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The Royal Society of Edinburgh Review 2008 (Session 2006-2007) The Royal Society of Edinburgh Review 2008 The Royal Society of Edinburgh Printed in Great Britain by Henry Ling Limited, Dorchester, DT1 1HD ISSN 1476-4342 CONTENTS Proceedings of the Ordinary Meetings .................................... 3 Proceedings of the Statutory General Meeting ....................... 5 Trustees’ Report to 31 March 2007 ...................................... 29 Auditors’ Report and Accounts ............................................. 49 Schedule of Investments ....................................................... 51 Activities Prize Lectures ..................................................................... 79 Lectures............................................................................ 127 Conferences, Workshops, Symposia, Seminars and Discussion Forums ............................................................ 169 Publications ...................................................................... 211 The Scottish Science Advisory Committee ........................ 213 Evidence, Advice and Comment ....................................... 215 Inquiries ........................................................................... 217 Parliamentary Liaison ........................................................ 219 Events for Young People .................................................. 221 Research and Enterprise Awards ...................................... 225 Medals, Prizes and Prize Lectureships ................................ 229 Grants Committee ........................................................... 231 International Programme ................................................. 233 Fellows’ Social Events ....................................................... 241 Grants, Sponsorship and Donations .................................... 243 Changes in Fellowship During the Session ........................... 245 Staff .................................................................................... 247 Obituary Notices.................................................................. 249 Index ................................................................................... 311 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ORDINARY MEETINGS 4 December 2006 Scrutineers for the Ballot for the Chair election of new Fellows, reported Professor John Richardson FRSE that 44% of the Fellowship had returned Ballot papers and that The President, Sir Michael Atiyah those on the list (page 245) had OM FRS HonFREng HonFMedSci been elected. HonFRSE PRSE preceded the lecture with the announcement of Lecture some Society business. Philology in a New Key: Humane Studies in a Digital Space. Profes- Formal Admission to Fellowship sor Jerome McGann, The John Professor Ian Beith McLaren Stewart Bryan Professor of Ralston English, University of Virginia, US Announcement of Scrutineers 3 September 2007 for 2007 Ballot Professor Hector McQueen and Chair Professor Charles Withers Sir Michael Atiyah OM FRS HonFREng HonFMedSci HonFRSE Lecture PRSE Visual Theology in Pictish Art. Professor George Henderson, Announcement of Scrutineers Emeritus Professor of Medieval for Council Ballot Art, University of Cambridge and Professor David Fergusson and Dr Isabel Henderson OBE, former Professor Iain Boyd Whyte. Fellow of Newnham College, Formal Admission to Fellowship Cambridge Professor James Hunter CBE 8 March 2007 Lecture Chair Henry Duncan Prize Lecture - The Professor Janet McDonald FRSE, Highlands: Scotland’s Great Vice-President. Success Story. Professor James Hunter CBE FRSE, Director, UHI Election of Fellows Centre for History Professors Hector MacQueen and Charles Withers, who had acted as 3 PROCEEDINGS OF THE STATUTORY GENERAL MEETING Minutes of the Statutory General Meeting held on 1 October 2007, ending the 224th Session The Annual Statutory Meeting modern communications technol- took place in the Society’s Wolf- ogy. The funding for this Award son Theatre on Monday 1 October comes from the Edinburgh-based 2007 at 5.30 pm. Sir Michael electronics company, Wolfson Atiyah OM, President, took the Microelectronics, created by a Chair. Sir Michael reported that it former RSE Vice-President, had been intended that the Professor David Milne. meeting would again be webcast Following an open call for live so that absent Fellows could nominations in late 2006, the IEEE access proceedings via a and The RSE decided to make the password-controlled section of first award jointly to Dr Irwin the RSE site, but this would now Jacobs and Dr Andrew Viterbi. not be possible due to unforeseen They co-founded QUALCOMM in technical difficulties. A video 1985 and this has set global recording of the proceedings benchmarks in digital wireless would, however, be available on communication systems and the RSE website following the products, based on Code Division meeting. Multiple Access (CDMA) technolo- IEEE/RSE Wolfson, James Clerk gies they pioneered. Under their Maxwell Award 2007 leadership, QUALCOMM has Prior to the start of the formal grown into a Fortune 500 compa- business, Sir Michael warmly ny, now with annual revenues in welcomed Dr Irwin M Jacobs and excess of $7.5 billion. Mrs Joan Jacobs. Dr Jacobs was The Award consists of a specially present to receive the inaugural designed gold medal, a bronze IEEE/RSE/Wolfson, James Clerk replica, and a cheque for $20,000 Maxwell Award. Sir Michael (shared between the winners). explained that this major new international award was created Professor John Mavor read the jointly between the IEEE (The citation for Dr Jacobs and after Institution of Electrical and receiving his award from the Electronic Engineers) and the President, Dr Jacobs gave an Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) illustrated talk entitled Reflections in summer 2006. It is named after on the amazing and Ubiquitous the outstanding Scottish scientist Cellphone, a summary report of James Clerk Maxwell whose which is available on the RSE discoveries in electromagnetism website. underpin almost all aspects of 5 Review of the Session 2006-2007 Sir Michael thanked Dr Jacobs for Report on Activities for Session a stimulating presentation and 2006/07 also announced that the City of Sir Michael commented that, in Edinburgh Council had now given addition to producing the formal permission for the erection of a Trustees’ Report and Accounts for statue of James Clerk Maxwell, to 2006/2007 in accordance with be commissioned from Alexander Charity Regulations, an illustrated Stoddart, at the east end of Annual Review of highlights of George Street, near to the the year (with a summary financial Society’s rooms. The aim is for review) was again produced, and this to be erected by Autumn this had been widely circulated to 2008. Sir Michael reported that a all Fellows, as well as to many number of donations had already others interested in the Society’s been received and that work to activities. The Trustees’ Report secure further funding was was available to any Fellow who progressing, and would shortly would like a copy. include a letter from him to all Fellows. He added that should The meeting noted the Report on the funds raised exceed that Activities for Session 2006/07 required for the statue and its prepared by the General Secretary, upkeep, the balance would be which had been distributed to placed into a new Clerk Maxwell Fellows in advance (Appendix 1). Fund, which would be used to Office Bearers’ Reports for support the Society’s public Session 2006/07 activities in relation to science and Sir Michael conveyed apologies the humanities. from Professor Andrew Miller, Dr and Mrs Jacobs left at this General Secretary, who was point and Sir Michael proceeded unwell, and from Professor Andy to the formal business of the Walker, Fellowship Secretary. meeting. General Secretary’s Report Minutes During the Session, Professor The Minutes of the Annual Gavin McCrone was the General Statutory Meeting held on Secretary until 1 March 2007, Monday 9 October 2006 were when he demitted office to enable taken as read, approved by those him to Chair the Society’s current Fellows present and signed by the major Inquiry into the Future of President as a correct record. Scotland’s Hill and Islands Areas. Matters arising From then until 1 October 2007, Professor Miller occupied the role There were no matters arising. on an interim basis. 6 Proceedings of the Annual Statutory Meeting On behalf of Professor Miller, Sir indirect costs. Noteworthy is the Michael drew particular attention modest percentage margin we to the Energy Inquiry work, which have been obtaining from our had included an appearance work on behalf of the private before a Scottish Parliament sector. Our overheads have been Committee, amongst the many controlled within a cumulative activities for the 2006/07 session increase of 4% over the past two as reported in Appendix 1. He years, while the deficit on our thanked all the Society’s staff for operational activities has varied, their work in relation to these and reached £285k last year. many activities, and specifically in For the current year, income will supporting Professor Miller in his be lower because of the delay in a role as General Secretary. commitment by a sponsor for the Treasurer’s Report continuation of a large pro- Mr Edward Cunningham delivered gramme. This in turn will have the following report: knock-on effect on the deficit, so although the decision has now “I am pleased to report a surplus been made, the benefits will slip for the third year running, albeit

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