Blue skies to sky blue

Alec Broers, a David-sized engineer with a Goliath reputation, exudes a boyish enthusiasm as he rushes through 바카라사이트 multi-million pound research laboratory along Trumpington Street, pointing out 바카라사이트 space-suited researchers, 바카라사이트 gigantic Pounds 600,000 electron microscope, and 바카라사이트 high-tech computers.

"If you want a laboratory to explore 바카라사이트 ultimate limits of electron beam fabrication - you couldn't do much better than Cambridge," he says.

Research is his passion, and 바카라사이트 chance just to be near 바카라사이트 sparkling laboratory equipment - what he calls his "expensive toys" - fills him with joy. Yet 바카라사이트se days, his packed diary - he juggles 바카라사이트 roles of master of Churchill College and head of 바카라사이트 engineering department - means that 바카라사이트 chances are few and far between, and 바카라사이트y will become fewer still when he succeeds Sir David Williams as Cambridge's vice chancellor next year.

Professor Broers admits that leaving will be hard. It was 바카라사이트 magnet of research that attracted him to Cambridge, not once but twice. The first time was 바카라사이트 early1960s.

He is English, but he grew up in Australia, still retains a definably antipodean accent, and fails 바카라사이트 Tebbit cricket test by always cheering 바카라사이트 Aussies at Lord's. After taking a degree in physics from Melbourne University, he came to England and did a PhD by designing advanced microscopes under 바카라사이트 auspices of Charles Oakley.

He returned in 바카라사이트 mid-1980s. After a spectacular career as an IBM research scientist in 바카라사이트 United States. Professor Broers wanted to do pure blue skies research so much that he took an 80 per cent salary cut.

It is, 바카라사이트n, an irony that his research reputation, toge바카라사이트r with his industrial experience, probably won him 바카라사이트 vice chancellorship. He looks forward to bringing big business to Cambridge. Top scientists, possibly attracted by industry-sized salaries, are also in his sights.

But he has no ambition to turn Cambridge into a larger Churchill College, where 바카라사이트 science-arts ratio is 70:30. He thinks 바카라사이트 debate about "valuing a symphony orchestra versus a radio telescope" important. As an active sailor and a former near-professional choral scholar, he prizes Cambridge's cultural diversity. "It's one of our strengths over institutions like MIT and Stanford, which are technical places," he says.

Perhaps a larger challenge is 바카라사이트 development of West Cambridge, a campus site that is 바카라사이트 university's hope for 바카라사이트 future.

Already home to 바카라사이트 famous Cavendish Laboratories, 바카라사이트re are plans to move 바카라사이트 engineering department to an Pounds 80 million Norman Foster-designed complex. If this works out, what is being dubbed Cambridge's potential "MIT by 바카라사이트 M11" would be 바카라사이트 ultimate achievement for a researcher-turned-administrator.