|
NEWSLETTER |
||
| Note: This newsletter is reproduced from
the version received from Dr Eileen Macmillan, President, American Friends
of University of Edinburgh. |
||
|
PRESIDENT'S LETTER
|
||
| MURRAY M BETT MBChB'51 MD FACS
American Friends of the University of Edinburgh gratefully acknowledges a generous donation from Mrs Hanna V Bett in memory of her husband, Murray M Bett. |
||
| A SPECIAL GIFT AFUE is delighted to acknowledge a gift to the Scholarship Fund from Dr Walter E Cushen (PhD'51). Knowing that the Board occasionally makes special grants, in addition to the scholarship, when funds are needed to cover exceptional expenses, Ed wrote "This is the kind of thing that would have been useful to me back in l949-50. Sir Edmund Whittaker, my thesis advisor, urged that I spend a semester or two working under Lord Bertrand Russell on my PhD thesis on A N Whitehead. Lord Russell sent me a hand written note welcoming me, but saying he would be on the continent and that he would welcome me there. I couldn't afford to go to Holland, so had to decline his invitation. Your program could have helped me polish off my dissertation the way it should have been finished. But maybe, given Bertrand Russell's other interests, I may have been better off. But dumber. And less notorious! (Ed, who is at the National Defense University, is preparing a paper on the lessons we have (or should have) learned about nuclear weapons, after living with them for 50 years. He has given me permission to print this great story about his decision to study at Edinburgh. Editor) "Why, oh why, did I go to Edinburgh in the first place? Here I was, summa cum laude in both philosophy and math, convinced that Alfred North Whitehead was closer to "the truth" than anyone since Plato, Jesus, or Osiris. Harvard accepted me for their PhD program, but Whitehead died during Christmas vacation during my senior year in college. No point in going to Harvard. So, go study overseas – anywhere – Athens, Rome, Heidelberg, Cairo, Oxford, wherever. I was accepted in the Netherlands, Heidelberg and Oxford. Netherlands wanted me to work in math. At Heidelberg I would have to brush up on my Latin and German. My letter to Edinburgh brought the most puzzling response of all – what did I want to study? Answer – "philosophy of science, of course". Uncommital response from Edinburgh – "what kind of philosophy of science?". My tooth-gritting reply was, "Whitehead", "personalist philosophy of science", or "can religion be logical?". Edinburgh's reply was "make up your mind, and be more specific". I cast the die – "Whitehead's physical cosmology". Edinburgh's response was, " if still interested, we can provide you with two principal advisors, Sir Edmund Taylor Whittaker and Arthur David Ritchie". If acceptable, let us know; otherwise, go somewhere else". After I looked up both men in Who's Who, I decided this was the most personalized, thoughtful, relevant message any student could possibly expect, even from Heaven. I went to Edinburgh. Later I discovered that Sir Edmund came out of retirement to supervise me. In my first week, I checked in with both Sir Edmund and Professor Ritchie – at tea time, of course. Sir Edmund promptly disabused me of my desire to start with Whitehead's Process and Reality, "First you must understand why that document was created". He climbed to his second story bookshelf and brought down the page proofs of Whitehead's l906 Royal Society memoir, On Mathematical Concepts of the Material World. "Go home and come back next week, and tell me what it said". My report was unacceptable, and continued to be so for the next five weeks. I had never been rejected more than once in my entire life, and I thought maybe I should go back to the States. At long last, Sir Edmund decided I was ready for the next assignment – the principle of relativity. Somewhere in the distance, a small light was beginning to dawn. Process and Reality was still off limits. Sir Edmund gave me Levi-Civita's paper, and Wilhelm Wirtinger's paper on an infinitesimal calculus. When I protested that I didn't read Italian, he observed that I had excelled in both Spanish and Latin, and had studied German, so the papers should be no problem. They were a massive problem. But after ten months of personal challenges, Sir Edmund invited Max Born to tea, and I learned. Sir Edmund invited the head of the Math Department to another tea. The prof prided himself on being able to do square roots in his head. I gave him my wife's birthday – 102927. In less than a minute he gave me an answer. Two days later I got a postcard, apologizing that his estimate was off in the last two decimal places. Sir Edmund then said it was time for a vacation, and my wife and I promptly took of on a two-month bicycle tour of the continent, to return to a similar treatment from Professor Ritchie for the next full year. My thesis said that Process and Reality was really another whole-world explanation, built on the axiomatic methods of the l906 memoir, and tested against all the recent scientific measurement. The idea was Sir Edmund's, not mine. When my thesis was accepted, Sir Edmund sent it to Thomas Nelson, who said it needed to be changed from a thesis to a book format. Again, I couldn't afford another unfunded year, and abandoned the idea. Some day I may decide to write the article; no one else has explored the idea yet. Never have I heard of such an impressive expression of love for a student as this. If Edinburgh can still match this history, it is truly the center of the educational universe." |
||
| ATLANTA ANTICS Harriet Hoskyns-Abrahall reports a meeting of the Georgia Chapter on February 12 at the home of Roualeyn Fenton-May. On Friday 23 June there will be a talk by Ray Footman from the University. The group are considering participation in the Annual Highland Games at Stone Mountain in mid-October. Contact Rob Spears at 404 378 8035 or spearsr@gtlaw.com |
||
|
NEWS FROM EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY ALUMNI 2000, the University's weekend of millennium celebrations, 1st - 3rd September 2000, is the main event we are working on at present. We have a full programme with over 50 individual events including: Welcome reception in Playfair Library Grand Gala Dinner, Edinburgh International Conference Centre, Guest Speaker, Baronness Young of Scone. Scottish Parliament Forum with alumni Members of the Scottish Parliament Exhibition of work of Elizabeth Blackadder, prominent Scottish artist and alumna. And talks, tours, exhibitions, jazz evening and more. The full programme will be on the web from 1st April 2000. We are thrilled that over 350 people have booked already. We are still taking bookings. For more details please contact the Development Office. Tel: 011 44 131 650 2240 or Email: Development@ed.ac.uk. The Alumni Fund continues to support a wide range of initiatives throughout the University. The Small Project Scheme received a record 127 applications for this term's allocation of $53,000. Forty-six awards were made supporting students and staff projects. New web pages are being developed for Development and Alumni Services.
We are planning a series of improvements that will provide a more informed
and up-to-date service for alumni. Our page can now be reached from the
front pages of the University web pages at www.ed.dev.ac. We would be
grateful for any feedback. |
||
| JOB SEARCH Dougal Rowe, a fourth year geography student, seeks a job in resort management/marketing or event organisation. A keen sportsman, Douglas played rugby, helped organise three tours to Ireland. On the Club Committee worked as fundraising, social, and merchandise secretary. On Sports Union Executive Committee, this year Vice President. Organized Sports Union Ball, premier social event of the year, securing Coors Beer as Sponsor. Assisted President running 50 individual university Sports Clubs. During vacations did sports related work with Quintus Group and Tennents Lager; particularly enjoyed involvement in television production. Has a particular passion for skiing and is eager to build career in US ski industry. (Has both British and US passports.) Contact Dougal at dougalrowe@yahoo.com |
||
| A F U E SCHOLAR'S UPDATE Douglas Charles, AFUE's 1999-00 Scholarship winner, reports that his research is progressing. He says, "It couldn't be better. I've begun to write the dissertation, well, drafts of chapters actually. I'm planning research trips to San Francisco (Stanford University) and a second trip to Washington, DC. I've also completed an article for Intelligence and National Security and I have one forthcoming in Diplomatic History this April or May. I am very excited!" Asked for a 'scoop' Douglas shared this story: "In 1940-41, a senior FBI official (and agent) visited Great Britain on a security survey. While this isn't entirely new news, I don't think this mission's significance has been appreciated. Later in 1941, William Donovan (of later OSS fame) visited the UK and reported back to FDR. He is credited, in part, with convincing the president to create an American Intelligence organization. But what I discovered is that the FBI's mission, which predated Donovan's, did essentially the same thing. The FBI surveyed British Intelligence, both MI5 and MI6, and reported back to FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover. Hoover, in turn, sent reports to Roosevelt outlining how MI5 and MI6 were organized and explaining their respective activities. The visiting FBI officials also, it turns out, attended a dinner party where presidential aide Harry Hopkins was present. The FBI officials reported back to Hoover on Hopkins' activity--Hopkins had a close relationship with Soviet dictator Josef Stalin--and Hoover forwarded a report to FDR. I have requested access to the FBI's files on this mission, via the Freedom of Information Act, but have as yet no response. I think the FBI's mission may have helped, to some degree, in educating FDR in the mission British Intelligence played. So this FBI mission may be important to our understanding of the origins, in some small way, of the creation of modern American Intelligence. I will not know for sure until I gain access to further documentation. But it is an interesting tidbit." Douglas is looking forward to returning to Edinburgh for academic year 2000-2001. He sends his thanks to all Friends, saying, " The AFUE scholarship has been most helpful. I feel very fortunate to have it." |
||
| A CHANGE IN SCOTLAND'S WEATHER ?
Too good to be true – or a cause of serious problems? A study by the University's Centre for the Study of Environmental Change and Sustainability reports that climate change over the next century will have wide ranging implications for people, the economy, the natural and built environment. Changing rainfall patterns and intensities are likely to have a seriously detrimental impact on many sectors. For a summary of the report see www.scotland.gov.uk./cru/resfinds/egrf-oo.htm Get the full report Climate Change: Scottish Implications Scoping Study from the Stationery Office, price 10 pounds, or for further details try http://cecs.ed.ac.uk/ |
||
| LOOKING FOR "EVERYTHING" adapted from the Bulletin The award to the University of Edinburgh to build the fastest computer in the world for simulating the interactions of elementary particles has been made to a consortium of seven UK university groups, called UKQCD (for Quantum Chromo dynamics) led by Professor Richard Kenway of the University's Department of Physics and Astronomy. This machine will be capable of more than a thousand billion calculations a second. It will enable UK physicists reliably to compute the strong forces which bind the atomic nucleus, so that experiments may seek new phenomena that would otherwise be concealed by horrendously complicated quantum physics. It is hoped, in this way, to obtain clues to a 'Theory of Everything'. "There is a basic human need to understand the origin and evolution of the Universe." said Professor Kenway. "We believe that understanding can come from a single unified theory of elementary particles and the forces between them. Currently, we know only parts of this 'Theory of Everything' – we need more clues from experiments to complete the picture. Computer simulation can convert the theories we do have into an accurate virtual reality, so they can be compared with experimental results. Any differences which show up will be discoveries of new phenomena. It's like the Butterfly Effect in reverse – trying to simulate the global weather accurately enough to be able to find the butterfly!" Since 1982, the University of Edinburgh has pioneered the use of novel computer architectures for elementary particle simulations. Now Germany, Italy, Japan and the USA all have major projects. This new computer will again place Edinburgh at the forefront of the field, and in a position to take the lead in the next stage, which will most likely be an international project to build computers a hundred times more powerful than today's technology allows. |
||
| EDINBURGH BUSINESS SCHOOL HONORED
Edinburgh's MBA was recently rated the finest in Scotland, ranking third in the UK, seventh in Europe and thirty-fifth in the world in a Financial Times assessment. Richard Kerley, Director of the full-time MBA program said he was "thrilled at the result, given the heavy pressures of the Americans in the market. Edinburgh offers a one-year MBA which I believe is the future. In three years' time people won't be asking about how many months you did but what brand of MBA you bought." The other two British 'winners' were the London Business School – 8th, and Cranfield – 34th. The School recently appointed an Alumni Officer. Contact Diane Pemberton Piggot at Uemsalumni@ems.ed.ac. Ken Scislaw keeps US-based MBAs informed and in touch. Contact Ken at scislaw@localaccess.net |
||
|
EDINBURGH FIRST The new commercial division of Accommodation Services has new contact numbers: Edinburgh First for Accommodation, Same great prices! A single room with shared facilities is £27.00 during the standard season, £30.00 during the peak season (4 Aug-28 Aug). Double room with private facilities B&B £69 during the standard season, £75 during the peak season, including VAT. Excellent rates too on self-catering flats. Even better places! The University has more accommodation nearer to the center of the city, much of it newly renovated. Pollock Halls alone provided accommodation for 18,308 customers last summer - a total of 78,570 bed nights with breakfast. Dining, banqueting, meetings and conference facilities are also available. Two magnificent dining rooms at St Leonard's - the Nelson Room and the St Trinnean's Room - have now been restored and provide excellent facilities. They are available for the academic and the business community, for special dining events. Information from the same address. Did I mention the new the new Customer Care initiative? A 'people carrier' (station wagon) transports visitors and their luggage around the Pollock site! While in Edinburgh don't forget the refurbished Chapterhouse Restaurant
in South College Street. Selection of sandwich, lunch and dinner menus
available. This is one of the best restaurants in the area. |
||
| NEW ISLAMIC PRAYER HOUSE The Muslim Prayer Facility at King's Buildings was created from the former film unit building. Recent upgrades provided the building with basic facilities to hold prayer meetings. It now has a washing room with a Wu Du (stainless steel channel), a thermostatically controlled hot water supply, toilet with WC and wash-hand basin, fitted kitchen, ladies prayer room, library room and cloakroom. |
||
| DID YOU KNOW ..... A googol is a 1 followed by 100 zeros. The name is said to have come from the nine year old nephew of the American mathematician Edward Kasner. |
||
| CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE IN MOLECULAR
BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES adapted from the Bulletin The Edinburgh Protein Interaction Centre (EPIC) led by Professor Peter Sadler of the University's Department of Chemistry, will provide a unique centre of excellence in molecular biomedical sciences containing state-of-the-art equipment and drawing together a community of research workers in Chemistry, Biology and Medicine whose aggregate experience and expertise is probably unparalleled in the international arena. We will study the interaction of proteins with other biomolecules, including proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, metals and low molecular mass ligands and co-factors. Said Professor Sadler. "The overarching motivation is to link biological and chemical discovery with medical and biotechnological advancement in a way which has not been possible before. The centre will also encourage closer collaboration between scientists at the University of Edinburgh and researchers in other UK academic and industrial groups. Our goal will be to achieve a sharper competitive edge, an ability to compete on the world stage over the next five years, a more interactive research community, with EPIC providing a focus and common point for groups in diverse disciplines to adopt fresh approaches and form productive synergies, an enhanced ability to capture the value of biological discoveries and greater partnership with the health sciences and biotechnology sectors through increased industrial collaboration. " The University received a grant to establish EPIC from the Joint Infrastructure Fund (JIF), set up in July 1998 to support university science infrastructure, is funded by the Department of Trade and Industry, the Wellcome Trust and the Higher Education Funding Council for England. |
||
| EDINBURGH DISCOVERS OLD WHITE DWARF
Dr Nigel Hambly, of the University's Institute of Astronomy, discovered a white dwarf star in the constellation of Taurus. This object, named WD0346+246, appears as a faint, very fast moving star on a sequence of photographic plates. These plates, taken with the UK Schmidt Telescope in Australia, showed that the object was traversing the sky at 1.3 arcseconds per year, much faster than the majority of the Sun's neighbors. This high apparent velocity is a characteristic of stars which are very old and are travelling on inclined elliptical orbits around the Galaxy. Most stars, like the Sun, proceed around the Galaxy's center on a circular orbit. A White Dwarf is the fossil remnant of a collapsed star which has reached the end of its normal life. Most stars will end their lives as white dwarfs, slowly cooling and fading away, like a dying ember. Thus the coolest white dwarfs are also the oldest stars and can help us to measure the age of the Galaxy. The existence of a population of white dwarfs could partially explain the enduring mystery of the nature of dark matter in our Galaxy. The discovery is announced in the January edition of Nature in a paper entitled Infrared spectrum of an extremely cool white dwarf. |
||
| COSMIC EVENTS adapted from the Bulletin The University has been awarded research funding of over 1.8 million pounds by the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council under its Research Development Grant scheme for COSMIC, an interdisciplinary project with expected substantial benefits for the Scottish economy. COSMIC (Collaborative Optical Spectotrscopy, Micromanipulation and Imaging Center) will create an internationally unique interdisciplinary environment for integrated research at the interface between physics, chemistry and biology using laser-based techniques which present opportunities for major scientific breakthroughs. Such a nucleus of scientific expertise could also, it is hoped, attract overseas companies' research facilities to Scotland. COSMIC has the potential to contribute to the Scottish economy, to a greater or lesser extent, in all of Scottish Enterprise's 'cluster areas': Biotechnology, Electronics, and Opto- electronics, as well as the developing Oil and Gas and Food and Drink clusters. COSMIC will also support Scotland's thriving optics industry by, whenever possible, purchasing the considerable volume of opticoelectronic components needed by the facility from local firms, and to source development work on new configurations as much as possible to Scottish companies. COSMIC will, thus, provide a show case, at the highest level, for the instruments of the companies involved. COSMIC will bring together the hardware and intellectual infrastructure to develop a 'bio-silicon' industry in Scotland. The direct interface between biological systems and inorganic circuitry - 'living silicon' - seems set for development over the next decades, opening up the possibility of intelligent prosthetic implants, mixed electronic-biological computing systems and completely automated systems for drug discovery. |
||
| NEW RECTOR Robin Harper, MSP, was elected 46th Rector of the University of Edinburgh on 3 March. He is the first Green Party member elected to any UK parliament. A graduate of Aberdeen (MA'62) and Heriot-Watt (DipG.C.92) Robin taught in Aberdeen, Glasgow, Fife, Kenya, Midlothian and Edinburgh, most recently as guidance teacher at Boroughmuir High School. He has taught English, history, science, drama, modern studies, and music. |
||
| GREATEST PREACHER OF THE 20TH CENTURY
J Davison Philips kindly sent a cutting from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (18Dec99) which reported that Preaching, a bimonthly magazine, has named the greatest preachers of the 20th century. "The No. 1 ranking was given to the late James S Stewart, a Scottish preacher and New Testament professor who served a two-year term in the l960s as moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland." Thanks to Sherwood E Wirt (PhD'51) for this personal memoir: "What a joy it is to call up my memories of James Stuart Stewart of New College, the greatest teacher I ever had, now being hailed (in America at least) as the Preacher of the Twentieth Century. I first heard of Professor Stewart at Princeton Seminary in l943, while waiting to put on a chaplain's uniform. All the men students were talking about his two books of sermons, The Strong Name and The Gates of New Life. In l949 I enrolled at New College as a graduate student and never failed to attend Professor Stewart's class for the next two years. I have full notes of his lectures on Mark, Colossians, Hebrews, and other New Testament books. If I missed anything, it was because he taught from the original Greek, which put a strain on my linguistics. He was also at home in German and Latin. I have never forgotten the prayer with which he invariably opened each class session. It was, "O Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Thee, be Thou our strength every morning and our rest when the shadows of evening are stretched out, for Thy love's sake, Amen". Whenever he would preach in one of the Edinburgh churches, or to the New College Evangelical Society, I was there. But far more striking in my memory was the man himself, so friendly, so modest, so filled with the love of the Lord that he preached. To talk with him personally was to find him gentle, deeply interested, always encouraging. But place him in a pulpit, whether it be in Scotland, or in New York's Riverside Church, or Washington's Cathedral or Chicago's Rockefeller Chapel, and he was a lion for the truth, not roaring, but earnestly proclaiming the Gospel. At least ten or fifteen times in a sermon he would quote from a classical source that would lift our hearts. Shortly before he died, I sat in Professor Stewart's pew with him in an Edinburgh church. He took me around afterward to meet his pastor. God bless him! Some day he may do it again." |
||
| BURNS' NIGHT IN NEW YORK The Second Annual Friends of Edinburgh University at the United Nations Burns' Supper was a great success, bringing together friends of Scotland from the United Nations family (where organizers Simon Cunningham and Andrzej Krassowski work), American Friends of the University of Edinburgh and the East Village Tartan Army (Wall Street fans of Scotland's national soccer team). Six haggis were served to over 50 people. The Selkirk Grace was said by Ewen Buchanan and the haggis piped in by Hans Corell, both of the United Nations. Chris Lafferty (Tartan Army) gave a magnificent Address to the Haggis. Colin Reid (Tartan Army) proposed the toast to the Immortal Memory, Deryl Davis (AFUE) the toast to the lassies. After supper, Hans Corell, Legal Counsel for the United Nations, not only gave a wonderful bagpipe recital, but also showed how Burns' love of humanity was relevant to the work of the United Nations. June Chesney, United Nations Staff Recreation Council Singers Club, organized a recital of Burns' songs. Many AFUE people attended; everyone wants to participate next year. To be put on the mailing list e-mail Simon cunningham@un.org Spouses welcome, of course. Visiting Faculty members particularly welcome - especially if they give one of the speeches!! The American Friends of the University of Edinburgh would particularly like to thank the staff of Clancy's Bar who made a great effort to ensure that the event was a success. |
||
| EDINBURGH PHOTOGRAPHERS AT THE GETTY Introducing a fascinating exhibition of early photographs, most of Edinburgh, and Edinburgh worthies, at the Getty Museum, Los Angeles, Anne M Lyden, Curatorial Assistant, Department of Photographs, writes: "In July 1843, in Edinburgh, Scotland, the well-established painter David Octavius Hill (1802-70) entered into a photographic partnership with the young engineer Robert Adamson (1821-48). Coming from different disciplines and being about twenty years apart in age, the two men were an unlikely creative team. Their collaboration, which was to last just four and a half years, produced a phenomenal body of work that is still ranked as among the finest in the history of this art form." The exhibition, of over 400 prints, also featured the work of Thomas Annan, included a picture of Sir David Brewster (MA'1800, Principal 1859-68, for whom Brewster House is named), and one of the first "floor" of the Scott Monument in 1844 when under construction. The Getty has produced a small book (ISBN 0-89236-540-4) covering the exhibition, entitled Hill and Adamson. Further information from The J Paul Getty Museum, 1200 Getty Center Drive, Los Angeles CA 90049-1687. |
||
| LITERATURE IN TWENTIETH-CENTURY BRITAIN
The Scottish Universities International Summer School, on Literature in Twentieth-Century Britain, will be held in Edinburgh from 10th July to 18 August 2000. This comprehensive program of lectures, seminars and cultural events offers undergraduates, postgraduates and teachers from all countries a unique opportunity to spend three or six weeks enjoying the magnificent surroundings of the City of Edinburgh, while studying the recent history, literature and culture of Britain. Academic credit is available. SUISS credit is officially accredited through the University of Edinburgh Credit Awarding Body (SCOTCAT). A small number of scholarships are available through the University (see details on the appliction form) and from the British Council. Applicants should discuss these with local British Council officials. U S applications through: Beaver College Center for Education Abroad 450 S Easton Road Glenside PA 19038-3295 Tel: 215 572 2901 800 755 5607 Fax: 215 572 2174 Email: CEA@BEAVER.EDU More information from: The Administrator Scottish Universities International Summer School 21 Buccleuch Place Edinburgh EH8 9LN Tel: 011 44 131 650 4368 Fax: 011 44 131 662 0275 Email: ISSLHA@srv0.arts.ed.ac.uk Website: http://www.ed.ac.uk/~artsfac/suiss |
||
| FRAE A' THE AIRTS Robert G Heath (BSc'64, founder EU Savoy Opera Group) Upon graduating he spent a year in London with Royal Dutch Shell who then sent him to Australia for 2 years most of which were spent "in the bush …... a wonderful experience". Apart from working for Shell he managed to start a branch of the Pony Club, be conductor of the Port Pirie brass band & compete in the Gawler 3 Day Event. On to the States in 1968, again with Shell, but 3 years later, prior to a new assignment, left Shell & started his own business. For 12 years he owned & operated retail gasoline service stations. In 1979 he started a new business surfacing equestrian arenas which led to surfacing of children's playgrounds. He is the owner of 3 US patents & the company is now the leading supplier of playground safety surfacing in the US. He is Chairman of the ASTM committee on playground safety surfacing. He is still an active avocational musician and is Vice President of Westchester Music Conservatory, a large community music school. He married Linda (Williams College'74) in 1978: they have 3 children 19,16 & 7, live in Armonk NY. Robert can be reached at robert@fibar.com or 914 273 8770 x 313. Sheila Greatrex nee Montgomerie (MA(Hons)'68 Politics) blazed a trail as the first woman management trainee at Citibank, London, 1968-1969. She then married, came to the States, had 2 sons, and, to re-enter the work force, got an MBA'83 from Columbia University. For 15 years, she worked first as a commercial and then an investment banker to the Food and Agribusiness industry. From 1993-1998, she headed the Food and Agribusiness Group at ING Barings, New York (a large Dutch financial institution). In December 1998, she founded AGvisory, LLC a Stamford, CT based consulting company to provide strategic and financial advice to companies in the food chain. The company is also a source of industry expertise for private equity groups and others looking to enter the industry or a new segment of the industry. Her clients include several companies in the poultry industry plus others in animal nutrition, the seed industry, biopesticides and a supplier of natural and organic processed foods. A couple of clients are biotech firms. Sheila writes "This is an area of the industry where I have a particular interest and where I can take pride in the scientific contributions coming from Edinburgh." Jennifer Ann (Jennie) Robson (BA'74) P-GCE'76 Oxford, having begun life in Scotland now lives in a small wine town in NW Italy with her two teenage kids, Marco and Anna, 3 cats and Rosita, the hamster. A talented linguist, (Italian, French, German, Spanish, studying Turkish!) she divides her time between translating at home and managing and administering trips for Kudu Travel (gourmet walking, mixed cultural tours) and managing tours for Andante Travels (led by experts on Art, Archaeology and Ancient History) in Italy and all over the Mediterranean basin. Her current interests are travel, birding (especially migration flyways), Renaissance art and architecture and early music. jerobson@tin.it Corey Field (exchange student 75/76) Has a DPhil from the University of California at Santa Barbara. Sends greetings. Is interested in participating in AFUE affairs. Sue Bailes (PhD'78 Scottish History) writes that she retired four years ago after working as an academic administrator and US government civil servant. Sue enjoys traveling – goes abroad at least once a year (in '99 to China, in 2000 to Malta) and makes several domestic trips of varying lengths each year. She also volunteers – in '99 spending a whole month at a Christian Retreat Center/Dude Ranch in the Wyoming wilderness. Caroline Owens (MBChB'84) is still running marathons, and recently achieved a personal best of 2 hours 47 mins. This would have qualified her for the United States Marathon Trials – had she been a citizen! She sends greetings to all, particularly the Marr College crowd (from which she graduated in '79) and enjoyed hearing about this summer's reunion. Alan Caldwell, who organized it, was her math teacher. (Marr College folks who want to keep in touch should contact Jeannie at dougalc@webtv.net) Viviene Crooks nee Wilkinson (MA'82 Politics, Mod Hist) has an MBA, internal auditor certification, works as Associate Director for Health Care Management at the College of Dentistry, University of Florida. Elliot P Gilbert (BSc'? Hons Chemical Physics) completed his PhD in Australia and is now living in the Chicago area. Contact Elliot at egilbert@anl.gov or meet him at http://www.pns.anl.gov/sad/Elliot.html Tom Hickok recently moved to Chicago, is interested in meeting other Edinburgh alums (particularly New College). Contact Tom at tamfs_chi@ameritech.net . |
||
| IN MEMORY We regret to announce that James H Mitchell (PhD'57) died on December 26, 1999. Dr Mitchell studied philosophy under Professor John Macmurray, whom he admired greatly. His wife, Irene E Mitchell, writes "We were married already when he began his studies there and I was in Edinburgh with him during his second year of studies. We still have good friends in the city. He loved Scotland, loved his time at the University and returned to Edinburgh during every sabbatical and, once he retired, even more often." We send our sincere condolences to Mrs Mitchell, his family and friends. We are sorry to record the death of Murray M Bett (MBChB'51) who died in April l998 in Canton, Ohio following a sudden illness. Dr Bett had a distinguished career. After graduation he served an internship at Hamot Hospital in PA, was assistant Resident of Surgery at Youngstown Hospital, a Captain in the US Medical Corp, a surgeon at the VA Hospital in St Louis, and at the Children's Hospital in New York. From 1983 to 1994 he was also Assistant Professor of Surgery at North Eastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine. Our sincere condolences to his wife Hanna, his daughter, and to his many friends. Dr Julius Nyerere 1922-1999 (MA'52) President of Tanzania for 21 years, died in early October. Throughout his political career he supported further education, firstly in his own country as Chancellor of the University of East Africa (1963-70) and as Chancellor of the University of Dar es Salaam (1970-85). He also supported the University's Centre of African Studies. In October 1997 he delivered the Lothian European Lecture on the theme Africa: The Third Liberation. In this Dr Nyerere made an eloquent plea for the African countries to be allowed the freedom to develop their own forms of democracy. We send our sympathy to his family, his friends, and to his country. |
||