ISSUE 44 AUTUMN 2014 The Newsletter of Scotland’s National Academy resourcePhotography Easton Gareth by Photo On Saturday 28 June 2014, Professor Sir Thomas Kibble CBE (left) received a Royal Medal of the Royal Society of Edinburgh at the University of Edinburgh, School of Physics Graduation Ceremony, held in McEwan Hall. At the same ceremony, Professor Peter Higgs CH FRSE (centre) was awarded the Freedom of the City of Edinburgh and Professor François Englert (right) was presented with an Honorary Degree from the University of Edinburgh. Further details of these awards and more photographs from the day can be found on page 16. Also featured in this issue: President’s Farewell Dinner p. 2 Scotland’s Research Talent p. 8 RSE Response to the Referendum Outcome p. 12 resource AUTUMN 2014 The Fellows’ Triennial Dinner is held once during the three-year term of each Presidency, usually towards the end of the tenure. The Dinner in honour of Sir John Arbuthnott MRIA was held on Tuesday 5 August 2014 in the magnificent rooms of Glasgow City Chambers overlooking George Square in Glasgow. This formal-dress occasion was attended by many Fellows and their partners, along with several civic dignitaries and eminent guests from Scotland and around the world. Some photographs taken during the evening can be viewed here and the full set of images, all taken by Gary Doak, are available on the RSE website and can be downloaded from there for personal use: www.royalsoced.org.uk/716_TriennialDinner.html (Above l-r) Sir John Arbuthnott; Depute Provost of Glasgow, Bailie Leonard; and Lord Dean Sir John and Bailie Leonard of Guild, Mr Raymond Williamson FRS AMD Past President, Lord Wilson of Tillyorn KT (left) in conversation with Dr Jeremy McNeil, Foreign Secretary of the Royal Society of Canada (l-r) Sir Jonathan Mills FRSE; The group shot (above) includes three past RSE Presidents, our current President Lady Natasha Wilson (wife and President-elect, Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell DBE CBE (first lady from the left), of past President, Lord Wilson); who takes up office at the ASM on 13 October 2014. and Sir Muir Russell KCB FRSE 2 resource SUMMER 2014 Monday 24 November Thursday 27 November Monday 1 December 2014 at 6 pm 2014 2014 at 6 pm MACCORMICK SUPA CORMACK SIR JOHN CASS’S EUROPEAN lECTURE ASTRONOMy MEETING FOUNDATION lECTURE Professor Jean-Pierre Bourguignon, The Cormack Bequest meeting has been Education policy and Scottish President of the European a long-standing annual RSE event for the Scottish Astronomy community to gather autonomy: the end of a Research Council. and share, via talks and posters, some of common British tradition? the very wide range of astronomy research being conducted in Scotland. Professor Lindsay Paterson FBA Each year, there is an invited talk on a FRSE, School of Social and Political hot astronomy topic. Science, University of Edinburgh 27 November at 6 pm CORMACK lECTURE* Professor Sanjeev Gupta, Professor of Earth Science, The MacCormick European lecture is Imperial named in honour of the late Professor Sir Neil MacCormick FBA FRSE, in College recognition of his contribution to london Scottish and European politics and his international work for the RSE. Further Adventures of the Curiosity Rover in Gale Educational policy in the parts of the UK Previous speakers in the series have has been diverging since political devolution included Chris Patten (lord Patten of Crater, Mars around the turn of the century. What does Barnes), Sir John Kerr (lord Kerr of NASA’s Mars Science laboratory rover, this mean for the ideals of a common Kinlochard), Sir John Grant, Curiosity, touched down on the surface of citizenship in the UK? How do the changes Commissioner Jan Figel and Former Mars on 5 August 2012 in one of the most relate to the aspirations of liberal equal President of Ireland, Professor Mary audacious planetary landings ever. This opportunities that have influenced McAleese HonFRSE. car-sized rover has been successfully exploring education policy for over a century? What Gale crater since then. Built to conduct an role does research have in understanding This year’s lecture will be delivered investigation of modern and ancient by Professor Bourguignon, who was and also shaping these principles and environments on the surface of Mars, this the newly distinctive policies? What the Director of the Institut des Hautes talk will describe the rover’s explorations and implications do the results of the Etudes Scientifiques (IHES) from adventures, and discuss the latest findings. 1994 until 2013. He was also the first Referendum on Scottish independence ERC Panel Chair in Mathematics, for This talk will not only outline some of the have for education policy in Scotland? Starting Grants. exciting new evidence Curiosity has gathered This lecture forms part of an RSE on its journey, but also explain how scientists Ordinary Meeting and so will be and engineers make it all happen. preceded by Society business, such *only seats in overspill area left as Fellows signing the Roll. Tickets are required for all RSE Events, which are open to all and normally free to attend, but registration is required. To register, please contact the Events Team – 0131 240 2780 – [email protected] or go online at: www.royalsoced.org.uk. (Some events may carry a charge - please check individual details). Please note that many RSE events run to full capacity. If you book a place at any event but are unable to attend, please inform the Events Team so that your place can be reallocated. 3 resource AUTUMN 2014 Fellows in Action Professor Julie Fitzpatrick OBE welcomes Bill Gates to GALVMed RSE Fellow, Professor Julie Fitzpatrick OBE, Scientific Director of the Moredun Research Institute, is pictured receiving Mr Bill Gates, during his visit to Edinburgh-based charity, GAlVmed (the Global Alliance for livestock Veterinary Medicines) on 29 July 2014, with GAlVmed CEO, Mr Peter Jeffries looking on. Mr Gates visited GAlVmed to discuss progress in the development of livestock vaccines and medicines for some of the 900 million people who rely on livestock to pay for their daily needs. Accompanied by senior staff from the Gates Foundation, Mr Gates spent two and a half hours in high-level technical discussion with representatives of Photo by Gary Doak, courtesy of GALVmed GAlVmed and its partners, who are international experts in livestock, science, Money raised through livestock and The Gates Foundation is one of the agriculture and market access. The animal products pays for education principal funders of not-for-profit meeting was held in the Moredun Research and healthcare. Animals supply manure GAlVmed. In February 2012, Bill Gates Institute’s premises at the Pentlands and traction to support crop production, announced a further £25 million grant Science Park near Penicuik. In 2013, create employment and provide to support GAlVmed’s work. At the Professor Fitzpatrick completed her tenure business opportunities. The loss of same time, the UK Government’s as a GAlVmed Board Director, during animals through disease devastates Department for International which she was Vice-Chair of the Board. the lives of individuals, families and Development (DFID) announced further support through a £6.2million grant. With its headquarters in Scotland, communities around the world. In circumstances where poverty or the The two grants, totalling £31.2million, are GAlVmed works in over twenty countries, together enabling GAlVmed to implement environment offer no alternatives, chickens, with and through over three hundred phase two of its Protecting livestock, goats, sheep, cattle and pigs mean partners. GAlVmed’s aim is to improve saving human life programme. Phase survival, school, clothing, trade and the the lives of people living in poverty by one was jointly funded by the Gates dignity of choice and self-determination. helping to create sustainable supply Foundation and DFID in 2008 with chains of livestock health products More information at: £14.2 million (80% from the Gates which are affordable to poor people. www.galvmed.org Foundation and 20% from DFID). Professor John Brown, tenth Astronomer Royal for Scotland unveils two Blue Plaques Professor John Brown (right), the tenth Both astronomers lived in Edinburgh during significant Astronomer Royal for Scotland, will parts of their careers and the Plaques will be placed at unveil Blue Plaques in honour of two their former homes at 1 Hillside Crescent and 21 East long-overlooked astronomers at a Street, respectively. Born in Dundee, Henderson trained ceremony held by the Institute of as a lawyer before pursuing astronomy and mathematics. Physics on 8 October 2014. Henderson analysed calculations to measure the distance Thomas James Henderson FRSE, (1798– to Alpha Centauri, the major component of the nearest 1844) the first Astronomer Royal for star system to Earth. Doubts about the accuracy of his Scotland, won the 1830s version of the instruments delayed him publishing his results and, ‘Space race’ by becoming the first scientist consequently, he is jointly credited with the discovery to measure the distance to a star. with German mathematician Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel. Thomas David Anderson (1853–1932), Anderson, who was born in Edinburgh, studied theology but abandoned plans for a wealthy amateur astronomer, the ministry to pursue astronomy full time. His most significant achievements were discovered two novae (exploding stars). discovering the novae Aurigae (1892) and Persei (1901). 4 resource AUTUMN 2014 Professor Jane Hillston receives Professor Hillston and Dr Bortolussi pictured on the RSE Grant for Research Visitor roof terrace of the Informatics Forum, home of the School of Informatics at the University of Edinburgh An award of £600 was given to Professor Jane Hillston, Professor of Quantitative Modelling, School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh, to support a two-week visit by Dr luca Bortolussi (University of Trieste, Italy and University of Saarbrucken, Germany) to the University of Edinburgh to continue his work with Professor Hillston on fluid approaches to model checking.