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Imperial 34 mattersSummer | 2009 Alumni magazine of Imperial College London including the former Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School, Royal Postgraduate Medical School, St Mary’s Hospital Medical School and Wye College

h Natural selection Meet Imperial’s evolutionary biologists The fastest Climate change Sir Brian Hoskins on why we must change wind powered the future Plus all the news from the College vehicle on Earth and alumni groups Cover:Layout 1 23/9/09 12:17 Page 3

Summer 2009 contents//34

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22 24 news features alumni cover 2 College 10 Faster than the 28 Services The land yacht, called the 4 Business speed of wind 30 UK Greenbird, used Alumnus breaks the world land PETER LYONS by alumnus 5 Engineering speed record for a wind 34 International Richard Jenkins powered vehicle to break the 6 Medicine 38 Catch up world land 14 Charles Darwin and speed record for 7 Natural Sciences his fact of evolution 42 Books a wind powered 8 Arts and sport Where Darwin’s ideas sit 44 In memoriam vehicle sits on Lake Lafroy in 150 years on Australia awaiting world record 9 Felix 45 The bigger picture breaking conditions. 18 It’s not too late Brian Hoskins on climate change 22 The science of flu Discover the workings of the influenza virus 24 The adventurer Alumnus Simon Murray tells all about his impetuous life

Imperial Matters is published twice a year by the Office of Alumni and Development and Imperial College Communications. Issue 35 will be published in January 2010. Contributions are welcome by the copy deadline, Friday 6 November 2009. Address for magazine enquiries Office of Alumni and Development, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ +44 (0)20 7594 1971 [email protected] www.imperial.ac.uk/alumni/matters Editor Zoë Perkins Managing editor Saskia Daniel Contributors Leena Barrett, Edward Charnley, Lucy Goodchild, Liz Jaggs, Jovan Nedic, Danielle Reeves, Abigail Smith, Colin Smith, Mico Tatalovic, Naomi Weston and Elliott White Design Jeff Eden Print Prolitho ltd Distribution DHL Global Mail

© Imperial College London, 2009. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or part of any photograph, text or illustration without written permission from the publisher is prohibited. Due care is taken to ensure that the content of Imperial Matters is fully accurate, but the publisher cannot accept liability for omissions and errors. In the interests of providing a free flow of debate, views expressed here are not necessarily those of the editor or Imperial College London. Text_p01-21:Layout 1 23/9/09 12:17 Page 1

Welcome

It has been a very full six months since Richard Jenkins became the proud holder unfunded undergraduate places for UK the last edition of Imperial Matters, both of the world land speed record for a wind- students. We took that decision because for Imperial and the wider world, with powered vehicle, beating the previous we believe that unfunded places are not the continuing economic gloom jostling record of 116mph by just over 10 mph. He in the best interests of current or future with the threat of a swine flu pandemic has now got his eye on the ice speed students, who have a right to expect a for domination of the media. record – you can read more in our high quality education. Even with the As you may be aware, Imperial has interview with him on page 10. teaching grant, Imperial loses an average taken a close interest in both of these The many and varied achievements of of £2,500 per home/EU undergraduate major issues. The emergence of swine flu Imperial’s staff, students and alumni student per year. In difficult economic created a huge demand from public health provide a reminder of the many ways in times, the College’s focus is to preserve organisations internationally for our which universities benefit society. That and foster the academic excellence for scientific knowledge and advice and from brings me to the other major theme of the which it is globally known and to ensure the media for expert comment on the year – the ongoing recession and its that its students are provided with the possible scale and severity of the virus. effects. These, I fear, are set to influence high quality education they deserve and Someone who has been exceptionally UK universities for some time to come, upon which the UK’s future economic busy during this time is Wendy Barclay, due to levels of public debt and the prosperity depends. Professor of Influenza Virology, who has inevitable squeeze on government As ever, I would be delighted to hear devoted a great deal of time to providing spending. I feel very strongly that this is your opinions on these important issues. common sense advice amidst a sea of precisely the time that the UK must sometimes rather alarmist headlines. This treasure and invest in its world-leading Warm regards edition contains an interview with her and universities, whose teaching and research you can read more about her research and is of enormous economic as well as opinions on swine flu on page 23. societal value. It is a message I am making If it has been a busy time for Imperial, to policy makers at every opportunity, and the same can also be said for many of our I hope that many of you will join me in alumni, and we are always delighted to doing so. hear about the new developments in your Some of you may have spotted recent lives and careers. For one in particular, reports that Imperial, along with other 2009 has been a record-breaking year. In Russell Group universities, has declined March mechanical engineering alumnus a Government offer of extra but Sir Roy Anderson

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news college Redited by Naomi Weston

New ceremonial mace unveiled Imperial pledges its longstanding relationship with to clean up its Imperial, will be used in future ceremonies to lead the academic construction waste MARTIN STEWART procession into the Royal Albert Hall. Imperial became the first UK Weighing 7.1 kilograms and measuring university to sign up to the WRAP 1.2 metres, the £25,000 mace (Waste and Resources Action incorporates a helix-shaped stem Programme) voluntary agreement representing the structure of human in February 2009. The agreement DNA to reflect the College’s mission to helps organisations set targets to carry out and apply cutting edge scientific reduce the amount of construction, research. It is topped by a head depicting demolition and excavation waste Imperial’s crest and also includes the they send to landfill. The Prime Warden of the Goldsmiths’ Company presents the mace to Lord Kerr of Kinlochard, Goldsmiths’ Company’s coat of arms. The College aims to halve the Chairman of Imperial’scourt and council Sir Roy Anderson, Rector of Imperial, amount of construction waste it said: “We are enormously grateful to the sends to landfill by 2012 by reusing A silver and gilt mace created to mark Goldsmiths’ Company for this generous and recycling waste materials. It is the independence of Imperial College and beautiful gift. It was a landmark also developing guidelines for London made its first appearance at occasion for the College to achieve future construction projects that the Postgraduate Awards Ceremony in independence and receive its new royal include working with materials May 2009. charter in 2007, and it is wonderful to that are renewable and long The mace, donated by the have a tangible representation of that in lasting, and designing buildings Goldsmiths’ Company in recognition of this mace.” efficiently, so that the amount of materials used is reduced and less RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR waste is generated. Steve Howe, Director of Building Projects at the College, said: “At Ministers put the moment much construction waste comes from over ordering healthcare materials and fabricating on site. With this new agreement we are innovation now examining opportunities to fabricate off site and reduce waste in the by ordering smaller deliveries of materials, as well as reusing and spotlight recycling more.” He added: “As a university we Sir Roy Anderson welcomes Gordon Brown to the College recognise that we have a duty to our neighbours and to society to spend money wisely, to reduce Prime Minister Gordon Brown visited a debate on how the environment for life wastage wherever we can, and to the College in July 2009 for the launch sciences companies in the UK can be support government and EU targets of the Office for Life Sciences transformed to ensure faster access for waste reduction.” Blueprint, a new government vision for for patients to cutting edge medicines healthcare innovation. He was joined by and technologies. Lord Mandelson, Secretary of State for Theywerealsogivenatourofthe Business, Innovation and Skills; Lord Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Drayson, Minister for Science and where researchers are developing Innovation; and Lord Darzi, former robot-assisted surgery techniques Health Minister for Quality and which greatly reduce patient trauma Innovation and Professor of Surgery and speed up recovery times; and the at Imperial. laboratories of spin-out company During the visit, the ministers enjoyed DNA Electronics.

R More news online at www.imperial.ac.uk/news R Hot topics about the universe explored in new debating series at Imperial College

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college news

Stay connected Awards and Honours For new ways to keep in touch with the College and to hear New Royal Society Fellows our latest news, follow us on Twitter. Twitter is a free A microbiologist, a theoretical service that lets you keep in touch with people through the physicist and a structures exchange of quick, frequent messages. expert from Imperial joined the Follow Imperial at www.twitter.com/imperialcollege. Fellowship of the Royal Society You can also download the College’s monthly magazine in May 2009. Professors Martin podcast for the latest research developments at Buck, Division of Biology www.imperial.ac.uk/media/podcasts. (pictured top); Michael Duff, Department of Physics

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR (pictured middle); and Robert Ainsworth, Department of Mechanical Engineering Library collaboration to safeguard research journals (pictured bottom) bring the Imperial College London number of Royal Society is leading the new UK Fellows at Imperial to 66. Research Reserve UKRR Buckingham wins prize (UKRR) programme, Research Professor Julia Buckingham, which will see low-use Reserve Pro Rector for Education, has research journals stored been awarded the 2009 and maintained by the British Library, AstraZeneca Prize for Women freeing up university library space to be in Pharmacology by the used in different ways. British Pharmacological Society. The Access to the journals will be through prize recognises women whose career the British Library, and researchers and achievements have contributed students will be able to access the significantly to the public’s journals through an ordering and understanding of a particular field delivery system. through excellence in research. The UKRR is a five-year programme funded through a £9.84 million grant Professor Holden’s new fellowship from the Higher Education Funding Professor David Holden, Division of Council for England. Investigative Science, is one of 73 RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR microbiologists elected to become Fellows of the American Academy of Microbiology. New internship programme to beat the recession Fellows are elected annually through a highly selective peer review process, Imperial College London has launched a new based on their records of scientific Graduate Internship Programme to assist recent achievement and original contributions graduates in the challenging economic climate, that have advanced microbiology. offering them experience of working for a university and enhancing their future employability. Success in Birthday honours Interns will undertake a paid six-month placement Two Imperial academics have within a College department. been recognised in the Graeme Rae, Graduate Internship Programme Queen’s Birthday Honours Manager, will act as mentor to the interns. He says: 2009. Professor Anne Dell “These internships offer a fantastic opportunity for (pictured top) was made a CBE graduates to pick up some vital work experience and and Dr Caroline Shuldham get a leg up to the workforce. It’s a great chance to (pictured bottom) received an learn about the management of a complex and OBE. In addition, former varied organisation, and to benefit from the College’s Deputy Rector of Imperial, extensive staff development programmes.” Professor Sir Bill Wakeham, received a knighthood.

London R Imperial academics help pupils compete in international space settlement design competition

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news business Redited by Elliott White

Investment institute acknowledges Business School excellence The Securities from the Institute’s examinations. and Investment The SII is also exploring other possible Institute (SII) exemptions for Imperial College has designated Business School students, for example the Business the MSc Risk Management and School a SII Financial Engineering programme. Centre of The SII and the Business School have Excellence in the also agreed to establish a jointly field of finance. organised annual lecture. The decade-old Lina El-Jahel (pictured), MSc Finance MSc Finance programme director, said: “Students programme becomes the first taught now gain a clear route to a SII diploma programme in London with both SII level qualification in the normal course Professional exemption and Chartered Financial of their studies. This agreement Analyst partner programme status. demonstrates that the programme is in development for Current and future MSc Finance tune with needs of the practitioner healthcare managers students will benefit from exemption community and market practice.” RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR Allied health professionals and junior clinicians will be able to develop their Design London management skills through a new, flexible Continuing Professional offers new Development programme beginning in state-of-the-art October 2009. Management skills are simulation crucially important in modern healthcare systems. Healthcare managers are equipment expected to supplement their existing clinical skills, to effectively manage Design London, a collaboration resources, budgets and people. between the Imperial College Delegates do not require any previous Business School, Faculty of business or management qualifications Engineering and the Royal and can opt for those courses most College of Art, opened a new relevant to their own progression. Innovation Technology (IvT) Centre in mid-June. Courses on offer are Accounting, IvT comprises of a range of tools at the forefront of design-led innovation. Health Informatics, Health Economics Whilst manufacturers have long enjoyed rapid-prototyping and CAD as part of and Management Challenges of their development process, service and system designers are only now realising Healthcare Organisations. the benefits of being able to cheaply and quickly see, use and play with their Each course offers the latest theory ideas away from the market. and techniques, supported by real-life “We now offer the best three-dimensional, real-time visualisation equipment case studies and external speakers for use by our students and industrial collaborators,” said Nick Leon, Design working in the healthcare industry. This London’s director. “We are thrilled to have this technology which allows us to ensures that course content remains view and interact with early stage products and services as they are progressing practical and rooted in current best toward the consumer.” practice. A certificate of attendance will The IvT Centre also brings together the rapid prototyping and digital three- be awarded on completion of each dimensional printing resources of the Royal College of Art, with the immense course; all courses are currently under expertise of Imperial in fields such as medical imaging, computational fluid review by the Royal College of Physicians dynamics and structural analysis. Taken together, Design London now offers IvT for accreditation. for each stage of service and product development, from design and visualisation More information can be found at through to digital manufacturing. www.imperial.ac.uk/cpd.

R More news online at www.imperial.ac.uk/news R Robert Easton scans the private equity horizon in lecture

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Redited by Colin Smith engineering news

New centre Meteorite bombardment spearheads synthetic may have made Earth biology research more habitable Programming biological cells so that they behave like engineering parts is the focus of research at a new UK centre which was launched in December 2008. The £8 million Centre for Synthetic Biology and Innovation focuses on synthetic biology, a field in which engineers work with molecular bioscientists to produce biologically-based parts, by modifying DNA. These parts Large bombardments of meteorites approximately four billion could be used to build biological devices that can detect years ago could have helped to make early Earth and Mars more the early onset of cancer or combat harmful bacterial habitable for life by modifying their atmospheres, suggested a infections such as E. coli or MRSA. paper for the journal Geochimica et Cosmochima Acta in June 2009. “Imperial will recruit the best scientists from the UK Imperial College London researchers analysed meteorites and and around the world to carry out collaborative research, data from an ancient meteorite shower called the Late Heavy generate intellectual property for licensing, and Bombardment (LHB). When they enter the Earth’s atmosphere, ultimately create spinout companies that will play a part meteorites deliver water vapour and the greenhouse gas carbon in spawning new industries for the UK,” said Professor dioxide. The researchers found that during the LHB, enough Dick Kitney, Co-Director of the Centre. water and carbon dioxide were delivered to make Earth and Mars wetter and warm enough to sustain liquid oceans. “The Late Heavy Bombardment may have been a pivotal moment in our early history where Earth’s atmosphere finally Humanoid had enough of the right ingredients to nurture life on our planet,” said Professor Mark Sephton, Department of Earth robot helps Science and Engineering. scientists RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR understand intelligence On-the-spot DNA Scientists say that the test of tolerance to delivery of a humanoid prescription drugs robot to Imperial in A handheld device to predict whether March 2009 will help patients will respond adversely to them to push forward medication is one step closer to the their work on artificial market, thanks to a new partnership intelligence and could announced in February 2009. lead to a deeper Researchers from Imperial, and its understanding of spin-out company DNA Electronics, have developed a human intelligence. prototype healthcare device that works by analysing genetic Researchers from DAVE GUTTRIDGE, THE PHOTOGRAPHIC UNIT variations called single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) the Departments of found in DNA. These are the parts of human DNA that make Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Computing are using us all respond differently to disease, bacteria, viruses, the humanoid robot called iCub to further their research on toxins or medication. cognition. This is the mental process of knowing, awareness, “The ‘SNP Dr’ device could provide another layer in the perception, reasoning and judgment. treatment process that could help GPs to personalise “If we want to understand the nature of cognition better then treatments according to the genetic requirements of each we really need to understand it in the context of something that patient,” said lead researcher Professor Chris Toumazou, moves and interacts with objects. That is where iCub can help Institute of Biomedical Engineering. us,” said Professor Murray Shanahan from Computing.

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R More news online at www.imperial.ac.uk/news R Mobile pollution monitors trialled across the UK

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news medicine Redited by Lucy Goodchild

Pleasant music could restore Dangerous vision in stroke patients liaisons: bacterial Patients who have lost part of ‘sex’ causes their visual awareness following a stroke can show an antibiotic improved ability to see when resistance they are listening to music they like, according to a study Some disease-causing bacteria are becoming resistant to published in March 2009 in antibiotics because they have peculiar sex lives, say Proceedings of the National Imperial researchers who published results in Science in Academy of Sciences. June 2009. In the new study, patients The study, which looked at bacteria called with impaired visual awareness pneumococcus (Streptococcus pneumoniae), helps following a stroke could identify scientists understand how bacteria develop resistance to coloured shapes and red lights antibiotics, which is a major challenge for those treating in their depleted side of vision infectious diseases. The findings suggested that bacteria much more accurately while can become resistant to antibiotics if they pick up DNA from they were listening to their preferred music, compared with other species of bacteria. listening to music they did not like or silence. Dr William Hanage, Division of Epidemiology, Public Dr David Soto, Division of Neurosciences and Mental Health and Primary Care, said: “Our research shows that Health, said: “Music appears to improve awareness because of bacteria which do this, that is undergo sex, with their own its positive emotional effect on the patient, so similar beneficial and other species are more likely to develop resistance effects may also be gained by making the patient happy in other to antibiotics, protecting them from being killed by ways. This is something we are keen to investigate further.” these drugs.”

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UV light cuts spread of TB Ultraviolet lights could reduce the spread of tuberculosis in hospital wards and waiting rooms by 70 per cent, according to a study by Imperial scientists published in PLoS Medicine in March 2009. Ultraviolet C (UVC) light kills tuberculosis bacteria, including drug resistant strains, by damaging their DNA Is your environment damaging so they cannot infect people, grow or divide. The study compared the transmission of tuberculosis (TB) from your health? infected patients to guinea pigs, from rooms with and The damage that our modern living and working environment without UVC lights, showing that UVC light reduces the could be doing to our health is being investigated by a new £5 spread of infection. million MRC-HPA Centre for Environment and Health at Dr Rod Escombe, Division Imperial and King’s College London, launched in June 2009. of Investigative Science, said: The new Centre will analyse the health of people across the “When people are crowded UK and how this is affected by aspects of the environment in together in a hospital waiting which they live and work, from traffic fumes and noise from room, it may take just one cough to infect several overhead aircraft, to chemicals in the environment such as the vulnerable patients. Preventing by-products of disinfection in the water supply. infection is much easier and Professor Paul Elliott, Director of the new Centre, said: cheaper than treating a patient “It’s quite difficult to work out whether certain pollutants are with tuberculosis.” affecting our health because we are exposed to so many over such long periods of time. Our new Centre is developing methods to look at the exposure of many thousands of people.”

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R More news online at www.imperial.ac.uk/news RNew trigger for chronic inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis discovered

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Redited by Danielle Reeves natural sciences news

Deforestation causes ‘boom-and-bust’ development in the Amazon EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY Clearing the Amazon rainforest only The quality of local people’s lives has a short-term positive impact on increases quickly during the early Brazilian communities’ wealth and stages of deforestation, probably quality of life, according to a new study because people capitalise on newly published in Science in June 2009. available natural resources, including The research, co-authored by Dr Rob timber, minerals and land for Ewers, Department of Life Sciences, pasture. However, these shows that levels of development improvements are transitory and the revert back to well below national level of development returns to below average levels when the loggers and the national average once the area’s land clearers move on. natural resources have been exploited Since 2000, 155 thousand square and the deforestation frontier moves kilometres of rainforest in the on to virgin land. Blasting off for Brazilian Amazon have been cut Dr Ewers said: “Along with down for timber, burnt, or cleared environmental concerns, this is snapshots of the for agricultural use. Dr Ewers and his another good reason to restrict birth of planets, stars colleagues analysed changes in the further deforestation in the Amazon.” average life expectancy, literacy and and the universe per capita income of people living in 286 Brazilian-Amazon municipalities Imperial physicists celebrated the with varying levels of deforestation. successful launch of two new multi- million euro space telescopes in May 2009, which could transform our view of how planets, stars and galaxies are born, and give new insights into what the universe was like shortly after the Big Bang. Scientists from the College’s Astrophysics Research Group have been involved with the two European Space Agency (ESA) space telescope missions, named Herschel and Planck, since they ALEXANDER LEES were first proposed 20 years ago. Once fully operational, Herschel will Is the UK prepared for Sudden Oak Death? capture long wavelength light from some of the coldest objects in the universe. Imperial researchers have been commissioned Dr Dave Clements, who leads to carry out a Government review of Britain’s Imperial’s Herschel team, explains: “The ability to stop the spread of so-called Sudden great thing about Herschel is that it will Oak Death disease. reveal more about what’s going on deep Despite its name, Sudden Oak Death does not inside those massive dusty towers where affect just oak trees. The disease can infect a stars and planets are formed, which wide range of trees and shrubs found in the UK we’ve seen with the Hubble telescope.” including beech, ash, yew, rhododendron, Planck will look at even longer magnolia and heathers. It can kill them by creating cankers which girdle their wavelength radiation than Herschel. trunks or stems, and clog up their water-carrying ‘veins’. This radiation, known as the cosmic Leader of the new review, Dr Clive Potter from the Centre for Environmental microwave background, is a relic or echo Policy, said: “A review of the strategies being employed against these new of the Big Bang itself. Fluctuations in its woodland diseases is timely. It will enable us to bring experience from the past temperature can give scientists clues to to bear, and to evaluate the effectiveness of current policies.” what the universe’s early years were like.

R More news online at www.imperial.ac.uk/news RPlant scientists reach for the skies with rooftop experiments

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news arts and sport Redited by Leena Barrett Medics triumph in JPR Williams Cup

This year’s annual Varsity Day took place on 25 February 2009 with matches between Imperial College London and Imperial Medicals at Harlington Sports Ground, Ethos Medics lift the JPR Williams Cup and Wilson House during the day, Fierce competition whilst the evening JPR Williams Cup football, hockey, lacrosse, netball, match was played at Richmond Athletic squash, waterpolo, basketball and at Henley Association Ground. badminton, it was a thrilling day packed with fierce competition. With 42 teams, 21 matches and Three Imperial crews qualified for this A full-time score of seven all at this nine different sports including rugby, year’s Henley Royal Regatta, which took year’s JPR Williams Cup match between place from 1–5 July this year. the Rugby 1st XVs forced the match into The Temple Challenge Cup, a men’s extra time. The medics seized the coxed eight competition, began with a opportunity to push forward scoring confident Imperial crew (pictured from a penalty and scoring a try bringing above) taking on a University of Exeter the final score to 15-7 in their favour and team in the first round and beating them making them JPR Williams Cup by two thirds of a length. Facing the champions for the seventh time. University of Melbourne in the second It wasn’t all misery for the Imperial round the following day, the Imperial College London side, however, as overall crew unfortunately had their confidence they were the clear winners beating their shaken by their single length defeat. medical counterparts by 13.5 points to 7.5. The Prince Albert Challenge Cup, RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR last won by Imperial in 2006, saw the Imperial crew solidly finishing the first round and beating the University of Raising aspirations Reading by two and three quarter The Blyth Gallery, Imperial’s lengths. They went on to battle hard in contemporary art gallery, hosted the third annual outreach photo exhibition the next round against Yale University, during June 2009. The exhibition but Yale took the lead from the start and highlighted the College’s outreach the Imperial team could not come back. activities during the 2008–09 academic Imperial’s coxless pair, Wilkinson and year, from summer schools and tutoring Todd, competed in Silver Goblets and schemes to volunteering projects and Nickalls’ Challenge Cup and faced a open days. tough field littered with Olympians. Imperial has been actively involved The pre-qualified crew sadly crashed in schools’ mentoring and tutoring out in the opening round to Australian programmes for over 30 years. Each year over 200 undergraduate and pair Alfred and Buckland. postgraduate students volunteer to take part in the Outreach Office’s schemes to provide local state primary and secondary schools with positive role models. The longest running scheme is the Pimlico Connection, which places undergraduates in partner schools as classroom assistants and mentors. The Outreach Office aims to encourage the most able students to apply to Imperial for undergraduate study, raise aspirations among school students to consider applying to higher education and inspire interest in studying science, engineering and medicine. You can view an online photo gallery at www.imperial.ac.uk/outreach/ news/gallery, and you can find more information about forthcoming exhibitions at the Blyth Gallery, visit www.imperial.ac.uk/arts. The Albert crew prepare for the race

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Felix news

Imperial’s clubs Note from and societies the Editor soar to the top The last time you heard from me I It has been a phenomenal told you that I would try to free the year for Imperial’s clubs cat, or to put it another way, to and societies. The Boat make sure that Felix remains Club, as ever, has led the way bringing home a boatload of independent. Being able to comment freely on what British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) trophies, happens at the Union is something that we should be however, it has not been the only club to do so! able to do, and it is something that we should be able The women’s fencing team was narrowly beaten in the to continue to do for years to come. Looking back at championship final by the University of Oxford team; however, the year, I think that this has been achieved. So as being the second best fencing side in the country is a great we enter our 60th year, I hope that my successor, achievement nonetheless. Eugene Weiming Siew and Rahual Dan Wan, can continue to uphold the traditions that Bose came away with silver and bronze medals respectively in make Felix what it is. So it’s goodbye from me, and the judo competition whilst the snooker club also took a bronze. hello from him. The men’s and women’s volleyball, men’s table tennis, swimming, and indoor athletics teams also represented Jovan Nedic, Felix Editor-in-Chief 2008–09 R Imperial at the BUCS finals, which were held in March 2009. The men’s volleyball and table tennis teams were victorious.

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR Special mention also goes to table tennis’ Eddie Liu, who was named player of the tournament. Outside the sporting scene, the Jazz Big Band was crowned Update on the Archive the best big band in the country when they won the Gold Award After several set-backs, namely financial at the National ones, we are glad to report that the Concert Band Festival. project to digitise our archive is well As can clearly be seen, underway and should be completed by the extra-curricular November 2009. The project, however, side of Imperial is both still requires some additional funding active and successful, to create a high quality user something that the interface; follow the progress at students should be www.felixonline.co.uk. proud of.

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR New sabbaticals welcomed into new Union Left to right: Jonathan Silver, Jonathan James, Ashley Brown, Jennifer Wilson, Daniel Hill and Daniel Wan. The new sabbatical team that will lead Imperial College Union Deputy President (Education) and Deputy President (Welfare) next year have moved into their offices, with one extra respectively, in an election that saw a record turnout of 30 sabbatical officer in tow. After months of debate in the per cent of the student population. Most positions were hotly Union’s council, it was decided that the position of Deputy contested; however, the presidential position only saw one President (Education and Welfare) would be split into two candidate run. As a result, Ashley Brown, stalwart of the new positions. Since Imperial now stands truly alone, without Union, was elected President, whilst Jennifer Wilson was the support of the National Union of Students or the elected Deputy President (Clubs and Societies) and Daniel University of London, there was a need for more work to be Hill was elected Deputy President (Finance and Services). done for our students’ welfare and education, and the The most hotly contested position was for Felix editor creation of the new positions are expected to achieve this. which saw just over 3,000 students vote, with the eventual Jonathan Silver and Jonathan James were elected as the winner being Daniel Wan.

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Fasterthanthe speedofwind

A chronicle of Richard Jenkins’ journey to harness the power of the wind and build the fastest wind powered vehicle on Earth.

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Faster than the speed of wind

Rby Zoë Perkins If you happened to be driving along Interstate 15 through the Ivanpah Valley in California on 26 March 2009, you may have seen a flurry of activity through the dust and the haze of Ivanpah’s dry lake. A bright green land yacht comes to a standstill alongside the highway and, as it does, a gloved hand pops out of a little hatch on the front of the yacht with its thumb raised. A young Englishman, with a matching green helmet, climbs out the cockpit and rushes straight to the back of the now stationary yacht to get a glimpse of the GPS unit which holds an all important number – the speed he’s just travelled. He is quickly joined by a handful of onlookers; a few seconds later their loud cheers are being carried away on the wind. This Englishman, Richard Jenkins (Mechanical Engineering 2000), and his land yacht, the Greenbird, have just set a new world land speed record for a wind powered vehicle of 126.2 miles per hour. Revelling in his achievement, Richard said: “With any other speed record, more power means more speed, so you can put a bigger engine in the vehicle and you will always go faster, almost without exception. In this instance that’s not the case; more wind doesn’t mean more speed. You have to find a genuine engineering solution to maximise the lift–drag ratio for the specific surface you’re running on, at the time of year that you’re there. Once you get all of that technically correct then you’ve got to be incredibly lucky with the weather. It’s an insanely difficult challenge.” With the Clarks Mountains to the north west, the Ivanpah Range to the west and the New York Mountains to the south east, the Pacific wind is funnelled through the Ivanpah Valley and over its lake; a perfect setting for Richard to set the world record. It also happens to be the place where American Bob Schumacher set the previous record in 1999. Bob and his land yacht, the Iron Duck, set the bar for Richard at 116.7 miles per hour, and it took some beating. Ten years worth of designing, building, and honing his land yacht to perfection, in fact. Richard spent a huge proportion of his final year in Imperial’s Donald Campbell low speed wind tunnel completing his thesis on land and water speed records. As it happened, some friends who Richard had previously worked with at a boat yard in Hampshire had started building a land yacht for one of their clients, which had become too time consuming and complicated to finish. So, after completing his degree, Richard was able to pick the project up where they had left off. Explaining why his degree has played such an important part in his career, he said: “I’ve designed and built all the vehicles, so I’ve needed to fully understand how to engineer them, and although I didn’t learn all of that at Imperial, I certainly learnt the basics.” R

“With any other speed record, more power means more speed, so you can put a bigger engine in the vehicle and you will always go faster. In this instance that’s not the case; you have

PETER LYONS to find a genuine engineering solution.”

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RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire was the wrong machine. It’s a bit like a whole heap of cash to build the final, Richard’s base for two and a half years, Formula One car compared to a rally car, ultimate machine, which was going to during which time progress was slow but they go at similar speeds but they’re very get this record.” the land yacht evolved quite considerably. different machines.” Fortunately things were starting to He clocked 113 miles per hour, but the Richard set off in search of a higher look up for Richard. The new yacht, yacht had reached its limits. Working on traction surface and better winds. There hastily put together in just 30 days in RAF Waddington’s runway, with its are only a handful of other locations Thailand, was a vast improvement, doing limited length, meant that rather than suited to this level of land sailing around 95 miles per hour on its very first run, evolving a high-performance land yacht, the world, and even fewer locations still now back in Australia. With the wind Richard had developed a yacht with a that are practical for getting observers blowing at 50 miles per hour, and “the dragster configuration so that it could to. With the window of opportunity just best conditions you could ever ask for” accelerate and decelerate quickly. Not one month a year in each country this could have been Richard’s only that, the British weather just wasn’t another constraint, Smith Creek in opportunity to break the record, but it cooperating and the regulations of the Nevada and Lake Lefroy in Australia rank wasn’t to be. A small amount of flex in North American Land Sailing highly as alternatives to Ivanpah. the tail wing meant that Richard couldn’t Association (NALSA) stipulate that a It was to Lake Lefroy that Richard was accurately control the yacht’s power. All world record run has to be on a natural headed, along with a new version of the that was needed to make it record-ready surface. It was time to try something new yacht. He said: “If you haven’t got were some small tweaks. and Ivanpah, with its hard, clay-like enough traction on the ground you need Lamenting his misfortune on this surface, was calling. to use less power, so I wanted to test a occasion, Richard said: “It’s a But things didn’t go according to plan new concept with less power and less combination of being technically perfect, when he arrived; Richard quickly learnt drag. It was an experimental craft – a being in the right place at the right time that on tarmac a land yacht could do up to steel version – with really skinny wings, to capitalise on the weather, and having five times the wind speed, but on dirt and a very low drag profile. But it had the right people watching. I did break the you’re looking at closer to four times the what’s called flutter in aerodynamic record once by myself in the middle of wind speed. Instead of travelling forwards terms, where the wing just oscillates, the airfield, no timing gear, no one the yacht was slipping sideways because it which is caused by a combination of watching, just the speedo so I could see didn’t have enough grip. It was going 20 structural and aerodynamic instabilities. how fast I was going.” per cent slower on the lake’s natural It was a real mess, and the closest I’ve Another two years and numerous surface. He commented: “There was an come to dying during the whole project.” attempts at the record still didn’t see awful moment where it dawned on me By this time it was 2007 and, in one these elements all come together. Three that I’d actually been evolving completely last ditch attempt, Richard “borrowed a inches of rain totally flooded Lake Lefroy calling off a shot at the record in June 2008 – it was particularly disappointing “There was an awful moment where it dawned on me that I’d on that occasion because so sure was actually been evolving completely the wrong machine.” Richard that everything was ready, a

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The beginning of a long journey New to natural surfaces New concept Designed for a high traction tarmac surface, Although Mark II was a similar configuration, the Mark III, shown at Lake Lefroy in Australia before Mark I was a symmetrical land yacht. lower traction surface of Nevada’s Smith Creek its only run, was a crude steel experiment to test required a smaller sail and a higher aspect ratio. an asymmetric, low drag configuration.

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whole film crew had travelled to Australia “You’re always hunting the best angle to the wind to to record his record-breaking attempt. maximise your speed and direction.” They didn’t even see the yacht, newly sponsored by Ecotricity, move. The entirety of November 2008 was spent weaker, so even though the power doesn’t think that there are any serious sitting in Ivanpah, but Richard waited in setting on the craft is the same, you pretenders to his crown. His own vain for the wind to blow – there wasn’t accelerate and decelerate down the experience has taught him how hard it is even a single day of wind. Even when he course depending on how strong the to get a perfect run, so it’s fairly safe to arrived at Ivanpah on 24 March 2009 and wind is. You’re always hunting the best say Richard won’t have anything to worry the conditions were perfect, the angle to the wind to maximise the speed about for a while, and anyway, he’s got Greenbird could only manage 83 miles and direction, so it’s an involving thing other things on his mind right now. Like per hour. In front of 200 expectant to do. the ice record. spectators, it was “embarrassing”. “The conditions were really bad in “The yacht should be faster on ice By this stage, Richard was starting to terms of visibility. I could only see 300 because it’s got less drag,” he said, “but doubt whether breaking the record was yards in front of me, which is two or it’s actually slower, which is anomalous. even possible but three days and lots of three seconds of running at that speed, I want to find out why, and if it’s possible fine tuning later, the wait was finally over. and there are obstacles that you can hit. to go faster.” The strong winds that Richard had Skidding into a pipe or well head would This time there’s an extra element to been enjoying for the previous two days have been terminal.” throw into the mix, there isn’t a tried- were meant to have passed, so the Ten years and two days after Bob and-tested surface waiting for Richard to objective that day was actually to try to Schumacher set the previous record, the show up. The ice has to be absolutely capture some of the footage they were Greenbird easily reached and surpassed perfect and to find it in that condition meant to get in Australia the previous its target. This time there were four there’s a brief window between when a year, but events took an unexpected official NALSA observers, along with 100 lake freezes and when the ice starts to turn. Richard said: “There was totally onlookers, to verify the run. deteriorate, either through cracking or unforecast wind; it was perfect because Richard added: “The acceleration snow fall. Richard said: “Even if you get it was a really unusual angle of wind for curve was very steep – there was no half an inch of snow, the lake’s toast Ivanpah which gave me a much longer levelling out – so I was aware at the time because the snow drifts, mounts up and run up. The lake’s very long and thin, that the Greenbird could actually go becomes like a frozen mogul field. You’ve so I could start at one end and get much faster, but I was already 10 miles per got between one day and two weeks at the greater acceleration.” hour over the record and the yacht was start of the season in mid-December.” Describing what it’s like at the wheel still in one piece. I remember thinking, Until Richard knows which is the of the Greenbird, Richard said: “The ‘Do I try to go faster? But actually what fastest wind powered vehicle on Earth, wind varies down the length of the have you got to gain by going faster? he won’t be content. This man’s work m course, and you don’t know ahead of Probably not much right now’.” might never be done. time whether it’s going to get stronger or For the moment at least, Richard

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Almost doesn’t count Record beater Jubilation Less wing area still and a very low drag profile, Mark V was fully evolved in terms of wing size and After 10 years, the wait is finally over! The Mark IV was more refined and made entirely of shape, with the least possible parasitic drag. Greenbird is the fastest wind powered vehicle carbon fibre. on Earth.

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Rby Mico Tatalovic and Liz Jaggs CharlesDarwin andhisfact ofevolution Imperial Matters spoke to some Imperial biologists about their research, Darwin and evolution.

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Charles Darwin and his fact of evolution

For Charles Darwin enthusiasts around news stands have been packed with “In natural selection Darwin the world, 2009 is a special year, marking magazines carrying stories about established a mechanism for not only the 200th anniversary of the Darwin and his theory; and museums, evolution and with his famous tree naturalist’s birth but, more crucially, the universities and other learned societies 150th anniversary of the publication of around the globe have organised diagram, a conceptual framework for On the Origin of Species, his revolutionary exhibitions and events dedicated to the understanding the diversity of nature.” book which established evolution as the great man and his work. Dr Tim Barraclough dominant scientific explanation of Imperial College London has been diversification in nature. no exception to this, with articles about Dr Tim Barraclough, Reader in Charles Darwin was not the first Darwin and the implications of his theory Evolutionary Biology person to come up with the idea of for current science and society featured in Following a PhD at the University of evolution; indeed even his grandfather, student publications, and a series of events Oxford, Dr Tim Barraclough arrived at 18th century physician Erasmus Darwin, and lectures taking place throughout the Imperial in 1996 as a NERC postdoctoral thought evolution happened. But, first half of the year. The College’s events research associate. He became a reader alongside fellow naturalist Alfred Russel began on 9 February 2009, with the launch in October 2007. Wallace, he was the first person to devise of a new book by eminent Darwinian “I work on the evolution of species the correct mechanism to explain how historians Adrian Desmond and James diversity and aim to understand why life evolution occurs. This mechanism was Moore. Darwin’s Sacred Cause is described diversifies into the endless forms we call natural selection, a process by which the as a ground breaking re-evaluation of species and the consequences of that heritable traits that make it more likely Darwin’s scientific ideas and the authors’ diversity on evolutionary processes,” for an organism to survive and conversation with Imperial biologist and says Dr Barraclough. “We do this using successfully reproduce become more journalist Dr Olivia Judson can be a range of study systems, including cases common within a population over viewed at www.imperial.ac.uk/media/ that challenge existing notions about successive generations. onlinelectures. what species are and how they evolve, Darwin and Wallace independently Merely days later, to coincide with such as bdelloid rotifers and bacteria, came to the conclusion that species Darwin’s birthday on 12 February 2009, which can reproduce clonally but can change through time via natural the Faculty of Natural Sciences held a also exchange genes widely. The work selection and they presented their ideas Darwin Day, inviting distinguished involves developing new theory, working together in a joint paper called On the speakers to discuss his impact on out methods for testing those ideas, and Tendency of Species to Form Varieties; and modern science. Writer Matt Ridley, generating new data.” on the Perpetuation of Varieties and Species Charles Darwin’s great, great grandson, In the case of bdelloid rotifers, by Natural Means of Selection in 1858. Randal Keynes OBE, and the College’s microscopic aquatic animals that live However, it was Darwin’s subsequent Professor of Evolutionary Biology, in watery, or occasionally wet, habitats, book, On the Origin of Species, published Armand Leroi, entertained and informed fossil records and molecular data show a year later, that, for the first time, a packed lecture theatre. Other events them to have existed for over 40 million amassed an enormous amount of included a pub quiz-style presentation years without sexually reproducing, evidence for natural selection from by Darwinian historian Dr Joe Cain of instead multiplying by producing eggs various strands of natural and physical UCL, and a lecture about the hidden that are genetic clones of the mother. sciences into an intriguing and very history of animal life by Professor Martin A study by Dr Barraclough and readable account, bringing the subject Brasier from the University of Oxford. others in 2007 showed some surprising firmly into the public arena. Imperial’s robust participation in results. He explains: “We found Some of the evidence presented in marking Darwin’s special year has been evidence that different populations of Darwin’s book was collected during his fuelled, in part, by the College’s long these creatures have diverged into life-changing voyage on HMS Beagle, standing and eminent Ecology and distinct species, not just because they which marked a five-year period Evolution section within the Division of become isolated in different places, (1831–1836) during which his geological Biology, and the complimentary Natural but because of the differing selection and biological studies first led him to Environment Research Council (NERC) pressures in different environments. question the common view that species Centre for Population Biology (CPB) at “One remarkable example was of two were created as fixed entities. From these Imperial’s Silwood Park Campus, a species living in close proximity on the early musings onwards, Darwin’s concept collaborative centre established to body of another animal, a water louse. of evolution through natural selection increase knowledge of how ecological One lives around its legs, the other on changed the way we view life, and is often systems function. Both are home to its chest, yet they have diverged in body described as one of the most important researchers who encounter evolution on size and jaw shape to occupy these ideas to occur to a human being. a daily basis, with many working on ideas distinct ecological niches.” It is, then, not surprising that, as the that Darwin first formulated, and others Other recent work involves using anniversaries of such significant developing his views and advancing the bacterial communities to start to milestones in Darwin’s life take place, field of evolutionary biology. explore how evolution proceeds in R

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Charles Darwin and his fact of evolution

“I think Darwin would have been per cent, contrary to evolutionary theory theory are still being developed. amazed by what genetics and which suggests that over time the Challenges arise because quantifying average size of wild sheep increases, natural selection on complex phenotypic genomics have revealed on the because larger animals tend to be more traits in variable environments is way species evolve.” likely to survive and reproduce, and mathematically challenging. Darwin’s Dr Vincent Savolainen offspring tend to resemble their parents. insights were brilliant, and beautifully Professor Coulson explains: “In the simple, turning this theory into a past, only the big, healthy sheep and large predictive theory is much harder.” complex assemblages of species, a process lambs that had piled on weight in their first that he terms experimental evolution. summer could survive the harsh winters on Professor Russ Lande, Royal “I want to know how evolution Hirta.Butnow,duetoclimatechange,grass Society Research Professor proceeds in complex ecosystems and for food is available for longer periods, and The Royal Society awards a small how new diversity is generated,” he conditions are not so challenging – even number of research professorships to continues. “A lot of evolutionary theory the slower growing sheep have a chance of outstanding scientists deemed to be and experiments have focused on single surviving, and are becoming increasingly intellectual leaders undertaking cutting species systems and this has given us an prevalent in the population.” edge science, providing long-term excellent understanding of the genetic In addition, the research team also support and enabling the recipient to mechanisms of evolution, but to discovered that the age at which a female focus uniquely upon research and translate this into the real world and to Soay gives birth affects the size of her collaboration. Awarded his understand the rich diversity of nature offspring, finding that young ewes are professorship in 2007, Professor Russ requires a new approach.” physically unable to produce offspring as Lande describes the highly sought after He believes that Darwin would be big as they themselves were at birth. position as “the best job in the world”, amazed by the evidence available to back “The ‘young mum’ effect explains why explaining: “It gives me the freedom to up the theory of evolution and by the Soay sheep have not been getting bigger, focus on the science that interests me.” range of techniques that can be used to as we expected them to,” continues It is a responsibility he takes very study it: “In natural selection, Darwin Professor Coulson. “But it is not enough seriously, and his work is focused upon established a mechanism for evolution to explain why they’re shrinking, which ultimately producing tools and theories and, with his famous tree diagram we believe to be down to climate change. that could benefit the work of labelled with the words ‘I think’, a The two factors are combining to evolutionary biologists and ecologists conceptual framework for understanding override what we would expect through for decades to come. the diversity of nature. He didn’t know natural selection: primarily an ecological Professor Lande’s research aims to the genetic basis of inheritance, and his response to environmental changes with integrate and unify the theoretical evidence was mostly circumstantial, but evolutionary change contributing foundations of ecology and evolution he laid the groundwork with an amazing relatively little.” particularly in the areas of small breadth of vision and insight.” Professor Coulson sees his work as a population demography and genetics, continuation of Darwin’s ideas: “Darwin life history evolution and community Professor Tim Coulson, developed an easily understandable verbal dynamics and coevolution. He Professor of Population Biology theory of evolution by natural selection. collaborates widely with biologists Professor Tim Coulson completed his The mathematical underpinnings of this around the world who are working PhD at Imperial in 1994, and following spells at the Institute of Zoology and University of Cambridge, returned to Imperial in 2004. A major focus of his work involves developing a general theory to unify ecological and evolutionary dynamics in order to provide improved predictions of the consequences of environmental change, including climate. Professor Coulson was recently the lead author of a study which provided evidence for climate change as the cause of the mysterious decrease in the size of wild Soay sheep on the remote Scottish island of Hirta, in the St Kilda archipelago. Body size data for the Soays was analysed over a 24-year period and found Bdelloid rotifer typical of those Soay sheep studied by to have decreased by approximately five studied by Dr Tim Barraclough Professor Tim Coulson

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Charles Darwin and his fact of evolution

with populations of species which have millions acres of old-growth forests in determine if widespread species will complex lifecycles to build a database the Pacific Northwest. be able to adapt genetically or respond of species, whose data sets illustrate Professor Lande has also worked non-genetically to a changing climate. and inform the methods that he closely with Professor Georgina Mace, “I have two major goals,” he says. “The is developing. Head of the CPB, co-writing a paper in 1991 first is to understand what the interplay Amongst the species included are for Conservation Biology entitled Assessing is between ecological conditions and the the long-term studies of birds in Europe extinction threats: toward a re-evaluation rate at which speciation and extinction undertaken by Professor Bernt Erik of IUCN threatened species categories. occur. Current thinking suggests that Saether of the Norweigan University of The IUCN (now known as the World ecological conditions and competition Science and Technology, studies of both Conservation Union) Red List assesses the between species may set limits on the spatial and temporal effects on tropical conservation status of animal and plant rate at which new species arise.” butterflies by researchers in the United species on a global scale to highlight those He continues: “My second target is to States, and fellow Imperial ecologist threatened with extinction, and therefore develop and apply new methods that Professor Tim Coulson’s studies on the promote their conservation by local quantify the degree to which different lifecycles of red deer. agencies. The paper eventually led to populations are adapted to their current He ultimately aims to devise methods new criteria for the Red List, established climate. Those species which show the that will show those working in the field by a working group whose membership greatest degree of local adaptation are how to measure natural selection included Professors Mace and Lande. unfortunately likely to be those which are occurring in populations of species with in greatest peril as our climate changes.” complex lifecycles, as well as shedding Dr Albert Phillimore, light on how fluctuating environments Research Associate Dr Vincent Savolainen, affect the ecology of those populations. Dr Albert Phillimore gained his PhD at Reader in Evolutionary Before arriving at Silwood, Professor Imperial and was recently awarded a Biology and Ecology Lande spent his earlier career at the Junior Research Fellowship by the Dr Vincent Savolainen came to Imperial Universities of Chicago, Oregon and, College, which he begins in January 2010. from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, more recently, California (San Diego). “My main research area looks at the where he still holds a second appointment. He has worked over many areas of role of ecology in speciation, which is Themainaimsofhisworkareto evolution and ecology including the the evolutionary process through which understand the origin of biodiversity, application of quantitative genetics to new biological species arise,” he including the genes that lead to the animal and crop breeding – artificial explains. “I am trying to answer evolution of new species, and contribute selection driven by economical factors – questions such as ‘do some ecological to their conservation. He explains: and work in conservation of species conditions make species divergence “I combine field ecology, molecular including spring-run chinook salmon in more or less likely?’” phylogenetics, population genetics and Oregon State and the northern spotted Dr Phillimore looks at the genomic approaches to help explain the owl. His work on the latter eventually relationships between species (called origin of biodiversity and, where possible, resultedinthelistingoftheowlasa phylogenies) to address this question. find solutions for its preservation in a threatened subspecies under the He also recently developed an interest rapidly changing world.” Endangered Species Act, and the in how species could adapt to climate Dr Savolainen is especially interested implementation of plans to conserve change and is currently trying to in global and regional patterns of biodiversity, evolutionary radiations, speciation genomics and conservation, and collaborates extensively with researchers in South Africa, Australia and Costa Rica where he carries out fieldwork. Elements of his work also touch directly on some of Darwin’s earlier ideas. “Darwin wrote about the origin of species without geographic isolation – a controversial topic called sympatric speciation,” he says. “It has been debated for two centuries, and I published the most convincing case of sympatric speciation so far, looking at two species of palm trees on a remote oceanic island. I think that Darwin would be amazed Northern spotted owl whose conservation was Howea genus of palm typical of that by what genetics and genomics have aided by Professor Russ Lande’s research studied by Dr Vincent Savolainen revealed on the way species evolve.” m

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It’snottoolate

Rby Zoë Perkins

Brian Hoskins, the Director of the Grantham Institute for Climate Change, speaks to Imperial Matters about why it’s not too late to tackle climate change.

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It’s not too late

Rby Zoë Perkins Since time began, glacial periods, during which perennial slow-moving masses of ice have extended over the Earth’s surface, have been interspersed with milder periods of very rapid temperature variation called interglacials. Even within the past 1,000 years, the Earth’s climate has been characterised by relatively warm temperatures from the eleventh to thirteenth centuries, and relatively cool temperatures from the sixteenth to nineteenth centuries. Thetiltoftheearth’saxisanditsorbit,aswellas fluctuations in the radiation from the sun, amongst other things, cause these natural variations in climate, but the unprecedented strength of warming that started during the twentieth century is a different story. Human activity is changing how our climate system works. As Professor Sir Brian Hoskins, Director of the Grantham Institute for Climate Change at Imperial College London, puts it: “What we’re now doing to the Earth means that we’re actually changing how the climate would naturally have varied. We’re still seeing some natural variability, but some of it is due to what humans have done to the climate system and, increasingly, what humans are doing will dominate.” Our climate system is powered by solar energy from the sun. Although some of the sun’s radiation is reflected by clouds and the atmosphere, about half its energy reaches the surface and warms the body of the Earth. Rather than releasing the Earth’s radiation into space, greenhouse gases in the atmosphere absorb most of the heat, which gives us a warm surface temperature. The heat that does make it out of the atmosphere is released from the higher and, consequently, colder levels of the atmosphere, and there’s a very fine balance between how much heat is absorbed and released. When we add more greenhouse gases – water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane and ozone – to the atmosphere, the emission of heat into space happens at a much higher altitude where it’s colder still, which means that the Earth loses even less heat and warms up further. Until a new balance is achieved between the amount of heat that’s absorbed and released by the atmosphere, the Earth will continue to warm. We all know that carbon is at the crux of the problem but, to put it into context, Sir Brian explains: “Over hundreds of millions of years, the life on Earth gradually took carbon out of the atmosphere and stored it underground. At the moment we’re shovelling that carbon back into the atmosphere as quickly as we possibly can. In one year, we’re putting back 10 million years worth of carbon into the atmosphere, mainly by using up fossil fuels.” He adds: “Carbon dioxide makes up one part per 3,000 in the atmosphere. I’ve been asked before how such a small amount of carbon dioxide can make such a great difference, R

“In one year, we’re putting back 10 million years worth of carbon into the atmosphere, mainly by using up fossil fuels.”

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It’s not too late

but think what a tiny amount of arsenic through the Grantham Foundation for already happening throughout the insomeone’sfoodwoulddotothem– the Protection of the Environment. It College’s departments, but Sir Brian they might notice a difference!” brings together the work of academics describes his role leading the Institute According to Sir Brian, there’s no from across the College to carry out the as “trying to balance academic work doubt that what we’ve done already is cutting edge research still needed on the across the College and seeing how it going to lead to climate change over the whole range of climate-related issues. all fits together, as well as interacting next 30 years or so and that the sea level From Professor Howard Wheater in the with some very interesting people will continue rising for the next 500 Department of Civil and Environmental along the way.” years, come what may, because the Engineering, working on the effects on Sir Brian’s own academic deeper parts of the oceans are still flood risk of rural land management background is in trying to understand warming gradually, causing them to change, to Professor Georgina Mace of how various weather and climate expand. But by taking action now, it’s not the Division of Biology, looking at the phenomena work, but when you get too late to ameliorate the situation. potential impact of climate change on into the detail of his career, you see The Grantham Institute for Climate species and ecosystems – the broad that he’s really a mathematician at Change was established at Imperial in reach of Imperial’s research in this area heart. He origianally embarked on a 2007 following a £12 million donation can be surprising. mathematics degree at the University of from Jeremy and Hannelore Grantham, Ofcourse,alotofthisworkwas Cambridge, but he realised a year or so

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A lot of agriculture depends on what the The Grantham Institute weather is like at a particular stage of a for Climate Change’s crop and if you get frost at a certain four research areas stage then that has a downside, but if it’s too hot during a certain stage of the The Grantham Institute is catalysing fruiting/flowering, then that can also be cutting edge, high impact, interdisciplinary very damaging. research focused on driving the The Institute’s research into fundamental technological transformation vulnerable ecosystems and human well- needed to tackle climate change. being is focused on understanding the Researchers are being brought together to pressures and likely consequences of work on four research themes: climate change for ecosystems and for people, to inform better prediction and Risks, extremes and irreversible change assist in the development of sustainable looks at improving understanding of the management plans and policy likelihood of extreme climate events and mechanisms. The Institute’s work looks the potential for abrupt climate change. at forests, land use change and

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It’s not too late

in that the mathematics “wasn’t quite “Just imagine what the pressures on the UK would be like if major him”, but found applied mathematics parts of the world could no longer sustain their populations. much more his bag. He explains: “I If Bangladesh were no longer liveable, what happens?” really started to enjoy the things to do with the motion of fluids; the things RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR that describe water moving in a channel, for example. One course was actually on the behaviour of Brian's academic work. This reveals, for course, as Sir Brian quickly points out, atmospheres and oceans – so viewing example, that the Mediterranean we are part of a global community and them as a mathematical problem and summer climate is actually part of the we’re all in this together: “Just imagine using Newton’s laws of motion to Asian summer monsoon season. He what the pressures on the UK would be describe their motion.” explains: “All the thunder storms over like if major parts of the world could no When it came to pursuing a PhD, Sir India lead to average upward motion longer sustain their populations. If Brian was lucky enough to stumble upon there. The compensatory descending air Bangladesh were no longer liveable, one that was looking at the formation of is over the Mediterranean which leads to whathappens?It’snotjustacaseofus fronts in the atmosphere as a its settled climate in summer. So you saying, "We’re enjoying these two mathematical problem. shouldn’t go to the Mediterranean for degrees warmer", although maybe we “Fronts, where there are sudden your holidays until the Indian monsoon would, because I think the world that changes in temperature, are where a lot has really set in!” we’d be living in wouldn’t be one that of interesting weather occurs. They It’s the mathematician in him that we could enjoy very much.” occur in the ocean, and even on Mars. gets a bit annoyed with news headlines Itmightbetoolatetoputan My thesis was able to show that it’s a which claim climate change is the cause immediate halt to climate change, but fundamental property of a rotating fluid of all extreme weather events both here it’s not too late for the next generation that fronts are produced. It was the basis and abroad, and he points out: “You can’t to benefit from our efforts. Sir Brian of the theory of fronts, if you like, so that really say that climate change is to says:“WhenIretire,Iwouldliketobe was my way in and I gradually got on to blame. You might be able to say that it is able to say that I, and the Grantham trying to understand lots of the more likely because of climate change Institute for Climate Change, have phenomena of the atmosphere and the but, of course, journalists are lost by the really made a difference. We can climate system, and how they work.” time you tell them that.” change what the future is going to Operational weather forecasting, The prevalence of extreme weather be, and we must.” m carriedoutbythelikesoftheMet events such as the heat wave which Office, with satellite observations and gripped the UK in the summer of 2006 measurements from all around the and the widespread flooding which world coming together to paint the best swallowed up large swathes of central possible picture of the world’s weather England a year later make the impact of systems, gives one of the bases of Sir climate change really hit home but, of

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biodiversity, changes in the geographical work on sustainable futures is to spread and intensity of diseases, new catalyse the transition to a low carbon disease emergence and potential economy. A key element of this work is a mitigating interventions. joint programme on electric futures with The Institute's work in fundamental the College's Energy Futures Lab, which earth systems science will focus on is aimed at developing and implementing improving our understanding and the technological innovations needed to modelling of key processes that will achieve large scale reductions in global determine future climate. Innovative ocean emissions. A second key element is on modelling will address issues such as natural mitigation, the potential for stability of ice sheets, polar ice melt and carbon storage in ecosystems. ocean–atmosphere interactions, whilst a second important research programme will be working on improving our R Find out more about the Grantham understanding of biosphere–atmosphere Institute for Climate Change at interactions and feedbacks. www.imperial.ac.uk/climatechange. The primary objective of the Institute’s

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The science PASIEKA/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY of flu

As a virologist Professor Wendy Barclay looks at the way that a virus, specifically influenza, interacts with its host.

Rinterviewed by Zoë Perkins

Could you explain what the influenza that the main protein on the outside really causing any more devastation than virus does to the cells in our bodies? of the virus, called the haemagglutinin normal seasonal flu would do. So it’s not Typical of all viruses, the virus starts off protein, is one which people have not one of these highly pathogenic sorts of on the outside, and it’s completely inert seen before. This means that we viruses, but it’s the fact that it’s novel in there, so it has to gain entry to the inside have no pre-existing antibodies, or the way that it looks to our immune of a cell; it’s a dependent parasite. immunity, to that virus and everybody system that’s the problem. Thevirushasagenomemadeof is susceptible. nucleic acid, just as we do, and the sole The outcome of that is that the virus Young, healthy adults seem to be most purpose of the virus is to replicate that spreads very readily, but as far as we can at risk of being infected with swine flu, genome and package it up into new see, in the early days at least, it’s not are there any theories about why bodies of viruses. The virus diverts all this might be? of the cell’s machinery into making This is a pattern seen quite often with new copies of viral nucleic acid and pandemics. With normal seasonal flu, viral proteins, which will package that the ‘at-risk’ groups are considered to be nucleic acid up. The effect is that the the over-65s, but it’s a hallmark of cell will die; because it is doing pandemics that young, previously- everything for the virus it can’t be doing healthy people fare badly. anything for itself. In cellular terms you It may be because people who are old will have devastation to that layer of enough may have experienced a similar ciliated mucus secreting cells in our infection earlier in their lives, and they throats and noses which are the main could therefore have some antibody target of the virus. ‘memory’ which is protecting them against this new swine flu virus. Swine flu has obviously hit the headlines Explaining why it’s specifically young in recent months, what’s different about adults getting infected with the virus is this particular strain of the virus? more difficult. There are theories that From the practical point of view, the the body’s innate immune response to most important thing about swine flu the virus is more vigorous the healthier that is different from the normal you are and that this response could seasonal flu we get every winter, is Professor Wendy Barclay actually do a lot of harm.

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The science of flu

How would a new type of flu, such as All flu viruses are originally bird viruses, and at some swine flu, come about? point they cross over into humans and pigs, All flu viruses are originally bird viruses, or sometimes horses and seals. and at some point they cross over into humans and pigs, or sometimes horses RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR and seals. Once they’re established in a particular species and they’re passing around readily between individuals of being able to deal with the virus in a We also work on influenza type-B, for that species, the viruses gradually drift – better way using scientifically-based example, which is a much less studied they mutate – in response to the knowledge. At the applied end that virus that causes seasonal flu outbreaks antibodies that those species direct at includes improving vaccines, of huge importance to the elderly and the the virus. We call it antigenic drift. So as understanding how to administer immuno-compromised year on year, and the virus mutates in pigs, it might go off vaccines sensibly and finding new drugs which is an essential component of the in different a direction, if you like, than which might inhibit the virus, but there vaccine. From the very pathogenic the direction that it might go in people. are also lots of questions that people viruses to what people think of as rather What’s happened with this particular have about this virus that we still don’t innocuous, we cover the whole spectrum strain of swine flu that we call H1, is that really know the answer to. We want to of influenza. it got into people and pigs at about the understand why some viruses turn into same time, probably in 1918 [the pandemic viruses and some don’t, what Across all of these areas, is there one influenza pandemic of 1918 was also the barriers are when a virus tries to research result that you consider most caused by a strain of H1]. Since then it’s cross from animals into people, and why important? been ‘drifting’ in humans and pigs some people get sicker with flu than We’ve got some papers under review at independently and, after 90 years of others, among other things. the moment, which we were very excited evolution, the virus looks quite different about, because we think we can explain in pigs than it does in humans, because Does your research cover all the why the H5 virus hasn’t transformed into the two viruses have been under different strains of influenza? a pandemic. It’s to do with the types of different selective pressures in different The only virus that I actually do any cells in the respiratory tract, which these environments. So, although both viruses serious research on is influenza, but I viruses combine with and subsequently in pigs and humans are called H1, they cover quite a broad range of research on enter. We’ve found that avian flu viruses don’t look alike any more. the influenza virus. It’s a virus that’s attach themselves to and enter different This antigenic drift is the reason medically important and is also cells types to human viruses, and we whywehavetoupdatethenormalflu important in the veterinary field as well. think that if H5 could learn to enter a vaccine every year, because the virus is We’ve been working on the H5 strain different cell type then it would turn into a moving target. for the last five or six years because that’s a pandemic. For me that’s quite what everybody thought might cause the significant because it’s an explanation If flu viruses are a moving target, does next pandemic. We’ve been trying to from a cellular and molecular point of that mean that it will be a never ending understand why it hasn’t. But not just view of what this barrier actually is. problem? H5, what about all the other H’s out there Yes, because the bottom line is that you circulating in birds? We’re trying to What is it about virology that will never rid the world of the flu viruses understand those as well. you enjoy? in migratory birds like ducks, geese, I’ve been working on viruses ever since swans, and terns, so the virus will my PhD, which was done at the Common therefore always pose a risk. Cold Unit in Salisbury, although it There are 16 different ‘flavours’ of doesn’t exist anymore. It was a human haemagglutinin in birds and any one of volunteer centre where people came on those could cross between species and ‘holiday’ to be given colds and flu, and cause a new pandemic in people, in then various interventions were tried out addition to those haemagglutinins which on them. I liked the idea of the project have already crossed over from birds and and the fact that you were working with have been evolving in different species. human volunteers. It was the real edge of things, quite applied. The thing about How will your research help to deal virology is that viruses are the tiniest with this ongoing risk? replicative forms, they’re not life but Ihaveagroupofabout10people. they’re simple. You can explain Our research is predominately ‘wet’ everything about them. m laboratory research which is concerned The influenza virus through with the basic workings of the virus and the microscope

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Theadventurer Imperial Matters caught up with Simon Murray, businessman, author, adventurer and new Chair of the College’s Development Advisory Board, to find out more about the man in charge.

Rby Liz Jaggs

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The adventurer

I meet Simon Murray in his offices near withrain,justputourtentsup,andI “In life if you don’t have energy, the Westminster, where Lord Byron’s desk would write something, anything I opposite is boredom, and it’s forms an impressive centrepiece to the couldthinkof.Ijusthadtogetpento incredible to imagine that you large room in which he conducts his paper. It’s very tough keeping a diary, it business. The vibe is distinctly warm takes discipline.” could be bored on this planet.” and welcoming. He was persuaded to publish his RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR Heconfessesthatheisabit diaries by a friend in 1978. He explains: impetuous. At the age of 19, while “I was having dinner with friends at my working in an iron foundry in house and our conversation turned to not the first time that Simon’s life took Manchester, he decided that he would the military. I spoke about my time in an unusual turn. Aged 18 in Rotterdam, join the French Foreign Legion. It the Foreign Legion, which I didn’t where his mother lived at the time, he followedonthebackofafeeling thathe usuallytendtotalkabout,andoneofmy impulsively signed up as a galley boy was stuck in rut, a rejection from the friendstoldmethatIoughttowritea on a cargo ship, travelling to South British Army on the grounds of colour bookaboutitandwhatapityitwasthat America, the Caribbean and then back blindness, and a similar slight from the I hadn’t kept a diary...” to Germany, all the while peeling daughter of the foundry’s Chairman, The diaries were upstairs in the attic, potatoes, scrubbing the deck and who, he explains “sort of liked me but some of them in exercise books, some washing the dishes. thought I was a guy with limited on scraps of paper. Simon’s friend took As the ship docked in Bremen, Simon prospects. I actually tossed a coin; heads great swathes of them home with him to decided that he’d had enough adventure Igo,tailsIstay.Itcameoutheads,andI read. He continues: “My friend rang me on the high seas, but was unprepared was gone!” the following morning and told me that for the response he received from the It sounds like the stuff of boyhood he’d been up all night reading and that vessel’s captain. He explains: “I told the fantasy, but the reality was entirely I had to publish them.” captain ‘I’ve peeled 20,000 potatoes, different; a life of tough discipline, He describes his time in the Legion as and I’ve scrubbed the deck everyday and gruelling regimes and harsh punishment a great leveller: “We were 57 nationalities, I’m through with it’, and he said ‘You’re for anyone who failed to toe-the-line, and it didn’t matter if you were a duke, a wrong.You signed up for a round trip including Simon, who was once during prince, a criminal, a bank robber, we were from Rotterdam to Rotterdam. This is his five-year stint caught asleep whilst all at exactly the same level, we were all Bremen.You get off this ship when we on guard duty. treated the same way. It teaches you to get back to Rotterdam.’ So I asked when Serving from 1960-65, he was sent stand on your own two feet; self we were going to Rotterdam and he said to fight in the Algerian War of dependence, and self discipline. ‘I don’t know. We’re going to Bombay in Independence against the Front de “I often have people write to me and the morning.’ Anyway, I got off the ship, Libération Nationale guerrillas, and was say I’m thinking of joining the Foreign there and then,over the side and was involved in bloody combat, marching Legion, what do you think? I immediately never seen again!” miles through the Algerian mountains say no; the very fact that you’re writing I ask him what spurs him on to make and countryside to flush out guerrilla tomemeansyou’renotreadyforit. these kind of decisions, he replies: “It’s fighters. It was an unstable time both in Adventures should be taken on the all about opportunities and grabbing terms of French rule in Algeria, which run, you run to the Foreign Legion, you them. When I went to the Foreign Legion wasnearing itsend,andintermsofthe don’t walk.” it was daunting, but I grabbed it. When Foreign Legion’s place within the Running away to join the Legion was I went on the boat, I also grabbed at R French military. The five-year experience is documented in his book Legionnaire: An Englishman in the French Foreign Legion.Throughtheeyesofayoung Englishman, the book is both a candid insight into the harsh conditions, disciplines and traditions of the Foreign Legion, as well as an informative snapshot of the political history of the time and place. Simon recalls: “In the Legion I wrote my diary every single day because I knew thatifIstoppedforaweek,Iwouldstop completely. I always had paper in my rucksack, and I could be sitting there at two o’clock in the morning, hosing down

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The adventurer

the opportunity. If I’d thought about it for too long – I’m going to Brazil and I’m going to be peeling potatoes when I should be back home doing my A levels and playing a bit of cricket instead – well, I probably wouldn’t have gone. “A lot of people tell me that they’re notsurewhattheywanttobe.Thefirst thingisnevertalktomeaboutwhatyou want to be, I’m only interested in what youwanttodo.SoItellthemthatwe do well at thingsthat welike doing, obviously because we get our energy and the most important thing in life is your energy and your source of energy. There’s a great phrase, I think it’s attributed to Buddha, ‘you are what you Working on the first half tracker inner Working on the first half tracker inner havedoneandwhatyoudonowiswhat you will become’. In life if you don’t have energy, the opposite is boredom, and it’s saved enough money to fly out, this was building airbases for the Vietnam War, incredible to imagine that you could be exactly what Simon did next. which created an opening in the market bored on this planet.” Upon arrival, he was sent straight to that Simon seized upon: “I used to go to Leaving the Legion in 1965, having Thailand, assigned to head up the the building sites and ask them what they turned down the opportunity to attend building materials and industrial needed, and the guy would be sitting there Officers School in France, Simon was supplies department. He recalls: with his slide rule and piles of paper, and pondering his next move, when, at a “Jardines was one of those companies he’d say ‘I don’t know, I ain’t got nothing’. party thrown by his cousin, he met the thatgaveittoyouondayone.Ihad So I’d tell him what he’d need and that I Managing Director of Jardine Matheson, nobody to explain anything to me and could do the whole thing. I was supplying who himself had been mulling over the Ijusthadtolearnonthejob.It the Americans with everything!” merits of expanding the breadth of his represented a string of companies that From these beginnings he went on to recruitment pool beyond the five were trying to sell their products in become one of Asia’s most Oxbridge graduates that the company international markets, so overnight I accomplished businessmen, staying traditionally employed each year. On became the agent for companies like with Jardine Matheson for 14 years, hearing about Simon’s experiences in the BHP (Broken Hill Proprietary), the before moving on to a nine-year stint as Foreign Legion, he told him that if he biggest company in Australia, selling tin the group managing director of could get to Singapore, Simon should go plate for them. I learnt pretty fast.” billionaire Li Ka-Shing’s Hutchison and see him about a job, and, having At the time, the Americans were Whampoa. Here he led the company

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The adventurer

He explains: “We were in our house “Adventures should be taken on in the Dordogne, in France and over the run, you run to the Foreign breakfast one day Jennifer said to me Legion, you don’t walk.” ‘Have you ever thought about walking to the South Pole?’ When your wife says that to you over breakfast after 40 years RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR ofmarriageyouwanttothinkabit beforeyouanswer;infactwhatyoudois goforacroissant,takeabiteandchew ours,alotofusarewellconnectedin for a little while. I said ‘Well funnily their particular areas and fields. enough I haven’t, I don’t even know “I’m hugely impressed with Imperial wheretheSouthPoleisandIhaveno having got inside it. Much more interest in going there’.” impressed than when I was outside it It transpired, however, that she had and didn’t really know a huge amount invited Pen Hadow, to lunch the next aboutwhatwasgoingonthere.Iwasin day, under the auspices of giving her QatartheotherdayforameetingandI Working on the first half tracker inner some advice on snow and ice conditions. was driving along and I saw the Imperial Simon went to collect him from the College London Diabetes Clinic and I airport, and after discovering that Pen thought wow, that’s a long way from into a new sector of mobile had not even yet managed to reach the home. Imperial has this great reach telecommunications, developing North Pole, let alone its southern and application. Orange as a result. Following a period counterpart, the challenge proved too “In terms of the Development running Deutsche Bank’s Asian much and the decision was made. He Advisory Board, we have a list of operations, Simon went on to found continues: “We decided that we were projects that we know that the College General Enterprise Management goingtogototheSouthPole,thewhole wants to do, and we are introduced to Services Limited (GEMS), a private 700milesfromcoasttopole,andwe those projects by the people who are equity fund management group. were going to go unsupported; no dogs, running them. At the last meeting, we He’s also been kept pretty busy in his no resupplies, no food drops, nothing.” went round the Robotic Surgery home life, having ticked off a notable Asked what drives him to set these laboratory – absolutely fantastic. They number of traditionally demanding types of challenges for himself, he can do field operations from a remote pursuits such as climbing Mount responds: “People who climb mountains distance, so theoretically, a guy in New Kilimanjaro and competing, on his 60th or walk halfway around the world Yorkcandoanoperationonaguyin birthday no less, in the infamous blindfolded make it a challenge to Japan, it’s incredible. And that gets our Marathon des Sables, which takes place themselves. They start off by saying ‘I enthusiasm up and makes us wantto go over six days and requires runners to don’tthinkIcandothat’,andmoveon out and help.” cover 150 miles of the sweltering Sahara to‘IwonderifIcoulddothat’,andit’s After only an hour in his company, Desert.But,attheendof2003,he all inner stuff. It’s not actually to it is clear he is a hugely energising topped all of his achievements to date demonstrate to the rest of the world I’ve character. This enthusiasm and his with a 1,200 kilometre unsupported trek just climbed Mount Everest. It’s much thirst for action will doubtless serve from the coast of Antarctica to the more personal than that. Imperial well in its efforts to raise South Pole. He undertook this particular “WhenIwasspurredontogothe profile and build philanthropy. featattheageof63,withBritish South Pole, it was about me thinking InthefinalsummingupofhisBBC explorer Pen Hadow, making him the thatIcouldn’tdoit.Isupposetodothat Radio 4 Desert Island Discs interview, oldest person to walk to the South Pole attheageof63isacoupfortheover-60s broadcast in January 2009, he claims: unsupported. Pen and Simon reached butIcertainlydon’thavealistof “I’m quite happy with myself. Isn’t that the pole on 28 January 2004, after 58 achievements that I cut notches into.” outrageous?” Reticent to sum himself days of walking and climbing. Itistheverysameupbeatand upinthreewordsattheendofour It wasn’t a burning ambition or a proactive attitude that he brings to his interview, he throws the question out to lifelong goal that propelled him into the chairmanship of the Development his assistant Jane and a colleague from record books, but rather his wife, Advisory Board, feeding into what he the Development Office who has Jennifer, the aforementioned hopes to achieve as its Chairman. He accompanied me, who both decline to Chairman’s daughter who married explains: “I think the main function is answer. He eventually arrives at ‘a SimonassoonashelefttheLegion. support to the Rector. It enables him to lovely guy’ – and despite all of the Herself the first woman to fly around bothsoundusout,andsendusout.He adventures and challenges that Simon the world solo in a helicopter, she was can say ‘look Simon, you’ve got friends Murray has accomplished, you get the planning a flight to the South Pole, and in so-and-so, can you introduce us?’ impression that this is exactly how wanted to get Simon involved. With a broad and global board such as he wants to be regarded. m

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Our global Get back in touch alumni network

Imperial College London is truly a global university; our research collaborations span the world, our staff members hail from 113 different countries, and 29 per Even with the best of intentions it is cent of the student population have Reunited after 35 years easy to lose touch with the friends you come to Imperial from outside the European Union. made during your time at the College, Peter Cranfield and one of his former Our alumni community is no but using our Find a Classmate services classmates Fauzi Rahman were put back different. There are over 180 countries you can get back in contact with your in contact, 35 years after they lost touch, around the world which are home to former classmates. through the Find a Classmate service. Imperial alumni, and wherever you are More than 16,600 alumni have Peter and Fauzi were undergraduates in the world we want you to continue to chosentobelistedintheonlineFinda in the Department of Mining and Mineral feel connected to the College. With our Classmate directory, which registered Technology, both graduating in 1970. global alumni network going from users of the Interactive Alumni Services Fauzi was one of two Malaysian students strength to strength, there’s no reason can search by name and education in the class, along with Halim Wan, who not to. details. Once you’ve found who you’re together sparked a love of Malaysia in The past six months has seen great looking for you can send a message, Peter that has endured a lifetime. Peter resurgence in Californian alumni activity. through the website, directly to them. embarked on a career with Pahang With a recently elected president and They will receive an email containing Consolidated Co Ltd after graduation, new committee members at the helm, your message and contact details, and which operated an underground tin mine the events, which you can read more hey presto, you’re back in touch! near Kuantan in west Malaysia, and he has about on page 34, have been coming Don’t forget, if you want old friends enjoyed a long career in south east Asia. thick and fast. There’s similar tobeabletogetbackincontactwith But despite Peter and Fauzi both living and enthusiasm from the members of the youthisway,youwillneedtobelisted working in Malaysia their paths didn’t five groups in the Persian Gulf, so in the directory, which you can do by cross. alumni in the region can expect great registering for a free Interactive Alumni Then out of the blue, in May 2008, things over the coming months and Services account at Peter received an email from the Alumni years. You can get the lowdown on the www.imperial.ac.uk/alumni/register. Relations team sent on Fauzi’s behalf, way plans will be moving forward on We realise that not everyone has and they have been in email contact ever page 35. access to the online Find a Classmate since. With 35 years to catch up on, the Even in the UK we’re making it easier directory though, so the services that we two old friends have found out plenty of for you to stay connected with one offer don’t end there. We would be surprising things about each other. Peter another. October will see the launch of a delighted to forward on a message on said: “I discovered that Fauzi quit the new regional drinks programme, which your behalf to any alumni who we have mining sector and disappeared into will be taking place in five major UK an email or postal address for. All you politics. It seems that he became pretty cities. More details, along with needtodoisemail senior in Mahathir’s government.” information about other forthcoming [email protected] or call +44 Headded:“Hehasasmanyassix events, can be found on page 33. (0)20 7594 6138 with the name, children and 12 grandchildren, far more It all goes to show, that you’re department and year of graduation of than me!” probably closer to alumni activity that you thepersonwhoyouwouldliketogetin Peter and Fauzi are intending to can get involved with than you realise. touch with. meet up next time Peter, who now lives Visit www.imperial.ac.uk/alumni/ in Lombok, Indonesia, visits Malaysia, Alumni Relations team classmates for more information. to continue the friendship that started in 1967. 28 Imperial Matters Text_p22-44:Layout 1 23/9/09 12:22 Page 29

services alumni

Find it online Alumni memories Festive fun It's never too early to start planning your Christmas party, and this year Whether it’s the camaraderie of the Imperial could help you to make it an student societies, crazy nights at the exciting and unforgettable experience Union, mischievous pranks or the for all of your guests. With two different achievement of having moved away from Christmas packages to choose from, home and fending for yourself for the whether it’s an event to thank your staff first time, your student days probably for all their hard work throughout the hold a special place in your heart. year or a party to celebrate the festive Although your student days are now a season with friends, the College’s thing of the past, the alumni website can Conference and Events team is here to help you keep your memories alive. The help you create the perfect bash. following excerpts from a selection of mind the knobbly knees” so I felt I fitted For larger gatherings, the Tower the memories that have already been right in. Two years of my near zero talent Rooms is a newly refurbished space submitted will give you a taste of what play in the men’s third team slipped by, as which can accommodate up to 400 you’ll find online. did some beverage-based bar games, the guests, and our Christmas package details of which will remain a secret to includes a delicious festive feast, drinks “Chemistry practical classes in the early protect all those involved.” and dancing all in a fabulous Christmas 1960s involved much weighing at a couple Paul Bland setting. If you need a more intimate of antique balances on the lecturer’s desk (Mechanical Engineering 1996, PhD 1999) venue, you could opt to host your party and I frequently tripped over the feet of a in the refined and elegant period young man who always stood, splay footed, “Morphy Day traditionally consisted of a venues of 170 Queen’s Gate and as he weighed his chemicals when I was flour and tomato fight on the towpath in 58 Prince’s Gate. goingtoweighmine.Itwasthusnot Putney whilst the three constituent colleges Depending on your requirements, difficult to get to know Basil (Chemistry rowed out the Morphy and the Lowry races Christmas packages start at £35 per 1963, PhD 1967) during class time, and along the river. I always remember that person and include complimentary this gradually spread to weekends and there was a young policeman on one of room hire, festive fizz on arrival and afternoons sailing on the Welsh Harp those Noddy early motorcycle bike things halfabottleofwineperhead. reservoir. We married in 1965.” Paula Allsopp née Groom thathethoughthewasgoingtostopthis To view menus and find out more (Chemistry 1963) rampaging on the towpath, so he very details about hosting your 2009 foolishly rode his motorcycle into the Christmas party at the College, middle of the foray and got totally, but visit www.imperial.ac.uk/ “OneofthefirstthingsIdid[whenIcame totally, plastered in tomatoes and flour.” conferenceandevents or, better yet, to Imperial] was to dive head first into the Bob Schroter speak to one of the College’s event team Hockey Club, and immediately added some (Chemical Engineering and Chemical on +44 (0)20 7594 9494 or at more scars to my knobbly knees courtesy of Technology 1962, PhD 1964) [email protected]. the Harlington astroturf pitch. It just so If you would like to celebrate happened that the club’s slogan was “Never You can submit your own memories of Christmas at the College without your student days at Imperial College planning your own party, come along London, or one of the constituent to the Winter Wonderland alumni event Colleges, for the alumni website by on Thursday 10 December 2009 at the emailing [email protected]. South Kensington Campus. Visit www.imperial.ac.uk/alumni/ www.imperial.ac.uk/alumni/memories winterwonderland for further details.

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R In the next issue... Alumni blogs If you write a regular blog and would be willing for us to share excerpts from it with other alumni in a future issue of Imperial Matters and on the alumni website, we’d like to hear from you. Email us at [email protected] with your full name, the URL of your blog and, if you have it to hand, your eight-digit alumni membership number.

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Let me introduce you John Loughhead (Mechanical Engineering 1970, MSc 1971, Mines Association (RSMA) respectively. Following their PhD 1975) and Coen Louwarts (Earth Resources election, we wanted to know a little bit more about Engineering 1996) have just taken the reins of the City and them, so read on to gain an insight into the associations’ Guilds College Association (CGCA) and Royal School of new presidents.

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John how it needs to respond, develop a clear What will be your first priority as Loughhead vision of its future role, and implement RSMA president? President of it without losing the traditions and Initially it will be to build further upon the the City and understanding of its history and culture. results of last year’s member survey and Guilds College It’s an unusual organisation that must the good work that my predecessor, Kurt Association support members who span 70 years of Budge, started. Especially in the current the life of the association so it must be climate, I think that providing more approached with great sensitivity. networking opportunities will be very

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// important for our existing alumni as well as for the students about to graduate. I also want to make the 125th Annual What is your fondest memory of being Coen Dinner in November a great success. a student? Louwarts It was the stimulating interactions with President of R See the event calendar on page 33 those around me. We were the first the Royal School for more details of the annual dinner. phase of the big expansion in university of Mines education provision, and for many of us Association we were the first of our families to attend university. Moving to London to do it was another bonus. What did you study at Imperial College? What trait do you most value in your I came over to the Royal School of Mines friends and colleagues? from Delft University of Technology Honesty, integrity and always an ability in 1995 to do my final year in Mining to enjoy the trivial and absurd – Engineering. I had already had the something we all encounter frequently in opportunity of doing vacation work in life. the mining industry in Australia for three months, which ultimately resulted in my Describe yourself in three words. first job. Sociable, interested, stubborn. What makes you most proud of being How do you feel about being elected an alumnus of the RSM? as president? The Royal School of Mines has produced I am both surprised and honoured. some outstanding alumni throughout the Looking back I have benefited years, and continues to do so. It has a very Calling former rugby enormously, both professionally and good reputation in the industry and being club members personally, from my time in the City and part of the RSMA provides access to a Guilds College and from the people I met great network of fellow professionals. The Imperial College Union Rugby there, a number of whom I’m still in Football Club (ICURFC) is setting up contact with regularly. I hope during my What has been the most interesting an ICURFC Old Boys Society. If you year as president I’ll be able to put a little moment of your career? would like to sign up, please email back into the organisation. One memorable moment early in my the Alumni Relations team at career was that after setting off a large [email protected] with your What will be your first priority as overburden blast in a mine, I received full name, details of when you were CGCA president? a phone call from a geological survey a member of the club, and, if you The world continues to change and we department about 1,000 kilometres have it to hand, your alumni have to respond to that. My priority is away asking whether there had been an membership number. therefore to help the CGCA anticipate earthquake in the region.

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In the hot seat

The perfect pairing The creamy taste of soft brie or the sharp tangy flavour of mature cheddar; cheese always gets the juices going, and along with a crisp white wine or a full-bodied red, it’s a perfect combination. So what better way to spend a March evening than sampling six specially selected Competitive spirits were high on 12 May farewell to all my greatness” came from cheese and wine pairings? 2009as17teamsbattleditoutinabid William Shakespeare’s Henry VIII, but During the course of a two-hour to be crowned Imperial’s Alumni Quiz also that it is Cardinal Wolsey’s line tasting session around 100 alumni and Team of the Year. Over 100 alumni from act III, scene II. Dan’s superb friends tasted the delights that Whole and guests competed for glory, not knowledgewon him and his team a well Foods Market on Kensington High Street to mention an impressive selection deserved round of drinks. had to offer. of prizes. The favourite choice of the evening Neil Mosley, Head of Sport Imperial, was the organic Chapoutier Cote du turned quizmaster for the evening and Relive the relay Rhone, a classic red, paired with cave- was on hand to dish out penalties for foul In January 1949, Anthony Watts aged mature cheddar. We were assured play, as well as spot prizes and bonuses (Mechanical Engineering 1949, PhD that the generous servings of this wine to keep competitors on their toes. 1953) and Robert Gigg (Physics 1950) had no bearing on its popularity! P&G were the victorious team with a struck upon the idea of the Hyde Park Age proved no limit to wine fantastic score of 108.5 out of the 120 Relays. Acknowledged as possibly the appreciation as Imperial alumni who points on offer. Captained by Chris swiftest organisation in the history of graduated in the 1950s were joined by Harrison (MSc Computing 1995), the the event, the first relay race through some of our most recently graduated victory marked a triumphant return to Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens alumni from 2008 and plenty of alumni form for the winners of the alumni quiz was held the following month. Still who graduated in between. in 2006. Connect 5 took second place going strong 60 years later, alumni with 101.5 points, and Munich Reunited teams are being invited to compete R Due to the popularity of this came a very close third with 101 points. in next year’s relays which will be event, a second tasting evening will A special mention must go to Javed’s held on Saturday 13 February 2010. be held at Whole Foods Market later Jokers, and particularly to team member See the event calendar on page 33 in 2009. See the event calendar on Dan Lester, who not only correctly for more information. page 33 for more information. identified that the quote “A long

Reunited Electrical Engineering 1951 More than 60 years since they first met, six Electrical Engineering alumni had lunch at the New Cavendish Club on 9 May 2009. Pictured above, left to right, are Tony Roberts, Cyril Messenger, Bruce Mackenzie, Ray Goodburn, Chris Clemow, and Alan Dawe. If you are one of their missing cohort and would like to join future events, or your class has reunited recently we’d like to hear from you. Email us at [email protected].

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Time-honoured traditions Boomalaka

The Boomalaka, the rallying cry for The chant originates from Ma-ori The winning veteran team members of the City and Guilds College, culture explains Chris Lumb (Electrical rang out from the livery hall of the Engineering 1961), Honorary Secretary Stationers’ Company at the City and of the City and Guilds College Guilds College Association’s annual Association (CGCA): “Being based on Veterans race to dinner in February 2009. Ma-ori tradition, it may perhaps be The City and Guilds College Union intended to strike (abject?) fear into the Head of the River (CGCU) mascots, Spanner and Bolt, hearts of any non-City and Guilds A team of sporting heroes, many of were held aloft by Richard Parasram College people in the vicinity. The whom are also Imperial alumni, took to (Civil and Environmental Engineering meaning is not fully clear, but if you have thewateron21March2009forthe 2009) and Jovan Nedic (Aeronautics ever been to a traditional Hangi [feast], annual Veterans Head of the River 2008), both wearing requisite white you’ll be aware of the force with which rowing race organised by Imperial’s gloves, whilst Mark Mearing-Smith the Ma-ori sing their chants. They really Boat Club. (third year Mechanical Engineering mean business!” The team was made up of four gold student), President of the CGCU, called The Boomalaka has been a CGCU medallists from the men’s eights team at the Boomalaka. tradition as far back as anyone can the Sydney Olympics in 2000, Louis remember, and actually featured in a BBC Attrill (Civil Engineering 1997), Simon broadcast as long ago as the 1930s when Dennis (Biology 1997), Steve Trapmore Words of the Boomalaka Martin Storrar (Civil Engineering and (Head of Rowing at Imperial) and Kieran President: Surveying 1939) led a group of students West. Two-time Henley Royal Regatta Ladies and Gentlemen of Guilds, past the Holborn Empire, formerly a winner George Whittaker (Chemical please be upstanding... music hall on High Holborn, to the pub Engineering and Chemical Technology Ladies and Gentlemen of Guilds, opposite during a live broadcast. 2004), John Dick (postgraduate are you in good voice? We’d like to hear about other Materials student), Bronze World traditions that have stood the test of Rowing Champion Dan Ouseley, and a All: time and continue to play an important member of GBR Challenge’s sailing team Yes!! part in the lives of alumni. Email us at Iain Weighell joined them. Seb Pearce President: [email protected]. (Mechanical Engineering 2005) completed the team as cox. Then let’s have a Boomalaka! Competing against over 200 veteran All: crews from rowing clubs all over the One. Two. Three... UK, the race from Chiswick Bridge to Boomalaka! Boomalaka! Putney Pier was quite a challenge for Ra Ra Ra! those crew members who hadn’t raced Zingalaka Zingalaka! for four or five years. Despite the Ya Ya Ya! challenge the team won outright, in a Boomalaka Zingalaka! time of 19:40:12, five seconds ahead of Who are we? Danske Studenters Roklub. We are, we are C and G! More information about Imperial Kubal-ai-o Gee, Kubal-ai-o Gee! College London Boat Club and its Ra Ra Ra! alumni activities can be found at Hooray! www.imperialboatclub.co.uk/ Mark Mearing-Smith leads the Boomalaka icbc-alumni.

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events alumni

UK event calendar

Regional drinks evenings Since 2006, alumni in London have enjoyed successful bi-annual drinks evenings, and now alumni all around the country can join in the fun too. During the last two weeks of October, Aberdeen, Newcastle, Birmingham, Oxford and Bristol will host a drinks event each. As always there will be plenty of opportunity to network with fellow Imperial Royal School of Mines alumni, and you will be able to enter the ever popular business card draw for Association 125th Annual the chance to win a bottle of champagne! Dinner Tuesday 20 to Thursday 29 October 2009; Various locations The Royal School of Mines Association’s new president, www.imperial.ac.uk/alumni/regionaldrinks; +44 (0)20 7594 6130 Coen Louwarts, will host its 125th Annual Dinner, and welcomes the Rector of Imperial Friends of Imperial College lecture: City and Guilds College Association College, Sir Roy Anderson, as a Engineering and emotion Decade Reunion Luncheon special guest for the occasion. Tuesday 20 October 2009; Saturday 28 November 2009; In honour of the anniversary, South Kensington Campus, London Polish Club ‘Ognisko’, the association would like to be joined by one alumnus or guest for www.friendsofimperial.org.uk; 55 Exhibition Road, London every year of its existence. Find out +44 (0)5601 308693 [email protected]; more about how our Find a +44 (0)20 8998 2701 Classmate services can help you GOLD Drinks reconnect with old friends and the Felix 60th Anniversary Dinner Tuesday 27 October 2009; TBC, London Association reach its target on www.imperial.ac.uk/alumni/ Saturday 5 December 2009; page 29. South Kensington Campus, London GOLDdrinks; Friday 20 November 2009; +44 (0)20 7594 6130 www.imperialcollegeunion.org/events; Polish Club ‘Ognisko’, +44 (0)20 7594 8072 55 Exhibition Road, London Whole Foods tasting evening [email protected]; Wednesday 11 November 2009; Winter Wonderland +44 (0)20 7594 8606 Whole Foods Market, Thursday 10 December 2009; 63-97 Kensington High Street, London South Kensington Campus, London www.imperial.ac.uk/alumni/ www.imperial.ac.uk/alumni/ tastingevening; +44 (0)20 7594 6130 winterwonderland; Annual Alumni Lecture +44 (0)20 7594 6130 delivered by alumnus Friends of Imperial College lecture: Geoff Nicholson Seeing is believing City and Guilds College Association Monday 22 February 2010; Tuesday 17 November 2009; South Christmas Lunch and Seminar South Kensington Campus, London Kensington Campus, London Thursday 10 December 2009; www.imperial.ac.uk/alumni/ www.friendsofimperial.org.uk; 170 Queen’s Gate, London annuallecture; +44 (0)5601 308693 www.cgca.org.uk; +44 (0)20 7594 6130 +44 (0)20 7594 1184 London social and speed networking Friends of Imperial College lecture: for Business School alumni Hyde Park Relays 2010 Life in the solar system Thursday 26 November; Venue to be Friday 13 February 2010; Wednesday 24 February 2010; confirmed Hyde Park, London South Kensington Campus, London www.imperial.ac.uk/business- www.union.ic.ac.uk/acc/crosscountry/ www.friendsofimperial.org.uk; school/alumni; +44 (0)20 7594 6137 hpr; +44 (0)7717 848368 +44 (0)5601 308693

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New York, New York Michael Barron (Mechanical Engineering 1962) and Sandy Eames (Electrical Engineering 1970), respectively the most recent and present ‘stuckees’ of the Imperial College Exiles North America East, are currently formulating plans for an autumn event in New York City. With over 500 alumni resident in the tri-state area, they hope to build a new era of alumni activities California dreamin’ in the region. Contact Alumni at the Computer History Museum [email protected] and [email protected] On 28 February, 25 alumni Engineering 2000) said: “It was if you are interested in and their families met for the amusing to see John ask, at getting involved. first Imperial College Alumni regular intervals: ‘Does anybody Association of Northern know what this exhibit is?’, and, California event of 2009; a much to his disbelief, see a third Italian fare in the visit to the Mountain View of the group raise their hands.” Computer History Museum. John Mashey, A second event, an windy city former Vice President and Chief Scientist invigorating hike An event for alumni took place in at Silicon Graphics, gave a guided tour through the Santa Chicago on 22 June 2009 to coincide with the help of his wife, Angela Hey (PhD Cruz mountains, took with a visit by Professor Dot Griffiths, Management Science 1979). place on 30 May. Both Deputy Principal of Imperial’s Business The visible storage galleries formed events were well School and International Ambassador. the main attraction, with displays received by alumni and their families, Thirty Imperial alumni from the ranging from Chinese abacuses to particularly those attending for the first mid-west enjoyed dinner at handheld computers, with the CDC time, who appreciated the opportunity contemporary Italian restaurant 6600 exhibit evoking memories to meet fellow Imperial alumni. Trattoria No. 10, beginning with a for those who toiled in the For more information about welcome and update from Professor Department of Mechanical alumni activities in Northern Griffiths. This was followed by a Engineering’s computer centre. California, please contact delicious three-course dinner and a Association president, Fabien Fabien Schmitt at glass or two of vino. Schmitt (Mechanical [email protected].

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effort, Salim Al-Omairi (Earth Science and Engineering 2004) has put the Office of Alumni and Development back in touch with a number of alumni with whom they had previously lost touch, increasing the number of contactable alumniinOmanbyoverathird. Since the inauguration of the Imperial College Alumni Association of Bahrain in June 2008, membership has grown to over 40 alumni from a range of industry sectors. Following a series of successful get-togethers in 2008, the Association hosted a spring gathering attended by patron His Excellency Dr Hassan Fakhro, Minister of Industry and Commerce. The event was opened by Bahrain Petroleum Company CEO, Abdulkarim Al-Sayed, who provided insight into recent developments at the firm and the regional oil and gas market recent Bridging the gulf developments. This was followed by dinner at the Saffron Restaurant of the Alumni activities in the Persian Gulf are enjoyed catching up over drinks and Banyan Tree Resort. on the increase thanks to a growing canapés and Dr Heymann provided In addition to activities in Bahrain, number of committed alumni contacts an update on life today at Imperial. Oman and the UAE, there are also in the region. The event sparked interest in future networks developing activities in The largest concentration of alumni networking events in Oman, and an Kuwait and Qatar. Contact details for canbefoundinthe United Arab alumni network is currently taking each of these networks can be found in Emirates,andameetingatDubai’s shape as a result. In support of this the table below. Central Perk Cafe on 28 February 2009 saw members of the recently established Imperial College Alumni Network of the Imperial alumni in the Persian Gulf United Arab Emirates explore ways of taking the group forward with a Group Resident alumni Contact particular focus on events and meetings. Bahrain 59 Imperial College Alumni Association of Bahrain Following this, the network held the Christos Poullaides (Civil Engineering 1979), first in a series of inaugural lectures at [email protected] the Dusit Thani Hotel on 7 April 2009, where alumnus Dr Sadek Owainati Kuwait 58 Imperial College Alumni Network in Kuwait (Civil Engineering 1971), co-founder and Mohammed Abdullah (MBA 2004); former Chairman of the Emirates Green [email protected] Building Council, gave a talk entitled Sustainability: the way forward. Special Oman 90 Imperial College Alumni Network in Oman guest, Her Majesty’s Consul-General [email protected] in Dubai, Guy Warrington, offered the alumni group his encouragement Qatar 43 Imperial College Alumni Network in Qatar and highlighted the importance of Rajavel Inbarajan (MSc Civil and Environmental combating climate change and Engineering 1997); promoting sustainable development in [email protected] British foreign policy, which is one of the UK’s key objectives. United Arab 210 Imperial College Alumni Network of the United Over the border, a reception at Emirates Arab Emirates Muscat’s luxurious Chedi Hotel was held Ghanem Nuseibeh (Civil and Environmental on 5 May to coincide with a visit to Oman Engineering 2000, PhD 2003); by Dr Timothy Heymann of Imperial [email protected] College Business School. Attendees

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enjoyed a meeting with Rector, Sir Roy Anderson, and Pro Rector for Postgraduate and International Affairs, Professor Mary Ritter, at Singapore Polytechnic. A few days later, alumni First decade bash and guests enjoyed a visit to Singapore’s for German club Singapore famous Tiger Beer Founded in 1999, the Imperial round up brewery. The event, College Club of Germany has been The Rector in Singapore organised by a great network for alumni in Yap Tiong Peng Germany over the ensuing decade. Alumni in Singapore enjoyed a number (Bioengineering 2003), included a To commemorate its 10th of meetings and gatherings over recent presentation on the company’s history anniversary, the Club held its 2009 months, thanks to an active Imperial andatouraroundthebrewery,anda event in the French city of College Alumni Association few beers in the Tiger Tavern. Strasbourg from 11–13 September, of Singapore calendar. At the end of July, alumni were and welcomed alumni from both On 7 April, over 65 alumni and guests treated to a scintillating MBA talk on Germany and France along. the subject of Demistifying the Alternative The weekend incorporated a visit Investments Industry by to the Strasbourg Parliament, Dr Bernard Lee (PhD Business School several guest speakers including 2005), Deputy Director of the Sim Kee Chief Operating Officer of EnBW, Boon Institute at Singapore Christian Buchel, a midnight visit to Management University. the newspaper offices of Dernières If you would like to find out about Nouvelles d’Alsace, and a tour of a alumni activities in Singapore, please local Alsace winery. Find out more visit the Association’s website at about the club at www.iccg.net. Enjoying the Tiger Tavern www.icaas.org.

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Shanghai social Around 30 alumni from Imperial College London, LSE, and the Universities of Cambridge and Alumni at the Attock Oil Refinery Reading met for an after-work drinks gathering organised by Wu Ying A fine day out (MSc Finance 2006) in the trendy Bund district of Shanghai on On 19 April 2009, members of the Association of Imperial College Alumni, Pakistan Thursday 16 July 2009. Alumni enjoyed a day trip to the Attock Oil Refinery in Morgah, Rawalpindi. The oldest indulged in cocktails and tapas on refinery in Pakistan, it is responsible for refining about 42,000 barrels of crude oil the terrace of the famous Bar Rouge, per day from oil fields of the Potowar Plateau. A guided tour provided alumni and which provides spectacular their families with the perfect opportunity to learn all about the principles and panoramic views of the river, Bund procedures involved. and the Pudong skyline. To find out about forthcoming alumni activities in Pakistan, please contact the Association’s Secretary General, Shahid Hussain, at [email protected].

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Five questions for an Ambassador Getting together down under

Professor Dot Griffiths with alumni in Shenzhen

Imperial Matters asked the Deputy some reconnections. Everyone who Principal of the Business School, Professor comes to an alumni event is pleased to Dot Griffiths, about what her role as an hear about what is happening to the International Ambassador involves. College and it is always interesting to talk about the College in previous years. Alumni gathered at Esposito Why be an Ambassador? restaurant in Melbourne’s Italian I decided to become an Ambassador Who have you met? district in March 2009 to welcome because it would provide me with the A lot of alumni! I met an alumnus in China Imperial Ambassador Professor opportunity to meet lots of alumni as I who had studied engineering here in the Nelson Phillips of the Business was travelling. It is always interesting to 1940s. It was amazing to think what he had School. After a College update, food, meet alumni and find out what they have lived through when he returned to China. drink and discussions continued late been doing since they left the College. into the evening, with relatively few What was your most memorable visit? world problems not resolved. What makes being an That’s not a fair question! The inaugural Ambassador enjoyable? alumni event in Cyprus was memorable The College wants to get better at for being the most well attended event, keeping in contact with its alumni, so I we have a lot of really enthusiastic and have enjoyed being able to help make committed alumni there. In Delhi, we had father and son alumni, and we have some very well-organised alumni in China.

What are your future plans? In March we took the Executive MBA Study Tour to South Africa, so we attended a great alumni event in Johannesburg. I went to an Ambassador Cross country in Perth, alumni event in Chicago at the end of June and, assembled at the beautiful home of in September, we will be holding events Dr Brian Welch (Mining 1959) in May Professor Griffiths in Chicago in Shenzhen and Shanghai. for lunch overlooking the magnificent Swan River. Good wines were sampled and new alumni welcomed. The R International event calendar Western Australia alumni group meet A number of events and meetings for alumni of Imperial will be taking place up every first Friday of the month at around the world over autumn and winter 2009–10. Please visit the events the Celtic Club in West Perth. Please calendar at www.imperial.ac.uk/alumni/events for further details. If you would contact Alan Dickson (Mining 1968) like help or information about organising an alumni event overseas, please at [email protected] for contact [email protected]. further information.

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catch up 1960s David Longbottom Peter Whitehead Mathematics 1965 Mathematics 1964, PhD Computing 1967 Roger Gabriel Held various posts in the Centre for Charing Cross Hospital Medical School Computing Services at Imperial from 1962 1964 to 1994, Deputy Head of Centre After seven years of work as locum from the late 1970s. In 1994 moved to the physician from Elgin to Gibraltar and Royal Postgraduate Medical School (now Turo to Cyprus, I have recently started part of Imperial’s Faculty of Medicine) as a contract at the Royal Naval Hospital, Head of Centre. In 1998 moved to the Gibraltar. Pleasant and warm. I have Royal Free Medical School, again as Head three main ambitions: to help bring up of Computing Services. Retired in 2007, my second family, to practise medicine I am currently Pro-Chancellor and Chair and now work as a part time IT for at least 50 years and to defeat the of London South Bank University; I’m consultant to UCL Medical School. grim reaper for another 20 plus years. also Chair of executive search firm Horton International (UK) and Non- 1970s Roger Leaman Executive Director of the European Electrical Engineering 1966 regional airline Flybe. I live in Howard Cheetham Metallurgy and Materials Science 1975 Now retired after 40 years in the defence Buckinghamshire with my partner Ai Lin. industry. More time to go sailing! Stephen Pick Physics 1961 I worked in telecommunications with GEC in the UK and Nigeria, Bell Canada in Montreal and Ottawa, ITT in Puerto Rico, Madrid and Brussels, and finally ITI in Dallas, but retired in 2007. I’ve been living in Richardson, Texas, since 1989. I still play football, as of May 2009, but only just. I have had fun over the last several months finding old friends from Imperial After 18 years in South Africa, three years and the University of London football in Belgium, and eight years in the United team, Sidonain XI, and now have had States, I am now teaching high school contact, or are aware of their death, of math in North Carolina. Happily married over 40 of my contemporaries. to Ros (Zoology and Applied www.flickr.com/photos/25221379@N07 Entomology 1979); we have a daughter, Alex, who will complete her degree at Tufts University, Boston, next year. She Spotlight on led to his recent hopes to go to medical school after that. Teo Chee Hean appointment as Deputy Ros and I have taken up sailing and get Prime Minister of Singapore away most weekends. Delighted to get Following several years in April 2009. reacquainted with old friends, perhaps spent in the Republic of Since August 2003, Teo you can find me on Facebook! Singapore Navy, reaching Chee Hean has held the role Stuart (Sam) Hallas the rank of Chief of the of Minister for Defence and Electrical Engineering 1971 Navy in 1991, Teo Chee Minister in charge of the Hean (MSc Computing Civil Service, which he will I have spent over 30 years in the provision 1977) left the navy to pursue continue. His successful of safety-related telecommunications to a political career. By political career has also seen the rail industry – firstly with British Rail December 1992, Teo Chee Hean had him as Minister for Education and and later with the privatised industry. I been elected a Member of Parliament. Minister for the Environment, among took early retirement in 2006 allowing This was the beginning of a path that’s other roles. me to continue to work, but on a (very) part-time basis. I am actively promoting

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the history of telecommunications, especially railway communications, Spotlight on outlook on life.” through my website and membership of Andreas Mogensen Andreas’ selection is the Telecommunications Heritage Group. only the beginning of a www.samhallas.co.uk Following a Europe-wide long journey from new recruitment process, recruit to astronaut, as he David Lane Andreas Mogensen now begins basic training MSc Mechanical Engineering 1971 (Aeronautics 1999) has at the European Astronaut I’m still business and finance been selected as one of Centre in Cologne, correspondent for The Economist in six new astronauts by the 2009 Germany, in preparation Italy. I’m glad to say that Silvio European Space Agency for space missions from Berlusconi lost his defamation case (ESA). The 8,413 2013 onwards. against me and my Italian publisher in applicants were whittled ESA – A. LE FLOC’H, Andreas added: “I am the court of first instance though, as down through a rigorous expecting a lot of expected, he has appealed against the recruitment process, which included tremendously rewarding and exciting ruling.IhopeabookontheMafia psychological and professional experiences, including EVA causes less trouble. aptitude evaluation, a thorough simulations in the swimming pool, medical evaluation, and a formal weightlessness training during You can read about David’s new book, interview. The last recruitment parabolic flights on the ‘Vomit Into the Heart of the Mafia, on page 42. campaign for new astronauts was Comet’, team-building and survival heldin1992,sothisreallywasa exercises, and most importantly of Basilio Pereira rare opportunity. course, learning about all the exciting PhD Mathematics 1976 Andreas commented: missions that the European Space “Undoubtedly, my technical Agency is involved with. The training I have been at Federal University of Rio background as an aerospace engineer will definitely be tough and require a de Janeiro since my return to Brazil, and my passion for space exploration lot of dedication and hard work, but I with joint appointments at COPPE played an important role [in my can’t wait to get started.” Postgraduate School of Engineering. selection]. I also Initially with the Mathematics think my Institute, and since 1998 with the international School of Medicine. background was Since 2006 I have visited London important; I have frequently to visit my son, who was lived in eight born while I studied at Imperial. I different countries would be pleased to see and hear from on four different my colleagues. continents. That has

Gordon Varley a tremendous 2009 Physics 1972 influence on someone’s I took early retirement from teaching to personality and ESA – S. CORVAJA, do a bit of educational consultancy in August 2008. Then I took a two-term post in Marbella until July 2009! Barbara and I are well and soon we will be back on the road with our motor home.

1980s Allan Dumont Computing 1981

After leaving Imperial in 1981, I returned 2009 to Guyana where I worked as a Systems Engineer with IBM for six years. For the

last 22 years I have lived and worked in ESA – S. CORVAJA, Toronto, Canada. I now manage and Andreas, left, was presented report clinical trial data for at a press conference in Paris pharmaceutical clients.

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Karen Hardy 1990s on-mine geotechnical engineering Biology 1980 department for about a year and a half. Having spent 28 years working in Per Hansson I am currently back in Johannesburg, telecommunications, I have now Computing 1999 working with Knight Piesold Consulting settled happily in the third sector I have been working as a developer for Engineers, and since 2005 have been on working for homeless charity Crisis. business support systems in telecoms full-time secondment to a joint venture I have supported Crisis and its work for most of my career, customising billing project team carrying out the detailed homeless people for many years so it data mediation, order management and design of the new 1332 megaWatt Ingula isaperfectfit.Icontinuemymad billing systems for telecommunications hydro-electric pumped storage scheme personal fundraising activities with operators. Currently, I work for Sunrise in South Africa. I am working mainly on this year seeing me walk from Land’s in Zurich, Switzerland, as a senior system the design of the tunnels and caverns End to John O’Groats. admin for EAI and portals applications for the scheme. I am married to Beverly www.justgiving.com/womblejog which also includes development for and we have two children, Klarika, monitoring, etc. eight, and Ruard, six. I would love to Alison McDougall née Jefferies hear from anyone from the MSc Soil Chemical Engineering and Chemical Gerhard Keyter Mechanics class of 1993–94. Technology 1986 MSc Civil Engineering 1994 I have been living in the United States After College I spent about seven years Georgios Koutsos forthelast18yearsnowandhave working for SRK Consulting in their MSc Chemical Engineering and Chemical completely lost touch with all my old Rock Engineering Department in Technology 1998, MBA 2001 Imperial buddies. I would love to hear Johannesburg, South Africa. I then Following my MBA, I worked for a from anyone who remembers those joined De Beers’ Venetia Diamond Mine couple of years for the Boston crazy days! in Musina (near South Africa’s northern Consulting Group and another couple border with Zimbabwe) as head of the of years with iVen, the business incubator and seed capital fund of the National Bank of Greece. For the last Spotlight on Gareth Wilson days, seven hours and 30 minutes – the four years, I have been working for current world record for the fastest NBGI, the investment banking arm of the National Bank of Greece. One of 14 oarsmen, Gareth Wilson row across the Atlantic. (Electrical and Electronic Engineering However, things didn’t quite go to plan, as Gareth explained: Gordon Lau and Computing 2003) set off from Aeronautics 1999 Gran Canaria in a rowing boat, La “Unfortunately we did not reach Mondiale, on 4 January 2009 hoping to Barbados; 11 days, 1,000 miles into the Been working as an interest rate trader make it to Barbados in less than 33 journey, and three days ahead of the in HK/Taipei/Shanghai since graduation. current world record, we lost our NowbackinHongKongandstill rudder from a suspected killer whale surviving this financial tsunami... attack on our boat. “The boat was no longer steerable Catherine McGrath and we had to be rescued by a passing Chemistry 1992 container ship which took us back to After my PhD, I worked for several years Gibraltar. On the positive side we did in the pharmaceutical industry in the raise thousands of pounds for our UK, Ireland and in America. Most nominated charities.” recently have returned to study and I am No stranger to challenges, Gareth close to the end of my medical degree in has already completed Marathon des the Czech Republic. Sables, a six-day, 156 mile ultramarathon, swum the English Gillian Miller Channel and climbed Mount Wye College 1995 Kilimanjaro. Not one to give up, After leaving Wye College in 1995, I Gareth is hoping to make a second studied for a PGCE in Secondary attempt at rowing across the Atlantic Science. I now live in an Italian in December 2010. You can follow farmhouse on the borders of Piemonte Gareth and the team’s progress online. and Liguria, not far from Genoa. Our www.oceanrowevents.com; main business is self-catering holiday [email protected] accommodation. A sideline is trying to get English plants to grow happily in the

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heat of the Italian summers. Have a look Azadeh Neman at my plant photo gallery on our website Mathematics 2004 Awards and Honours to see the successes! www.cascina-aie.com New Fellows Julian Downward (PhD Biochemistry Vincent So 1986) who leads the Signal Mechanical Engineering 1991, Transduction Laboratory at Cancer MBA 1994 Research UK’s London Research Institute, and Neil Poulter (St Mary’s Hospital Medical School 1974), Still in France. Finishing the PhD and Professor of Preventive Cardiovascular looking for postdocs. Medicine at Imperial College London, http://math.univ-lyon1.fr/~azadeh/ were elected to the Academy of Medical Sciences in April 2009. Johan Nystrom Persson Michael Duff (PhD Physics 1972), Mathematics and Computing 2006 Abdus Salam Professor of Theoretical I am currently a computer science PhD Physics at Imperial College London; John student at the University of Tokyo. Hardy (PhD Biochemistry 1979), I am proud to announce the arrival of Professor of Neuroscience at UCL; Angela my twins, Adrian and Aster, who were Christos Panitsas McLean (PhD Biology 1986), Professor of born on 28 February 2009 at Canossa MSc Bioengineering 2002 Mathematical Biology at the University of Oxford; and Keith Shine (Physics 1978), Hospital in Hong Kong. My wife, I finished my Greek army duty in 2003 Professor of Physical Meteorology at the Daphne (Cambridge 1997), and the and then worked in medical equipment University of Reading were elected twins are doing well. sales. Selling is not my strength, and Fellows of the Royal Society in May 2009. doctors in Greece do not appreciate the Samantha Watson technical aspects of equipment! I Royal recognition Biology 1994 returned to my hometown, Patras, and Her Majesty The Queen honoured 12 Qualified as a doctor in 2000. Married laid the foundations and organised the Imperial alumni in the 2009 Birthday Matt in 2002. Became GP in 2004. clinical engineering department of a new Honours for outstanding achievement Now working in Oxfordshire. private hospital. Since then, I have been and service across the UK community. working against the chaotic forces Receiving CBEs were Dr Martin 2000s (healthcare personnel, doctors and Barnes (Civil Engineering 1960) for Amazonian butterflies) that want to Patrick Alberts services to civil engineering, Professor devour the medical equipment of the PhD T.H. Huxley School of Yvonne Carter (St Mary's Hospital hospital and digest it into junk. Environment, Earth Sciences and Medical School 1983) for services to Engineering 2001 Kuldeepsinh Rana medical education, Brigadier Christopher After Imperial, I joined the Boston MSc Bioengineering 2004 Parker (Westminster Medical School 1981) in the Military Division of the list, Consulting Group (BCG) in their Currently a PhD student in the Peter Saraga (MPhil Electrical Hamburg office. Three years of Bioengineering Department at Cornell Engineering 1969) for services to science consulting later, I went to complete an University, Ithaca, NY USA. MBA at INSEAD in France and and engineering, and Ian Shott Singapore.BackatBCG,Iamnowa (Chemical Engineering 1978) for services project leader and core member of our to the chemical engineering industry. R Make sure you keep us updated telecommunications, media and Dr Thomas Coffey (Charing Cross and with your life post Imperial; we technology practice, focusing on mobile Westminster Medical School 1988), Dr would love to hear from you. Visit Internet and media topics. Not long Annette Doherty (PhD Chemistry 1985), www.imperial.ac.uk/alumni/catchup ago, I returned to Imperial as a recruiter Dr Alan Hepper (Mechanical Engineering to view more updates from other for BCG. 1988, PhD 1998), Dr Robert Hunt (Physics alumni or to submit your own 1943, DIC 1947), Alan Moore (Mechanical Chun Ewe update. Alternatively you can email Engineering 1970), and Dr Caroline Electrical and Electronic Engineering us at [email protected] or Shuldham (PhD National Heart and Lung 2003, DIC 2006 write to us at Imperial Matters, Institute 1999) all became the proud Imperial College London, Level 2 Currently working as a Consulting recipients of OBEs, and Professor Faculty Building, South Kensington Analyst at Deloitte. Raymund Donnelly (St Mary's Hospital Campus, London SW7 2AZ. Medical School 1961) was awarded a MBE.

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books Into the Heart of the Mafia David Lane The Dying Keats: A case (MSc Mechanical for euthanasia? Engineering 1971) Brian Livesley (Charing Cross and Westminster Tramping through Medical School 1988) Sicily’s Greek As claims for negligence, failures in medical care, ruins or Roman and the fears of many about dying, lead to repeated Pompeii, tourists cries for the legalisation of euthanasia, the do not ask about avoidable and prolonged suffering John Keats the Mafia or endured before he died in 1821 is particularly imagine how close relevant today. it might be. They This publication raises several questions do not wonder and aims to stimulate an appropriate which young men are the Mafia’s debate, leading to better recognition emissaries extorting protection money, by all professionals at the bedside or if the middle-aged man given that dying is a clinical diagnosis everyone’s respect is a mafia boss. From requiring action. Once this is Naples and its Mafia-controlled toxic understood the needs of affected waste, through no less rotten Calabria patients and their relatives can toSicily,theholdoftheMafiaon be earlier and more southern Italy is as strong as ever. appropriately addressed. In this memorable journey around Those who are dying should the cities and villages of the Italian not have to undergo the south, David Lane gives us a shocking Keatsian experience. They, as exposé of the operations of the Mafia well as their relatives and today. He shows how globalisation has friends, should know that transformed the Mafia into more than palliative care, properly delivered, simply a local phenomenon. can mean the end of unendurable Part reportage, part travelogue, distress in life’s last weeks, days, Into the Heart of the Mafia is also a richly and hours. coloured portrait of the south’s long and Matador Publishing; isbn 978-1848761711 tumultuous history and of a European region under siege. Profile Books; isbn 978-1846682698 CITY OF LONDON, KEATS HOUSE

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more Electrochromism and Guide to Microsoft Excel 2007 for books Electrochromic Devices Scientists and Engineers by by Paul Monk, Roger Mortimer and by Bernard Liengme R David Rosseinsky Electronic spreadsheet analysis has become alumni Electrochromism has advanced greatly part of the everyday work of researchers in over the past decade with electrochromic all areas of engineering and science. As the substances providing widespread industry standard, Microsoft Excel has a applications in light-attenuation, displays range of scientific functions that can be R Recently published Imperial and analysis. Roger Mortimer (Chemistry utilised for the modelling, analysis and alumni and their books are also 1977, PhD 1980) and his co-authors lead from presentation of quantitative data. Bernard listed on the alumni website at electrochromic scope and history to new Liengme (Chemistry 1960, PhD 1964) www.imperial.ac.uk/alumni/books. presentations of optical quantification and provides a straightforward guide to using theoretical mechanistic models. Cambridge these functions. University Press; isbn 978-0521822695 Academic Press; isbn 978-0123746238

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books alumni

The Great Tanganyika Diamond Hunt James Platt (Geology 1960) In 1960, the east African country of Tanganyika was something of a backwater of the British Empire, in which the winds of political change were promoting a headlong rush towards a Chemistry Was Their Life state of national independence. Geoffrey Rayner-Canham It was against this backdrop that a (Chemistry 1966, PhD 1969) and Marelene Rayner-Canham nationwide campaign to discover Until recently, the image of British chemistry was of a deposits of diamonds was carried out male preserve. However, this perspective is untrue; under the auspices of the country’s despite the barriers placed in their path, women studied fabled diamond producer, Williamson academic chemistry from the 1880s onwards and made Diamonds Limited. Thousands of significant contributions to their fields. Comprising a African workers and a few hundred unique set of biographies of 141 of the 896 known professional British female specially engaged white supervisors chemists from 1880 to 1949, Chemistry Was Their Life addresses the imbalance by were mobilised into a network of field showcasing the determination of these women to survive and flourish in an camps,manyofthemsetupinremote environment dominated by men. regions of trackless bush. Among those associated with Imperial is Martha Whiteley (above left), the first The white supervisors were as raw in female staff member of the Royal College of Science and the most influential matters of bush craft as they were wet British female chemist of the first decades of the twentieth century. One of her behind the ears. The Great Tanganyika assistants, Frances Mickelthwait, became the most published British female Diamond Hunt tells the story through the chemist of her era, and another of her students, Helen Archbold (later Porter, eyes of one among them who wouldn’t above right), became the first female professor at Imperial College London. have missed a minute of the experience. Imperial College Press; isbn 978-1860949869 Creighton Books; isbn 978-9080780842

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Medical Chequers The methods of computation and R If you would like to submit by Frank Hull tables of modified Bessel functions details of a book for a future issue Past his sell-by-date, and on the occasion of by Yuri Rappoport of Imperial Matters, please email his golden wedding, Frank Hull (St Mary’s The basic ideas of computational [email protected] Hospital Medical School 1955) reflects on mathematics are introduced in this or write to Imperial Matters, his life. Medicine has afforded textbook, including interpolation methods Office of Alumni and Development, opportunities to travel the world teaching, and numerical quadratures. This textbook, Imperial College London, learning and studying its natural history. by Yuri Rappoport (Mathematics 1995), will Level 2 Faculty Building, Choosing a formerly under regarded be of interest to PhD students who study South Kensington Campus, branch of his profession, he grew with it the theory of Bessel functions as well in London SW7 2AZ. while it became a core part of the curricula courses on the computation of special of western medical schools. functions, and is recommended by the Please include a short synopsis Farquhar and Son Ltd; isbn 978-0956062000 Russian Academy of Sciences. and a cover image (preferably in MATI Publishing House; isbn 978-5932714089 high resolution jpeg format).

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in memoriam It is with regret that we announce the death of the following alumni Where indicated by an *, obituaries are available online at of Imperial College London and the constituent medical schools www.imperial.ac.uk/alumni/obituaries. Printed copies of and Wye College. obituaries are also available on request from Alumni are listed according to their year of graduation. When an [email protected] orbywritingto Imperial Matters, Office alumnus has obtained more than one degree from the College they of Alumni and Development, Imperial College London, South are listed according to the graduation year of their first degree. Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ.

1920s Mr Timothy J. Calcutt (Wye College 1957, President of Dr Iris Trayner (St Mary’s Hospital Medical School 1962) the Agricola Club 2004–09) Mr Walter F.W. Urich (Aeronautics 1960) Dr K.H. Lachlan (Westminster Medical School 1923) * Mr Malcolm D.C. Campbell (Chemistry 1954, Chairman Dr Christopher C. Ware, FRCS (Westminster Medical of the Imperial College Trust) School 1962) 1930s Dr J.H. Darrell, FRCPath (Charing Cross Hospital Mr David I. Williams (Botany and Plant Technology Mrs Eva Bateman née Dovey (Wye College 1939) Medical School 1954) 1966) Brigadier Richard M. Brydges (Electrical Engineering Mr John W. Donaldson (Metallurgy 1951) 1930) Dr Marion S. Edwards (Charing Cross Hospital 1970s Mr Srutiraj Ghosh (Mechanical Engineering and Medical School 1954) Mr Robert J. Abraham (Metallurgy and Materials Science Motive Power 1935) Mr John T. France (Electrical Engineering 1958) 1976) Dr Alfred G. Maddock (Chemistry 1938, PhD 1940) * Dr Peter J. Fryer (Charing Cross Hospital Medical * Mr Robert B.V. Bain (Botany and Plant Technology 1976) * Mr Leslie R. Prout (Electrical Engineering 1934) School 1957) Dr Philip Bosworth (Chemistry 1971) Dr Charles Simons, FRSC (Chemistry 1935, PhD 1937) Mr Donald Goldhawk (Electrical Engineering 1952) Dr Edwin A.B. Cameron (St Mary’s Hospital Medical * Mr Nilkanth R. Tembe (MSc Civil Engineering Dr Roy Grice (Chemistry 1958, PhD 1961) School 1972) and Surveying 1938) Mr John C. Hendy (Chemistry 1954) * Mr Paul W.R. Clarke (Physics 1973, MSc Computing Mr Patrick S. Tillard (Electrical Engineering 1938) Dr Hans Hirsch (PhD Chemical Engineering and and Control 1974) * Mr Eric W.K. Walton, FCGI (Civil Engineering and Applied Chemistry 1952) * Sir Martin Doughty (Chemical Engineering and Surveying 1939) Mr Humphrey G. Holme (Mechanical Engineering 1957) Chemical Technology 1971, MSc Civil Engineering 1973) * Mr Robert C. Winton (Electrical Engineering 1935) Professor M.W. Humphrey Davies (Electrical Mrs Julia H. Harasewych née Onuferko (Physics 1974) Engineering 1957) Dr Kamal N. Karna (Electrical Engineering PhD 1976) Dr Donald A. Leigh (St Mary’s Hospital Medical 1940s * Mr William J. Powell (Chemistry 1977) School 1956) * Dr Alexandros Roussopoulos (MPhil Civil Engineering * Mr Edward G.U. Band (Mechanical Engineering 1946, Dr Roy C. Macfarlane (Charing Cross Hospital 1971) DIC Aeronautics 1947) Medical School 1958) Mr Per Songstad (MSc Geology 1972) Professor Leslie O. Butler (Chemistry 1944, PhD Mr Terence F. Mears (DIC Civil Engineering 1959) Mr Virender K. Vashisht (MSc Computing and Botany 1946) Mr William H. Napthine (Aeronautics 1952) Control 1974) Mr Ernest C. Clear Hill, FBCS, FRAS (Civil Engineering * Mr David E.G. Peckham (Mechanical Engineering 1952) Mr Christopher J. Wainwright (Chemical Engineering and Surveying 1941, DIC Aeronautics 1942) Dr Charles D. Plows (Westminster Medical School 1957) and Chemical Technology 1976) Dr Anthony J. Everett (Chemistry 1946, PhD Chemical * Mr Ian H. Reith (DIC Civil Engineering 1959) Dr Kay Wolfenden née Nicholson (Physics 1972) Engineering and Applied Chemistry 1948) Mr Peter F. Romney (Wye College 1956) * Dr Colin A. Fothergill (Geology 1948, PhD 1951) * Professor Charles P. Sandbank, FREng (DIC Electrical * Mr Elwyn W. Hamley (Civil Engineering 1949) Engineering 1956) 1980s * Mr John R. Harpum (Geology 1947) Mr Alan K. Sargent (Mechanical Engineering 1950) * Mrs Alison J. Deane née Moon (Wye College 1984) * Mr Norman F. Harpur (DIC Aeronautics 1946) Mr David Springle (Physics 1957, Electrical Engineering Mr Frank Newton (MSc History of Science and * Dr Peter E. Hodgson (Physics 1948, PhD 1951) 1959) Technology 1980) * Mr Anthony J. Lucking (Physics 1943, Electrical Mr John W. Stevens (Chemical Engineering 1954) Mr Timothy A. Symons (Mathematics 1981) Engineering 1949) * Dr Howell D. Williams (Materials 1958) Miss Sarah J. Walton (Wye College 1985) Mr Alan MacDonald (Mechanical Engineering 1948) * Dr Colin E. Wright (Charing Cross Hospital Medical Mr Andrew T. Weal (Chemical Engineering and Dr E.R. Mitchell (St Mary’s Hospital Medical School 1953) Chemical Technology 1986) School 1948) Dr Cynthia Yiu (Westminster Medical School 1983) Dr Philip W.J. Oldroyd (Mechanical Engineering and Motive Power 1941, PhD Aeronautics 1947) 1960s Dr Leslie W. Phipps (Physics 1948) * Dr Lawrence J. Austin (Chemical Engineering and 1990s Dr Alexander C. Porteous (St Mary’s Hospital Chemical Technology 1961, PhD 1963, Member of staff Miss Joan M. Roberts (MBA 1993) Medical School 1942) 1963–69) Mr Raymond F. Sargent (Mechanical Engineering 1949) * Mr Raymond M. Ayres (MSc Mechanical Engineering Dr Donald N. Stewart (Charing Cross Hospital 1969) 2000s Medical School 1942) * Dr James S.R. Baxter (Charing Cross Hospital Dr Simon L.J. Nicolle (MSc Primary Care and Population Dr A.L.G. Stuart (St Mary’s Hospital Medical School Medical School 1961) Health Sciences 2000–03, partially completed) 1943) * Dr William G. Burrows (DIC Electrical Engineering 1963) Mr Scott Rennie (Mechanical Engineering 2003) * Professor Peter W. Taylor (Geology 1949) * Dr Kailasanatha Chandrasekharan (PhD Chemical * Dr J. Geraint N. Thomas (Chemistry 1945, PhD 1950) Engineering and Chemical Technology 1962) Members of Staff Mr Harry E. Threlfall (Electrical Engineering 1944) Mr Kishore Chitre (PhD Electrical Engineering 1961) * Mr Peter G.L. Vipan (Mining 1944) Mr Ranjit S. Dhaliwal (Mathematics 1966) * Emeritus Professor Derek Moore (former Professor of Mr James M.J. Whellens, OBE, FIET (Electrical Dr William R. Emmerson (St Mary’s Hospital Medical Applied Mathematics) Engineering 1945) School 1965) * Professor Philip Poole-Wilson (former Head of the Dr John D. Hardwick (PhD Civil Engineering 1961) National Heart and Lung Institute) 1950s Dr Edward Proctor (Westminster Medical School 1960) Dr D. Robinson, FRCS (Westminster Medical School * Mr Michael A.E. Adams (Civil Engineering 1950) 1962) * Dr Lionel G. Booth (PhD Civil Engineering 1954, Dr Raymond T. Smith (PhD Mechanical Engineering Member of staff 1963–92) 1966)

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The bigger picture

Greenhouse in the sky A futuristic £1 million rooftop ‘greenhouse’ which will enable scientists to grow large quantities of plants for experiments, ranging from developing new sources of biofuels to helping sequence the tomato genome, has been built on top of the five-storey Roderic Hill building on the South Kensington Campus.

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Coming to a city near you!

This October we are launching a new series of regional drinks evenings so that Imperial alumni all around the UK can meet and network. During the last two weeks of October, five cities will be hosting the post-work events. Each event will start at 18.30 and is free to attend. There will be a chance to win a free bottle of champagne just by entering a business card draw, and you’ll even get a free drink on the College just for letting us know in advance that you’re coming, so make sure you register online soon.

Aberdeen Newcastle Birmingham Oxford Bristol Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Wednesday Thursday 20 October 2009 21 October 2009 22 October 2009 28 October 2009 29 October 2009

www.imperial.ac.uk/alumni/regionaldrinks