No Campaign, which towards more extreme demands scuppered Scottish devolution. for independence than are However, by 1995 he had involved in the document which changed his mind and he told the Lord Ewing (of Kirkford) as House of Lords on 4 July: Chairman of the Scottish Consti- A great deal has been said about tutional Convention has preserving the Union. The noble produced. Viscount, Lord Weir, has painted a He left the Labour Party for the picture of decline and a slippery SDP in 1981 but returned in slope towards independence. I tell 1990. the House, that if we do not Tom Taylor believed in the silent respond to the wishes of the form of worship of the Quakers, Scottish people for an assembly, sharing a belief in pacifism with the descent into the demand for his devoted wife Isobel, who complete independence will grow regularly worshipped with him at and will not diminish. The people the Friends Meeting House in of Scotland will feel that they have Glasgow and subsequently in St a right to their own assembly. But Andrews. if they are told that they cannot have it and that the English parliament has decided that they Tam Dalyell

Thomas Johnston Taylor – Lord Taylor of Gryfe, LLD, DL. Born 27 April 1912. Elected FRSE 1977. Died 13 July 2001

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Professor Victor Weisskopf 19 September 1908 – 21 April 2002 First published by The Independent, April 25 2002 Reproduced with permission from The Independent

The rise of Nazism brought The high schools of Vienna (and horror, humiliation, death and Budapest) provided a superb, torture to so many free-thinking rigorous grounding. Weisskopf people, to Jews and to other was to write towards the end of minorities. There were some his life: lucky ones, like the Weisskopf High-school teaching is not family, Viennese medical intellec- appreciated as a great and tuals, who were able to escape, important profession. In Europe, thanks to organisation such as where I was raised, high-school the University in Exile in New teachers are called professors, and York. given their due recognition. The Victor Weisskopf was born and degree of social status they brought up in Austria in the achieve attracts bright students to spirit of German culture. He said the profession. that he considered his transfer His home university was Gottin- from Europe to the United States gen, where he gained his PHD in as an invaluable source of 1931. A Rockefeller grant for a intellectual enrichment. The year, to study at a place of his family’s forced emigration, in choice, enabled him to divide his which they passed through time between Copenhagen and Denmark, France and Britain, was Cambridge “in order to learn an opening of a new world in from then two great men, Niels many senses “I often think,” Bohr and Paul A M Dirac”. wrote Weisskopf, “of how Weisskopf says he profited greatly narrow my thinking would have from Bohr’s overwhelming been had I lived as a German or personality and way of thinking Austrian professor all my life, as I and living. And, if he spent more had expected to do.” Doubtless, time in Copenhagen than in the same breadth of experience Cambridge, it was that he was enhanced Weisskopf’s physicist courting Ellen Tvede, whom he friends, such as Enrico Fermi, married in 1934, and who was his Eugene Wigner, John von soul-mate and support for 55 Neumann, Edward Teller and Leo years. The Rockefeller $150 a Szilard, whom Weisskopf dubbed month was “undreamed of riches “an intellectual bumblebee”. for an average European”.

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Towards Dirac Weisskopf was less in”. I saw Pauli at his desk at the warm. “It was not easy to learn far end of the room and he said, from him. He worked for himself “Wait, wait, I have to finish this and did not have much contact calculation” (Erst muss ich fertig with other physicists or would-be ixen). So I waited several minutes. physicists.” But crucially, Weissko- Then he said, “Who are you?” “I pf became friends with another am Weisskopf, you asked me to Rockefeller student, Rudolf be your assistant.” “Yes,” he said, Peierls, who introduced him to “first I wanted to take Bethe, but relativistic field theory – how to he works on solid state theory, make calculations with the Dirac which I don’t like, although I equation, a skill called “alpha- started it” This, then was the gymnastics”. Peierls also taught reason. Weisskopf something else – how Pauli then gave me some problem to survive as assistant to his next to study – I have forgotten what it boss, the brilliant and mercurial was – and after a week he came Wolfgang Pauli. and asked me what I did. I In May 1933 a letter came from showed him and he said, “I Pauli asking Weisskopf to be his should have taken Bethe after assistant in Zurich, replacing all.” Hendrik Casimir, whom Paul The numerous Pauli anecdotes Ehrenfest, shortly before his perhaps give a distorted impres- suicide, had called back to Leiden. sion of Pauli’s personality. For (Casimir, when taking me round Weisskopf he was an excessively his laboratory and Philips of honest man, who disliked half- Eindhoven, said cheerfully that, truths, or ideas that were not for Pauli, Weisskopf was an thought through. Pauli was the improvement.) conscience of physics. Weisskopf For Weisskopf, what could be once remarked: better for a young physicist than In Munich and Gottingen you to work with Pauli? It was the learned to calculate.. In Copenha- fulfilment of a dream. Weisskopf’s gen you learned to think. I must self-effacing wit is apparent in his say that, in Zurich with Pauli, I account of his first meeting with learned both. Pauli: Weisskopf spent 1936 in Copen- I found out why Pauli took me hagen. Bohr interested him in the instead of (Hans) Bethe when I concept of “complementarity”, to came to Zurich to begin my duties describe situations in which there in the fall of 1933. I knocked are several mutually exclusive several times at the door of Pauli’s approaches to reality. They office until I heard a faint “Come represent different aspects, one

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excluding the other, yet adding to work. There was still the possibili- our understanding of the phe- ty that neutrons would be nomenon as a whole. Weisskopf absorbed too strongly to permit a gives the example of a Beethoven chain reaction, and we all hoped sonata, which could be analysed that this would be the final result physically by studying the vibra- – that such a bomb would not be tions in the air; or, which could be made at all. That hop, of course, analysed physiologically and was quashed. psychologically by studying the But then why did we go on? process at work in the bran of the Maybe because it’s a human kind listener. But there could be of drive: when you’re almost another approach that gets closer finished with something you keep to what we consider most relevant on going, until you finish. There and essential in a Beethoven were other reasons too: we were sonata; dealing with the direct told that the bomb would end the and immediate impression of the war with Japan – which it did. music. Weisskopf spent the 1930s Tens of thousands of lives were as one of the midwives of the lost almost daily in the fire-raids infant science of quantum on Japanese cities and an invasion mechanics – they key discovery for of Japan would have cost millions understanding the material of lives on both sides. We also structures we find around us, and believed that, if such a weapon the properties of solids, liquids were possible, it would eventually and gases. be built by somebody else, and Partly on the pressing advice of therefore let us better develop it Mrs Bohr, who was horrified at here because we had such great events in Germany (an alarmed confidence in the United States. already at the attitude of Werner But perhaps we were naïve: many Heisenberg and other German of us thought the weapon was so pupils), Weisskopf sought a terrifying that it would have to be position in the US. After six years “internationalise”, that it would as Assistant Professor of Physics at compel all nations to get together. the University of Rochester, New We proposed an international York, in 1943 he was invited to administration, and we thought join the Manhattan Project at Los that surely the Soviets would Alamos as deputy head of the participate because it was the theoretical physics division. Asked same threat to them as to us. But by Steven Marcus about motiva- people who knew Stalin and the tion, Weisskopf responded: Soviet spirit at that time certainly Let’s not forget that, even after the could have told us that the Soviets Germans were defeated, we were would never have accepted such still not sure the bomb would arrangements.

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For the rest of his life, Weisskopf of our honeymoon to see the was almost obsessed with the “newest thing” in the world. need to avoid the use of nuclear “Thirty years ago,” Weisskopf weapons and became a stalwart beamed, “I went to Bohr’s of the Pugwash movement, an laboratory on honeymoon!” example of the ability of scientists Weisskopf’s qualities as a team to appreciate sensitive questions leader were acknowledged by with greater ease and less danger everyone we met at Cern, from the of misunderstanding, because of Chief Engineer, John Adams, to the supranational nature of PhD physicists. This was partly science. because they knew that Weissko- It was on the basis of his perform- pf’s contributions to physics were ance as a team operator and legion. In addition to important leader that he was chosen for the bokos such as Theoretical Nuclear Massachusetts Institute of Physics (1952), Weisskopf had Technology, then the most published hundreds of scientific prestigious science school in the articles on theoretical physics United States, and later, in 1961, covering a diverse range of fields: as Director of CERN (Conseil elementary particle theory, nuclear Europeen de Recherches Nucle- phenomena, quantum dynamics aires). and electro-dynamics. The When I mentioned to Patrick foundations which Weisskopf Blackett, to whom Harold Wilson helped to lay, CERN staff knew, had assigned me as a young MP, supported all the research they in 1963, that the Director of CERN did on the forces of the inter- had invited me to Geneva, the change of virtual particles. And future President of the Royal they respected him for it. Society, and Rector of Imperial Weisskopf was one of the physi- College London said, “Go. It is cists who helped bring CERN important you see CERN. And, it is about. It was run by 13 European more important for you that you nations, yet under its roof scien- take the opportunity to get to tists of the whole world know Weisskopf. He is one of the collaborate, irrespective of most interesting men in the political differences. Americans, world” And so it proved. Russians, Chinese and Britons Weisskopf warmed to me, partly worked together on the same on account of a letter from experiment. Weisskopf identified Blackett, but also because my wife a strong urge among physicists to and I, having visited Abu Simbel, establish better bonds and a the oldest site in the world, had better understanding between the come to CERN for the second half politically divided parts of human-

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kind. He thought that to some the American Academy of Arts extent this came from a feeling of and Sciences. Honorary degrees guilt; that some of the great and prizes galore. But I doubt very insights of their research had much if they meant that much to been exploited to serve as weap- him. The last time I saw him he ons of annihilation and as a threat was pitifully concerned that to the future of humankind. He younger people would not think saw CERN not only as a world ill of his circle for having un- leader in particle physics, but as leashed the possibility of nuclear an ideological bridge. weapons. On many issues, he was a man Under Niels Bohr, then in his before his time. Even in 1964, on forties, we were a tight-knit little hearing that I had five working group of enthusiastic young coal-mines in my constituency, he spirits well aware of being in the shook his head and asked what I front line of knowledge, of proposed to do about the CO2 shedding light on a previously problem? The great advantage of murky and contradictory situation, nuclear power was the alleviation in the structure of atoms, and the of the CO2 problem. Nuclear behaviour of matter. Never before waste? “I worry, I worry. But at had so few contributed so much least, some solutions are possible. insight into the workings of The CO2 problem is not compara- nature in such a short time. ble; if you burn coal, you cannot Victor Weisskopf was a pivotal avoid making CO2.” member of those few. “Viki”, as Honours flowed to Victor he was known to the world of Weisskopf. Chairman of the High physicists was one of the truly Energy Physics Panel of the Atomic greats. Energy Commission, President of Tam Dalyell

Victor Frederick Weisskopf. Born 19 September 1908. Elected FRSE 1963. Died 21 April 2002.

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George Kenneth Hotson Younger - Viscount Younger of Leckie 22 September 1931 – 26 January 2003 First published in The Independent, January 27, 2003 Reproduced with permission of The Independent “It was on a Korean hillside on a grandson was to occupy in the dark, dank, cold night in 1951 latter years of the 20th century. that I really came of age,” record- The first Viscount was also, from ed George Younger: 1906 to 1922, Member of I realised that my platoon of Jocks Parliament for Ayr Burghs, a seat of the Argyll and Sutherland which (as Ayr) his great-grandson Highlanders was in a perilous was to hold from 1964 to 1992. position, and that I as a 19-year- George Younger senior was old was responsible for their lives, central in the breaking up of the as well as my own. Somehow we Lloyd George coalition govern- were lucky. The Korean and ment and replacing it with the Chinese force did not locate us, Conservative governments of and we survived. After that, I saw Bonar Law and Baldwin: he was life in perspective. Treasurer of the Conservative Party George Younger was to become from 1923 to 1929, being created Secretary of State for Scotland, a viscount in 1923. Wags could Defence Secretary, Lord High not resist comparisons: the first Commissioner to the General Viscount Younger had been Assembly of the Church of responsible for the departure of Scotland, an Honorary Fellow of Lloyd George - as Margaret New College, Oxford, Warden of Thatcher’s campaign manager in Winchester College, chairman of 1990 the fourth Viscount was the Royal Bank of Scotland and, blamed by many for being by personal choice of the Queen, insufficiently zealous in the events a Knight of the Thistle. To no Scot that led to her demise as Prime of recent years have accrued so Minister. many honours; and no one carried The second Viscount Younger, honours with such good-humour James, worked in the family and self-deprecating charm. brewery at Alloa, fought at The first Viscount Younger of Gallipoli, was severely wounded Leckie, also George, left college at on the Somme and won the DSO. the age of 17 on his father’s death He had two sons, one of whom to run the family brewery. He was was George Younger’s father, President of the Scottish Conserv- Edward, distinguished in the ative and Unionist Association in public life of Scotland, while the 1904, a position his great- second, Kenneth, went off in a

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completely different direction. manager for Glasgow. He played a Born two years after the family significant part not only in moved into the Leckie estate in brightening up the design of its Stirlingshire, Kenneth followed canned beers but also in the the family precedent by going to dramatic reorganisation of Winchester and New College, Scottish brewing which first Oxford, but then joined the brought together several of Labour Party. He was Labour MP central Scotland’s brewers into for Grimsby, and later the Director United Caledonian Breweries and of the Royal Institute of Interna- then merged them with Tennants tional Affairs at Chatham House to form Tennant Caledonian before his death in 1976. Breweries Ltd, of which George George Kenneth Hotson Younger Younger was a director from 1977 was born at Leckie in 1931. After to 1979. Cargilfield, where he was head At the age of 28, in 1959, he boy, he went to Winchester. None stood for Parliament in the Labour of the honours which were later seat of North Lanarkshire. Con- to come his way gave him such servatives in the House of pleasure as being Warden of Commons heard from Margaret Winchester. After National Service Herbison, who defeated him by in Germany and Korea with the 21,152 votes to 14,883, what an Argyll and Sutherland Highland- excellent Tory candidate he had ers, he went up to New College, been. More than any of his where he read Modern History. political colleagues he was at ease Joining the family firm of George with the Scottish working class in Younger and Company, part of general and the mineworkers in Bass, he rose to be a senior sales particular. The praises of Herbison manager - following the tradition contributed to his being chosen of his great-great-great-uncle for the blue-chip Tory seat of Perth William McEwan, who combined a and Kinross in succession to career as a politician with that of Gilmour Leburn, a Scottish junior successful brewer (best remem- minister who had announced his bered for Mc Ewan’s Export). As retirement. the Edinburgh University Public However, Leburn’s sudden death Orator put it at the degree in 1963 coincided with the ceremony for Younger’s doctorate dramatic Conservative leadership honoris causa in 1992, crisis in which the 14th Earl of There was not for this son an Home emerged as Prime Minister. immediate short cut to the Younger as adopted candidate, boardroom. Instead he worked without prompting, offered his through the company in a range safe seat to the Prime Minister, an of roles from labourer to sales act of greatest good sense which

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the Conservative Party was never These tiny majorities sharpened to forget. “After that,” said his political antenna as to what Gordon Campbell (later Lord mattered for Scottish opinion and, Campbell of Croy), “we simply later, contributed to his influence had to find him a seat.” Campbell in Cabinet. Patrick Jenkin, his was Scottish Conservative whip at colleague and member of Con- the time, and as Secretary of State servative cabinets, remembers from 1970 to 1974 was to choose how Younger handled Margaret Younger to be a junior minister in Thatcher with considerable skill the Scottish Office. and was adept at confronting his Sure enough, the first available fellow cabinet ministers with the Conservative seat, that of Ayr, was dire things that would overtake handed to Younger. I spent a the party in Scotland, at the hands week canvassing for the Labour of the SNP in particular, if money candidate, Alex Eadie. Labour was was not found for the Scottish confident of winning, but on an Office. 83 per cent turnout Younger held In 1964 an injection of new blood the seat by 20,047 to 18,346 - a - Alick Buchanan-Smith, Teddy majority of 1,701. Few if any Taylor, Hector Monro, Nicholas Conservative candidates other Fairbairn and George Younger - than Younger could have won. made for a lively opposition. And I am absolutely sure that on Younger stood out because of his 85.3 per cent turnout only he in ability gently to tease the formida- 1966 could have beaten by ble Willie Ross, Wilson’s Scottish 19,988 votes to 19,504 Charlie Secretary who lived in Younger’s O’Halloran, later to be convenor Ayr constituency. The grudging of Strathclyde Regional Council. respect of Ross marked out He held on to Ayr against a Younger for the most important succession of excellent Labour of the Under-Secretaries’ jobs in candidates: in 1970 he beat Jim the Scottish Office, that of Craigen, later to be MP for Economic Development, when the Maryhill, by 4,450 votes; in Heath government came to power February 1964 Jean McFadden, in 1970. later to be Labour leader in Taylor remembers working with Glasgow, by 5,098 votes; and in Younger in the Scottish Office as October 1974 Richard Stewart by “a real delight” because, 3,219. In 1987 his majority was George always appeared to be reduced to 182, with Younger relaxed, and practical, and getting 20,942 to Labour’s established a record for solving 20,760 (with the Liberals, 7,859, problems. In the dark and dismal and SNP, 3,548). days when the Scottish Conserva-

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tives were beginning to tear the Scottish Office, persuaded themselves apart over issues like Heath to give money to the upper devolution and the European Clyde. Union, George displayed great In the period between January integrity and understanding of all and March 1974 Younger became sides in the conflict and tried to Minister of State for Defence. bring them together. I have always After the fall of the Heath govern- had a feeling that, if he had been ment he spoke from the front given the task of dealing with bench and thought that, having Northern Ireland, we might have made himself acceptable to made real progress in resolving Thatcher as Shadow Defence the problems there. Secretary, that he would have One other controversy helped been given the job when she Younger enormously. In a debate came to office in 1979. However on the future for Scottish regi- the job went to John Nott, not ments on 15 July 1968 I argued because Thatcher thought that the case for the Scots Greys, and Younger had been close to Heath opined of their performance at and even closer to Willie Whitel- Crater in Aden that the Argylls’ aw, but because Teddy Taylor had commanding officer had diso- lost his seat in Glasgow Cathcart beyed orders. Younger interrupted and she didn’t care for the me in genuine anger saying that I devolutionary views of George had made a scandalous allega- Younger’s contemporary and tion. The Scottish press had a field friend Alick Buchanan-Smith, and day. It culminated in the row thought that Younger was more about “Mad Mitch”, who as Lt- to her taste as Scottish Secretary. Col Colin Mitchell was later to The job of Secretary of State for become the Conservative Member Scotland was beset by problems: of Parliament for West Aberdeen- the motor industry at Bathgate shire. The row hugely enhanced and Linwood, the aluminium Younger’s reputation with the smelter at Invergordon, the pulp- public in general and his own mill project at Fort William and party in particular. many others. I confess that at the As development minister under time, I thought that Younger had the Secretary of State, Gordon not been as active in the preserva- Campbell, he handled the tion of British Leyland at Bathgate industrial problems of the early as he might have been. Years later, 1970s as well as any Conservative having talked to motor-industry minister could have done and in people in retrospect, I’m of the particular, according to Sir Russell opinion that he did as much as Hillhouse, Principal Finance Officer any politician could have done to and later Permanent Secretary at

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keep in being the motor industry the Westland crisis had earned in Scotland. It is certainly the case him deep gratitude from the that he did as much as any man Prime Minister. Having come so could have done to preserve the publicly to blows with Heseltine steel industry at Ravenscraig, in she could not afford a repeat which he was temporarily success- performance with her incoming ful, and at Gartcosh, where he Defence Secretary. He could was unsuccessful. therefore set his own agenda Towards the end of his period as within the department to a the longest-serving ever Scottish greater extent than his predeces- Secretary he found the hot potato sor. of rating revaluation on his plate. He differed from Heseltine in that With some misgivings he accepted he was more interested in policy that the solution to what was a and less concerned with trying to politically insoluble problem was reorganise the Ministry of De- the poll tax - and made the fatal fence. He endorsed the Chief of error of acquiescing in the the General Staff Sir Nigel Bag- introduction of the poll tax as a nall’s goal of strengthening British guinea-pig tax a year earlier in tank forces, authorising an Scotland than in England. additional batch of 76 Challenger In January 1986 Michael Heseltine tanks from the Royal Ordinance upped and left the Cabinet over factory at Leeds. In naval ordering, the Westland affair. In Younger’s partly as a result of his shipyard own words: experience in Scotland, he ordered six Type 23 frigates and 19 new We carried on for two or three mine-hunters from yards in minutes, discussing the poll tax, different parts of the country. The then the Prime Minister called a spread of naval orders, even break for tea and biscuits. In the though it might have been more next room the offer was put to me costly, was a central part of his to become Defence Secretary. policy. Younger accepted the Defence Backbench pressure and his own portfolio with alacrity, as he knew inclination led Younger to make a the department having been a great deal of extra Type 23 orders Minister of State for Defence in at the 1988 Conservative Party the last days of the Heath govern- Conference. Having tasted military ment. His Permanent Secretary, Sir conflict in Korea, Younger was Michael Quinlan, recalls that he determined that men asked to was “calm, steady and certainly fight should have nothing but the nobody’s pushover”. best. Younger was certainly aware that his appointment in the midst of

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It became clear that he would not Profits increased from pounds be promoted to the Foreign 58m to pounds 5,800m, and it is Office, albeit he had acted as “now the second largest bank in Margaret Thatcher’s campaign Europe by market capitalisation, manager when she was chal- and the fifth largest in the world”. lenged in 1989 by Sir Anthony Michael Jopling, Government Meyer. In 1990 Younger and his Chief Whip, believes that, at team, who included Norman various moments in the late Tebbit and Michael Jopling, were 1980s, had the Prime Minister called into service again and won fallen under the proverbial bus, 204 votes for the Prime Minister. George Younger would have been This was enough to defeat the choice of the Conservative Heseltine but not to dispel Party in Parliament to succeed her widespread fears in the Conserva- in 10 Downing Street. tive Party that Thatcher had had Further, there is the widespread her day. John Wakeham replaced view that, had Younger not Younger for the proposed second committed himself to the Royal round. Younger told me that he Bank of Scotland, and been was reluctant to take up the role “available”, he, and not John at all because of business commit- Major, would have been Prime ments in the form of the Minister. Some Conservative MPs, chairmanship of the Royal Bank of who balked at voting for Douglas Scotland. Hurd, would have been comforta- Sir George Mathewson, the ble voting for Younger. present chairman of the Royal Whether he would have won the Bank, describes Younger’s chair- 1992 general election is a matter manship of the group, from 1991 for speculation, but Younger to 2001, as “the most successful certainly had judgement, shrewd- decade in its history”, culminating ness in the choice of people, and in “the transformational acquisi- charm - the qualities of a success- tion of NatWest in March 2001”. ful prime minister. Tam Dalyell

George Kenneth Hotson Younger, MA(Oxon), HonLLD(Glas), Drhc(Edin), HonDLitt(Napier). KT, KCVO, TD, DL. Born 22 September 1931. Died 26 January 2003.

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TRUSTEES’ REPORT TO 31 MARCH 2013 OVERVIEW of Fellows’ time, given pro-bono, The RSE is Scotland’s National would have amounted to over Academy. It has made a major £0.7m contribution to Scottish society The highlights of the year include: since 1783 through Fellows, such • Appointments of five new as Adam Smith, Walter Scott, postdoctoral research Fellows, James Clerk Maxwell and James including three funded by Black, whose achievements Scottish Government grant-in- resonate internationally. It is aid administered by the Scottish unique in Britain and distinctive Funding Council internationally in the breadth of its Fellowship which ranges across • Award of eight new Enterprise the sciences, medicine, engineer- fellowships throughout the UK ing, the social sciences, arts, • Appointment of 50 new humanities, business and public members of the Young Acade- service. my of Scotland Its purpose is to promote excel- • Launch of the second phase of lence across the whole range of Computing exemplification human understanding and the materials, which received use of that understanding in the national and international betterment of the national and acclaim international society of which it is • Live Webcast by the BBC of the part.In recent years, the activities Schools’ Christmas Lecture by of the RSE have both deepened Olympic gold medalist Kather- and diversified in contributing to ine Grainger – Getting to Gold Scotland’s economic, social and • Launch of an advice paper by cultural prosperity. the Business Innovation Forum: Over the year ended 31 March The financing of Business 2013 we delivered a wide range Innovation in Scotland being of public benefit activities, many followed up through a working in partnership with and/or group with Scottish Financial supported by others with com- Enterprise and the Institute of mon goals in mind. In delivering Chartered Accountants of these activities we drew upon the Scotland considerable strengths and varied • Dissemination events following expertise of RSE Fellows across a up on the Women in STEM very wide range of disciplines. report (science technology, These Fellows played an active role engineering and mathematics) in maintaining the highest–quality • Launch of a major Inquiry into standards of delivery and the cost the changing role of digital

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technology entitled Spreading research fellows amounting to the benefits of Digital Participa- £135,000. tion The underlying financial outcome • Joint conferences with the for the year was a surplus of british Academy entitled £31,000, an improvement on the Scotland and the UK followed budget, mainly as a result of by the launch of a series increased investment income. of ten events running from The support for new initiatives, March 2013 to February 2014 such as the Young Academy, was to Enlighten the Constitutional achieved within this result without Debate in advance of the drawdown of legacies received in forthcoming Referendum on earlier years. Scotland’s future relationship with the rest of the United £’000 Kingdom Total net incoming • An exhibition celebrating the resources 325 recent discovery at CERN enti- Less: tled From Maxwell to Higgs Legacy – Dr Lewis (75) Sales of digital archive (55) • In partnership with other Surplus of CRF income (135) learned societies, the establish- Dilapidations payment (23) ment of a standing group on Appeal income (6) Scottish Science Education Surplus on recurring • Launch of the RSE@ Lochaber activities 31 programme of activities across STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE the region that will last till AND MANAGEMENT Autumn 2013 The RSE Council, chaired by the The consolidated financial result President, comprises fourteen for the year of £325,106 includes Trustees, including five Vice- several non-recurring items – a Presidents, the General Secretary, further payment of a legacy from the Treasurer, the Fellowship Dr Gethin Lewis of £75,000; a Secretary and five ordinary second windfall payment re sales members. Subject to annual re- from the digitised historical election, Council members serve journals of £55,000, a dilapida- for three years, except for the tions payment from the outgoing General Secretary and Treasurer, tenant of the 3rd floor of the who may serve for up to four building and an unplanned years. All are unpaid. The Council surplus in restricted funds arising is responsible for the strategic from the early resignation of CRF direction and policies of the RSE, and normally meets quarterly. An

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Executive Board has delegated the RSE and are concerned with responsibility from the Council for the operational delivery of the delivery of the RSE’s activities. It is RSE’s varied activities. chaired by the General Secretary, All Fellows are actively encouraged and also has as its elected mem- to participate in the RSE’s activi- bers, the Treasurer, the Conveners ties. of the main operational committees and the Curator, as well as In June 2012 a new connected the Chair of the RSE Scotland charity, The RSE Scotland SCIO Foundation, a representative of (the SCIO), was incorporated with the RSE Young Academy and approval from the Office of the senior executive staff. The Execu- Scottish Charity Regulator. Its tive Board normally meets purposes are: quarterly and reports to the (a) the advancement of education; Council. (b) the advancement of the arts, The Council members and the heritage, culture or science; and office-bearers serving on the (c) the advancement of citizenship Executive Board are all elected or community development. annually by the Fellowship in a The SCIO will utilise the broad postal ballot. New members of intellectual resources and talents Council and the Executive Board of the Fellowship of the Royal are given an extensive induction Society of Edinburgh and related through discussions with the bodies as appropriate to enhance Chief Executive and senior staff. the intellectual and cultural The Audit & Risk Committee (see advancement of Scotland. Risk Management), Fellowship Since incorporation, the SCIO has Committee, Investment Commit- co-ordinated the development of tee and Prizes & Medals the RSE Young Academy of Committee report directly to Scotland. Council. Two other charitable trusts Reporting to the Council through founded by and closely connected the Executive Board are operation- to the RSE, the BP Research al committees, including the Fellowship Trust (the BP Trust) and Education Committee, Interna- the RSE Scotland Foundation (the tional Committee, the Business Foundation), are included in the Innovation Forum, various consolidated financial statements. Research Awards Committees, the The Foundation plays a leading Meetings Committee and the role in the RSE’s public outreach Young People’s Committee. These activities and manages the Committees largely, but not premises in Edinburgh. The exclusively, comprise Fellows of Trustees of the Foundation are

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appointed for three years by the • select suitable accounting RSE Council. policies and apply them Following a transfer of assets in consistently; 2009, the Foundation is also • observe the methods and responsible for managing the principles of the Charities SORP; programme of activities in support • make judgements and estimates of research in Scotland, funded by that are reasonable and the Caledonian Research Fund. prudent; The BP Trust was created follow- • state whether applicable ing a donation of £2m in 1988 accounting standards have from BP to support a scheme of been followed, subject to any post-doctoral research fellowships departures disclosed and in specified subjects and which explained in the financial are awarded at the sole discretion statements; and of the RSE. The RSE President, General Secretary and Treasurer • prepare the financial statements are the BP Trustees, ex officiis. on a going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume Statement of Council’s responsi- that the RSE will continue in bilities operation. The Council is responsible for The Council is responsible for preparing the Annual Report and keeping accounting records which the financial statements in disclose with reasonable accuracy accordance with applicable law at any time the financial position and United Kingdom Accounting of the RSE and which enable it to Standards (United Kingdom ensure that the financial state- Generally Accepted Accounting ments comply with the Charities Practice). and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Under charities legislation Act 2005, the Charities Accounts applicable in Scotland, the (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as Council is required to prepare amended) and RSE’s own Laws. It accounts for each financial year is also responsible for safeguard- that give a true and fair view of ing the assets of the RSE and the state of affairs of the RSE and hence for taking reasonable steps of the incoming resources and for the prevention and detection application of resources of the of fraud and other irregularities. RSE for that period. In preparing The Council is also responsible for these financial statements, the the maintenance and integrity of Council is required to: the charity and financial information included on the RSE’s website.

440 Legislation in the United Kingdom in the RSE Strategic Framework governing the preparation and 2012 – 2015, are: dissemination of financial state- Inspiration ments may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions. • To stimulate, support and reward excellence in learning RISK MANAGEMENT and research in Scotland and The Audit and Risk Committee, the translation of new knowl- operating on a joint basis with the edge to business, wealth Foundation, the SCIO and the BP creation and economic and Trust, reports directly to the social well-being Council and the Trustees of the • To support the development of Foundation, the SCIO and the BP emerging Scottish talent Trust. Its Chair, who cannot be a that will be central to the future Trustee or other Office Bearer of leadership and vitality of the RSE, is invited to attend Scottish society Council meetings as an observer. Its remit includes keeping under Engagement review the effectiveness of internal • To communicate with a wide control and risk management audience, including internation- systems of the RSE and its con- ally, providing an important nected charities. The Council window on the world for believes that the existing systems Scotland and being a conduit and the structure of decision for relationships with other taking and reporting through organisations on matters of senior staff, the Executive Board national importance and the Council continue to • To enhance the public profile of provide assurance that risks are Scottish intellectual achieve- assessed and carefully managed. ment OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES Expertise The RSE vision is to continue to • To provide independent and build a dynamic and relevant authoritative advice on matters National Academy for Scotland, affecting the well-being of through a Fellowship of proven Scotland and its people, and to excellence that is unique in its initiate and lead public discus- breadth across the Sciences, Arts sion on these matters & Humanities and Commerce, and • To share, with others, knowl- to serve as an independent source edge and information on of public inspiration, engagement matters of scientific, economic, and expertise in Scotland and social and culturalimportance beyond.The objectives, as set out

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ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE YEAR internationally. In 2012 –13, an This section describes the achieve- additional £6.2M was attracted ments of RSE, the Foundation, the into the Scottish research pool by SCIO and the BP Trust, reflecting our Scottish Government Research the fact that the financial state- Fellows. 40 collaborations were ments are presented on a formed across Europe, the USA consolidated basis for this group and Canada in institutions of connected charities. The ranging from Harvard Medical performance of the RSE and its School, the Universities of Cornell, connected charities in the year, as Stanford and Dalhousie in North compared to the output targets America, to the National University set in the Operational Plan, is of Singapore. reported quarterly to the Executive In Europe and the rest of the UK, Board, and thereafter to RSE connections were made with Council and to the Trustees of the Aarhus University, Basel Biozen- other connected bodies These trum, Imperial College, UCL and reports have again shown that the the Universities of Cambridge, majority (>95%) of the targets Warwick, Southampton, Liverpool were reached or exceeded. In and Newcastle. many areas, additional targets, Although the number of awards is not in the initial Operational Plan, relatively small, the impact the were also delivered.The core Research Fellows have is great. public benefit programme They attract large sums of funding activities are described in more into the research community in detail below, according to the Scotland and help to retain outcomes to which they contrib- research talent here. European ute. funding through the Marie Curie Enhancing the capacity of COFUND FP7 programme helps world-class science and culture Scottish-based Research Fellows researchers working in Scotland broaden their research networks RSE Research Awards continued internationally and showcase to support some of the most Scottish talent on a global stage. outstanding young scientists and The following awards were made innovators working in Scotland during the year: today. The Research Fellowships • Scottish Government Personal Awards Programme successfully Research Fellowships, three enhance the capacity of world- awards from 33 applicants class science and culture researchers workingin Scotland; • BP Personal Research Fellow- and increase Scotland’s research ships, one award from 13 and development connections applicants

442 • CRF Personal Research Fellow- In addition, two Major Research ship, one award from 17 Grants continued to be support- applicants ed. One of these supported • CRF European Visiting Research research on Turkey Red and other Fellowships, 10 in Arts, decorative textiles and resulted in Humanities & Social Sciences an extensive online exhibition Colouring the Nation, hosted by • Cormack awards: one Under- the National Museum of Scotland. graduate Prize, one Postgraduate Prize and five The International Bilateral and Vacation Research Scholarships, Open exchange schemes, funded plus three small research grants by Scottish Government grant, support researcher exchanges that • John Moyes Lessells Scholar- lead to collaborative projects and ship, seven travel grants result in further research funding Due to reductions in Scottish from other sources. Government Grant, the pattern The programme seeks to increase that had existed since 2008 of Scotland’s research and develop- awarding six, five-year, Scottish ment connections internationally; Government Personal Research and increase the number of Fellowships per year remained world-class science and culture curtailed. researchers working in Scotland. It Following a moratorium on new helps create conditions for appointments in 2011 to safe- talented people to visit and work guard the support of existing in Scotland; and supports Scot- Research Fellows, new appoint- land’s reputation as a distinctive ments were resumed in 2012, but global identity and a centre of on a reduced shared funding research excellence. model agreed with the Universi- During the year, 16 Bilateral and ties, and at the reduced level of 26 Open Exchange Scheme grants three new Research Fellowships. were awarded, which amounted Also funded by Scottish Govern- to 110 person-weeks of research- ment grant, the Arts & Humanities er support (for visits between programme remained at the Scotland and over 23 countries reduced level of 2011–12, and worldwide). One recipient com- supported the award of: mented that ‘This bilateral scheme • seven Research Workshops, is an incredibly useful resource. from 20 applications For relatively small sums of money, it can really help to shape the • 22 Small Research Grants, from research performed in Scottish 29 applications Institutions and elsewhere.’

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A particularly strong part of the administration of the postgradu- programme, which cements ate scholarship scheme, which relationships and collaborations, remains with the Carnegie Trust are the joint research projects run for the Universities of Scotland. over two years between Scottish BP Research Fellowship Trust researchers and the National Natural Science Foundation of The Trust awards a five-year China (NSFC), supporting longer- Research Fellowship in alternate term collaborations and levering years. The Fellowship was award- further funding. ed in 2012 to Dr Stuart Robertson of the University of Strathclyde. Six new joint projects with the There were three ongoing BP NSFC were awarded for two years Research Fellows in post during from Spring 2013 in the area of the year. Energy Technology and Manage- ment and 14 existing joint Strengthening connections projects in Image Processing and amongst academia, business Information Science, and Biologi- the public and the voluntary cal Sciences were supported in sectors their first and second years. Enterprise Fellowships Caledonian Research Fund (CRF) The Enterprise Fellowship schemes On 11 March 2009, the Founda- run by the RSE are designed to tion received a transfer of assets encourage commercialisation of from the Caledonian Research technology-based business ideas Foundation. The undertaking from academic institutions into given by the Trustees to honour spin-out companies. This activity the financial commitments helps create sustainable compa- existing at the time of transfer of nies with high-value jobs and the CRF was fulfilled in 2012. contributes to the economy in the Thereafter the Trustees became long term. free to apply the assets at their The RSE administers three Enter- discretion. In the year to March prise Fellowship Schemes, funded 2013, the existing schemes of separately by Scottish Enterprise research support continued and (SE), the Science and Technology one postdoctoral Research Facilities Council (STFC) and the Fellowship and two postgraduate Biotechnology and Biological studentships were awarded Sciences Research Council during the year. (BBSRC). All of the activities of the CRF are Since its inception in 1997, more administered on behalf of the than 80 high technology busi- Foundation by the RSE, except the nesses have been formed from the

444 Enterprise Fellowships scheme Fellows were appointed in the and at least 60 are still trading. year. They have raised more than £70m RSE Business Innovation Forum in follow-on investment, of which 90% is from the private sector. In The high-level Business Innova- this reporting period alone, more tion Forum considers research and than £16M of investment was development activity in Scotland’s raised, 14 employees were business sectors. The outputs recruited (across six companies); flowing from this activity have eight new products were already been and will continue to launched and eight new compa- be presented to Scottish Ministers nies were incorporated. An and be more widely disseminated independent review of these and discussed at events with awards is currently being carried others. out and will report in the summer The principal recommendations of of 2013. the RSE’s Advice Paper The The RSE/SE Enterprise Fellowships Financing of Business Innovation Phase III programme aimed to in Scotland, published in October appoint sixty Fellowships over five 2012, included a proposal for a years. Funding was made available working group to consider and by Scottish Enterprise to appoint advise on sources of growth forty-one eligible fellows. The capital for emerging Scottish ninth round took place in Spring companies. The group, set up 2012 and one Fellow was ap- with SFE and ICAS, has now met pointed who took up post in several times and will publish its October 2012. The tenth round recommendations in Autumn took place in Autumn 2012 and 2013. four fellows were appointed who IEEE/RSE/WolfsonJames Clerk took up post in Spring 2013. Maxwell Award Discussions are ongoing with The IEEE/RSE/Wolfson, James Clerk Scottish Enterprise about a Maxwell Award for 2012, sup- proposal to continue this success- ported by Wolfson ful programme. Microelectronics PLC, was Both of the Research Council awarded to Professor Gerhard schemes operate on a UK-wide Sessler of Darmstadt University of basis and encourage the commer- Technology in Germany for his cialisation of research previously pioneering contributions to funded by BBSRC and STFC. electroacoustic transducers, the development of silicon micro- Following a rigorous selection phone technology, and seminal process, two BBSRC Enterprise work on electroactive materials. Fellows and three STFC Enterprise

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Building partnerships Enhancing the RSE Young In May 2012, the RSE formed a Academy of Scotland’s capacity Learned Societies’ Group on to contribute to the future of Scottish Science Education. Its Scotland purpose is to discuss and contrib- Since incorporation, the Trustees ute to the major reforms in the of the SCIO have supported an delivery of science education in open and publicly accessible Scottish schools. application process to increase the The Group is facilitated by the RSE membership of the RSE Young and chaired by Professor Sally Academy of Scotland by a further Brown. Members are drawn from 50 members. This takes the total the Royal Society of Chemistry, the membership to 118 (51 females Institute of Physics, the Society of and 67 males) and widens its Biology, the British Computer capacity. The SCIO has also Society, the Association of Science coordinated the activities of the Education, the Scottish Schools Young Academy: Education Research Centre and Five Working Groups of Young the Engineering Policy Group in Academy members have been set Scotland.In collaboration with the up, aiming to make informed David Hume Institute, a joint contributions on matters affecting project is on-going considering the wellbeing of Scotland and its the role and contribution of people. universities in Scotland. The groups are: Round table discussion sessions • Scottish Constitutional Reform were held on topics including: • Inequalities in the Workplace The role of universities in the economy; • Open access to research data Who are universities for? and • Curriculum for Excellence The school/college/university • Media Relations – and specifi- interface and collaboration. cally the portrayal of research, across all disciplines, by the The series will continue through- media out 2013–14 and, following its completion, a set of policy papers These groups are producing will be published. written reports and submissions, all of which are publicly available on the Young Academy webpag- es, and engaging directly with public, governmental and parliamentary organisations and individuals in a range of ways.

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These included: of Islamic Art in the Museum • A joint meeting with the Context Scottish Youth Parliament and • RSE/BP, Hutton Prize Lecture in Young Scot, to explore future Energy Innovation collaboration on issues affect- • Sexual and Reproductive Health ing young people Issues for Women in Combat • Representing Scotland at a • The Scientific Life of David “Voices of the Future” event Livingstone for young Scientists held at the House of Commons, Three annual lectures: Westminster • RSE Christmas Lecture by • Collaboration with Young Olympic gold medalist Kather- Academies in Germany, the ine Grainger – Getting to Gold Netherlands, Russia and • MacCormick European Lecture Sweden on a photographic 2012 given by Allan Little competition inviting scholars Reflections on recent events in across Europe to submit images the Arab World capturing the essence of what • SUPA/Robert Cormack Astrono- makes research fascinating. my Meeting Exploring the Enhancing the public’s contribu- Diversity of Exoplanets tion to and understanding of Six Joint Lectures and discussion science, economic and cultural forums in partnership with the issues following organisations: Events • SCRR Peter Wilson Lecture: The The multidisciplinary programme Evidential Basis for Food and of events aimed at a wide variety Environmental Policy of audiences comprised Seven • RSE/RAEng: Growing Healthcare lectures: Technology Businesses – • Alan Turing: Legacy of a Code Bringing Engineering Inventions Breaker to Market with Limited Resourc- • Is doing cancer research good es for the NHS? • Royal Commonwealth Society • BBC Reith Lecture: The Rule of An Evening with Tim Flannery Law and its Enemies • Gifford Trust – An Evening with • Fragments of a Lost Past or Diarmaid MacCulloch Evidence of a Connected • International Futures Forum History: The Role and Concepts Michael Shea Memorial Lecture: Love’s Labours Lost: How Society

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is Straitjacketing its Profession- contemporary that are relevant to als and how we might release the Lochaber region and include them science and environment; history • Standard Life Investments – and identity, literature and the Integrated Reporting: Benefit or arts; and community develop- Cost ment. Five Conferences: Events took place in venues in towns and villages across the • Celebrating 100 years since the region, including Fort William, birth of Alan Turing Mallaig, Kinlochleven, Ballachul- • Europe and the Arab World ish, Kilchoan and the Isle of Eigg. • C T R Wilson, a Great Scottish Schools Physicist: His Life, Work and The schools programme continues Legacy to use RSE Fellows and other • Women’s Reproductive Health experts to share their knowledge across the Lifecourse: Implica- and understanding of science and tions for Public Policy culture with pupils, with a • In partnership with the British particular focus on enthusing Academy – Scotland and the those already engaged, and United Kingdom reaching those pupils who are not in close proximity to Scottish RSE@Lochaber programme Universities and Science Centres, In the period from the launch in and who therefore have more September 2012, the programme limited opportunity to participate delivered: and meet with experts. • Nine Public Talks The programme comprised: • One Secondary School Discus- • 33 Science Master Classes for sion Forum S1 and S2 science subjects, • Nine Secondary School Talks hosted at five Universities, attended by 817 students. • One Public Webcast • 15 Schools Talks where the • Ten Primary School Workshops/ content was agreed with Talks teachers in line with their The aim of this initiative is to curriculum, attended by 656 enhance and improve the under- students. standing and appreciation that • Schools Christmas lecture given people, particularly school-aged by Katherine Grainger children, have for their local community. The focus is on • Two Schools Discussion forums themes both historical and Enhancements in Sports took

448 place as a part of the with a specific focus on youth RSE@Lochaber programme and unemployment and training as a follow-on event from policies. RSE@Arbroath. Informing and influencing public International events policy decisions RSE – NSFC Workshop RSE’s Policy Advice Unit uses the The RSE and the National Natural multi-disciplinary knowledge and Science Foundation of China expertise of RSE Fellows, and (NSFC) have a formal agreement, other experts chosen by the established to support research Society, to provide evidence-based collaborations between Scotland advice to inform public policy and China. Under the terms of decisions made by the Scottish, this agreement, the RSE and NSFC UK and European Parliaments and organised a workshop in Novem- Governments. It provides these ber 2012 in Edinburgh in the area institutions with a source of of Energy and Renewables. independent and impartial advice on a range of matters. A delegation of nine leading researchers in the area of Energy Key outputs of the RSE’s Policy and Renewables attended from Advice Unit were an inquiry report China to meet with their Scottish on Women in Science,Technology counterparts, present their work Engineering and Mathematics: and explore future opportunities Tapping all our Talents, the launch for collaboration between the of which was followed by an participants from Scotland and extensive programme of dissemi- China. nation events; and the launch of a major inquiry into Digital Partici- Franco-Scottish collaboration pation, which will report in 2013. In association with the Institut The unit also produced d’Etudes Politiques at the Univer- sity of Rennes and with the 11 Consultation Responses, support of the French Consul one Briefing Paper, General in Edinburgh and the seven Projects/Reports, and Regional Council of Brittany, a policy seminar was held in 19 dissemination events October 2012. following on from our Tapping All our Talents report, including This provided an opportunity for presentations to: the House of academics, practitioners and Commons Select Committee; stakeholders to exchange ideas the Cross-Party Group on and experiences in policy innova- Science and Technology in the tion in Scotland and in France, Scottish Parliament; the Depart-

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ment of Business Innovation recordings are available on the and Skills. web. Oral evidence was provided to RSE Education Committee several Scottish Parliamentary The RSE Education Committee Committees, including on the members contribute to the Draft Budget. development of policy in relation Frequent reference was made in to education at all levels. In Parliamentary debates to the RSE’s January 2013, members met with written submissions on diverse the Cabinet Secretary and his topics. officials to learn about the Enlightening the Constitutional Government’s plans for evaluation Debate of Curriculum for Excellence and how the RSE could provide On 18 September 2014, the support and constructive chal- Scottish people will be asked to lenge to the process. vote in a Referendum on whether or not Scotland should be an The History working subgroup independent country. The issue of held an event The teaching of Scottish independence is the History: a model for collaboration biggest constitutional issue facing in February 2013 to lay the the UK at the moment, with far- foundation for creation of a reaching implications for all UK History Learning Community. It citizens. brought together those involved in the research, teaching and In 2012, the RSE and the British learning of History at all levels. Academy held a conference, Scotland and the United King- The joint project (with the British dom, to provide a platform for Computer Society), to produce frank and informed discussion. A exemplification materials to programme of public events was support the teaching of Comput- then established to enable further, ing Science in schools, continued more detailed discussion on successfully. Three extensive specific topics relevant to the resources comprising tutor and independence debate. learner materials were launched at the RSE in December 2012. These The first of these, covering have received very positive Scotland and Europe, was held in responses from schools and March 2013. The other events are teachers across Scotland and being held over 2013 –14. internationally. Written reports of all the events are publicly available and, for The project leader, Jeremy Scott, events held in Scotland, video presented the project at the App Inventor Summit organised and

450 hosted by the Massachusetts The discipline balance of the Institute of Technology (MIT) Fellowship can be broadly repre- Center for Mobile Learning. The sented by four cognate sectors. project has been extended until In the Fellowship (excluding August 2014 to develop further Honorary & Corresponding) the materials to support the new current balance of these sectors is: national qualifications in Comput- ing Science. • 36% Life Sciences The Education Committee also • 36% Physical Engineering and contributes to the debate sur- Informatic Sciences rounding the future of Higher and • 14% Humanities and Creative Further Education in Scotland. Arts This included input to RSE advice • 14% Social Sciences, Education, papers on Higher Education Public Service and Business governance and Post-16 Educa- The RSE holds an Induction Day tion. each year for the new Fellows. This Recognising Excellence provides an opportunity for new The Fellowship Programme Fellows to meet with members of Council, the Executive Board and The RSE’s Fellowship includes men RSE staff, and to be formally and women from all parts of admitted to the Society. Scotland, the UK and overseas, and encompasses the full range of There were also events primarily disciplines, including science, for Fellows, including the Fellows’ engineering, social sciences, arts, Summer Reception, the Royal humanities, law, education, Medals Award Ceremony, and the business and industry. Annual Statutory Meeting. In March 2013, the RSE an- Prizes nounced the election of five new The Royal Medals of the Royal Corresponding Fellows, three Society of Edinburgh are its most Honorary Fellows and 39 Fellows. prestigious award, recognising This followed the scrutiny in 2012 outstanding research excellence of 161 candidates through a four- and scholarship. stage committee process, The 2012 Medals were awarded, culminating in the postal ballot in with the approval of Her Majesty December to the entire Fellow- The Queen, to ship. The addition of new Fellows Dr David Milne for his outstand- in 2013 brought the numbers in ing contribution to business and the Fellowship up to 1565: 64 commerce in Scotland through his Honorary Fellows; 64 Correspond- founding, growth and leadership ing Fellows; 1437 Fellows. of Wolfson Microelectronics, and

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Professor Sir Edwin Southern for contribution to inflammation his outstanding contribution to research; and to Professor Andrew molecular biology, from which Whiten FRSE FBA, for his out- technologies have been devel- standing contributions to the oped with a global impact. The study of primates and animal Medals were presented by HRH behaviour. The Duke of Edinburgh at a RSE/Lord Kelvin Prize: to Professor ceremony at the Royal Society of Peter Davies FRSE, for his out- Edinburgh. standing contribution to the The RSE and Edinburgh Beltane discipline of Fluid Mechanics. launched the RSE Beltane Prizes RSE/Patrick Neill Medal: to Dr Marc for Public Engagement in 2011, Dweck, British Heart Foundation with the aim of recognising and Clinical Lecturer, University of rewarding the advancement of Edinburgh, for his outstanding high-quality public engagement research in clinical cardiology and with research. his innovative ways of engaging The Senior Prize for 2012 was with the public to increase its awarded to the leading Scottish understanding of this area of historian Professor Tom Devine science. OBE FRSE; RSE/Makdougall Brisbane Medal: Dr Nicola Stanley-Wall of the to Dr Aidan Robson, Lecturer in University of Dundee was the the School of Physics and Astron- winner of the Innovator’s Prize. omy, University of Glasgow, for his Following a review of RSE Prizes, breadth and depth of knowledge Council has instigated a new making him an excellent spokes- Prizes structure which incorpo- person and champion for particle rates Senior and Early- Career physics and for his ongoing Medals. programme of schools’ outreach activities. In Spring 2013 they were awarded as follows: RSE/Thomas Reid Medal: to Dr Gordon Pentland, (a member of RSE/Sir Walter Scott Prize: to the RSE Young Academy of Professor David Hewitt FRSE, for Scotland), Senior Lecturer in his outstanding contribution to History at the University of Scottish Literature through his Edinburgh, for his high quality work on The Edinburgh Edition of research and his longstanding the Waverley Novels. commitment to knowledge RSE/Sir James Black Prize: jointly to exchange. Professor Christopher Haslett OBE RSE/Henry Duncan Medal: to Mr FRSE FMedSci for his outstanding Neil McLennan (a member of the

452 RSE Young Academy of Scotland), The RSE also serves as Scotland’s Quality Improvement Officer representative on ALLEA (All (Education, Culture and Sport) at European Academies), a body Aberdeen City Council and which comprises 53 academies President of the Scottish Associa- from across Europe. This relation- tion of Teachers of History, for his ship provides excellent outstanding contribution to civic opportunities for developing links society, creativity and social with other Academies on behalf enterprise, education and the of Scotland. social sciences. Communications Additionally, in September 2012 Four issues of ReSourcE, the RSE Council agreed to recognise the newsletter, were published and outstanding work of Professor distributed to the Fellowship and Peter Higgs FRS FRSE by creating around 3,000 others, including an exhibition about his work to be business leaders, journalists, displayed in the Upper Gallery, by research institutes, schools, MPs, presenting him with a one-off MSPs and interested individuals. commemorative medal at the Fellows also received a monthly e- Annual Statutory Meeting, and bulletin, which enabled them to commissioning a portrait to be keep up to date with and, if hung in the Kelvin Room. appropriate, disseminate informa- Reaching out tion on the RSE and its work. In International relations addition, public e-bulletins were sent out during the year to Since 2003, Scottish Government advertise various events and funding has supported the schools activities. establishment of formal Memo- randa of Understanding (MoUs) In December, Issue 13 of our between the RSE and 16 overseas Science Scotland magazine was sister Academies, and also published, entitled The Business supported the development and of Biomedicine; this was the maintenance of relationships and second part of two editions activities with other overseas dedicated to highlighting Scottish Academies. The relationships act companies that have grown from as a catalyst for other internation- the commercialisation of research. al engagement activities such as Journals conferences and seminars. Events The RSE, through the Foundation, take place both in Scotland and publishes two journals Earth and overseas, and are attended by Environmental Science Transac- international as well as Scottish tions of the Royal Society of participants. Edinburgh and Proceedings A:

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Mathematics. They are distributed grew once again from thirteen to worldwide, to the Americas, sixteen. Europe, Australasia, the Middle FINANCIAL REVIEW AND East, Africa and Asia, and the peer POLICIES review process draws on a truly international bank of referees and Investment powers and policy editors. The management of the invest- Six issues of Proceedings A were ment funds of the RSE, the published during the 2012/13 Foundation and the BP Trust is year. carried out by Speirs & Jeffrey & Co on a discretionary basis. The Two issues of Transactions were objectives set by the Council are published. to ensure a sufficient level of The digital versions of the RSE’s income to meet the target set archive journals – Transactions annually by the Council, and to (1785–1979), Transactions: Earth invest for real capital growth over Sciences (1980–2000), Proceed- the long term. ings (1832–1940), Proceedings A The Council has delegated the (1941–1999) and Proceedings B detailed monitoring of perform- (1941–1996) continue to be ance to an Investment Committee, marketed for sale to the public by which includes at least one Cambridge University Press. ordinary member of Council and The RSE’s highly regarded journal two experienced investment archive is thus more easily accessi- professionals and which makes ble to a world-wide audience, and comparisons against a composite generates useful additional benchmark reflecting the mix of income. assets held and the WM Charities Friends of the Society Income Constrained Index. In 2009 the RSE launched a The performance of the portfolios corporate engagement initiative in the year was as follows: entitled Friends of the Society with Income Actual Total Benchmark the aim of strengthening relations Target income return with the Scottish business sector. £’000 £’000 % % Over the last four years a number of prominent organisations have 335 340 19.9 13.8 (RSE) taken part in the project which 126 124 19.8 13.8 (BP) provides the Friends with an 350 355 19.4 13.8 (FDN) opportunity to find out more The Investment Committee meets about the RSE and the important twice annually with the invest- work we carry out. During the ment managers to discuss their period the number of Friends

454 compliance with the constraints between universities and industry, set by the Committee and risk and to assist in the publication of environment. In the year under books written by Fellows. These review, no compliance issues arose grants are funded by the RSE’s which required to be reported to designated Grants Fund. the Committee. The Grants Committee is respon- Operating policies – grant siblefor making awards in making accordance with the detailed rules The RSE makes grants to individu- set out by the Council for the als in higher education disbursement of the Grants Fund. institutions in support of research Reserves policy and funds activities in the categories of The RSE holds a number of postdoctoral Research Fellow- restricted funds resulting from ships, Support Research bequests for particular purposes, Fellowships, Post-graduate details of which are set out in Studentships, Undergraduate note 2 to the financial statements. Vacation Scholarships, Enterprise Fellowships and international The Council has created designat- exchange grants. ed funds, from its unrestricted funds, the purposes of which are Each of these categories is also set out in note 2 to the specifically funded from various financial statements. The General sources, including the RSE’s Fund represents the balance of restricted funds. The basis of unrestricted funds arising from eligibility and selection varies past operations. The Council has according to the detailed scheme examined the requirement to hold regulations, which are published unrestricted funds, and concluded on the RSE’s website that, whilst the present level of (www.royalsoced.org.uk). reserves gives adequate working Grants are also made in support capital for core costs, it is desira- of research activities of Fellows of ble to have a General Fund reserve the RSE, including support for in the range of six months’ travel connected with research or expenditure on central costs, or scholarship, small-scale specialist approximately £754,000. The meetings, to assist research current fund balance is £700,000. visitors to Scotland to undertake The Council has also reviewed the collaborative research work with a purposes and amounts of each of Fellow, to assist a visiting lecturer the designated funds, which to come to Scotland, to assist comprise allocations for specific research collaboration between purposes of sums that had been two institutions in Scotland or donated in prior periods, together

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with the Development Fund and 26d, remained similar to previous the Capital Asset Reserve. During years. Investment income was the year, the Development Fund also stable at £0.85m, reflecting was renamed the New Enlighten- the addition of income from ment Fund and Council has legacy proceeds, but incoming determined that henceforth it will resources from charitable activities be used as an expendable endow- decreased by 6% to £3.56m.The ment to strengthen the RSE’s major reason for the fall in financial independence. Major incoming resources for charitable donations and legacies received activities was the further 4% will be added to the New Enlight- reduction in Scottish Government enment Fund. grant-in-aid, following the 16% Result for the year reduction in 2012 (from £2.927m in 2011 to £2.455m in 2012, to The surplus for the year was £2.350m in 2013). £325,106 including a further payment of a legacy from Dr Fluctuations in the pattern and Gethin Lewis of £75,000 and numbers of Enterprise Fellowship other non-recurring items. The appointments also contributed to underlying outcome for the year the decrease in income. was a surplus of £31,000, Resources expended compared to a deficit of £21,000 On a like-for-like basis total in the previous year.Investment expenditure decreased by 5% gains comprised £0.04 m realised (£0.28m), as a result of decreased in the year and £2.75m unrealised expenditure on charitable activi- at the year end. The net move- ties. Cost of generating funds ment on funds for the year after (note 6) includes the cost of the the FRS17 actuarial adjustment Fellowship office, the costs of was £3.086m. building management in respect Income and Expenditure of income from letting of surplus Total incoming resources space, as well as fundraising costs, both direct and management time Total incoming resources were in securing funding. £5.03 m (2012 – £6.75m), a decrease of 25% due to the The costs of refurbishment of the exceptional income from major 3rd floor of 53 Hanover Street in legacies received in 2012. Other preparation for re-letting are voluntary income, which includes included in the direct expenditure Fellows subscriptions and contin- under this category.Reductions in uing contributions from the grants payable in support of ‘Friends of the Society’ – corporate research and innovation gave rise partners of the RSE, listed in note to the major part of the decrease

456 Trustees’ Report and Accounts to 31 March 2013

in expenditure on charitable £1.49m to £1.82m, with a activities, falling from £3.36m to decrease in debtors resulting in £3.07m. This mirrors the drop in increased cash balances. Debtors income and reflects fewer research have decreased by £0.58m, mainly and Enterprise Fellows in post. reflecting the timing of receipt of The reduction in the CRF grants Scottish Government grant payable due to previous early claims.For the third year running resignations of two Research the net pension position calculat- Fellows resulted in surplus income ed by the actuary was a surplus, in that Fund. although at a reduced level. Total expenditure on influencing Because it is unlikely that such an public policy decreased by 9%, as asset could be realised in the the launch of the new major foreseeable future, the amount inquiry took place towards the recognised in the financial end of the financial year. Govern- statements is restricted so that no ance costs, which have remained net pension asset is recognised. at a similar level to previous years, This required an adjustment for represent less than 3% of total actuarial losses of £31,000. recurring income. Total funds increased by £3.08m. Transfers between funds shown in In addition to the revenue surplus the Statement of Financial of £325,106 were there were Activities comprise the recurring realised and unrealised invest- transfer from the Capital Asset ment gains of £2.783m, and a Reserve of a total of £101,818 to negative movement of £.03m on match the depreciation of build- the actuarial pension fund liability. ings and the capital repayment of Future plans the loan to the Foundation; and The unique character of the RSE, transfers on consolidation from in terms of the knowledge and the Foundation restricted fund skills of its Fellows, is well suited balance to the General Fund, to address the economic and equivalent to the net inter-entity social challenges of modern income received in the RSE. Scotland today. In particular, the Balance sheet Society contributes to the devel- Consolidated net assets have opment of world-class increased from £24.11m to researchers, who, in a highly £27.19m, mainly due to the technological age, have a key role £2.75m unrealised surplus on to play in Scotland’s future. investments. Realised surpluses Through its diverse Fellowship on investments were £41,700. Net and its work with other organisa- current assets increased from tions, it fosters effective cross-disciplinary collaborations. It

457 The Royal Society of Edinburgh

is able to contribute independent recognises the benefits of achiev- and well considered insights into ing greater diversification of public policy debate and enhances funding from non-government the public’s understanding of sources and considerable efforts research and other topical issues. are being made to do so. The New The RSE’s contribution to public Enlightenment Fund, for example, benefit is well recognised by the is designed to provide funding to Scottish Government, though enable the RSE’s priorities, as budget pressures have meant that identified in this report, to be the Society’s grant has been developed and more fully reduced during a period of achieved in the interests of economic difficulty. In this context, Scotland’s future.Signed on behalf the Council fully recognises the of the Council need to demonstrate to Govern- Gerald Wilson CB ment the value of the RSE to Treasurer Scotland. The Council also 2 September 2013

458 AUDITORS’ REPORT AND ACCOUNTS Independent Auditors’ Report Respective responsibilities of to the Council of the Royal Trustees and auditor Society of Edinburgh As explained more fully in the We have audited the financial Trustees’ Responsibilities State- statements of the Royal Society of ment, the trustees are responsible Edinburgh for the year ended 31 for the preparation of financial March 2013 which comprise the statements which give a true and group statement of financial fair view. activities, the charity statement of We have been appointed as financial activities, the group auditors under section 44(1)(c) of balance sheet, the charity balance Charities and Trustee Investment sheet, the group cashflow (Scotland) Act 2005 and report in statement and the related notes. accordance with regulations made The financial reporting framework under that Act. Our responsibility that has been applied in their is to audit and express an opinion preparation is applicable law and on the financial statements in United Kingdom Accounting accordance with applicable law Standards (United Kingdom and International Standards on Generally Accepted Accounting Auditing (UK and Ireland). Those Practice). standards require us to comply This report is made solely to the with the Auditing Practices charity’s trustees, as a body, in Board’s (APB’s) Ethical Standards accordance with section 44(1)(c) of for Auditors. the Charities and Trustee Invest- Scope of the audit of the ment (Scotland) Act 2005 and financial statements regulation 10 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations An audit involves obtaining 2006 (as amended). Our audit evidence about the amounts and work has been undertaken so that disclosures in the financial we might state to the charity’s statements sufficient to give trustees, as a body, those matters reasonable assurance that the we are required to state to them financial statements are free from in an auditors’ report and for no material misstatement, whether other purpose. To the fullest caused by fraud extent permitted by law, we do or error. This includes an assess- not accept or assume responsibili- ment of: whether the accounting ty to anyone other than the charity policies are appropriate to the and the charity’s trustees as a charity’s circumstances and have body, for our audit work, for this been consistently applied and report, or for the opinions we adequately disclosed; the reasona- have formed. bleness of significant accounting

459 The Royal Society of Edinburgh

estimates made by the trustees; Matters on which we are required and the overall presentation of to report by exception the financial statements. In We have nothing to report in addition, we read all the financial respect of the following matters and non-financial information in where the Charity Accounts the Trustees’ Report to identify (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as material inconsistencies with the amended) requires us to report to audited financial statements. If we you if, in our opinion: become aware of any apparent material misstatements or incon- • the information given in the sistencies we consider the Trustees’ Annual Report is implications for our report. inconsistent in any material respect with the financial Opinion on financial statements statements; or In our opinion the financial • proper accounting records have statements: not been kept; or • give a true and fair view of the • the financial statements are not state of the group and the in agreement with the account- charity’s affairs as at 31 March ing records and returns; or 2013 and of the group and charity’s incoming resources and • we have not received all the application of resources, for the information and explanations year then ended; we require for our audit. • have been properly prepared in Henderson Loggie accordance with United King- Chartered Accountants and dom Generally Accepted Statutory Auditors Accounting Practice; and (Eligible to act as an auditor in • have been prepared in accord- terms of section 1212 of the ance with the requirements of Companies Act 2006) the Charities and Trustee Edinburgh Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 2 September 2013 and regulation 8 of the Chari- ties Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended).

460 ACCOUNTS

Group statement of ﬁnancial activities (incorporating the income & expenditure account) for year ended 31 March 2013

Note General Designated Restricted Restricted 2013 Total 2012 Total Fund Funds Income Funds £ £ £ £ £ £

Income Legacies – 75,000 – – 75,000 1,630,386 Voluntary income 4 253,779 5,919 – 26,410 286,108 269,213 Activities for generating income 4 – – – 254,690 254,690 253,273 Investment income 4 41,351 241,503 – 562,991 845,845 792,349

Incoming resources from generated funds 295,130 322,422 – 844,091 1,461,643 2,945,221 Incoming resources from charitable activities 5 152,148 – 3,065,838 348,873 3,566,859 3,806,029

Total incoming resources 447,278 322,422 3,065,838 1,192,964 5,028,502 6,751,250

Expenditure Cost of generating funds 6 (152,138) (3,838) – (122,385) (278,361) (255,130) Charitable activities 6 (414,877) (106,340) (3,065,838) (688,067) (4,275,122) (4,569,345) Governance 6 (103,475) – – (46,438) (149,913) (155,370)

Total resources expended (670,490) (110,178) (3,065,838) (856,890) (4,703,396) (4,979,845)

Net (outgoing)/incoming resources (223,212) 212,244 – 336,074 325,106 1,771,405 before transfers

Transfers between funds 257,863 (101,818) – (156,045) – –

Other recognised gains/(losses) Gains/(losses) on investment assets Realised gains 14 1,171 13,328 – 27,235 41,734 23,820 Unrealised gains 14 71,801 817,058 – 1,862,224 2,751,083 208,280

Actuarial (losses)/gain on Lothian Pension Fund (31,000) – – – (31,000) (75,000)

Net movement in funds 76,623 940,812 – 2,069,488 3,086,923 1,928,505

Balance brought forward at 1 April 2012 623,886 9,405,721 – 14,080,572 24,110,179 22,181,674

Balance carried forward at 31 March 2013 21 700,509 10,346,533 – 16,150,060 27,197,102 24,110,179

461 The Royal Society of Edinburgh

Group balance sheet at 31 March 2013

Note 2013 2013 2012 2012 £ £ £ £

Fixed assets Tangible ﬁxed assets 13 3,557,761 3,652,554

Fixed asset investments Investments at market value 14 21,882,808 19,099,992

25,440,569 22,752,546

Current assets

Debtors 15 323,998 910,595 Cash at bank and in hand 584,715 295,351 Deposits – Designated funds 97,309 96,825 Deposits – Restricted funds 1,151,805 1,262,255 Deposits – General funds 979,802 295,112

3,137,629 2,860,138

Current liabilities Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 16 (1,315,462) (1,371,625)

Net current assets 1,822,167 1,488,513

Total assets less current liabilities 27,262,736 24,241,059

Provision for liabilities and charges 17 (65,634) (130,880)

Net assets excluding pension fund 27,197,102 24,110,179

Lothian Pension Fund deﬁned beneﬁt scheme asset/(liability) 22 – –

Net assets after pension fund asset/(liability) 27,197,102 24,110,179

Funds General Fund 700,509 623,886 Add: Pension reserve – –

18 700,509 623,886 Designated Funds 19 10,346,533 9,405,721 Restricted Funds 20 16,150,060 14,080,572

Total funds 27,197,102 24,110,179

The accounts were approved by the Council on 2 September 2013 and signed on its behalf by:

Gerald Wilson, CB Treasurer

462 Trustees’ Report and Accounts to 31 March 2013

RSE balance sheet at 31 March 2013

Note 2013 2013 2012 2012 £ £ £ £

Fixed assets Tangible ﬁxed assets 13 2,000,576 2,058,368

Fixed asset investments Investments at market value 14(a) 9,115,145 7,941,063 Loan to RSE Scotland Foundation 14(b) 1,610,288 1,657,096

12,726,009 11,656,527

Current assets Debtors 15 298,540 859,704 Cash at bank and in hand 454,593 295,351 Money Market deposits – Designated funds 97,309 96,825 Money Market deposits – Restricted funds 1,151,805 1,123,166 Money Market deposits – General funds 979,802 295,112

2,982,049 2,670,158

Current liabilities Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 16 (2,385,227) (2,213,133)

Net current assets 596,822 457,025

Total assets less current liabilities 13,322,831 12,113,552

Provision for liabilities and charges 17 (65,634) (130,880)

Net assets excluding pension fund 13,257,197 11,982,672

Lothian Pension Fund deﬁned beneﬁt scheme asset/(liability) 22 – –

Net assets after pension fund asset/(liability) 13,257,197 11,982,672

Funds General Fund 700,509 623,886 Add: Pension reserve – –

18 700,509 623,886 Designated Funds 19 10,346,533 9,405,721 Restricted Funds 20 2,210,155 1,953,065

Total funds 13,257,197 11,982,672

The accounts were approved by the Council on 2 September 2013 and signed on its behalf by:

Gerald Wilson, CB Treasurer

463 The Royal Society of Edinburgh

RSE statement of ﬁnancial activities (incorporating the income & expenditure account) for year ended 31 March 2013

Note General Designated Restricted Restricted 2013 Total 2012 Total Fund Funds income funds £ £ £ £ £ £

Income Voluntary income 253,779 80,919 – 13,807 348,505 1,887,585 Investment income 122,072 241,503 – 79,188 442,763 403,398

Incoming resources from generated funds 375,851 322,422 – 92,995 791,268 2,290,983 Incoming resources from charitable activities 258,076 – 3,317,714 – 3,575,790 3,831,171

Total incoming resources 633,927 322,422 3,317,714 92,995 4,367,058 6,122,154

Expenditure Cost of generating funds (152,138) (3,838) – – (155,976) (188,422) Charitable activities (445,481) (106,340) (3,317,714) (106,630) (3,976,165) (4,239,596) Governance (103,475) – – – (103,475) (108,919)

Total resources expended (701,094) (110,178) (3,317,714) (106,630) (4,235,616) (4,536,937)

Net incoming/(outgoing) resources before transfers (67,167) 212,244 – (13,635) 131,442 1,585,217

Transfers between funds 101,818 (101,818) – – – –

Other recognised gains/(losses) Gains /(losses) on investment assets Realised gains 14 1,171 13,328 – 4,345 18,844 5,727 Unrealised gains 14 71,801 817,058 – 266,380 1,155,239 90,543

Actuarial (losses) gains on Lothian Pension Fund 22 (31,000) – – – (31,000) (75,000)

Net movement in funds 76,623 940,812 – 257,090 1,274,525 1,606,487

Balance brought forward at 1 April 2012 623,886 9,405,721 – 1,953,065 11,982,672 10,376,185

Balance carried forward at 31 March 2013 700,509 10,346,533 – 2,210,155 13,257,197 11,982,672

464 Trustees’ Report and Accounts to 31 March 2013

Group cash ﬂow statement for the year ended 31 March 2013

2013 2013 2012 2012 £ £ £ £

Cash flow statement Net cash inflow/(outflow) from operating activities 29,762 1,028,573

Returns on investments and servicing of ﬁnance: Interest received 21,265 14,383 Dividends received 824,580 786,968

845,845 801,351 Capital expenditure and ﬁnancial investment: Purchase of tangible ﬁxed assets (27,177) – Proceeds from sale of investments 1,636,143 4,000,480 Purchases of investments (1,626,143) (5,780,480)

(17,177) (1,780,000)

Net cash ﬂow before ﬁnancing: 858,430 49,924 Appeal receipts 5,658 6,507

Increase/(Decrease) in cash in the year 864,088 56,431

Reconciliation of net cash ﬂow to movement in net funds

Increase/(Decrease) in cash in the year 864,088 56,431 Net funds at beginning of year 1,949,543 1,893,112

Net funds at end of year (note 27) 2,813,631 1,949,543

Reconciliation of net movement in funds to net cash outﬂow from operating activities

Net incoming resources before transfers 325,106 1,771,405 Retirement benefit scheme current service cost 127,000 117,000 Retirement benefit scheme past service cost 53,000 – Retirement benefit scheme contributions (175,000) (153,000) Retirement benefit scheme finance cost (36,000) (39,000) Appeal receipts (5,658) (6,507) Dividends receivable (824,579) (777,966) Interest receivable (21,265) (14,383) Depreciation 121,970 119,517 Decrease/(Increase) in debtors 586,597 297,565 (Decrease)/Increase in creditors (56,163) (199,088) Movement on provision for liabilities (65,246) (86,970)

Net cash outﬂow from operating activities 29,762 1,028,573

465 The Royal Society of Edinburgh

notes to the ﬁnancial statements

1 Accounting basis Capital Asset Reserve Fund – representing liaison. the book cost of the buildings at The accounts have been drawn up to Retailing Seminar Fund – to fund a 22-24 George Street and 26 George Street comply with the provisions of the Charities & programme of seminars on retailing. Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and together with the building project loan to the the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations RSE Scotland Foundation. Edinburgh Drug Absorption Foundation Fund – to fund a series of conferences on the broad 2006 as amended, and follow the New Enlightenment Fund – to provide theme of ‘Drugs Futures’. recommendations of the Statement of development finance to implement the RSE Recommended Practice for Charities (SORP) Strategic Framework. RSE Scotland Foundation – a trust to advance approved by the Accounting Standards Board the education of the public in Scotland in Programme Fund – a fund created to act as in February 2005 and applicable accounting science, engineering and technology, a source of funding for meetings activities. standards. The accounts have been prepared incorporating assets transferred from the under the historical cost accounting rules as C H Kemball Fund – income from this fund is Caledonian Research Fund (CRF). modified to include the revaluation of used to provide hospitality for distinguished RSE Scotland SCIO – incorporated in June investments. The accounts comprise five visitors from other learned societies and 2012 with charitable purposes of the primary financial statements: the Group and Academies. RSE statement of financial activities advancement of education; the arts, incorporating the income and expenditure Dr James Heggie Fund – income from this heritage, culture or science; and of citizenship account, the Group and RSE balance sheet fund supports the RSE’s activities with or community development. The SCIO and the Group cash flow statement. young people. co-ordinates the development of the RSE Young Academy of Scotland. On the basis of the RSE’s reserves and Grants Fund – a fund created by contributions cash position and the secured and expected and legacies from Fellows and used to provide BP Research Fellowship Trust – a trust incoming resources for the next twelve grants to support research activities to fund postdoctoral research fellowships months, the Council considers that it is to Fellows. in Scotland. appropriate to prepare the financial Restricted Income Fund – income funds statements on a going concern basis. received for expenditure on current projects. 3 Accounting policies The consolidated financial statements include Restricted Funds Incoming resources the financial statements of the RSE and Robert Cormack Bequest – to promote Voluntary income of entities which are under its control: RSE astronomical knowledge and research Subscriptions are accounted for on the basis Scotland Foundation, RSE Scotland SCIO and in Scotland. of the subscription year to October 2013 BP Research Fellowship Trust. As the objectives and include income tax recoverable on the of each of these entities are narrower than Lessells Trust – to fund scholarships abroad for subscriptions paid under Gift Aid. those of the RSE, they have been treated as engineers. restricted funds. Revenue grants are credited to income in the Auber Bequest – to fund research in Scotland period in which the RSE becomes entitled to and England by naturalised British citizens over the resources. 2 Funds 60 years of age. Donations of a recurring nature from other The RSE’s funds are classified in accordance Prizes Fund – to fund various prizes. charitable foundations and one-off gifts and with the definitions in SORP into Restricted legacies included in other income are taken Funds, where there are restrictions placed by Dryerre Fund – to fund postgraduate to revenue in the period to which they relate. a donor as to the use of income or capital, scholarships in medical or veterinary Designated Funds where the Council has set physiology. Investment income aside sums from its unrestricted funds for Fleck Bequest Fund – to promote interest, Interest and dividends are accounted for in a particular purpose and the General knowledge and appreciation of science and its the year in which they are received. (unrestricted) Fund. The classifications made applications throughout Scotland. Incoming resources for charitable activities are as follows: Piazzi Smyth Legacy Fund – to fund high Incoming resources for activities are General Fund altitude astronomical research. accounted for on an accruals basis. A discretionary Fund available to the Council to meet the ordinary activities of the Society. Sillitto Fund – to promote interest in physics among young people. CASS Fund – to fund academic/industrial Designated Funds

466 Trustees’ Report and Accounts to 31 March 2013

notes to the ﬁnancial statements

Publication income receivable in foreign currencies is converted into sterling at rates Charitable activities of exchange ruling at the date of receipt. Grants payable are recognised as a liability Minor equipment is charged against revenue when the RSE is under an actual or in the year of purchase. Computer and Incoming resources for research fellowships constructive obligation to make a transfer to audio-visual is depreciated on a straight line are accounted for in the period in which the a third party. Where grants are time related basis over 3–20 years. RSE becomes entitled to the resources. to future periods and are to be financed by Income received for specific projects, and specific grants receivable in those future Investments received in advance of the commencement periods, they are treated as liabilities of those Investments are stated at their market value of the project, is deferred. If the project were periods and not as liabilities at balance sheet at the balance sheet date. Gains and losses on not to proceed as planned, the RSE would date. Such grants are disclosed as future disposal and revaluation of investments not be entitled to retain the funds. For commitments. are charged or credited in the statement of performance-related grants, where financial activities and allocated to funds in entitlement to the incoming resource only Governance costs accordance with their proportionate share arises with the performance of the specific Governance costs are those incurred in of the investment portfolio. outputs agreed under the contracts, income is connection with the management of RSE deferred. assets, organisational administration and Pensions compliance with constitutional and statutory The RSE participates in defined benefit Resources expended requirements. pension schemes which are externally funded. Expenditure and support costs The cost of providing pensions is allocated Tangible fixed assets, depreciation All resources expended are included on over employees’ working lives with the RSE and repairs an accruals basis, having regard to any and is included in staff costs. constructive obligations created by The RSE’s principal assets are its buildings in multi-year grant commitments. George Street, Edinburgh. Under FRS15 the Pension fund assets arising from valuations Society depreciates the buildings assuming under FRS 17 are recognised only to the Where directly attributable, resources a 50-year life. It is the policy of the Council to extent that the asset is recoverable in the expended are allocated to the relevant maintain the buildings to a high standard. Any foreseeable future. functional category. Overhead and support permanent diminutions in value are reflected in costs are allocated to functional category the statement of financial activities. Costs of Foreign exchange on the basis of direct staff costs in each repairs and maintenance are charged against Assets and liabilities denominated in foreign area of activity. revenue. currencies are translated at the rate of exchange ruling at the balance sheet date, Cost of generating funds Expenditure incurred by the RSE Scotland while transactions arising during the year are The cost of generating funds includes Foundation in the improvements to translated at the spot rate prevailing when the expenditure incurred in supporting the 26 George Street is being depreciated from the transaction arises. Exchange gains or losses Fellowship and incurred on fundraising date of completion of the refurbishment over arising in the year are recognised in the and development initiatives. the period of the lease to the RSE Scotland Foundation to 30 June 2047. statement of financial activities.

467 The Royal Society of Edinburgh

notes to the ﬁnancial statements

4 Incoming resources

Current year 2013 Voluntary income Activities for Investment Promotion of Other charitable Total 2013 generating income research and activities innovation £ £ £ £ £ £

Fellows 234,985 – – – – 234,985 Individuals 1,288 – – – 21,227 22,515 Legacies 75,000 – – – – 75,000 Companies 30,100 – – – 38,298 68,398 Charitable trusts 19,632 – – 8,732 97,020 125,384 Scottish Government – – – 1,806,348 543,652 2,350,000 Public sector bodies – – – 677,596 25,113 702,709 Bank interest – – 21,265 – – 21,265 Dividends – – 340,776 – – 340,776

RSE 361,005 – 362,041 2,492,676 725,310 3,941,032 BP Research Fellowship Trust – dividends and interest – – 128,539 – – 128,539 RSE Scotland Foundation – grants & donations 103 – – – – 103 – rental income – 254,690 – – – 254,690 – charitable activities – – – – 348,873 348,873 – dividends and interest – – 355,265 – – 355,265

361,108 254,690 845,845 2,492,676 1,074,183 5,028,502

Voluntary income Activities for Investment Promotion of Other charitable Total 2012 Prior year 2012 generating income research and activities innovation

£ £ £ £ £ £

Fellows 215,923 – – – – 215,923 Individuals 5,928 – – – 18,076 24,004 Legacies 1,630,386 – – – – 1,630,386 Companies 24,300 – – – 34,228 58,528 Charitable trusts 11,048 – – 13,593 23,469 48,110 Scottish Government – – – 1,783,493 671,507 2,455,000 Public sector bodies – – – 899,955 37,128 937,083 Bank interest – – 14,383 – – 14,383 Dividends – – 306,420 – – 306,420

RSE 1,887,585 – 320,803 2,697,041 784,408 5,689,837 BP Research Fellowship Trust – dividends and interest – – 123,214 – – 123,214 RSE Scotland Foundation – grants & donations 12,014 – – – – 12,014 – rental income – 253,273 – – – 253,273 – charitable activities – – – – 324,580 324,580 – dividends and interest – – 348,332 – – 348,332

1,899,599 253,273 792,349 2,697,041 1,108,988 6,751,250

468 Trustees’ Report and Accounts to 31 March 2013

notes to the ﬁnancial statements

4 Incoming resources (continued) 4a Voluntary income

2013 2012 £ £ Contributions from RSE Fellows Admission fees 10,920 11,200 Annual subscriptions 176,708 172,300 Fellows’ donations 23,449 6,507 Income tax recoverable under Gift Aid 23,908 25,916 234,985 215,923 Lessells Trust additional receipt 13,807 11,048 Legacies 75,000 1,630,386 RSE Young Academy – 5,100 Friends of the Society – corporate partners 30,100 24,300 Other income 7,216 828 361,108 1,887,585

In addition to the donations set out above, the RSE receives donations made speciﬁcally in support of activities which are included in activities income (see note 26(b)).

5 Incoming resources from charitable activities 2013 2012 £ £

Scottish Government Grant – research fellowships 1,667,122 1,648,861 Scottish Government Grant – arts & humanities awards 139,226 134,632 Marie Curie COFUND 32,042 80,030 Scottish Enterprise 326,792 547,114 BBSRC Enterprise Fellowships 229,902 199,554 STFC Enterprise Fellowships 88,859 73,257 Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland 7,233 12,093 Scottish Crucible 1,500 1,500

2,492,676 2,697,041 Scottish Government Grant – engagement and innovation 305,128 354,408 Scottish Government Grant – International activities 238,524 317,099 Wider outreach activities 30,207 15,049 Events 69,185 30,135 Policy and advice income 54,343 43,843 IEEE / RSE / Wolfson, James Clerk Maxwell Award 22,350 21,106 Educational activities 5,000 – RSE Beltane Prize for Public Engagement – 2,500 Sale of sundry publications 573 268

725,310 784,408

RSE Scotland Foundation – Journal publications 219,870 195,975 RSE Scotland Foundation – Conference facilities letting 129,003 128,605

348,873 324,580

3,566,859 3,806,029

Further information relating to grants, donations and receipts and their application is set out in note 26.

469 The Royal Society of Edinburgh

notes to the ﬁnancial statements

6 Resources expended

2013 2012

Direct costs Support costs Total 2013 Direct costs Support costs Total 2012 (Note 11) (Note 11) £ £ £ £ £ £ Costs of generating funds Fundraising 24,024 54,233 78,257 3,127 94,240 97,367 Fellows’ subscriptions – 77,719 77,719 – 91,055 91,055

24,024 131,952 155,976 3,127 185,295 188,422 Building management 34,826 85,639 120,465 – 65,768 65,768 Investment fees 1,920 – 1,920 940 – 940

Total costs of generating funds 60,770 217,591 278,361 4,067 251,063 255,130

Charitable activities Enhancing World-Class Research 2,188,600 200,034 2,388,634 2,310,356 212,933 2,523,289 Strengthening connections among academia, business, public and voluntary sector 611,528 92,196 703,724 729,037 114,359 843,396 RSE Young Academy of Scotland 7,495 58,426 65,921 48,935 21,747 70,682 Enhancing public contribution to science, economic and cultural issues 117,553 386,569 504,122 91,663 426,911 518,574 Informing and inﬂuencing policy decisions 46,530 239,934 286,464 55,209 260,094 315,303 Recognising excellence 23,257 6,354 29,611 25,183 2,545 27,728 Reaching out 125,198 171,448 296,646 133,032 137,338 270,370

Total cost of charitable activities 3,120,161 1,154,961 4,275,122 3,393,414 1,175,928 4,569,342

Governance (note 11) RSE 5,675 97,800 103,475 5,908 103,012 108,920 RSE Scotland Foundation 5,202 35,969 41,171 5,058 40,132 45,190 RSE Scotland SCIO 1,421 2,561 3,982 – – – BP Research Fellowship Trust 1,285 – 1,285 1,260 – 1,260

Total governance costs 13,583 136,330 149,913 12,226 143,144 155,370

Resources expended 3,194,514 1,508,882 4,703,396 3,409,708 1,570,137 4,979,845

Central support costs as set out in note 11 have been allocated to activities in proportion to the employment cost in each area of activity.

470 Trustees’ Report and Accounts to 31 March 2013

notes to the ﬁnancial statements 7 Grants payable

2013 2012 £ £

Promotion of research (note 8) 2,244,450 2,315,558 International grants (note 8) 144,184 207,731

2,388,634 2,523,289 Prizes and grants (note 8) 29,611 27,728 Promotion of Innovation (Note 9) 654,077 810,085

3,072,322 3,361,102

8 Enhancing World-Class Research 2013 2012 £ £

Promotion of Research Scottish Government Fellowships 1,545,761 1,526,453 Marie Curie COFUND actions 22,341 74,949 Arts & Humanities Workshop Grants 122,897 120,745 CRF European Fellowships 38,861 30,303 CRF Personal Fellowships 70,248 111,458 Robert Cormack Bequest 7,859 6,457 John Moyes Lessells Scholarship 25,539 19,017 Auber Bequest Awards – 3,000 Henry Dryerre Scholarship 20,971 20,755 Other direct costs 2,682 4,202

RSE 1,857,159 1,917,339 BP Research Fellowship Trust 112,373 123,335 RSE Scotland Foundation – CRF Studentships 92,036 79,093

2,061,568 2,119,767

Support costs (note 6) 182,882 195,791

2,244,450 2,315,558

International exchange grants 127,031 190,589 Support costs (note 6) 17,153 17,143

144,184 207,731

2,388,634 2,523,289

An analysis of institutions and individual awards made under this expenditure heading is included in the Society’s Annual Review 2013, obtainable from the address on the back cover.

471 The Royal Society of Edinburgh

notes to the ﬁnancial statements

9 Strengthening connections between business and academia

2013 2012 £ £

Scottish Enterprise Fellowships 294,395 460,313 STFC Enterprise Fellowships 77,145 65,183 BBSRC Enterprise Fellowships 203,656 175,215

575,196 700,711 Support costs (Note 6) 78,881 109,374

654,077 810,085 Business Innovation Forum 13,990 12,205 Policy partnerships 2,633 – IEEE/ James Clerk Maxwell Prize 19,709 16,121

36,332 28,326 Support costs (Note 6) 13,315 4,985

703,724 843,396

10 Governance 2013 2012 £ £

Management and secretariat 136,551 143,144 Audit fee 13,362 12,226 Other professional advice from auditors – –

149,913 155,370

472 Trustees’ Report and Accounts to 31 March 2013

notes to the ﬁnancial statements

11 Support costs

2013 2012 £ £

Staff costs (including secondments) (note 12) 1,084,737 1,119,082 Staff training, agency and recruitment costs 12,148 16,098 Other staff costs (6,609) 76,320 Non-cash pension cost adjustments (FRS 17) (31,000) (75,000)

1,059,276 1,136,500 Other costs Establishment expenses 173,088 181,699 Computer and equipment costs 38,611 40,079 Communication, stationery and printing costs 46,946 49,165 Travel and subsistence, hospitality 26,006 19,143 Publicity 26,520 9,453 Miscellaneous 2,971 1,644 Professional fees and subscriptions 13,494 12,937 Depreciation 121,970 119,517

449,606 433,637

Total central costs 1,508,882 1,570,137

Support costs have been allocated to activities in proportion to the employment cost in each area of activity as set out in note 6.

12 Employees

2013 Total Secondments RSE Support Funded Funded Funded by RSE Payroll Project costs costs by Foundation by SCIO 2013 £ £ £ £ £ £ £

Wages and salaries 859,081 3,354 (9,109) 853,326 116,421 24,577 712,328 Social security costs 60,230 228 (188) 60,270 8,156 1,661 50,453 Other pension costs 171,904 731 (1,494) 171,241 20,250 4,146 146,745

1,091,215 4,313 (10,791) 1,084,737 144,827 30,384 909,526

Employees

2012 Total Secondments RSE Support Funded Funded by RSE Payroll Project costs costs by Foundation 2012 £ £ £ £ £ £

Wages and salaries 855,286 74,739 (42,423) 887,602 118,114 769,488 Social security costs 60,630 – (349) 60,281 7,851 52,430 Other pension costs 171,199 – – 171,199 24,783 146,416

1,087,115 74,739 (42,772) 1,119,052 150,748 968,334

The average number of employees of the RSE including those employed under joint contracts with the RSE Scotland Foundation was 29 (2012:29). One member of staff earned over £70,000 per year and is a member of a deﬁned beneﬁt pension scheme.

473 The Royal Society of Edinburgh

notes to the ﬁnancial statements 13 Tangible ﬁxed assets

22 – 24 George Street 26 George Street Improvements Computer Total Group Purchase cost Purchase cost Purchase cost & equipment £ £ £ £ £ Cost At 1 April 2012 1,103,038 1,647,468 2,136,070 356,762 5,243,338 Additions – – – 27,177 27,177 Disposals – – – (8,842) (8,842)

At 31 March 2013 1,103,038 1,647,468 2,136,070 375,097 5,261,673

Depreciation At 1 April 2012 286,791 428,341 571,639 304,013 1,590,784 On disposals – – – (8,842) (8,842) Charge for the year 22,061 32,949 44,467 22,493 121,970

At 31 March 2013 308,852 461,290 616,106 317,664 1,703,912

Net book value At 31 March 2013 794,186 1,186,178 1,519,964 57,433 3,557,761

At 31 March 2012 816,247 1,219,127 1,564,431 52,749 3,652,554

RSE Net book value At 31 March 2013 794,186 1,186,178 – 20,212 2,000,576

At 31 March 2012 816,247 1,219,127 – 22,994 2,058,368

14 Fixed asset investments Value at Investments Proceeds on sale Gain / (Loss) Revaluation Market value at 1 April 2012 made at cost of investments 31 March 2013 £ £ £ £ £ £ (a) Fixed asset investments RSE Managed Funds 1,686,427 243,806 – – 367,340 2,297,573 Fixed interest 1,885,561 – (293,370) (867) 101,177 1,692,501 UK equities 4,339,226 486,340 (414,223) 19,711 686,721 5,117,775 Cash deposits 29,849 (730,146) 707,593 – – 7,296

7,941,063 – – 18,844 1,155,238 9,115,145 BP Research Fellowship Trust Managed Funds 638,698 89,382 (8,428) (147) 136,491 855,996 Fixed interest 648,425 – (80,579) (66) 33,311 601,091 UK equities 1,621,217 172,716 (162,178) 6,145 253,074 1,890,974 Cash deposits 34,168 (262,098) 241,185 – – 13,255

2,942,508 – (10,000) 5,932 422,876 3,361,316 RSESF Caledonian Research Fund Managed Funds 1,725,162 272,036 – – 375,411 2,372,609 Fixed interest 1,950,895 – (255,081) (2,404) 100,593 1,794,003 UK equities 4,452,621 498,893 (432,285) 19,362 696,964 5,235,555 Cash deposits 87,743 (770,929) 687,366 – – 4,180

8,216,421 – – 16,958 1,172,968 9,406,347

19,099,992 – (10,000) 41,734 2,751,083 21,882,808 The gain on sale of investments measured against their historical cost was £278,457 (2012: £524,473) The historical cost of investments was £17,393,910 (2012: £17,125,455). (RSE £7,500,227, 2012: £7,415,150). Investments comprising more than 5% of the market value of the portfolio were: Aberdeen Asia Income Fund.

474 Trustees’ Report and Accounts to 31 March 2013

notes to the ﬁnancial statements

14 Fixed asset investments (continued)

(b) Loan by RSE to RSE Scotland Foundation 2013 2012 £ £

Due within one year 46,808 46,808 Due after one year 1,563,480 1,610,288

1,610,288 1,657,096

The loan 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 expiration of the lease of 26 George Street.

15 Debtors 2013 2012 £ £

General debtors 272,158 849,852 Prepayments and accrued income 1,243 9,852 Income tax recoverable 25,139 –

RSE 298,540 859,704 RSE Scotland Foundation 19,344 35,779 RSE Scotland SCIO 225 12,488 BP Research Fellowship Trust 5,889 2,624

Group 323,998 910,595

16 Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year 2013 2012 Group £ £

General creditors 609,876 594,274 Accruals 60,775 169,830 VAT payable 47,296 55,478 Deferred income 459,173 372,141 Event income deferred 59,436 68,856 Advance receipts – Publications 78,906 111,046

1,315,462 1,371,625

475 The Royal Society of Edinburgh

notes to the ﬁnancial statements

16 Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year (continued) Deferred income and advance receipts analysis At 1 April 2012 Received in year Recognised in year Exchange difference At 31 March 2013 £ £ £ £ £

Marie Curie COFUND 343,234 229 (21,963) 3,892 325,392 Friends of the Society 10,500 32,100 (30,100) – 12,500 Digital Participation Inquiry – 70,000 (2,749) – 67,251 Computing Project 18,407 28,758 (35,517) – 11,648 RSE @ Lochaber – 69,735 (27,353) – 42,382

372,141 200,822 (117,682) 3,892 459,173

Journal receipts 111,046 187,730 (219,870) – 78,906

Event income 68,856 50,403 (59,823) – 59,436

RSE 2013 2012 £ £

General creditors 561,992 667,817 RSE Scotland Foundation current account 1,302,451 1,104,319 RSE Scotland SCIO current account 2,175 – Deferred income 459,173 372,141 Event income deferred 59,436 68,856

2,385,227 2,213,133

17 Provision for liabilities and charges £ Commitments for research fellowships At 1 April 2012 – Group & RSE 130,880 New commitments: Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland Research Fellowships Grants paid in the year (65,246) At 31 March 2013 65,634

The provision represents amounts payable under a constructive obligation in respect of research fellowships and studentships due as follows: 2013–14 £21,350; 2014–15 £8,500.

18 General Fund £

At 1 April 2012 623,886

Net movement in funds for the year from statement of ﬁnancial activities 76,623

At 31 March 2013 700,509

476 Trustees’ Report and Accounts to 31 March 2013

notes to the ﬁnancial statements

19 Designated Funds At 1 April 2012 Investment Other income Expenditure Gains/(Losses) Transfers At 31 March 2013 income £ £ £ £ £ £ £

Capital Asset Reserve 3,692,472 – – – – (101,818) 3,590,654 New Enlightenment Fund 4,654,299 196,060 80,919 (89,529) 673,820 – 5,515,569 Programme Fund 133,119 5,713 – (112) 19,682 – 158,402 CH Kemball Fund 29,611 1,271 – (1,233) 4,378 – 34,027 Grants Fund 654,355 28,080 – (9,037) 96,746 – 770,144 Dr James Heggie Fund 241,865 10,379 – (10,267) 35,760 – 277,737

9,405,721 241,503 80,919 (110,178) 830,386 (101,818) 10,346,533

The transfers represent the release from the Capital Asset Reserve of a total of £101,818 to match the depreciation of buildings and the amount of capital repayment of the loan to the Foundation.

20 Restricted Funds

At 1 April 2012 Investment Other income Expenditure Gains/(Losses) Transfers At 31 March 2013 income £ £ £ £ £ £ £

Robert Cormack Bequest 111,089 4,767 – (8,102) 16,424 – 124,178 Lessells Trust 470,127 20,175 13,807 (33,884) 69,508 – 539,733 Auber Bequest 480,957 20,639 – (8,537) 71,109 – 564,168 Prizes Fund 71,821 3,082 – (4,499) 10,619 – 81,023 Dryerre Fund 508,912 21,839 – (30,005) 75,242 – 575,988 Fleck 110,361 4,736 – (2,959) 16,317 – 128,455 Piazzi Smyth 14,268 613 – (253) 2,110 – 16,738 Sillitto 34,237 1,469 – (2,871) 5,062 – 37,897 Others 29,311 1,258 – (520) 4,334 – 34,383 Edinburgh Drug Absorption Foundation 121,982 610 – (15,000) – – 107,592 Restricted Income Fund – – 3,065,838 (3,065,838) – – –

RSE 1,953,065 79,188 3,079,645 (3,172,468) 270,725 – 2,210,155 RSE Scotland Foundation 9,191,902 355,264 603,666 (611,878) 1,189,926 (156,045) 10,572,835 RSE Scotland SCIO – – 12,500 (12,500) – – – BP Research Fellowship Trust 2,935,605 128,539 – (125,882) 428,808 – 3,367,070

Total 14,080,572 562,991 3,695,811 (3,922,728) 1,889,459 (156,045) 16,150,060

477 The Royal Society of Edinburgh

notes to the ﬁnancial statements

20 Restricted funds (continued) “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 Dr DA Berry Fund, The Henry Duncan Prize Lecture Fund and The BP Prize Lecture in the Humanities Fund. “Others” comprise the Retailing Seminars Fund and The CASS Fund. The Restricted Income Fund represents restricted income received and expended in the year. Under the terms of the Lessells Trust the University of Glasgow is entitled to 10% of additional amounts received by the RSE from the Trust. The funds of the RSE Scotland Foundation are treated as restricted in respect of the consolidated accounts and comprise the endowment for the upkeep of the James Clerk Maxwell statue of £37,262, the CRF fund of £9,654,270 and the balance of the Foundation general fund of £881,303.

21 Analysis of assets between funds

General Designated Funds Restricted Funds 2013 2012 Group £ £ £ £ £

Fund balances at 31 March 2013 are represented by: Tangible ﬁxed assets 20,212 1,980,364 1,557,185 3,557,761 3,652,554 Investments 354,012 6,658,572 14,870,225 21,882,809 19,099,992 Loan to RSE Scotland Foundation – 1,610,288 (1,610,288) – – Current assets 298,540 – 25,458 323,998 910,595 RSE Scotland Foundation current account (1,302,451) – 1,302,451 – – RSE Scotland SCIO current account (2,175) – 2,175 – – Deposits 979,802 97,309 1,151,805 2,228,916 1,654,192 Cash 454,593 – 130,122 584,715 295,351 Current liabilities (36,390) – (1,279,073) (1,315,463) (1,371,625) Provisions for liabilities and charges (65,634) – – (65,634) (130,880) Pension fund liability – – – – –

700,509 10,346,533 16,150,060 27,197,102 24,110,179

General Designated Funds Restricted Funds 2013 2012 RSE £ £ £ £ £

Fund balances at 31 March 2013 are represented by: Tangible ﬁxed assets 20,212 1,980,364 – 2,000,576 2,058,368 Investments 354,012 6,658,572 2,102,561 9,115,145 7,941,063 Loan to RSE Scotland Foundation – 1,610,288 – 1,610,288 1,657,096 Current assets 298,540 – – 298,540 859,704 RSE Scotland Foundation current account (1,302,451) – – (1,302,451) (1,104,319) RSE Scotland SCIO current account (2,175) – – (2,175) – Deposits 979,802 97,309 1,151,805 2,228,916 1,515,103 Cash 454,593 – – 454,593 295,351 Current liabilities (36,390) – (1,044,211) (1,080,601) (1,108,814) Provisions for liabilities and charges (65,634) – – (65,634) (130,880) Pension fund liability – – – – –

700,509 10,346,533 2,210,155 13,257,197 11,982,672

478 Trustees’ Report and Accounts to 31 March 2013 notes to the ﬁnancial statements

22 Pension costs

(a) Universities Superannuation Scheme

The RSE participates in the Universities Superannuation Scheme, a defined benefit pension scheme which is externally funded and contracted out of the State Second Pension (S2P) Scheme. 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.

Because of the mutual nature of the scheme, the scheme's assets are not hypothecated to individual institutions and a scheme-wide contribution rate is set. The RSE is therefore exposed to actuarial risks associated with other institutions' employees and is unable to identify its share of the underlying assets and liabilities of the scheme on a consistent and reasonable basis and therefore, as required by FRS 17 "Retirement beneﬁts", accounts for the scheme as if it were a deﬁned contribution scheme. As a result, the amount charged to the income and expenditure account represents the contributions payable to the scheme in respect of the accounting period.

At 31 March 2013, USS had over 145,000 active members and the RSE had two active members participating in the scheme.

The latest actuarial valuation of the scheme was at 31 March 2011. The most signiﬁcant assumptions, those relating to the rate of return on investments and the increase in salary and pensions are as follows:

Past service Future service liabilities liabilities

Investment return 6.1 6.1

Salary increase 4.4 4.4

Pension increase 3.4 3.4

At the valuation date the market value of the scheme’s assets was £32,433.5 million and the value of the scheme’s technical provisions was £35,343.7 million on the scheme’s historical funding basis. The value of the assets represented 92% of the benefits that had accrued to members, after allowing for expected future increases in earnings. As part of this valuation, the trustees have determined, after consultation with the employers, a recovery plan to pay off the shortfall by 31 March 2021. Since the previous valuation as at 31 March 2008, there have been a number of changes to the benefits provided by the scheme, although these became effective from October 2011. These include: change to career revalued benefits for new entrants, normal pension age increase to 65, increase in member contributions and cost sharing, in the ratio 65:35 employers to members, of the excess contribution over 23.5%.The contribution rate payable by the RSE in the year was 16.0% of pensionable salaries. The actuary has confirmed that it is appropriate to take the pension charge to be equal to the actual contribution paid during the year. The total pension cost payable to USS in the year was £17,623.

(b) Lothian Pension Fund

The RSE 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 to ascertain the shares 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.

At the latest valuation date the market value of the scheme’s assets was £2,903 million and the value of past service liabilities was £3,427 million. The value of the assets represented 85% of the beneﬁts that had accrued to members, after allowing for expected future increases in earnings. The contribution rate payable by the RSE was: 22.7%. The actuary has conﬁrmed that it is appropriate to take the pension charge to be equal to the actual contribution paid during the year.

479 The Royal Society of Edinburgh

notes to the ﬁnancial statements

22 Pension costs (continued) Pension fund asset / (liability) The RSE pension fund asset at 31 March and the movements of its component parts comprise:

2013 2012 £’000 £’000

Present value of funded liabilities (deﬁned beneﬁt obligation) (2,908) (2,209) Fair value of employer assets 3,042 2,441

Net asset at 31 March 134 232

In accordance with the accounting policy, this asset is not recognised in the balance sheet as it is not expected to be recoverable in the foreseeable future.

2013 2012 Movement in present value of deﬁned beneﬁt obligation £’000 £’000

At 1 April 2,209 2,087 Current service cost 127 117 Past service costs 53 – Interest cost 111 119 Contribution by members 44 45 Actuarial losses/(gains) 378 (137) Beneﬁts paid (14) (22)

At 31 March 2,908 2,209

2013 2012 Movement in fair value of employer assets £’000 £’000

At 1 April 2,441 2,174 Expected return on assets 147 158 Contributions by members 44 45 Contributions by the employer 175 153 Actuarial gains/(losses) 249 (67) Beneﬁts paid (14) (22)

At 31 March 3,042 2,441

2013 2012 The net expense recognised in the statement of ﬁnancial activities after FRS17 adjustments was £’000 £’000

Current service cost 127 117 Interest cost 111 119 Expected return on employer assets (147) (158) Past service cost/(gain) 53 –

144 78

The total amount recognised in the statement of ﬁnancial activities in respect of actuarial gains and losses is a loss of £31,000 (2012: loss of £75,000). This loss has been calculated to eliminate the net asset to reﬂect the expectations in respect of its recovery at 31 March 2013.

480 Trustees’ Report and Accounts to 31 March 2013

notes to the ﬁnancial statements 22 Pension costs (continued)

The fair value of the employer assets at 31 March and the return on them in the year was: Value Return Value Return 2013 2013 2012 2012 £’000 % £’000 % Equities 2,403 5.7 1,929 6.2 Bonds 243 3.5 195 4.0 Property 274 3.9 268 4.4 Cash 122 3.0 49 3.5

3,042 2,441

Actual return on plan assets 396 48

The expected rates of return on plan assets are determined by reference to relevant indices. The overall expected rate of return is calculated by weighting the individual rates in accordance with the anticipated balance in the Plan’s investment portfolio.

Principal actuarial assumptions (expressed as weighted averages) at the year end were as follows: 2013 2012 % % Inﬂation/pension increase rate 2.8 2.5 Salary increase rate 5.1 4.8 Expected return on assets 5.3 5.8 Discount rate 4.5 4.8 The salary increase assumption at 31 March 2013 is 1% per annum for the ﬁrst two years thereafter. The assumptions relating to longevity underlying the pension liabilities at the balance sheet date as based on standard actuarial mortality tables and include an allowance for future improvements in longevity. The assumptions are equivalent to expecting a 65 year old to live for a number of years as follows: Males 2013 Females Males 2012 Females

Current pensioners 20.4 years 22.8 years 20.8 years 24.1 years Future pensioners 22.6 years 25.4 years 22.3 years 25.7 years

The history of the plan for the current and prior 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 periods is as follows: £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000

Present value of defined benefit obligation (2,908) (2,209) (2,087) (2,299) (1,128) (1,145) (1,298) (1,250) Fair value of employer assets 3,042 2,441 2,174 1,884 1,267 1,437 1,347 1,130 Surplus/(deficit) 134 232 87 (415) 139 292 49 (120) Experience gains and losses on assets and liabilities have been as follows: 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 Experience gains/(losses) on liabilities 1 180 – – 28 – (1) (30) Experience gains/(losses) on assets 249 (67) (37) 374 (396) (140) 8 171

The projected amount to be charged in respect of the Lothian Pension Fund defined benefit scheme in the next financial year is £130,000.

(c) Pension charge The total pension charge for the year, before the FRS17 pension credit, was £171,904 (2012: £171,199 before FRS 17 pensions credit).

481 The Royal Society of Edinburgh

notes to the ﬁnancial statements

23 Transactions with Related parties (a) Council members No member of Council received any payments other than reimbursements of expenditure on travel and subsistence costs actually and necessarily incurred in carrying out their duties as Councillors and Ofﬁcers. The aggregate of such reimbursements to those Council members who charged expenses amounted to £3,583 (2012: £1,185). b) Other related parties The RSE Director of Finance is also a part-time employee of the Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland, which administers postgraduate scholarships on behalf of the Foundation. In 2012–13 the Foundation made payments in support of the studentship scheme amounting to £92,036 (2012: £79,093).

24 Connected charitable trusts

(a) RSE Scotland Foundation The RSE Scotland Foundation is a charitable trust, recognised in Scotland as Scottish charity number SC024636. 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 RSE are ex officiis Trustees of the Foundation, which draws on the resources of the RSE in carrying out its objects. The Foundation also has five nominated Trustees. The Foundation became publisher of the RSE’s journals under a Publications Rights License effective from 1 January 1997. On 1 July 1997 the RSE 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 RSE agreed to make a loan 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 15. (b) BP Research Fellowships Trust The BP Research Fellowships Trust is a charitable trust recognised in Scotland as Scottish Charity Number SC008420. It funds a scheme of post doctoral research fellowships administered by the RSE. (c) RSE Scotland SCIO RSE Scotland SCIO – incorporated in June 2012as Scottish Charity Number SC043194, with charitable purposes of the advancement of education; the arts, heritage, culture or science; and of citizenship or community development. The SCIO co-ordinates the development of the RSE Young Academy of Scotland.

25 Financial commitments – operating leases The ﬁnancial commitment at 31 March 2013, in respect of operating leases expiring within one year for printing and copying equipment, was £6,631.

26 Supplementary information: grants, donations and receipts

(a) Scottish Government Grants Income 2013 2012 £ £

Promotion of research – research fellowships 1,667,122 1,648,861 Arts and Humanities Award 139,226 134,632 Engagement and Innovation 305,128 317,099 International activities 238,524 354,408

2,350,000 2,455,000

The funding for 2012–13 was grant-in-aid under S23 Natural Heritage (Scotland) Act 1985 in support of the four programmes of activity: Research Fellowships, Arts & Humanities Awards; International grants & relations and Engagement and Innovation, administered through the Scottish Funding Council. At 31 March 2013 the financial commitment in respect of Personal and Support Fellowships awarded subject to Scottish Government funding in the years, 2013 –14, 2014 –15, 2015 –16, 2016–17 and 2017–18 amounted to £1,025,570, £797,684, £340,167, £200,917 and £87,104 respectively. These amounts are treated as obligation of future years to be financed by specific funding expected to be made available from the Scottish Government.

482 Trustees’ Report and Accounts to 31 March 2013

notes to the ﬁnancial statements

26 Supplementary information: grants, donations and receipts (continued)

The amount paid to Universities in respect of the Research Fellowships represented 80% of the full economic cost of employing the Research Fellows. The support of the Universities in funding the balance of the cost is essential to the success of the scheme. (b) Recurring donations in support of activities 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.

Scottish Enterprise Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland £ £

Income Promotion of research & innovation 326,792 –

Costs

Promotion of research & innovation 294,395 58,013 RSE administration and staff costs recovery 32,397 7,233

326,792 65,246

The RSE gratefully acknowledges all those who make donations in support of activities. The companies, trusts and other bodies which made donations of £1,000 or more in support of activities in the year ended 31 March 2013 were as follows:

Binks Trust Oracle Corporation UK Limited BT plc Pulsant CISEP Project Royal Academy of Engineering City of Edinburgh Council Royal Commonwealth Society Council of Professors & Heads of Computing Scottish Agricultural College The Darwin Trust of Edinburgh Scottish Cancer Foundation Edinburgh Napier University Scottish Schools Education Research Centre Education Scotland Society of Biology European Parliament information Ofﬁce Standard Life Investments European Commission University of Edinburgh Gedeon Richter (UK) Limited University of Glasgow Glasgow City Council University of St Andrews Glasgow Caledonian University University of the West of Scotland International Futures Forum Wolfson Microelectronics Plc Institute of Physics Microsoft Research Limited

483 The Royal Society of Edinburgh

notes to the ﬁnancial statements

26 Supplementary information: grants, donations and receipts (continued)

(d) Friends of the Society

The Friends of the Society – corporate partners of the RSE, during the year ended 31 March 2013 were as follows:

Arup Group Oracle Corporation UK Limited BP plc Scottish Council for Development and Industry (SCDI) FES Ltd Scottish Power Institution of Civil Engineers Shell UK Lloyds Banking Group Standard Life plc MacRoberts LLP The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc Newsquest Scotland (Herald & Times) Toshiba Medical Visualization Systems Europe, Ltd Optos plc Wood Group plc

27 Analysis of net funds At 31 March 2013 Cash ﬂows At 1 April 2012 £ £ £

Cash at bank 584,715 289,364 295,351 Deposits – general 979,802 684,690 295,112 Deposits – designated funds 97,309 484 96,825 Deposits – restricted funds 1,151,805 (110,450) 1,262,255

2,813,631 864,088 1,949,543

484