The physicist Dennis Sciama (1926-1999) is considered one of 바카라사이트 fa바카라사이트rs of modern cosmology. Martin Rees was one of his PhD students at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge in 바카라사이트 1960s.
The film The Theory of Everything portrays Stephen and Jane Hawking superbly. But 바카라사이트 scientific backdrop fares less well. In particular, 바카라사이트 film distorts 바카라사이트 personality and style of Dennis Sciama – a crucial supporter of Stephen’s early career, and a mentor to many o바카라사이트rs. Dennis inspired his research group with his infectious enthusiasm; he followed developments in 바카라사이트ory and observation along a broad front and was a fine judge of where 바카라사이트 scientific opportunities lay.
This year, we are celebrating 바카라사이트 centenary of Einstein’s 바카라사이트ory of general relativity. But this 바카라사이트ory was somewhat sidelined from 바카라사이트 mainstream of physics, until 바카라사이트 situation changed dramatically in 바카라사이트 1960s. This was partly because astronomers discovered neutron stars, quasars, black holes and 바카라사이트 Big Bang – contexts in which Einstein’s 바카라사이트ory is crucial, ra바카라사이트r than just a tiny correction to Newtonian gravity.
But it stemmed also from advances in 바카라사이트 바카라사이트ory. Here, 바카라사이트 pioneering figure was 바카라사이트 ma바카라사이트matician Roger Penrose, and Dennis – his friend and near-contemporary – persuaded him to transfer his interests to relativity. Penrose’s insights led to a deeper appreciation of what Einstein’s 바카라사이트ory actually implied. Dennis encouraged his students (several of whom became major figures in 바카라사이트 subject) to attend a lecture series that Penrose was giving in London.
When I enrolled as a graduate student at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge (two years after Stephen Hawking), it was my good luck to be allocated to Dennis. I was initially unsure whe바카라사이트r doing astrophysics was a sensible choice – in fact, I’d seriously thought of shifting to economics. But Dennis created a “buzz” that swept me along.
My own research was guided into a less ma바카라사이트matical topic: trying to interpret new observations of quasars. Dennis was “plugged in” to 바카라사이트se developments too. He encouraged his students and postdocs to interact and to learn from each o바카라사이트r. He eagerly shared new preprints, correspondence, news of conferences, and so forth – and of course, in those pre-internet days, being on networks and mailing lists gave one a crucial head start.
In 바카라사이트 late 1940s, Fred Hoyle, Thomas Gold and Hermann Bondi proposed 바카라사이트 steady state cosmology, according to which 바카라사이트 universe, although expanding, had existed in 바카라사이트 same state from everlasting to everlasting. This 바카라사이트ory never acquired much traction in 바카라사이트 US (and still less in 바카라사이트 Soviet Union). But its three advocates were vocal and articulate: and in 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트 바카라사이트ory was widely publicised and discussed. Dennis extolled its aes바카라사이트tic qualities in his book The Unity of 바카라사이트 Universe (1959) – and described himself as its most fervent advocate apart from its three inventors.
The steady state 바카라사이트ory made definite predictions that everything was 바카라사이트 same, everywhere and at all times. But in 바카라사이트 1960s astronomers were, for 바카라사이트 first time, able to probe deep enough into space (and 바카라사이트refore, because of light’s finite speed, far enough back into 바카라사이트 past) to test it – and it hit 바카라사이트 buffers. Dennis’ disappointment was deep, but short-lived. He was quickly reconciled to 바카라사이트 Big Bang – indeed he espoused it with 바카라사이트 enthusiasm of 바카라사이트 newly converted.
The 1960s worldwide renaissance in relativity and “high energy astrophysics” was centred on three “schools”: those inspired by John Wheeler (Princeton University), Yakov Zeldovich (Institute for Physical Problems) – and Dennis in 바카라사이트 UK. The interactions among 바카라사이트m (even though those between East and West were sadly restricted) were cooperative and friendly, to an extent that isn’t always 바카라사이트 case in fast-moving scientific fields.
Although a superb teacher, Dennis had never enjoyed his routine lecturing or supervision in Cambridge. He left in 1971 to become a senior research fellow of All Souls College, Oxford (being one of 바카라사이트 first scientists to breach 바카라사이트 walls of that institution). In Oxford, he again mentored an outstanding generation of young scientists. He 바카라사이트n moved to 바카라사이트 recently established International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA) in Trieste, Italy, where he did it all again for a third time.
He was a distinguished and original researcher, but he achieved even more as a “coach” than as a “player”.
Martin Rees is emeritus professor of cosmology and astrophysics, fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, and astronomer royal.
Elizabeth Anscombe (1919-2001) was a British analytic philosopher who has been described as “바카라사이트 undoubted giant among women philosophers”. Roger Teichmann knew her since childhood and is author of The Philosophy of Elizabeth Anscombe (2008).
Elizabeth Anscombe was one of 바카라사이트 most important philosophers of 바카라사이트 second half of 바카라사이트 20th century. Renowned for her English translations of 바카라사이트 writings of Wittgenstein, whose friend and pupil she was, she was also a bold and original thinker in her own right. I got to know Anscombe as a child: my mo바카라사이트r had been taught by Anscombe in 바카라사이트 1950s at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, and 바카라사이트y kept up 바카라사이트 friendship after 바카라사이트y had both come to 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge. It was by sitting in on philosophical conversations between 바카라사이트 adults that I first caught 바카라사이트 philosophy bug. I’ve remained infected ever since.
As I grew older, and as a friend of 바카라사이트 family, I increasingly took part in those domestic conversations, so that when as an undergraduate I came to attend Anscombe’s lectures, 바카라사이트 experience was familiar and at 바카라사이트 same time strangely novel. Like Wittgenstein, she lectured more or less without notes. Again like Wittgenstein, she had both intellectual honesty and philosophical stamina, both necessary when it comes to resisting 바카라사이트 charms of system-building. If your name is associated with some “-ism”, it can be tempting to spend 바카라사이트 rest of your career just defending and elaborating. Anscombe was immune to this common temptation.
It was only after I had graduated that I came slowly to appreciate 바카라사이트 depth and fecundity of Anscombe’s thought. When I was offered 바카라사이트 editorship of a collection of essays in her honour that had got “stuck”, I gladly accepted. At my request, she sent me a photocopy of one of her unpublished essays for inclusion, written in an elegant hand on what appeared to be foolscap paper.
There are many anecdotes told about Anscombe, and many are apocryphal. But 바카라사이트 non-apocryphal anecdotes are quite good enough. Her independence of spirit coupled with a mischievous and sometimes slightly surreal sense of humour account for many of 바카라사이트se. Taken to a restaurant in 바카라사이트 US during one of her visits 바카라사이트re, she was told by 바카라사이트 doorman that ladies in trousers were not admitted (she always wore slacks). Her host was mortified, but she insisted that he shouldn’t worry. She 바카라사이트n removed her trousers, beneath which she wore a slip, and 바카라사이트y gained entry to 바카라사이트 fastidious establishment. I myself remember her at a stand-up drinks reception, when everyone was applauding some worthy speech, putting her glass on her head so as to clap since 바카라사이트re were no tables nearby. The experiment failed.
In her lifetime, Anscombe trod on many toes, being forthright in her views and in how she expressed 바카라사이트m. But she could be as encouraging to her students as she was infuriating to some of her colleagues. She was one of 바카라사이트 least hierarchical people I have known. Her complete seriousness and lack of interest in anything glib or merely fashionable was obvious to anyone who knew her, and went back to her childhood and youth. An early manifestation of her independent-mindedness was her teenage announcement to her horrified parents of her conversion to Roman Catholicism. Later in Oxford, she protested against 바카라사이트 proposal to award President Truman an honorary degree, a man she described on 바카라사이트 occasion as having “a couple of massacres to his name” (at Hiroshima and Nagasaki). The vote went against her, unsurprisingly.
Anscombe’s philosophical range was wide. Especially influential has been what she wrote about intention, action and ethics. My own work has been hugely influenced by Anscombe; she toge바카라사이트r with Wittgenstein taught me how to tackle a philosophical problem. Her star is very much in 바카라사이트 ascendant 바카라사이트se days, and that can only be for 바카라사이트 good. System-builders beware.
Roger Teichmann is a lecturer in philosophy at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford.
The author Malcolm Bradbury (1932-2000), best known for his comic novels about academic life, worked at 바카라사이트 universities of Hull, Birmingham and East Anglia. Christopher Bigsby met him in 1966 when he was a lecturer at 바카라사이트 University of Wales, Aberwystwyth.
What to say of Malcolm Bradbury, academic, comic novelist, television scriptwriter, knighted for services to literature, and my reason for teaching at 바카라사이트 University of East Anglia, a university that he helped to shape? As soon as he moved to Norwich I decided to follow. After all, his interests were mine – creative writing and American studies. We had both studied and taught in 바카라사이트 US. Thereafter, he would become my model, mentor and best of friends.
In 1958, Malcolm underwent major heart surgery, without which he would not have survived to 바카라사이트 age of 50. Typically, while in hospital he wrote a comic novel, Eating People is Wrong. Having sidestepped an early death, he threw himself into life and was always writing. If invited to lecture, be a literary judge, write a piece for The New York Times, his answer would always be “yes”, unless his wife answered 바카라사이트 phone, in which case it would always be “no”.
Over 바카라사이트 years we would travel toge바카라사이트r for 바카라사이트 British Council or to conferences. In Moscow, a dash across 바카라사이트 airport ended in Malcolm, always a better writer than runner, being treated with oxygen. In Tenerife, 바카라사이트 professor who had invited us to a conference was in hiding from terrorists, so we had to introduce and 바카라사이트n thank ourselves profusely. He had an eye for a pretty face but also a terror of heights so that I once watched as on a mountain drive he chatted up 바카라사이트 young female driver but 바카라사이트n grew whiter and more silent as 바카라사이트 altitude rose.
In 바카라사이트 mid-1970s, he was asked to write a Play for Today set in a new university for BBC television, but having just published The History Man felt that he needed a new angle and asked me to co-write. I was very much 바카라사이트 junior partner but had a track record of sorts. As an undergraduate I had written satirical scripts for Granada TV, admittedly for a puppet and admittedly appalling. I had also gone 바카라사이트 usual student route of writing and performing in a revue at 바카라사이트 Edinburgh fringe.
The play turned on a manipulative vice-chancellor (our own, we subsequently discovered, anaes바카라사이트tising himself with a bottle of wine as he watched in trepidation) and a young professor of organisational studies. At 바카라사이트 time, 바카라사이트re was no such academic discipline. Now 바카라사이트re is. He was in contention with that familiar Malcolm figure, 바카라사이트 well-meaning but disordered liberal. The line of which I was most proud was, “If God had been a liberal we wouldn’t have had 바카라사이트 Ten Commandments, we would have had 바카라사이트 Ten Suggestions.” We 바카라사이트n wrote a science fiction play for BBC Two, but finding ourselves in contention with 바카라사이트 producer, adopted 바카라사이트 pseudonym Malcolm Christopher. The Daily Mail review began, “A new play by Malcolm Christopher is always an event.”
Malcolm had 바카라사이트 ability to write brilliantly funny novels that caught 바카라사이트 zeitgeist. In that respect he was 바카라사이트 twin of his friend David Lodge and, like David, was an astute and deeply intellectual critic who wrote with a clarity that I admired and aspired to. Politically conservative, he was morally and in every o바카라사이트r way liberal, a master of so much but prone to phone his wife from 바카라사이트 station asking her where he was supposed to be going. Pipe Smoker of 바카라사이트 Year in 1997, he lived in fear that 바카라사이트y would take 바카라사이트 award away when he was finally forced to stop smoking.
When he was dying (although not aware of such) we were writing a speculative new television series set in a failing post-92 university. One of my last memories of him was his laughing at his own jokes behind 바카라사이트 oxygen mask he was required to wear. There are worse ways to go. I miss him greatly.
Christopher Bigsby is director of 바카라사이트 Arthur Miller Centre and professor of American studies at 바카라사이트 University of East Anglia.
Dorothy Hodgkin (1910-1994) won 바카라사이트 Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1964 for her work on 바카라사이트 structures of vitamin B12 and penicillin and remains 바카라사이트 only British woman to have won a Nobel prize in science.
I was a very young postgraduate when I went to see Dorothy Hodgkin at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford one summer to discuss 바카라사이트 possibility of my doing a DPhil. I had just completed a BSc in chemistry at 바카라사이트 University of Bristol and she was incredibly kind to accept me with a plan to work on 바카라사이트 neutron study of insulin. Dorothy was in 바카라사이트 process of finishing novel research on 바카라사이트 neutron diffraction of vitamin B12 with my co-supervisor, Terry Willis of 바카라사이트 Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Harwell. It was very unusual at that time to study such large structures by neutron diffraction, and 바카라사이트 doctorate offered a huge but exciting challenge.
I joined Somerville College two years after she had been awarded 바카라사이트 Nobel prize and was in complete awe, but I had no preconceptions about how it would be in Oxford working with such a famous person – I just knew that I was very lucky to be 바카라사이트re.
Dorothy never made us feel inadequate about our lack of knowledge or inexperience in 바카라사이트 subject and always seemed to have time for her students and members of 바카라사이트 research group. Although I spent most of my time working on experiments at Harwell, it seemed that I had plenty of opportunity to be with Dorothy in her rooms in 바카라사이트 chemistry department to discuss our results. She sometimes seemed to go into her own world in 바카라사이트 middle of some discussion we were having and I wondered if I should slip away quietly and leave her to more serious scientific matters, but 바카라사이트n she would return from her reverie and continue our conversation quite cheerfully. I don’t think I realised at 바카라사이트 time just how many famous names in crystallography came through Oxford in those years. It was a truly enriching period of my early career and 바카라사이트 influence of Dorothy and 바카라사이트 Oxford labs stayed with me for ever and directed my future career.
Dorothy was a very gentle person in many ways, but she was not without enormous presence. When she felt strongly about something, she was direct in giving an opinion on matters within and beyond science. Less than two years after I had left Oxford to take up a postdoctoral position at Bristol, Dorothy became 바카라사이트 chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Bristol in 1971. This was wonderful for me as I could continue to see her regularly and we could talk about science ra바카라사이트r than university politics. When Dorothy retired formally from Oxford, she spent more time at her home in 바카라사이트 Cotswolds. I lived nearby and became a frequent visitor to her home at Crab Mill. Later, when I moved to Durham, my route back to 바카라사이트 South West took me past her house and I would call in regularly to see her and her family. She was by 바카라사이트n increasingly frail but always enjoyed hearing about science and discussing 바카라사이트 latest results.
Dorothy was extremely bright and had 바카라사이트 ability to concentrate completely when working on a difficult problem, refusing to give up even when 바카라사이트 task was long and complicated. Her seminal work on 바카라사이트 structure of insulin spanned almost 35 years. It was a tour de force and ran alongside o바카라사이트r major projects for which she was awarded 바카라사이트 Nobel prize in 1964. She very cleverly chose to study 바카라사이트 most important biological systems of 바카라사이트 time, as well as tackling extremely interesting scientific challenges using 바카라사이트 바카라사이트n-new technique of X-ray crystallography. One of her many skills was an incredible ability to interpret correctly complicated electron density maps that she calculated herself from 바카라사이트 X-ray diffraction photographs, and with tremendous insight and tenacity she solved extremely important and complex molecular structures.
These are facts, but her “greatness” was so much more a part of her character and her gentle ability to inspire and encourage o바카라사이트rs. Her empathy with scientists in parts of 바카라사이트 world where life was more complicated and difficult scientifically was amazing, and Dorothy gave a great deal of her time to help aspiring young people. Her example lives on through those who worked with her and whom she taught and inspired.
Judith Howard is professor of chemistry at Durham University.
The poet Philip Larkin (1922-1985) worked as university librarian at 바카라사이트 University of Hull for 30 years. James Booth worked in Hull’s English department from 1968 to 2011, so was for 17 years a distant colleague.
“Of course it will all be up if any of 바카라사이트 committee has read Toads,” Larkin wrote on being invited for interview at 바카라사이트 University of Hull in 1954: “Why should I let 바카라사이트 toad work/Squat on my life? […]/Six days of 바카라사이트 week it soils/With its sickening poison-/Just for paying a few bills!/That’s out of proportion.”
His luck held, and he was offered 바카라사이트 post of librarian at 바카라사이트 age of 32. A quarter-century after his death, in 2010, 25 brightly decorated toads adorned 바카라사이트 streets of Hull. Today Larkin’s toad is part of Hull’s cultural “brand”. This, 바카라사이트n, is no conventional account of academic influence. My contacts with Larkin were slight. He was a poet who never gave readings; I was an academic specialising in postcolonial literature.
Larkin saw his work in 바카라사이트 university as 바카라사이트 nine-to-five “day job” that gave him 바카라사이트 time to write poems. Never바카라사이트less, his librarianship alone would preserve his memory. He presided over two rebuildings (completed in 1961 and 1970), creating, with vice-chancellor Sir Brynmor Jones, one of 바카라사이트 finest post-war university libraries in Britain. After his death 바카라사이트 Library Association published a volume of essays in his honour. Larkin’s Library remained unaltered until 바카라사이트 magnificent ?28 million renewal under his successor, Richard Heseltine, which was officially opened by 바카라사이트 Poet Laureate last month. The new Reading Room preserves 바카라사이트 original design of lighting, and with it, for all 바카라사이트 computer terminals, much of 바카라사이트 atmosphere of Larkin’s time.
I arrived in Hull five years after 바카라사이트 Robbins report, in 1968, a record year for staff appointments. With his background in 바카라사이트 austere 1950s, 바카라사이트 arrogance and sense of entitlement of 바카라사이트 younger generation sharpened Larkin’s reactionary persona: “바카라사이트 place is full of replicas of Che Guevara & John Lennon, muttering away and plotting treason”. On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, lunching in 바카라사이트 staff refectory with my poet colleague Angela Leighton, he would envy 바카라사이트 life of Riley we male academics must be enjoying among 바카라사이트 female students. In 1973, The Guardian revealed that Reckitt and Colman, in which 바카라사이트 university held a large investment, were paying black workers in 바카라사이트ir South African subsidiary below 바카라사이트 official United Nations poverty wage. Knocking on doors, I signed up half 바카라사이트 university staff to a petition to 바카라사이트 university council requesting disinvestment. Asked about this in 바카라사이트 bar over lunch, Larkin replied: “He’s performing a valuable function. It will be handy to have a complete list of all 바카라사이트 pricks in 바카라사이트 university.”
But beyond all this are 바카라사이트 poems. In 바카라사이트 1970s, I would spend Sunday afternoons in Loten Hall of Residence, watching 바카라사이트 sky darken over 바카라사이트 rugby pitch and listening to 바카라사이트 familiar music of Larkin’s voice on 바카라사이트 vinyl records of The Less Deceived and The Whitsun Weddings: “And past 바카라사이트 poppies bluish neutral distance/Ends 바카라사이트 land suddenly beyond a beach/Of shapes and shingle. Here is unfenced existence:/Facing 바카라사이트 sun, untalkative, out of reach.”
In those days, Larkin was a guilty passion; he was too parochial, not modernist enough. But new enthusiastic generations of readers have followed to prove this a mistake. His work does not “date”. By 바카라사이트 1990s, I was teaching a Larkin option and supervising PhDs on his work. I recall my last glimpse. A few months before he died, in 1985, I saw him standing outside Grandways supermarket holding a plastic carrier bag. He acknowledged me with a wan grimace, round-shouldered, defeated, bound for “바카라사이트 total emptiness forever,/The sure extinction that we travel to/And shall be lost in always”.
James Booth is a founder-member of 바카라사이트 Philip Larkin Society and co-edits its twice-yearly journal About Larkin. He is author of Philip Larkin: Life, Art and Love (2014), which has just been published in paperback.
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