4OTH ANNIVERSARY NEWSLETTER

Transcription

1 4OTH ANNIVERSARY NEWSLETTER Institute of Physics in Ireland Series 5, Number 10 September 2004 Branch celebrates its 40th Minutes of the branch s first general meeting, recorded by honorary secretary Connor P O Toole and approved by chairman Prof. Felix E Hackett. 17 May 2004 marked the 40th anniversary of the formation of the Irish branch of the Institute of Physics and the Physical Society, now known as the Institute of Physics in Ireland. The branch s first general meeting was held at University College Dublin (UCD) on 17 May 1964, and we re pleased to be able to reproduce the minutes here. At the inaugural branch meeting, held at UCD on 3 November 1964, Prof. Blackett of Imperial College London (then scientific adviser to Harold Wilson s government) spoke about Government organisation of science and technology. The happy coincidence is noted of our 40th birthday and the announcement by the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mary Harney, on 23 June 2004 of the appointment of Dr Barry McSweeney as Ireland s first chief science adviser, and the decision to establish a cabinet committee to address and coordinate science and technology issues. From the outset the branch established a strong north south character and balance, which has served the physics community well, and the following contributions illustrate the care taken by the founders to enshrine this as a fundamental characteristic of the Institute in Ireland. In this newsletter, David Murnaghan, former honorary secretary; Kevin Carroll, former chair; and David Fegan, who was in at the birth of the Irish Physics Students Association, give accounts of the early days of the branch. Part of the 1972 Irish Times article by former committee member Roy Johnston is also included. Thanks to them for their contributions, and also to Frank Imbusch, who provided many of the photographs. The support for the branch from headquarters has been an important factor in ensuring its success, and we hope that the Institute of Physics in Ireland will not only continue the excellent traditions that have been established, but also successfully develop and evolve in the future. Martin Henry, Chair 1

2 Foundation of the Irish branch: In the early 1960s all physics activities revolved around the universities. Extracurricular lectures and meetings were largely focused on academic physics topics. At that time Conor P O Toole was a physicist working in the Institute for Industrial Research and Standards (IIRS), which was the forerunner of Eolas, and which later became Enterprise Ireland. David J Murnaghan was the physicist at Saint Anne s City Hospital for the Diseases of the Skin and Cancer. Both men were graduates of University College Dublin (UCD) and were also members of the Institute of Physics. They both felt a real lack of physics activities in Ireland that related directly to their work. The common recognition of the need to try to fill this gap led to their meeting with Prof. Thomas E Nevin at UCD. This was followed up by a letter, which was sent to physics graduates working outside the academic world. As a result a further meeting was held, in Buswell s Hotel in Dublin, at which some 40 physicists attended. They came from many walks of life, including the Department of Post & Telegraphs, the Meteorology Service, hospitals, the Agricultural Institute and textile firms. The outcome of the meeting was a common desire to see whether a branch of the Institute of Physics could be set up in Ireland. An ad hoc committee of O Toole, Murnaghan and Nevin was therefore given the task of investigating this possibility and in due course the Institute in London was contacted. It transpired that the physics community in Northern Ireland was also considering the formation of a northern branch. Following discussions between north and south, in which Dr J F Gillies of Belfast College of Technology played a major part, it was agreed that an all-ireland branch would be the goal. This decision was supported by the Institute in London and greatly helped through the assistance of Dr H R Lang, the Institute s then chief officer. The formal establishment and first general meeting of the Irish branch subsequently took place at UCD on 17 May Prof. Felix E Hackett, emeritus professor of physics and Events and developments: some In the early days of the Irish branch, one of the main activities was the arrangement of lectures at various venues throughout the country a programme that proved very successful. Initially the majority of the speakers came from the UK, but with the passage of time the contributions from the Irish physics community became increasingly significant. In the late 1960s the possibility of holding an extended weekend meeting of the branch was mooted on more than one occasion. The first such meeting was eventually held in the Nuremore Hotel in Carrickmacross on March 1972 and it was attended by about 50 physicists. The choice of such a relatively rural setting might seem strange, but a decision had been made that busy metropolitan centres should be avoided in favour of a quieter, more relaxed environment to encourage more mingling and interaction between the participants. The meeting was structured around three major components: a session of research reports, presented by workers in various centres, to give an overview of significant research activities throughout the country; a discussion-type seminar on a topic of general interest; the subject chosen, with four invited speakers, was Physics and the economy surely something of a prophetic choice; an evening lecture by a distinguished speaker, Prof. Cornelius Lanczos of DIAS, who spoke about The interaction of theory and experiment. A generous allocation of time was made for relaxation and social activities. The formula seems to have worked well over the years and has essentially been followed in subsequent Spring Weekend Meetings, as they have come to be known. In the Annual Report of the Institute for 1994, the honorary secretary, Eric Jakeman, had this to say about the events: An account of Branch activities cannot be complete without mention of the Annual Spring Weekend Meeting of the Irish Branch. This delightful meeting, characterized by the attendance of Branch members and their families from all over Ireland, is a mixture of highclass physics sessions and leisure activities. The annual golf competition is keenly fought out, sometimes in fair weather but mostly in foul conditions. The annual dinner is an experience of Irish cuisine and hospitality, and the Branch AGM is a most lively affair from which senior Institute staff and Council members retire with many ideas and suggestions to pursue. There is no doubt that physics 2

3 a recollection of the early days electrical engineering, was the first chair. He had been on the staff of the Royal College of Science in Ireland, located in what is now government buildings, and transferred to UCD when the Royal College ceased to operate. Conor P O Toole was the first honorary secretary of the Irish branch. Prof. Patrick M S Blackett FRS of Imperial College London, was invited to give the inaugural lecture, which was held at UCD on 3 November He spoke about Government organisation of science and technology to an audience of 180. At that time Blackett was scientific adviser to the current Prime Minister, Harold Wilson. Honoured guests at the lecture were the President of Ireland, Eamon DeValera, and the Minister of Commerce, Dr Patrick Hilary. The establishment of the Irish branch thus got off to an excellent start. Several other lectures were organized during 1965/6, including Physics of fibers and polymers, Semiconductors as a source of radiation, Physics in agriculture and Applications of physics in medicine. In passing, it is interesting to note that DeValera and Blackett had met each other at the meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science held in Dublin in Later, when Blackett was the president of the Royal Society, DeValera was made a fellow of the Royal Society. At the second general meeting of the Irish branch, held on 9 December 1966 at Trinity College Dublin, the Nobel physics laureate, Prof. Ernest T S Walton of Trinity College Dublin, became branch chair and David Murnaghan, then working at Saint Agatha s Radiotherapy Clinic in Cork, became the honorary secretary. It should be noted that prior to the establishment of the Irish branch of the Institute of Physics, academics in the various universities had provided substantial encouragement for their students and graduates to become members of the Institute of Physics. This pool of members in Ireland provided the base from which the Irish branch was subsequently formed. David Murnaghan, Secretary, of the branch s early milestones and the Institute are alive and well in the Emerald Isle. The year 1972 was busy in other ways too. The Leaving Certificate and A-level GCE silver medal awards for first place in physics were established. These are now presented annually at appropriate branch functions, such as the Tyndall Lecture. As a further manifestation of the branch s concern for educational matters, a two-day meeting entitled Physics for Teachers was organized for teachers of physics in schools. About 50 teachers attended this event, which was held on 6 7 January 1972 in University College Dublin. In the early years of the branch s existence its administration was governed by a set of reasonable rules and procedures, but no formal constitution was in existence. When apprised of this, Council in London expressed some concern and the task of drafting a constitution for the branch had to be addressed. In this exercise considerable priority was given to ensuring parity in the role of the physics communities in both the Republic and Northern Ireland. The notice of the first Spring Weekend Meeting, which was circulated to members of the Irish branch in the winter of 1972, prior to the meeting in March of As an example, the alternation of the offices of chair and cochair between north and south was formalized, and this appears to have proved very successful. In a similar spirit, since the foundation of the branch, committee meetings have been held alternately in the north and south. On 4 December 1973 the Constitution and Rules of the Irish branch were approved by Council. Finally, to end on a quaint coincidence: Carrickmacross, where the first Spring Weekend Meeting was held, is, according to a Bord Failte hotel guide, 50 miles from Belfast and 50 miles from Dublin surely a good example of compromise. Kevin Carroll, Chair, Got any historical photos or documents from the branch? See p8 for details about building our archive. 3

4 Physics student recollects the sixties and IPSA s foundation In the 1960s Ireland began to emerge from the monochrome of the first half of the 20th century to the relative technicolor of the second half of the century. There was a distinct mood of optimism as Irish society slowly became more open, embracing a broader world view and more liberal values in what was an era of exciting transition. Many influences were at work during this time, frequently at the subliminal level, with the threads of influence only recognized years or decades later. It wasn t just the emergence of an Irish television service, or the visit of John F Kennedy, or even the changing industrial landscape under Sean Lemass, but somehow the mood was shaped for the younger generation through the seeds of an evolving youth culture based on the post-presley rock-and-roll scene (die-hards would claim that Presley s career was effectively over once he joined the army in 1958). It was an era of questioning, of the re-evaluation of values and of slowly emerging confidence in one s right to hold opinions and views that didn t necessarily mirror those of one s parents or teachers. The preelectric Bob Dylan became an icon for many people, echoing that the times were well and truly changing. Those with a strong interest in science, and who were reaching their late teens as the 1960s dawned, were influenced by the exciting developments in molecular biology, and also by the importance of space exploration and NASA s commitment to put a man on the moon before the close of the decade. Through the writings of Rachel Carson, the importance of respecting our planet s environment was gradually being seen as a collective responsibility of all of its inhabitants. Science students at University College Dublin in that era had the particular good fortune to Celebration of the 25th anniversary of IPSA s formation, Montrose Hotel, Dublin, in Those present are (left to right) Breda Madden, David Fegan, Anne Kinsella, Michael Mahony, unidentified person, Frank Smyth, Sylvia O Brien, Columb Collins, Margaret Collins and Fred Findlay. participate in the move from the dingy, cramped and antiquated campus at Earlsfort Terrace and Merrion Street to the new campus at Belfield, which was officially opened on 30 September Originally just third- and fourth-year undergraduate students and postgraduates in experimental physics and chemistry made the transition to the wonderful new modern buildings equipped with stateof-the-art equipment, generous laboratories and excellent technical workshops and facilities. Subsequently, firstand second-year students were also relocated to Belfield. Original access was by Greenfield Park. My most vivid recollection of 1964/5 at Belfield is that of a group of pioneers (staff and students) coming to grips with the major logistical transition in a wonderfully co-operative and enterprising manner. It took many weeks for the heating system to become operational and remembering the sight of undergraduates performing laboratory experiments in duffle coats, anoraks and gloves is not an exaggeration. The restaurant had not been constructed at that stage, so a makeshift canteen was located in space that was earmarked for a spectroscopy laboratory. There was a wonderful spirit and camaraderie, and everybody knew everybody else. It was common for my class to ask the chef at lunchtime if he could prepare a couple of apple tarts for our 4.00 p.m. tea break, a request that he was always happy to comply with. Out of such a convivial and collegiate atmosphere the concept of a dedicated annual Irish physics congress for students emerged, the idea coming originally from the enthusiastic, energetic and creative Anne Kinsella. At the time Anne was secretary of the University College Dublin Scientific Society. She possessed the marvellous ability to involve her classmates in the organization of the first Irish Physics Students Association (IPSA) congress, almost by sleight-of-hand, and in some cases without them realizing the depth of commitment assigned to them. Little did we suspect that the concept would span four decades. IPSA-1, which was originally called Physics 66, was held at UCD in Belfield on 5 8 January The programme included an exciting series of talks on a varied range of topics, such as diffraction gratings; shock-tubes; Magellanic cloud clusters; solving physics problems with computers; magnetism in rocks; and methods for detecting cosmic radiation. On the final day a colloquium was held, in which a platform party, consisting of many of the speakers and distinguished guests, discussed with the audience many problems confronting physics and physicists of the day. The topics discussed ranged from social problems to theoretical work. Both academically and socially the event was a great success and about 150 students from all over Ireland attended. Based on the success of the congress, meetings were held in Galway and Belfast, at which IPSA was formally established and its constitution was ratified. IPSA s main objectives are: to promote and maintain contact among Irish physics students; to hold a physics seminar at least biennially; to discuss, and act on, mutual problems. Originally an annual affair, later IPSA meetings tended to be less frequent. In 1991 the 25th anniversary of the formation of IPSA was celebrated by some of the originators at a gathering in the Montrose Hotel, Dublin. The most recent IPSA meeting was held on February 2004 at NUI Galway. Although informal contacts have always been maintained between the Institute of Physics in Ireland and IPSA, and the origin of both organizations is strongly linked to UCD, no joint meeting has ever been organized. It is hoped that this situation will be rectified in the near future. David Fegan, University College Dublin 4

5 Carrickmacross played host to first Spring Weekend Meeting The following text and photograph are part of an article entitled Looking at the regional colleges, written by Dr Roy Johnston and published in the Irish Times of 17 May The Irish Branch of the Institute of Physics held its first ever national conference at Carrickmacross on March 25th 26th last. This constitutes another example of the trend away from the series of evening meetings at intervals throughout the winter, and towards a conscious focusing of the effort into a single more solid, integrated and memorable occasion. It was a thoroughly successful event: the organisers had obviously put much thought into its structure and this paid off handsomely. The Saturday afternoon session consisted of a series of reports, one from each of the centres in Ireland where research in physics is done. M. F. Quinn spoke about work done with dye lasers in Kevin Street; J. Lennon (Cork) spoke on radiation effects in gases; A. Thompson (DIAS) spoke on cosmic ray heavy primaries and their methods of detection; V. J. McBrierty (TCD) spoke on the physics of polymers; D. Kennedy (NUU) spoke on the physical properties of biological membranes; T. O Connor (UCG) outlined his plans for atmospheric physics in Galway (this was a pure sales talk which very efficiently outlined the scope of the possible physics based on the nearly continuous flow of pure fresh air from the Atlantic); B. Bates (QUB) outlined work on upper atmosphere physics based on rocket-probes and balloons. This assembly of ideas was interesting in that it displayed a wide range of experimental philosophies. Each island was responding in a different way to the environment; there was no evidence of any bridge-building. Thus Dr. Lennon s philosophy might be summarised we have some vacuum and microwave equipment, what can we do with it?. He has, rather ingenuously, contrived to measure in the laboratory gas dielectric effects, which might be of use to people working on the physics of the upper atmosphere (lay readers can connect if they have ever wondered what causes the aurora borealis). There is, perhaps, scope here for a co-ordinated approach with the Queens people, who are, with much greater resources, attacking the problem directly. M. F. Quinn, in Kevin Street had been working in QUB with Professor Bradley on dye lasers. He has taken his field with him. I remain to be convinced that this procedure is viable. It could have the effect of pulling Kevin St. towards a field of work, which is too basic and ought to be in a university. Kevin St., I feel, should be more oriented towards the problems posed by the Irish industrial environment, and should have a strong link towards the IIRS. I do not, at this time, see a role for laser physics in this environment. Our industry does not at this point in time even want to begin to know what a laser is, let alone buy Delegates at the first all-ireland Conference of Physicists, which was held at Carrickmacross in 1972 (left to right): Prof. G F Imbusch (UCG), Dr T O Connor (UCG), Prof. C Lanczos (DIAS), Prof. P K Carroll (UCD), Prof. L O Raifeartaigh (DIAS), L Quigley and Prof. D Bradley (QUB). one, or use one. The growth areas, I feel, are atmospheric physics (this could link up with Marine Science and strengthen the Galway marine lobby, which already includes Professor O Ceidighe and Professor Bary) and polymers. Dr. McBrierty has developed this area; it has application potential in a field new to physics in this country. He has got financial support from the NSC to do so. The precise nature of the industrial link remains to be worked out; there is apparently little understanding in the Irish plastics industry that they are, in fact, science-based. They tend to work by recipe and not want to know about science. The bridge between Dr. McBrierty s work in TCD and the industry exists, conceptually, in the form of the Quality Control Association referred to earlier. Dr. Kennedy, in NUU, has started looking at the basic physics of the transfer of sodium and potassium across the walls of an axon. This is part of a nerve-cell and occurs conveniently large in the case of the squid. This is potentially a fruitful interdisciplinary field; so far however Dr. Kennedy is poking around on his own and has not yet developed enough feel for the problem to be able to talk significantly to the biologists. This type of work has growth potential in a university environment. On the Sunday morning we were treated to a virtuoso performance by Professor Lanczos: he held forth on the history of the interaction of theory and experiment, holding the audience spellbound. It must have been a rare and valued chance for, say, a young student from Dundalk RTC to get a chance to sit at the feet of one of the grand old men of physics whom we are privileged to have among us. No one could listen to Professor Lanczos and remain unconvinced that science has an aesthetic. The Sunday afternoon session consisted of four papers on Physics and the Economy: Dr. McCarvill (IDA), Professor D. Bradley (QUB), C. P. O Toole (IIRS) and Dr. F. Imbusch (UCG). This gave rise to a wide-ranging discussion, which was chaired by Prof. P. K. Carroll of UCD. The gulf of absolute mutual noncomprehension, which exists between physics and industry in Ireland, was inspected from all sides. No conclusion was reached, but a working group was set up which included C. P. O Toole, Eamonn Lawlor (UCD), Ciaran Ryan (DIAS), Dr. McCarville, Dr. McBrierty and some others, including the present writer. This was instructed to produce a proposition for the AGM of the Institute of Physics (Irish Branch) (May 25th), which could subsequently be used as a basis for discussion with the National Science Council. This, I hope, will develop some new ideas, which will have bearing on the future application ratio of science in lreland. I look forward to ultimately being able to report on it. Roy Johnston, committee member,

6 Photographic memories from Lunch at the 1973 Spring Weekend Meeting in the Salthill Hotel, Salthill, Co. Galway. At the front table, left to right, are: Tony Scott (UCD), Bill McBride, Se O Connor (UCD) and Fr Burke. At the rear table are: Roy Johnston, John Synge (DIAS) and John O Connor (St Lukes Hospital). John Synge and Frank Imbusch at the 1973 Spring Weekend Meeting. Cormac O Ceallaigh and Denis O Sullivan at the 1975 Spring Weekend Meeting in Ryans Hotel, Rosses Point, Co. Sligo. Martin Henry, Josephine Lombard and John Treacy at the 1975 Spring Weekend Meeting in Ryans Hotel, Rosses Point, Co. Sligo. Aine Reilly (now Allen) and Kieran Taaffe at the 1975 Spring Weekend Meeting in Ryans Hotel, Rosses Point, Co. Sligo. 6 Good craic at the 1976 Spring Weekend Meeting in the Talbot Hotel, Wexford.

7 the early years of the branch Physics talk at the 1976 Spring Weekend Meeting, Talbot Hotel, Wexford. George Fogarty, Frank Imbusch, Kevin Carroll and Vincent McBrierty at the 1977 Spring Weekend Meeting held in the Great Southern Hotel, Galway, Co. Galway. Bob Barklie, Eric Finch, Roy Johnson and Vincent McBrierty at the 1977 Spring Weekend Meeting in the Great Southern Hotel, Galway, Co. Galway. Tony Scott and Ernest Walton at the 1982 Spring Weekend Meeting in Renvyle House, Connemara, Co. Galway. Denis Weaire at the 1982 Spring Weekend Meeting in Renvyle House, Connemara, Co. Galway, (a) toasting to many more successful future Spring Weekend Meetings, (b) showing what Spring Weekend Meetings are all David Rea at the 1977 Spring about and (c) demonstrating his Weekend Meeting in the Great Southern Hotel, Galway, Co. Galway. interest in the physics of foams. The committee of the Irish branch in front of the Physics Building at Trinity College Dublin on 18 September In the front row, left to right, are: George Fogarty, Connor O Toole, Ernest Walton, J F Gillies, Niall McKeith. In the middle row are: Susan McKenna-Lawlor, Philip Walton, Gordon Best, Tony Scott, Norman McMillan. In the back row are: Roger Smith, Colin Latimer, Mike Mansfield, Donal Flavin, John McGilp. 7

8 Spring Weekend Meetings Check out our website at ireland.iop.org The branch newsletters are published by Institute of Physics Publishing, Dirac House, Temple Back, Bristol BS1 6BE, UK The Institute of Physics in Ireland Printed by Warners (Midlands) plc, Bourne, Lincolnshire, UK. The contents of this newsletter do not necessarily represent the views or policies of the Institute of Physics, except where explicitly stated. The Institute of Physics, 76 Portland Place, London W1B 1NT, UK. Tel: Fax: The deadline for your contributions to the next issue is: 1 October 2004 Branch chairs and secretaries Year Location 1972 Nuremore Hotel, Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan 1973 Salthill Hotel, Salthill, Co. Galway 1974 Slieve Donard Hotel, Newcastle, Co. Down 1975 Ryans Hotel, Rosses Point, Co. Sligo 1976 Talbot Hotel, Wexford, Co. Wexford 1977 Great Southern Hotel, Galway, Co. Galway 1978 Northern Counties Hotel, Portrush, Co. Antrim 1979 Great Southern Hotel, Killarney, Co. Kerry 1980 Breaffy House Hotel, Castlebar, Co. Mayo 1981 Tower Hotel, Waterford, Co. Waterford 1982 Renvyle House Hotel, Connemara 1983 Westlodge Hotel, Bantry, Co Cork 1984 Rosapenna Golf Hotel, Downings,Co. Donegal 1985 Kilkea Castle Hotel, Castledermot, Co. Kildare 1986 Connemara Gateway Hotel, Oughterard, Co. Galway 1987 Northern Counties Hotel, Portrush, Co. Antrim 1988 Kenmare Bay Hotel, Kenmare, Co. Kerry 1989 Downhill Hotel, Ballina, Co. Mayo 1990 Newpark Hotel, Kilkenny, Co. Kilkenny 1991 Connemara Coast Hotel, Furbo, Co. Galway 1992 Brandon Hotel, Tralee, Co. Kerry 1993 Great Northern Hotel, Bundoran, Co. Donegal 1994 Blarney Park Hotel, Blarney, Co. Cork 1995 Manor House Hotel, Killadeas, Co. Fermanagh 1996 Hotel Kilkenny, Kilkenny, Co Kilkenny 1997 Hyland Hotel, Donegal, Co. Donegal 1998 Jury s Hotel, Waterford, Co Waterford 1999 Burrendale Hotel, Newcastle, Co. Down 2000 Woodlands House Hotel, Adare, Co. Limerick 2001 Kilmore Hotel, Cavan, Co. Cavan 2002 Celtic Ross Hotel, Rosscarbery, Co. Cork 2003 Westport Woods Hotel, Westport, Co. Mayo 2004 St. Patrick s Trian, Armagh, Co. Armagh Putting together this issue has highlighted the need to complete Years Chairperson Secretary F E W Hackett C P O Toole E T S Walton D J B Murnaghan J F Gillies J P McLaughlin P K Carroll J E O Connor D J Bradley J E O Connor C P O Toole J K Taaffe B Bates J K Taaffe G F Imbusch J K Taaffe N E McKeith J A Scott G W A Fogarty J A Scott V J McBrierty J A Scott G T Best N D McMillan J A Scott N D McMillan C J Latimer S O Connor P W Walton S O Connor W G Graham D O Sullivan N A Porter J Treacy CLSLewis E Cunningham J F McGilp M F Cawley R W McCullough J McLaughlin D O Sullivan P Goodman I T McGovern P Goodman J Corbett P J M van der Burgt 2003 M O Henry P J M van der Burgt Why not contribute to our historical archives? and maintain the archives of the Institute of Physics in Ireland. A newsletter of this kind would not be complete without a selection of photographs and other material from the past. We have detailed records of the minutes from AGMs, committee meetings and correspondence from the early years of the branch, and we are currently collecting and archiving material from the other years. The archives, which include the original notebooks that contain the minutes of the AGMs between 1964 and 1982, are kept at University College Dublin. Members who have photographs, documents or any other materials of historical relevance are kindly asked to contact the secretary (Dr Peter JM van der Burgt, Institute of Physics in Ireland, Department of Experimental Physics, National University of Ireland, Maynooth, Co. Kildare; tel: ; We will aim to produce a comprehensive pictorial edition of this newsletter to mark our 50th anniversary in 2014, which is also the millennium of the battle of Clontarf! Please your materials to Peter.vanderBurgt@may.ie 8