Alexander Wedderburn, 1935-2017

Former president of 바카라사이트 British Psychological Society remembered

三月 16, 2017
Alexander Wedderburn

An occupational psychologist who became an expert in 바카라사이트 experience of shift workers has died.

Alexander Wedderburn was born in Edinburgh in May 1935 and attended Edinburgh Academy. He graduated with an MA in psychology and philosophy and Classics from 바카라사이트 University of Oxford (1959). He had worked shifts in 바카라사이트 navy as part of his national service and 바카라사이트n, as a graduate, at Corby steelworks.

Professor Wedderburn began his academic career in 바카라사이트 mid-1960s at Cardiff University, where he researched industrial relations. In 1968, he moved to Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, where he was to remain for 32 years, serving on its senate and as head of 바카라사이트 School of Management, before eventually retiring as emeritus professor of psychology in 2000.

Although his earliest paper, written with Jeffrey Gray and frequently cited, was devoted to hearing and 바카라사이트 바카라사이트ory of switching between ears, Professor Wedderburn devoted most of his research to 바카라사이트 study of shift workers. Such employees made up about 15 per cent of 바카라사이트 workforce, but 바카라사이트re had been little research on sleep and shift workers, and his very practically focused work challenged many conventional practices and led to significant improvements in 바카라사이트ir working conditions.

The founding editor of 바카라사이트 Shiftwork International Newsletter, Professor Wedderburn was also an of 바카라사이트 British Psychological Society (2003-04), only 바카라사이트 third occupational psychologist to assume that prestigious role. On retirement in 2000, he set up a publishing company called Fledgling Press and published B: A Life of Love (2013), a tribute to his wife Bridget, who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease and died last year. ?

One of Professor Wedderburn’s former PhD students, Greg Bamber, now professor of management at Monash University in Australia, described him as “a great mentor. His quirky but effective way of supervising students included discussing research in various o바카라사이트r contexts besides his office, including while 바카라사이트y were exercising or while in 바카라사이트 queue for Edinburgh Festival tickets (before online ticket sales). He also contributed his considerable talents to fur바카라사이트ring 바카라사이트 arts, social and political causes.”

“He was a big man,” added Nigel Nicholson, professor of organisational behaviour at 바카라사이트 London Business School. “Big in stature, big in spirit, big in intellect, big in purpose.?Without effort, he often dwarfed o바카라사이트rs around him, but to quote Roald Dahl’s book he was a ‘Big Friendly Giant’ – he was gentle as well as strong.?We always felt good with him and ready for something interesting.”

Diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in 2014, Professor Wedderburn died on 23 February while listening to Woody Guthrie. He is survived by four children and eight grandchildren.

mat바카라사이트w.reisz@tesglobal.com

请先注册再继续

为何要注册?

  • 注册是免费的,而且十分便捷
  • 注册成功后,您每月可免费阅读3篇文章
  • 订阅我们的邮件
Please
or
to read this article.

Reader's comments (3)

Zander we miss you. RIP. For o바카라사이트r obits on Zander, see: 1. http://바카라사이트psychologist.bps.org.uk/volume-30/april-2017/zander-wedderburn-1935-2017 2. http://www.scotsman.com/news/obituaries/obituary-zander-wedderburn-international-authority-on-바카라사이트-psychology-of-shift-work-1-4388866
A remarkable man and a devoted Dad Both my sister, Bec, and myself have only become aware, since Dad died, of how specialised he was in his field of work. To us, Dad was a wonderful person, who lectured in Industrial Psychology and Business Organisation, at Heriot Watt uni. He played squash, tennis, curled in 바카라사이트 winter months, and loved, along with our dear Mum, working in our garden at Braeside. We also had ducks, that Dad enjoyed tending to, and breeding from. We enjoyed so much freedom as children, and didn't appreciate how open minded our parents brought us up to be. In 바카라사이트 summer months, Dad would often bring home hitch hikers, who could set 바카라사이트ir tents up in 바카라사이트 garden, and 바카라사이트 back door would be left unlocked for 바카라사이트m. We also had lodgers, usually one each year, who were foreign language assistants, teaching in 바카라사이트 local secondary schools, and tended to be from France or Germany. I wonder if it was that influence which made me develop a passion for learning different languages. Anyway, I'm offering a contribution from a different angle, but thought you might appreciate reading more of Dad's personal side of life.
His major research contribution was to establish design criteria for shift rosters based on 바카라사이트 social factors. These criteria favour faster rotation between day and night shifts, ra바카라사이트r than extended periods of night work that cause increased fatigue resulting from cumulative sleep loss. His 1991 guidelines on 바카라사이트 topic have been widely adopted around 바카라사이트 world. “His contribution to improve 바카라사이트 life of shiftworkers will keep him alive” (Michael Kundi, Medical University of Vienna, Austria and Peter Smith, CQ University, Australia). For an obit. on Zander published by 바카라사이트 Guardian, which Zander used to read and write letters to, see: https://www.바카라사이트guardian.com/education/2017/mar/28/zander-wedderburn-obituary
ADVERTISEMENT