Comment 018 November 1986

King's College London (KQC) newsletter

NEW APPOINTMENT LAUNCHES FRESH APPROACH TO RESEARCH AND INDUSTRY As announced by the Principal at the start of ession, King' College has appointed Mr K W Grove to spearhead the promotion of its research potential to industry, Government and the Research Foundations. He will take up his appointment as Director of the newly launched KCL RESEARCH E TERPRISES on ovember 3 this year.

Ken Groves brings to this task wide experience of the m(\jor functions in industry. A graduate of the Universities of London and xeter, he ha spent his career in steel and engineering. His latter appointments have been Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive of the EuroRoute Fixed hannel Link project. He was Director of the Constructional Steel Research and Development

Organisation and prior to this Head of Marketing at British Steel and General Man路 ager Marketing in Stewarts and Lloyds.

He has played an active part in many national and international organisations.

He is immediate past Chairman of the Market Development Committee of the International Iron and Steel Institute and ha worked in the committee and the ngineering Council of the Brili h Standards Institution. He ha served on the Production and Marketing ommittee of the CBI and has been Section Chairman of the Society of British Gas lndu trie . He ha been actively work ing with the European ommission, particularly in relation to the funding of applied research in the European Steel Industry.

Ken Groves, Director of KCL Research Enterprises Article continues over page

One of the 500 birds measured and ringed during the Rio Mazan expedition to Ecuador. For a report by David Barnes of the Biology Department, and another picture, turn to centre pages.

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Ken Groves will be concerned to achieve a greater orientation in the College towards meeting industry's needs, not only through spon ored research but in encouraging consultancie and close relation hip between staff and industrial spon ors. He see con iderable potential for the expan ion of joint activitie to the mutual benefit of King' College and indu try.

Close relations will also be fostered with Government Departments, the Re earch Councils and other agencies concerned with the application of research material and services.

'Universities, says Mr Groves, 'have to dispel the rather remote image which ome industries accredit to them. They have to stress their national usefulness. It will be part of my job to see that the bridges of communication are strengthened.'

Mr Groves is based on the Kensington campus and can be contacted on extension 394

SCHOOLS A D COLLEGES LIAISO OFFICE The Principal's ad hoc group on liaison with schools last session came to the conclusion that King's College already does a lot of work in promoting contacts. Much of this work stems from individuals, departments and other groupings within the various campuses. We are also aware that virtually every University in Britain, and our collegiate partners in London, now devote time and energy to this 'promotional' exercise.

activity at which the ollege i repre ented and this activity i expected to continue.

There are, however, interesting gap in our coverage and here we need more fact to upport the apparent mi conceptions. I London really be oming an unattractive place for study? Are there some subjects which are perceived as pecial' to King's - and therefore pre umably others which are le s special? It i of cour e a rather subjective exercise and has a lot to do with how others ee u and maybe omething aI 0 to do with how we ee ourselves!

This term's liaison eminar will be followed by smaller group meetings centred on campuses and departmental section ; in the Lent Tenn we would aim to 'target' particular sections of our catchment or 'market' so that the annual despatch of prospectuses and 'promotional' literature can be more effective. One way of doing this may be the preparation of a imple fact sheet/newsletter which will find it way on to chool and careers notice boards.

It is important, however, that we can make a good and peedy response to enquiries from out ideo To help with this I want to establish a directory of speaker /topics as soon a pos ible 0 that the initial list built up by John Muir last tenn can be completed. Reminders about this will be going to all Departments very oon. We also need a programme of ollege activities which are de igned for prospective students; some departments organise 'open day' or sixth form conference: details could go to enquirers more speedily if there is a register of events. There are no dou bt maIlY things being done; others we could do; and possibly some we could do better.

It is no longer enough to rely on the facts

Peter Lawrenee being widely known - that King's is one of Schools and Colleges Liaison Officer the largest multi-faculty colleges in London, tha t we have a fine record of past achievements and that we have a confident approach to our future plam. We need to press these facts home on every occasion given to us - and if they are not given then we may need to create them.

There are internal and external implications of this. Internally we need to support each other by providing those of our colleagues who visit schools, careers conventions, etc. with adequate information on the whole college set up so that they arc well-armed ambas adors. To do thi wc plan to hold a series of lunch-time liaison seminars, at which those who are concerned in this activity can share some of their experiences and ideas. The fir t of the e will be on Wednesday 19th ovcmber on the Strand Cam pus - see back page reply slip for return to Peter Lawrence. Other meetings <HC planned for Kensington and Chelsea sites later.

Ex ternally we need lo build 1I p more contacts through local authorities, schools, colleges of further education, etc. We already have an embryo list of the type of

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Most if not all students who e first language i not English need help with their Engli h. Thi may seem a truism but unfortunately the implication are not always reali ed until too late. Even the most nuent have problems in usage in precise and accurate expression and in le ser matters such as pelling.

A number of these students will have had their weaknes in English identified before coming to eollege by the screening procedure operated by the Admissions Office, a procedure that is becoming more effective each year. everthele s, for one reason or another, some student will not have been so identified, and other procedures, including the vigilant help of department, will need to be employed.

The normal screening require all overseas postgraduates to take a Briti h ouncil ELTS test in their own country or in Britain, and normally accepts non-native speaker only if they have a score of 6.5 out of 9 in that test, although a 7 is considered desirable for linguistically more exacting courses such as Law, Philosophy and Education. If students have a mark of 5, they are recommended to enrol for a three month Pre- es ional Course which takes place in King' between June and September each year; students with a 5.5 are recommended for a two month course, and those with a 6 a month only. Those below 5 are not normally admitted to the ollege or the Pre-sessional Course. Students are strongly recommended to take the course; current college policy does not insist on them taking 11.

Undergraduates generally pose less of a problem than postgraduates: the usual departmental requirement of an 0 level in English language u ually as ures a rea onable grammatical level but it may conceal weaknesses in usage/speaking and pronunciation. Some undergraduate can certainly benefit from an English course, either before or during their academic studies. fhe Pr -sessional Course is administered by Mrs. Jennifer Jack on in the Admissions Office and taught by a group of part-time teachers, two of whom have been working long-term for the college. Considerable attention is given to recruiting teachers who are well-qualified and experienced in teaching language and study skills to university students.

C.R. Peter Lawrence, Senior Lecturer in Geography on the Strand Campus and Sub-Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Music, is the College's Liaison Officer for activities involving Schools and Colleges (Further Education establishments, etc.)

Judging by numerical increase and custome satisfaction in end-of-course surveys, the courses have been very successful in recent years. Set up fir t nine years ago, the courses were reorganised in 19 3 around a stronger core of academic English and stud

ills. The Pre- e ional cour e tarted with two cla e of eight tudent each la ting one month. In 19 6 there were 9 la e, two of hi h ran or three month. In the me period, the In- e ional la e have gro n from one to fi e, a mode t in rea e when et against the large num bers of overea tudent In the college and their known language need .

The pre- e ional differs from the In- e ional Cour e in being open to tudent mtending to tudy at other Uni er ity college and at Polytechnic. 1.0 t of the e tudent go to other London ollege uch a LSE, niver ity and Imperial College, but a few go to colleges out ide London. The cour e aim to develop peaking, li tening, reading and writing ability for academic tudy, covering tudy kills uch as delivering hort paper, a king and an wering questions, coping with seminars and tutorials; reading and collating information at peed ii tening to lectures and making effective note; writing reports, e ays and hort di sertation . Time i al 0 given to grammatical correct ne s, pronunciation and ocial language for everyday situation The first month of the three-month cour e act as a foundation tage revi ing the ba ic for student who are generally weaker than the re t.

A weekly lecture i given to the tudent by a member of the academic taff on a ubJect of cultural interest: Briti h government, ocial tructure, religion, education, the family, mu ic, food and drink, ocial cu toms etc., but the occa ion is al 0 used to practi e li tening, questioning and notetaking techniques. In the latter two stages of the cour e, students write a long essay on a subject of general interest and on an aspect of their academic field, requiring reading, use of libraries, compilation of source material, tutorials and oral presentatIOn to the group. Vi it to place of interest in and outside of London are also arranged. Student are a e sed monthly and the test at the end of the cour e is u ed a the ba i for as es ment of the tudent's ability to cope with an academic cour e.

Students who are till weak are recommended to take the in- e sional cour e during the year; occa ionally very weak tudents are ad vi ed to take a further inten ive cour e at a language chool, but this i a drastic step which may po tpone the start of their academic cour e.

During the year, for those students who need further language support, an Ines ional our e i run also under the wing of the Admissions Office. This year classes are being held on the Strand and Kensington sites, hut if demand is sufficient they can be set up elsewhere in the college.

Because of the demands of academic courses, students can spend only a maximum of four hours a week on their English, and teaching has to be concentrated on the skills requiring most urgent attention.

For those student who have serious weakne se in a n urn ber of areas, a well as those who need to fre hen up theu English before tarting at King' , the Pre- e ional Course 1 clearly the mo t e fe tive our e to take, offering an inten ive. ful1-time learning pro e 0 er one or more month, and proiding a more olid lingui tic ba . for academi tudy.

For more detail of the e cour e , plea e conta t Mr lennifer lack on, istant Registrar (AdmlS IOns) Peter ttridge Director of Studies English Language Teaching Programme

in any way. whether it be drawing on their kill and time for re earch. or ontributing hort our e , is invited to contact Tony acne (Strand x-5 or Chel ea 36_6) ho an give further detail of the 3 ' organi atlon and member hip.

Fmall if }oU wi h 10 gain ome impre ion of their acti itie , \'i it the exhibition that will be mounted in the Great Hall during the morning 0 Wedne day 12th, ovember. t 11.30 am Libb} Purve will b.: g1 109 a hort addre to the gathering.

Tony

arnes

THE 75TH A NERSARY YE R OF THE BIOCHEMICAL SOCIETY Se eral colleague from King's were a ociated with the early development of the U3A in London. At the time of it third Annual General Meeting, which will be held in The Great Hall, Strand Campus during the afternoon of Wedne day 12th ovember, a few details of It progres may be of intere t.

J9 6 i the 75th Anniver ary Year of the Biochemical Society. To mark 75 year of biochemistry in Britain a number of celebrations have been taking place, including a Mobile xhibition.

3A in London i now approaching a member hip of nearly 1000. It main activity is pursued through' elf-directing study groups', of which there arc over 50 in su bject ranging from architecture to computing stUdies, and from p ychology to ocial hi tory. Language tudie. are a particularly strong feature, with five groups pur uing differentlevcls of French, a.nd others tudying German, Modern Greek, Modern Hebrew, Italian and Spanish.

75 years ago, on the 11th March J911 the fir t meeting of what wa to become the Bio hemical So iety, took place in London.

At thi initial meeting the group wa named the Biochemical Club. It aim were to promotc discu sion between chemi t and biologi ts, and to help with the investigation of mutual problems. The club wa a great ucces and acquired its own Journal in 1912. t it first AGM in 1913 it became the Biochemical Society, with Or Frederick Gowland Hopkins, FRS a it. first Chairman. GowJand Hopkins was later to be knighted and to receive a obel Prize for his work.

Special courses have been provided at King's College, such a a much appreciated serie by our physical geographers on 'Interpreting Unfamiliar Landscapes'.

Birkbeck Col1ege has al 0 been very active in arranging special cour e .

At this year's summer meeting of the Society, held in Cambridge, J had a chance to ee the Mobile Exhibition, '75 Year of Biochemistry in Britain', which celebrates ome of the per onalities and events that have distinguished Briti h biochemistry.

Two contrasting idc to 3 ' activities are the development of a programme for hou ebound elderly people in London and a rapidly growing chedule of Study-Vi its (60 3 mem ber hortly depart for the People' Republic of hina).

ideotape extracts of interview with obel Prize winners were a main feature of the exhibition, including the recorded voices of Fred Sanger and Max Perutl.

Fred Sanger received his first obel Prize (for chemistry) in 195 for determining the amino acid re idue sequence of insulin, a protein hormone. This work was of great significance to biochemi try becau c it I showed that a protein ha a precisely defined amino acid residue sequence. Fred Sanger receivcd his second obel Prilc in 1980 for his contrihutions to the rapid determination of base sequences in nudeic acids. Max Peru tz and lohn Kendrew received their obel prize in 1962 for work on the structure of globular proteins.

Kendrew worked on myoglohin and Perutz on hacmoglobin (both are re piratory pigments). The technique of -ray cry tallography was very important in this work

The late t tep forward i the formation of re earch groups within 3 . There i a wealth of experience and talent among the member hip and also great enthu ia m to participate in serious research. One group is already involved with a Birkheck-based study.

If any mem ber of the college wishes to receive further details of the U3A, write to their office at Langton lose, Wren Street London WCIX OHD (8334747). Any colleague or retired member of the ollege who would be interested in participating

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enabling the three-dimensional structure of the protein molecule to be determined from from the position of the individual atoms.

The work of ir Han Krebs one of the great pioneers of biochemistry is also coverobe! prize in ed in the exhibition. Hi 1953 was for his di covery, ome year earlier, of the citric acid cycle. This cycle is the final common pathway for the oxidation of fuel molecules such as glucose and fatty acid from food. Oxidation of these leads to the generation of ATP, an energyrich molecule, used to drive many vital processes of the body. Other famous biochemists whose work is mentioned in the exhibition includes Sir Ernst Chain, Nobel Prize winner in 1943 for the discovery of penicillin and its curative effect in infectious bacterial diseases. Finally, becoming more up-to-date, Cesar"Milstein received the Nobel Prize in 1984 for the discovery of the principles and methodology of the production of monoclonal antibodies.

MonoclonaJ antibodies are derived from a single cell line and may be made to be highly specific in their binding ability to particular antigeruc molecules.

KI G'S COLLEGE A D A ttendance at this year's Seminar for Industry was possibly the best yet. Well over 100 people listened to the day's lecture presentations and enjoyed the variety presented in the fine exhibition of current college research in this important and topical area. The day was sponsored by Cadbury Schweppes plc.

This exhibition needs to be seen to be fully appreciated and I can recommend a visit during the Society's meeting at University College on 17th-19th Decem ber 1986.

In Decem ber the first stage of the new Biochemistry gallery at the Science Museum entitled 'Cells, Molecules and Life', is to be opened as part of the 75th Anniversary celebrations. Future plans for the gallery include two further sections to be called 'From Vital Force to Molecular Identification' and 'The Life of Cells and Organisms'.

The gallery will include many electron micrographs, graphics schemes and drawings, together with objects such as space filling models of enzymes and ribbon models of DNA and R A. 'Cells, Molecules and Life' aims to introduce the cell as the basic structural and functional unit of life.

It will illustrate the main classes of macromolecules (fats, proteins and carbohydrates) and their molecular building blocks.

Emphasis will also be placed on the idea of life as a dynamic chemical process.

More information on the Biochemical Society and its Anniversary activities is available from the Research and Information Officer at the Society's offices (7 Warwick Court, High Holborn, London WCIR 5DP). Membership forms for the society are also available from this address; student mem ber ship costs ÂŁ5 and enables you to attend all Society meetings free of charge.

Helen Wiseman

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KING'S CHALLE GE THE EXPERTS On September 17th and 18th, 1986, Dr. R. H. Bassett and Dr. K. Yeo of the Department of Civil Engineering played host to 70 academics and practising engineers who attended their 'Reinforced Earth Prediction Symposium'. The symposium was the culmination of two years of monitoring and research supported by a ÂŁ39,000 grant from the SERC and equipment funding from etlon Ltd. The opportunity arose

from Dr. Bassett's advisory capacity with Hertfordshire County Council and his involvement in the design of a by pass embankment built across 3-4m of peat and soft clay at Stanstead-Abbots.

As a result of the public consultation process for country planning, Hertfordshire had, with public support, adopted the rout causing the least environmental damage.

This however involved crossing some I ~m of flood marsh. The cost of a viaduct design was astronomic (L 1OM) and alternative embankment designs were sought. Re-

search on reinforced earth embankments had been carried out at King's and with our advice Hertford hire produced a po ible design at an affordable urn of ÂŁ 1.5~1.

The de ign utilismg a pia tic (Ten ar reinforcing me h a at the lowe t limit of tability and it wa consldered prudent to constru t a length of trial em bankment pnor to the main contract. ith the cooperation of the Hertford hire Engineer and with ottingham niver ity, together with funding from SERC and etlon this embankment and the reinforcement wa completely instrumented and monitored for a period of I months. With the data a world wide challenge was mounted by the King s group through the variou Geotechnical magazines and conference held in 1984-85. They asked University groups and Consulting engineer to predict the behaviour of the em bankment using their own analytical techniques and computer programs. Some 30 groups took up the challenge and were provided with all the basic data and a series of pecific question.

Eleven groups finally submitted their olutions and papers indicating their as umptions and calculations together with an wers to some or all of the specific questions.

volvement encouraged by SERC appears in this ca e to have been very ucce ful.

The sympo ium ~a accompanied by a small, though greatly appre iated, exhibition mounted in the ouncil Room and wa fueled by lunches and a con eren e dinner for which the College catering department ex elled them elves. The organi er ha e ub equently received a number of complementary letter from conference delegates and from the pre enter of predi tion, together with reque ts for a published proceeding. s a postscript for other , the organisers thoroughly recommend the use of the main entran e hall for registration, the council room for exhibitions and intermissions and 2C a a very elegant and easily u ed lecture theatre. This first floor suite present a very favourable and attractive environment but for one feature the seating in 2C (ancient wooden and sometimes broken seats): for the sake of the image presented to the out ide world, as well as for financial return, the college should seriously consider modernising the seating in 2C. Also, redecorating and po ibly adJ usting the layou t of 6 to give a useful conference suite for vacation letting.

The re pon e was international, prediction being ubmitted by several eminent computing group from a far apart as Mainland China, Singapore, Italy, the USA and Canada, together with both numerical and empirical prediction from British Universities and several empirical approaches by consulting engineer.

K G S COLLEGE BIOTEC OLOGY TTHE SCIE CE FOR D STRY EXHIBITIO The biote hnolog~ re ear h of the college wa well repre ented at the exhibition mounted ill October at Imperial College.

The eXhibition, which wa part of the event to celebrate 150 year of the foundation of the niversity, was opened by the Chancellor and was vi ited by ,000 hool children and several thousand other visitor including amba sadors, and representatives from industry and commerce. Dr. Brian Bainbridge from the microbiology department wa co-ordinator for the biotechnolo gy section which included 19 poster from 16 groups in 7 different colleges. The production of the e displays was a major feat of organisation but the final result demonstrated clearly the breadth of research in the univer ity and particularly the variety of re earch at King's. There was a very positive response from the many groups who vi ited the exhibition.

A major exhibit was mounted by the bioelectricity group from the departments

od -Hilll' I', ..ll'in. With omplll. I (, raphi

On Septem ber 17th the symposium was opened by Mc. Hardy, the County Engineer of Hertfordshire and a mem ber of the SERC engineering advisory panel, followed by a detailed presentation of the engineering phiwsophy of the scheme and the fundamental design parameter set out by the Hertford hire engineering team.

The eleven prediction papers were thus presented in increasing order of complexity.

Both the audience and the organi ers were amazed by the variety of analytical methods adopted for this new and quite complex problem. Answer. varied widely and a league table of answers was drawn up. To the organisers' con ternation broad agreement was reached on onc point - many answers indicating a design teetering on potential failure. An enthu iastic and penetrating informal debate followed these pre entations, Prof. Duncan of Virginia Polytechnic being a major contributor, highlighting one of the crucial factors which explained some of the differences in predicted data. Having held delegates in suspense for I Y2 days, Dc. Bassett finally presented the data actually observed and made comparisons with the predictions. A very animated, informal debate followed, the clo e being delayed by over an hour.

The new style of University/Industrial in-

Princess Anne with Dr Bainbridge

Ph;>to courtesy of NeviIJe Miles, Imperial College.

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of biochemistry, chemistry and microbiology. The exhibit included a working demonstration of a biosensor which can be used to detect glucose in the blood of diabet~cs. Also displayed was a Rotary plater, designed by Dr. G Agnos of the microbiology depprtment. This is an instrument designed to count microbes in milk water and many other products. It is of r'evolutionary design and the equipment is to be marketed by Denley Instruments Ltd. of Billinghurst, Sussex.

Plant biotechnology from the biology department was represented by posters of genetic work on fungal insecticides by Dr. J Heale and of immobilisation techniques for blue green algae in photobioreactDrs by Pror. D. Hall. Models of DNA and protein from the Biophysics Department formed a centre piece to the biotechnology section of the exhibition.

ASSAULT INSURANCE The University of London has recently revised the benefits offered under the Assault Insurance Scheme for all employees of the University and its constituent institutions against the risks of total disablement or death arising from assault in the course of, or as a consequence of, their employment.

The compensation offered under the new scheme offers the following compensation with effect from l5thJuly 1986:(i) in the event of

(a) death within 12 calendar months from the date of the assault; or (b) permanent total disablement from continuing in the employment followed with the institution at the date 0f -the assault; the equivalent of five years' gross renumeration at the rate being received from the institution at the date of the assa ult, or ÂŁ 18,500, whichever is grea ter. (ii) if, after the expiry of 52 weeks' consec-

utive disablement, the insured person is still totally disabled from engaging in or giving attention to the employment followed with the institution but medical evidence is such that it cannot be said such disablement is permanent, total and absolute, payments will be made for as such total disablement continues for a period not exeeding ten years. Such payments shall be at an annual rate of 10% of the benefit provided under (i) above, and will be by half-yearly instalments in arrears commencing eighteen months after commencement of disablement.

The scheme is not applicable to employees who have reached the age of 65. For

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the purposes of the policy, the term 'Assault' includes explosion, and attack by animals.

Under the terms of the policy the University is required to give written notice to the' Insurance Company as soon as possible after the happening of any incident giving or likely to give rise to a claim.

Any incident should be reported immediately to the Personnel Officer, Ext. 2125.

YANKEE DOODLE REGGIE During a recent fraternal visit to the Harlem campus of the City College New York, S tephen Harrow (Assistant Secretary) took a pre-lunch stroll in the quiet streets surrounding the campus. Turning a corner, he walked straight into a familiar but unexpected figure - short of a paw, but otherwise unmistakeable - taking his leonine ease outside a front door.

From June 25 to Augu t 12, 1986, Dr Chandler of the Department of Civil Engineering undertook an international study tour in the field of earthquake engineering supported by travel grants from the Fellowship of Engineering, Royal Society, British Council, the University's Central Research Fund and internal sources. The visits began with a one week stay at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada followed by three weeks at various leading research centres in California, visiting Berkeley (University of California), Los Angeles (University of Southern California) and concluded with a similar period visiting several industrial and academic institutions in Japan.

The purpose of the study visits was to establish collaborative links with leading overseas research groups in earthquake engineering, and in particular to gather information on experimental simulation facilities It wasn't Reggie of course. The duties of (known as shaking tables) used to study the King of King's do not normally permit the behaviour of buildings and other struchim to leave the College (except under extra - KCL duress), much less the country. tures subjected to earthquake ground motions. The information obtained will But the beast was clearly a close relative. assist preparations for a SERC - funded reHarrow and the transatlantic Reggie exsearch programme at King's College led by changed civilities, chatted of the weather Dr Chandler, together with Dr Bassett of (sticky) and the Dow J ones (likewise) and the same Department, to investigate the parted on good terms, promising to remember one another to mutual acquaintances torsional (or twisting) response of tall asymmetric buildings to earthquakes, which on and off campus. Harrow returned to was an important factor in the catastrophic City College for lunch with the faculty and failure of many buildings in the Chilean discussions on academic planning; the lion and Mexican earthquakes of 1985. The resumed his interrupted nap. award of this research grant (58k over the nex t 3 years) is part of the SERC's special Another Close Encounter of the Furred Kind?

provision for a o-ordinated K re earch programme intended to improve the eXl ting earthqua e-re c"tant de Jgrl regulation lor ci\·il engineering tru tu re . in actual or potential Cl mi Il} a tive region ot the world. Sen iti ·e buildlOg 111 the K u h u. nuckar power tation are al 0 ubJect to the code .

•1an} 0 the world' large t itie lIe in . el micall} a tive area where building code need to be ,-,on tantl updatcd to 111 lude the latc t rc. earch in earthquake engineering The Department of CIvil ngineering at King' aim to make a ignificant practi al (.ontribution to our knowledge in thi unportant aspect of tructural design.

KI GS COLLEGE LO DO SASK TCHEWA U IVERSITY U OERGR DATE UTRITIO STUOE T EXCH GE PROGRAMME Following the succe s of this e change programme la t eason two more tudents from the ollege of Home Economic, niversity of Saskatchewan, Tracy Olson and Lori He ~e are now tudying utrition on the Kensington ampu, having exchanged place with econd years: J ay ne Wolliner and Janet Tree.

Sarah Powcll and Sarah Passmore who returned from Canada in September reported enthusiastically that the exchange programme had been very worthwhile academicaLly, and was al 0 a chance of a lifetime

educational experience. They hope that it will continue for the benefit of future students.

The financial upport for the programme for this ses ion came from the Dcan' Fund (Sa katchewan niver ity), The Sugar Bureau Efamol Lld and Farma Food A/S openhagen.

Rcceptions to wel ome the new student were held in Sa katoon in September and in Ken ington in October. Or Pat Judd of our Food and utrutional Science Department repre ented King's ollege in Saskatoon and the Dean of the College of Econ omic , Profe sor Eva Lee came to Ken ington. Professor Lee supported Or Leed ' call for the programme to be placed on a more secure foundation by the raising of fund ufficient for cost to be met from intere t alone.

WI ERS OF THE BIOTECH OLOGY INVESTME T GAME 1986 Thi game i run by Barclay's Bank plc for team of inve tors tudying for the B c degree in BIOtechnology. Each team is allocated a nominal £ 10,000 sum to inve t in companies having a significant commercial intere t in biotechnology.

II tran action are handled by the Stock xchange Branch of Barclay Bank plc, who keep a record of the progress of the teams and act as referee. The winning team this year, (left to right) Layth Alsaffar, Mohammed Iqbal, Rajvee Shah and Atul Gandecha are being pre ented with the shield by Mr D.A. Killick, Manager of Barclay' High Technology Team. (Professor S J Pirt Head of Microbiology and Or Dance, Biochemistr in thc background). The team converted the nominal £10,000 into£1 ,950 in three months with 13 transactions.

Practical experience in industry is an important feature of thc Biotechnology degree coursc. Mohammed Iqbal and RaJvee Shah arc currently doing a year andwich course with the Food Research Institute and Ciba Geigy Pharmaceuticals respectively. Atul Gandecha worked for Ciba Geigy during th summer vacation and Layth Al affer fo Transworld Mining and Mineral.

o Christmas: The ollege will close at 4.00pm on Tuc day, 23 Decem ber 19 6 and will rc-open on Monday 5 January 19 7.

-~. ~~ ..... . " 0,",

(from left) Laurie Waiters (Saskatchewan, studied at King's 1985-86), Jayne Wolliner (King's College), Trac)' Olson (Saskatchewan), Lori Hesje (Saskatchewan) and Janet Tree (King's College) photographed in Saskatoon in September this year.

Easter: T he College will close on the evening of Wednesday 15 April19117 and will re-open on Wedne day 22 April 19 7.

Other Bank Holidays: Monday 4 May 1987 Monday 25 May 1987 Monday 31 August 1987

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I TAKE NOTHING FOR GRANTED IN ECUADOR! In the summer of 1985 I was invited to join the Rio Mazan Expedition to cuador, South America. The expedition had been reque ted by the main conservation organisation in Ecuador, Fundacion atura, to as ist them in what wa effectively a revolution. ot a political revolution but a cultural one.

In 1976 a montane forest of seven hundred hectare, twenty kilometre from cuadors third largest town, Cuenca, came under threat of logging in order to provide timber for the American furniture indu try. Fortunately the staff of Fundacion atura realised the effects such deforestation would have on the environment. ot only would countle s numbers of animal and plants be destroyed, but the ensuing erosio:1 would silt up and despoil the river Mazan, WhJtll flc\\- through the fore t valley and upplie Cuenca with a third of its fresh water. This information was put to the people and after an exten ive publicity campaign and a town wide referendum the forest was bought by and for the people of Cuenca, at a co t of 33,000 S dollars.

Then came the task of getting the forest operational as a nature reserve. British scientists had spent two years studying the area and in August of this year a team of thirty five people left England in search of an even wetter climate.

On arrival in Quito, the capital of Ecuador, we soon found that things were extremely different than in England. Petrol in Ecuador costs about fifteen pence a gallon but cars have a two hundred percent import tax burden and so most cars, and all taxis, are very old.

We soon found out what this meant when we hired a taxi to take us to a hotel. All of its windows were broken and it directional movement eemed to have little relationship to the position of the steering wheel. Fortunately we arrived unscathed and our first priority, after booking in, was to find a shower to remove the grime of twenty three hours of travel.

With the new found vigour that accompanied cleanliness, we decided to see a much of Quito as possible. Quito i the econd largest city in Ecuador and contain many new buildings but for visitors the place to go is the old town with its marble churches, street restaurants and musicians. It wa here that I began to see my first recogni able plants, they being the rea on for my inclusion in the expedition. Huge date palm filled the plaza and humming birds darted between the flowering Hibiscus trees.

The following day we made our way to the bus terminal to continue our journey to Cuenca. We caught what wa affectionately known as a 'microbus'. There were seats for thirty people and four more squeezed into the gangway. Fortunately all luggage was tied to the roof, however one man had to it for the twelve hour journey with two chickens under each arm which screeched and fluttered continuously.

The bus leaves Quito on the Pan American Highway and travels south along the Valley of the Volcanoes' passing such famous peaks as Chimborazo and Cotopaxi. At first the road gave a false sense of security with its smooth tarmac surface, however this soon deteriorated into a dirt track which gradually degenerated even further until the bus had to weave its way around enormous boulders and cavernous potholes, as well as avoiding the many 'l11icrobuses' that break down high up in the desolate Andes. We later heard that one 'microbus'disappear over the edge of the mountain road every month, even our bus broke down a mile from the terminal in Cuenca.

We then hired another taxi, in even worse condition than the one in Quito, to the base of the track that led to Mazan and began to notice the lack of oxygen due to the altitude. We each carried a back pack weighing about fifty pounds as well as our hand luggage and fell into a routine of walking twenty pace and then collapsing. After an agonisi~ two hours of this we finally reached the main camp at Mazan, a cluster of tents grouped together 11000 feet up in the montane forest. A house had been built by the local council, ETAPA, for a warden which was handed to the expedition as a field centre. This soon became fulJ of plant specimens, beetles, frogs, spiders and the general confused pile of equipment that an expedition seems to accumulate.

The expedition team was divided into eight group defined by individual re earch interests; Bird-ers, Bat-ers, Plant-ers, Frog-ers/lnsects/ Reptiles, Fore t-er , Survey-ers, Ethrobotanists and Mammal-ers. Each group had a permanent section leader and a small team of field assistants who could move from section to section and therefore gain experience in more than one field. For my first few days on camp I joined the Frog.ers and so could be found early in the morning or late at night, creeping around in the gras and boggy areas trying to locate frogs by their peeps, pings and whistles. When we caught a frog it would be photographed and it call noted and recorded. 1 was surprised at the ease of identifying the frogs, over long distances, by their calls alone. In my few days with the Frog-ers we identified six different species including an 'Arrow Poison Frog'.

For the remainder of the expedition I joined the Plant-crs and began the long process of specimen plant collection, describing and pressing. Wherever possible three specimens of each species were collected, one example to remain in Ecuador and the other two to be brought back to the Royal Botanic Garden at Kew, for identification. ollecting specimens was not always as easy as we had first expected. It was expedition policy to collect only epiphytic orchid specimens that had naturally fallen rather than di lodge plants, even so we soon built up a large living collection. With other plants however, speCImens were gathered from where they grew and as most plant life was epiphytic, we soon found our elves climbing trees, scrambling up rock faces and even forming human pyramids to reach a desired specimen.

After a days hunting in the forest the groups would get together over supper in the house and talk of the days discoveries. These would usually be confined to new plant species, animal sightings or newly found river crossings. One evening however, we were told of a new and rather surprising find. High up in the valley someone had found an old broken down bus. How it had got there was a mystery and served to remind us that you take nothing for granted in Ecuador. The next day we all went to see this bus and had our first expedition photograph taken, a group of mad Britons 1 1000ft up in a derelict bus!

While at Malan we were constantly reminded of the destruction of the rainforest around us. Smoke would drift up the valley almo t every day as unprotected forest below us was cleared to make way for grazing land or to form fields for crops. At one point the Plant-ers travelled to another forest, some forty kilometres from Mazan, to gather data for a comparative study of a forest at similar altitude. We found it to be quite different from Mazan, containing many more primitive plants and stayed for over six hours collecting specimens. Unfortunately we were accompanied the whole'time by the roar of chainsaws and the thud of axes a the forest was cleared.

8

However, there were success stories. Two new species of orchid were found last year and are yet to be named. This years specimen will be examined on the expedition's return in ovember. In the region of five hundred birds were caught, measured and ringed including some Red Data Book specie. Four different species of bat were identified and some new methods of bat-catching u ed for the first time in South America. Also, shortly before I left, a large cave had been discovered in which many bats were roosting. The greatest success of all was the knowledge that Mazan was afe. I de cribed the expedition as fulfilling a cultural revolution. I n the past forty year over half of the tropi aI rainforest that covers our planet has been destroyed. It works out at 250 hectares per minute, every minute of every day. The e forests have always been seen as a permanent geographical feature, an endless reservoir of tim ber owned by no one and to be exploited at will by all. Yet the people of Ecuador have managed to totally re-think their attitude to the forest and now the first conservation projects are started. Mazan may only be three minutes worth of timber but it i now one of the many treasures of Ecuador along with its climate and people.

As this is their first conservation project the Ecuadorians have no experience in forest care, and 0 the last task of the expedition will be to devise a management plan for Mazan. This hopefully will generate more interest in forest reserve around the country and perhaps even the American continent. At the moment I regard my elf as a very fortunate person because I have been able to see the beauty and wonder of the tropical rainforest. I only hope that my generations to come will be so lucky.

Sadly all things come to an end and my five weeks in Ecuador were up. I packed my tent, souvenirs and memories and began the long trek back to the road that led to uenca. Some friends took me for a goodbye meal and on the way back from the restaurant I aw one of the many memorable sights. There on the pavement was a six inch Tarantula spider gently plodding its way through the night.

As you can appreciate such a journey involved an enormous amount of hard work to organise and cost a great deal of money. I would like to take this opportunity of thanking all those people who helped me to gel to South America by raising or donating money, in particular The Kings College Department of Biology and W.H. Smith & Sons for their generous sponsorship5. Everyone else will have to go unmentioned but not forgotten.

Another expedition will take place in 1987 to gather more data from the area and I would be more than happy to return, 50 if you see a technician begging for money, smile sweetly, put your hand in your pocket and watch this space .

David Barnes Department of Biology

9

LECTURES, MEETINGS AND SEMINARS MO D Y TH DECEMBER at 1 .OOh in the Old Refectory

Led by the Queen Elizabeth Choir The concert will include carol for audience participation.

Conducted b. Dr. Brian Bainbridge The Queen Elizabeth Choir I based on the origIrull Queen Elizabeth College ChOIr. It meet at I .OOh on ~ondays during term tune 10 the Old Refectory, Kensington Campu . It is open to all staff and student5 who enjoy singing. ext term we are planning a performance of Haydn's 'MarIa There a' Ma .

The ChOir welcomes new members, both staff and student.

The mock arbitration in progress

STUDY SKILLS SE I

Around eventy profe sional engineer from the civil engineering industry from a far afield as the Shetland I land, the I le of Man, and Guernsey - attended this oneweek cour e during September organized by the Civil Engineering Department. The main lecturer and director of the cour e was was John Uff Q.C., now a Visiting Professor in the department where ome years ago ago he graduated in civil engineering with the su bsequent award of a doctorate in soil mechanics. Assistance with the lecturing and tutorial work wa given by a number of practitioner in thi pecialized field of law, of whom two were al 0 civil engineering graduates from King' .

Over the first four days the participant were confronted with problem~ typical of those giving rise to contractual dispute in the construction indu try. Then on the final day a mock arbitration was taged which centred around an imaginary civil engineering project that had run into difficulties and which incorporated i ue dicu ed earlier in the week. The advocat were drawn from the course participant and they presented the variou arguments before a practising Arbitrator while the other observed the proceeding. At the conclu ion, the A rbitrator delivered his verdict with an explanation.

The course was a great success with participants giving enthusiastic praise to its innovative nature and the quality of instruction. Clearly there is a need within the con truction industry for this kind of course and the Civil Engineering Department plans to repeat it next Scptem ber.

10

RS

In order to help tudent improve their tudy skills, two identical eminars will be held on Wednesday 12th ovember in Room 6C Strand ampus, and on Wednesday 19th ovember in the Council Room, Ground Floor, Main Building, Kensington ampu. They will run from 2.00pm - S.OOpm. The seminars, arranged by the Student Counselling Service, will contain four sessions. At 2.00pm Or Peter Butterworth, Senior Lecturer in Biochemistry, Kensington campus, will be talking a bout optimising note-taking in lectures, obtaining material from text book, and how to approach revision for examinations. At 2.40pm Or. Ann Knock, Head of Reader Servi es, and a panel of Library staff will talk about how to utilize the expertise of the staff and explain to students what they should be getting from their library.

Tea will follow and at 3.40pm Ray Holland, Senior Lecturer in Socio-Psychological Studies, Management Group, Kensington campus, will present some ideas on mind-body interactions, self-awareness and useful techniques for coping with anxiety. Finally at 4.20pm Bob Farrer, Lecturer in the Department of Anatomy, Strand campus, will describe how psychological theories of learning ClUl be applied to study and revision.

The seminars aim to pre ent a practical, realistic approach to studying and there will be opportunities for questions and discussion.

All are welcome.

Study Skills Sheets are available from Student Services at any time.

P BLIC LECTURES Thur day 6 ovember Public Lecture in the Faculty of Life Science - Genetics Special Interest Group HYPER VARIABLE 0 A A 0 GE ETlC FI GERPRI TS Or A Jeffreys, University of Leicester 5.30pm, The ew Theatre, Strand campus Tuesday II ovember A Public Lecture in the Faculty of Life Sciences - Developmental Biology Special Interest Group DROSOPHILA DEVELOPME T: THE LIFE HISTORY OF A GE E Or Peter Lawrence, FRS, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge 5.00pm, Room 2808, Strand campus Wednesday 19 ovember A Public Lecture in the Faculty of ll-fe Life Sciences - euroscience Special Intere t Group PHARMACOLOGICAL PROTECTlO OF THE BRAI : The Excitotoxin Theory of eurodegenerative Disease Or L Liver en, FRS, Merck Sharp and Dohme Re earch Laboratorie 5.30pm, The ew Theatre, Strand campus Thursday 20 ovember The First Rosenheim Lecture HORMO L REGULATlO OF EGG PROTEI GENE EXPRESSIO Or J R Tala, FRS, ationallnstitute for Medical Research 5.30pm, The ew Theatre, Strand campus Thur day 27 ovember An Inaugural Lecture in the Department of Philosophy THE LIMITS OF I TELLlGIBlLITY: A Po t-Verificationist Proposal

Christopher Peacocke, Professor of Philosophy S.30pm, The New Theatre, Strand campus Tuesday 2 December A Public Lecture in the Faculty of Laws THE SELECTIO A D TRAl I G OF JUDGES The Lord Gifford, QC S.30pm, The New Theatre, Strand campus

KING'S EPIC SEMINAR Thursday 4 December VIRGIL: Anima aturaliter Christiana?

Carlotta Dionisotti S.OOpm, Room to be announced

THE KEATS LECTURES Friday 7 November THE A ATOMY OF HALLUCINATIO Brian Inglis Friday 14 November HOLISTIC ASPECTS OF MIND Dr Patrick Pietroni Friday 2 I November POETRY A D ALCOHOL Germaine Greer Friday 28 November COMPUTERS THAT TALK Dr Alan Garnham 1.10pm - 2.10pm, Large Anatomy Theatre, Strand campus POSTGRADUATE SEMINAR IN MODERN GREEK LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE Monday 17 November THE MADNESS OF GENRE: Generic analysis and Byzantine Literary Texts Margaret Mullett, Queen's University of Belfast Monday 24 November THE ORAMATA KAI THAMATA OF MAKRlYANNIS: A Reconnaisance Hal Lidderdale, Translator, Makriyannis' Memoirs Monday 1 December STRUCTURAL OPPOSITIO S IN THE GROTTAFERRATA DIGENES AKRITES Catia Galatariotou, Selwyn College, Cambridge S.OOpm, The Burrows library, Strand campus THE MAXWELL SOCIETY Monday 10 November A ITMATTER - FROM DIRAC TO W&Z Professor P Kalmus, Queen Mary College

Monday 17 November FU DAME TAL PARTICLES A D ASTROPHYSICS Dr Christine Sutton, ew Scientist Monday 24 ovember STELLAR OSCILLATIO S AND A SEARCH FOR SOLAR SYSTEMS Professor J Ring, Imperial College Monday 1 December CELLULAR LOGIC A D IMAGE PRo.CESSI G Professor M J B Duff, University College London Monday 8 December WHAT IS IJ'OPHYSICS? Dr M E J Holwill, King's College London 2.00pm - 3.00pm, Room 2c, Strand campus

DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE SEMINARS Wednesday 5 November CA WE AVOID THE CO CEPT OF TRUTH IN SCIENTIFIC METHODOLOGy? Professor V Sadovsky, University of Moscow Wednesday 12 November DOES CO SCIOUSNESS DO A YTHI G? Professor J Watkins, London School of Economics Wednesday 19 November CO VENTION IN MEASUREMENT THEORY Professor B Ellis, La Trobe University, Australia

INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED MUSICAL STUDIES COLLOQUIA Wednesday 12 ovember A ALYZI G VARIATIO S: The Final Movement of Beethoven's String Quartet in E Flat Op. 74 Dr icholas Marston, King s College Londo Wednesday 10 December LUTOSLAWSKI: A ew Appraisal Professor Steven Stucky Cornell Uni versity S.OOpm, Room 301, Faculty of Music, Strand campus

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE COLLOQUIA Thursday 13 November SOME COMPUTATIO AL ASPECTS OF DISCOURSE REPRESENTATION Lesley Stirling, Linguistics, Edinburgh Thursday 20 November ANALOGY A D AUTOMATIC INFERE CE Stephen Owen, Artificial Intelligence, Edinburgh Wednesday 27 November PLA S FOR A ROBUST SEMA TIC PARSER Arthur Cater, Computer Science, University College Dublin Wednesday 4 December SOCIOCULTURAL SYSTEMS AND DISTRIBUTED Al Jim Doran, Computer Science, Essex 3.1Spm, Room lOB, Strand campus

Wednesday 26 November METHOD, META-METHOD A D VALUATION IN SCIENCE Dr R Nola, University of Auckland, New Zealand Wednesday 3 December THE POLE AT REST DOES OT EXPLAI ROTATIO Professor H R Post, King's College London Wednesday 10 December SOME USES OF SUBJECTIVE PROBABILITY Professor F Lad; State University of ew York at Albany

KING'S COLLEGE SEMINAR ON RELIGION AND LITERATURE Thursday 13 November LITERARY A D SPIRITUAL FORM IN A(GERMA )TWELFTH-CE TURY SO G OF SO GS COMME TARY Professor Roy Wisbey, Head of Department of German o knowledge of the original language will be assumed.

S.30pm, The Dean's Office

All the seminars take place in Room 1B06 at 2.ISpm

LIBRARY LUNCHTIME SEMINARS

NEW MUSIC AT KING'S

Wednesday 26 November LIBRARY RESOURCES WlTHI LONDO AREA

Tuesday 25 November The Music will perform Messaien 'Trois Petites Liturgies' for Choir and Orchestra and a new chamber ordchestra work by postgraduate student Don Hart

THE

Wednesday 3 December PROBLEM SOLVING SESSION 1.00pm - 2.00pm, Room 2B23, Strand campus

S.30pm, The Great Hall, Strand campus

11

FRE CH DEPARTME TAL LECTURES Thursday 6 ovember THE GREAT WAR. D AFTER. Barbu se, DuhameL Romain Rolland ,fr ane aDavie Thursda 13 ovember IOLE, 'CE, ORDER A, 'D RELlGIO.路: Baudelaue and Jo eph de Maistre revisited Mr Bernard Howells Thursday 20 ovember RE 'E GI~RD: Violence and CIvilisation ~r John Taylor Thur day 27 ovember To be announced Thur day 4 December FEMI 1ST DISCOURSE A D Ms Susan Sellers

is open between 9.30am and the Senate Hou e Library.

12.00pm, Room IB27, Strand campus

in

A PHOTOGRAPfDC CELEBRATlO An exhibition of photograph is being held at the Barbi<:.an Centre Library Foyer.

The exhibition is an a ompaniment to the book The University of London, 1 3619 6: an illustrated histOry by 'egle Harte,and can be visited between 9.30am and 5.30pm on Monday to Friday (7.30pm on Tue day) and 9.30am and 12.30pm on Saturtlay .

BRITISH ASSOCIATlO RE CE IOLE CE

~ .00pm,

CO FE-

A one-day conference entitled UCLEAR WI TER is being held by the British Association for the Advancement of Science on Tuesday 2 December 1986.

Further details are available from the A ociation (tel. 01-7346010).

MEDIEVAL GERMAN STUDY GROUP Thursday 2 December GATTU GSREFLEXIO I MORU GE S LIED MF 145, I' (The an;i us Poem) Professor Klaus Speckenbach (Munster) 6.00pm, GOS, Strand campus

STAFF NEWS OBITUARIES

c.c. HE

TSCHEL

HUMANITIES COMPUTING Christopher Carl Hent. che!, who died aged 87 on July 21 t, was a distinguished zoologist and member of the Univer ity of Tuesday 18 November London. Born in Chal1l;ery Lane, London, STYLISTIC I DICES INDEPI::, DI::,NT the son of Carl ('Harris' of J erome K. OF TEXT LENGTH ]erome's Three Men in a Boa!') and Bertha Dr Michael Weitlman, Univerity College Hentschel, Jerome wa hi godfather. His London sister lrene (Mrs. Ivor Brown) was wellknown for her theatrical connections. He 6.00pm, GOS, Strand campus was educated at St. Paul's School as a Classical Scholar and at King's College, and then did research on gregarine Protozoa to Friday 12 December gain his M.Sc. He was appointed Demono E-DA Y COFERENCE 0 1 H MA - strator in Biology at Sl. Bartholomew'.

ITIES OMPUTI G Medical St:hool before moving to Chelsea Several papers will be devoted to matters Polytechnic in 1931, as Lecturer in Looof current intnest while other will be logy, and where he was to spend the rest concerned with specific project.. Adequate of his worklllg 1Ife. He published, in 1932 lime will be left for discussion. with W.R. Ivimey Cook, the highly uccesful 'Biology for Medical Students', which Further tletail arc availa hIe from Professor ran to many editions. A fine ledurer, he Roy Wisbey, Department of German. built up the teat.hing of /oology at Chelsea and became Head of the Department of Botany and Zoology in 1953. After the polytechnic had become a College of Advanced Technology he was appointed Vice-Principal, and, upon the sudden death U IVERSlTY OF LO DO LIBof icholas Lighfoot, PI incipal in 1962 RARY EXHlBlTIO S until his retirement in 1965, during the crucial period of the college's transition to DIVERSE RICHES full University statU. Always a<.:tive in the University, he was aPPolllted as -.Reoognised An exhibition of books, manuscripts and Tcachet of the University to the Board of archives will be on tlisplay until 13 DecStudic in Zoology in 1933 and made its ember, as part of the University' 150th ecretary in 1934, remaining so until he Anniversary Celebrations. The exhibition was elected chairman in 1952 and serving SEMINAR I

I

I 12

until 195 . He was a member (or Chairman) 0 every Board of Examiner in Zoolog}- and BIOlogy between 1936 and becOffilDg Pein Ipal of Chel ea in 1962. He also wa a member of Senate 1956-64 and 1966- O. a ell a erving a Convo atlOn S ience Senator and on other bodie u h a the Central Re earch Fund CommIttee, the Military Education Committee. et . A Fello.... of the LlDnean Society of London from 1923, he wa four time elected to Coun J1 and wa I e-Pre Ident Il1 1943-44 and 1952-53. 'CCH', as he was generally known, wa a bachelor, robu t and forthright but readily breaking into the heartie t laughter. Throughout hIS long areer he supported many young biologists there are still members of staff at the Chelsea Campus and old graduates of the Department of Botany and Zoology who peak gratefully of 'being given their chance

by CCH. A Head of Department he was alway available and approachable, willing to li ten and giving practical advice. A man of integrity, his confidence always to be trusted, he wa a loyal colleague and member of the college. In retirement at Folkstone and latterly at Durham, he continued to corec 'pond with old colleagues and how a su tained lively interest in aspect of zoological resear<:.h, retaining the affectIOn and esteem of all who knew hun.

Thomas J. Mortimer

DEATH OF MIKE PURSER It IS with great sadness we report the sudde death of Mike Purser. Mike was about to start his thirtl and final year of post-graduate research having obtained a first class honours degree in Geography at King's.

His re earch work was well advanced and completion was very near.

At the age of 24, his untimely death while running for Herne Hill Harriers has stunned the Department. He was a driving force within both the at.ademic and social lives of the post-graduates and his commitment to teaching under-graduate within the department was very much a source of enjoyment to Mike.

The dedication to whIch Mike pursued hIS research and athletic interests, always with good humour and wit, will indeed be a great loss to the department and the college and for those who knew him personally.

We would like to relay our deepest sympathies to his family and friend and to say his friendship remain ever present with in the Geography Department particularly with those who had the pleasure of Mike's corn panionship.

A memorial service in the college is heing arrangetl.

Department of Geography

APPOINTME T TO U NERSITY JOINT PLA ING COMMITTEE Professor orma Rinsler, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, has been appointed as a member of the University of London Joint Planning Committee, for the 86/87 session in the first instance.

SAFETY OFFICER Dr R.C. Slade has been appointed College Safety Officer and Radiation Protection Adviser with effect from I October.

He can be contacted on ext. 2654, Room 26A Main Building, Strand campus, or ext. 234, Ground Floor, Atkins Building, Kensington campus.

HEAD OF MUSIC Professor Arnold Whittall will be Acting Head of the Department of Music for this session while Professor Brian Trowell is on sabbatical leave.

APPOINTMENT OF PROFESSOR STOTT TO GOVERNME T REVIEW

the Main Building and on the 5th floor of the Strand Building. The first year laboratory is in 14D, overlooking the river, and the second and third year laboratory is in 7D, directly over the main entrance hall. The office of the Departmental Secretary is 2D. The new telephone numbers are as follows: Tel: extension Professor John Bux1nn 2588 Head of Department Sue eslen, Departmental Secretary

Bell, Michael Bird, Malcolm Bolton, David Boud, Michael Bridgeman, Colin Croft, Simon Fairbourn, Alan Faulks, eil Florentin, John Furber, David Hall, Andrew Henderson, John (part time) Holdsworth, Brian (part time) Hutchinson, Alan Lee, Peter Rollason, J eff Rose, Vera (part time) Stokes, Nahed Sealey, Peter Till, David Vaidya, De

2588/2469

2809 2834 2833 285 I 2591 2694 2469 2591 2844 2832 2844 2809 2694 2842 2841 2591 2469 2843 2831 2833 2831

Peter Stott, ash Professor of Civil Engineering has been appointed by the Secretary of State for Transport 'to review the safety record of automatic open level crossings, to consider the lessons gained from the experience so far and to make recommendations'. This unusual appointment follows a serious accident on one of these crossings ANNUAL STAFF REVIEW FOR (which have warning lights but no barriers) MANUAL & RELATED STAFF/AND at Lockington in July. It was later decided FOR TECHNICAL AND RELATED not to approve further crossings of this type until there had been such a review. To STAFF help Professor Stott with his six months task (after which a report will be published) The papers for these two Annual Reviews he will have an office and a small staff in will be circulated to Departments: those the Department of Transport building in for manual and related staff at the end of Westminster.

October 1986 and those for technical and related staff during the week beginning November 3 1986. Heads of Departments EQUIPMENT GRANT TO PROFwill receive copies of the procedure for ESSOR BAKER display/circulation in the department. Copies of blank job description forms will be The Wellcome Trust has awarded a special available in the department or from the equipment grant of ÂŁ73,590 to Professor Personnel Office, room 215, Norfolk P.F. Baker of the Physiology Department Building (ext. 2288). for the development of optical methods for localizing ionic changes within single Applications and recommendations are to cells. This grant has been awarded under be returned to the Personnel Office: by the Wellcome Trust's Major Equipment 24th November 1986 in the case of manual Scheme. and related staff and by December :2 for technical and related staff.

DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTING

WHERE IS BIOLOGY?

The move of the Department of Computing to the Strand site has now taken place.

The offices are located on 'D' corridor in

I hope that, by now, everyone knows that the Biology Department has transferred nearly all its activities to the Kensington

Campus. However, we still have a very few members of staff elsewhere. Or. J ill Sale will be spending part of her time on the Strand (ext 2372), and part at Kensington for most or all of thi academic year. Two mem bers of staff will still be at the former Plant Sciences Laboratory at Half Moon Lane (733-5666) until mid November: Professor J W Bradbeer (ext. 25 or 26), and Professor David Hall (ext. 28). After that, they will be joining us in the quiet, leafy environment of Kensington. So, if you want to contact us biologists, phone us in Kensington - or, better still, come and see us in our new, enlarged and improved accommodation!

Barry Cox

NEWS ROUND-UP NEWS FROM THE DEAN'S OFFICE GOD IS ON OUR SIDE? The Dean's Sermon at the start of session The Chapel was full for the traditional service on the first day of term. The Dean took as his text a description of King's that had just appeared in Time Out which commented, 'Merger problems are still working their way through the system, but as King's was founded as a religious College, everyone knows that God is on their side.'

Arguing that the moral criticism of religious ideas is the most important form of criticism, the Dean suggested that the idea of God revealed in this quotation was inadequate. Wc are not to think of some great plan inexorably working its way out. Rather, God had taken a real risk in creation (with appalling costs). The future was genuinely open and depended on the choices we make. God does not come to us as the great boss figure ordering us about, but as a friend. 'Thus the Lord used to speak to Mose face to face as a man speaks to his friend' (Exodus 33,11). Humbly, almost shyly, our divine/human friend and brother invites us to share in his great work of creatIOn; his work of making every human life nourish.

The Dean ended by contrasting the image of students in the 1960s as violent lawbreakers with their image today as yuppies in the making. He suggested that freshers take two specific social or political concerns and really make them their own in an informed and committed way.

13

D E T CAROL SERVICES Ticket or the e popular ervi e will be a t1able from the Porter' Lodge on the Strand ite from :-'10nday . 'ovember I .

Please note that one date i different thi year due to the pedal niver ity of London Service. The dates are De ember 2nd, 4th & - th. PI k up your ti kets early to a oid di appointment.

n informal Chri tma Carol Servi e designed for mem ber of staff \ ith young children will be held on Tuesday December 9th at 5.30pm.

PE CEMAKl G IN THE AGE

CLEAR

The Dean has been appointed Chairman of a new hurch of England working party on 'Peacemaking in the uclear ge'. Thi i the successor to the group that produced The Church and the Bomb.

E D OF TERM EUCHARIST The haplain will be the Preacher at the end of term euchari t on Wednesday December 10th at noon.

SPECIAL UNIVERSITY SERVICE special service to celebrate the l50th anniversary of the University of London will be held at St Paul's Cathedral on Wednesday December 3rd at 6pm. The Chancellor, Prince s Anne, will be present and the Preacher will be the Revd Professor Owen Chad wick OM. SPECIAL THEOLOGY LECTURE Also in celebration of the lSOth anniversary of the niver ity, a Special Faculty Lecture in Theology will be given at King' on Tuc day ovember 11th at 5.30pm in the Great Hall on the Strand.

The peaker will be The Very Revd Sydney I:.van and the title will be 'The Faculty of Theology: Origins and Development'.

MINORITY RIGHTS The Dean would like to start a branch in King's of the Minority Rights G roup. If any member of taff is willing to be involved in this venture please contact the Dean. The Minority Rights Group is a highly re. pected organisation doing valuable work concentrating primarily on minority groups rather than individual cases.

14

The Dean pictured with one of the Icons in the Col/ege Chapel. This particular Icon will feature on this year's College Christmas Card which will be on sale in mid-November

KE SI GTO CAMPUS HOSTS JAPA ESE SCIE TISTS

(Pror. R. Tamamushi), 'Membrane Permeability Studies' (Or. K. Tanaka), 'Immunoassay' (Or. P. ugent) and Enzyme Electrodes' (Or. G. Delaney).

The College recently acted as hosts to visitor from the Institute of Physical and The fir t patent arising from collaborative hemical Re earch (RIKE ) in Tokyo. work of the two groups, on algal fuel cells, The extended vi it follows the igning of a wa recently filed in Japan. formal agreement earlier this year for collaboration between King's and RIKE , and is part of a continuing exchange cheme sponsored by the Briti h Council and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.

Or. John Stirling (Biochemistry) also made TELEPHO E PRIVATE CIRCUITS a reciprocal visit to Japan during August.

- STRA DIKE SINGTO Areas of research activity covered by the agreement include bio-fuel cells, biosensors On the afternoon of Thursday 16th Octand solar energy devices. ober 1986, the last remaining work was undertaken by British Telecom to provide The visit was organised and supported by two direct private circuit routes between the Bioelectrochemistry and Biosensors tne Strand and Kensington Campu es.

Group (ajoint activity of the Chemistry, These routes will permit extension users Biochemistry and Microbiology departat each of the two campuses to call one ments), who also provided facilities for another without operator assistance. collaborative 'Surface-Modified Electrodes'

From the Strand dial "5" followed by the three digits of the extension number at Ken ington. If the circuit are bu yan engaged tone will be heard after the initial access digit "5".

From Ken ington also dial "5" followed by the four digit of the extension number at the Strand. Busy routes will again be indicated by an engaged tone after the initial acce s digit "5".

Should difficulty be encountered in establishing the call or should the distant extension number not be known, the distant operator may be called by diallin~ the acces code "5" followed by the single digit "0".

Each circuit will carry only one call at a time and u er are reque ted to keep conver ation as brief a possible so that others do not experience long delays before obtaining access to t he circuits.

A DIN ER FOR ADVE TCHELSEA CAMPUS

DARTMOOR, STAMPS A D KI G'S

We are arranging another Chelsea Dinner on Friday, ovem ber 2 th, 19 6 in the Hamilton Room on the Chel ea Campu King's Road) and member of taff are cordially invited to come and bring guests.

The Chel ea Dinner are very popular and pace is limited so if you would like to join u please send for particulars and a booking lip to: Mr. K. Harper, King' College London (KQC), Room 2.305,552 King's Road, London, SW 100 A. There will be drinks beforehand, a three-course menu with wine, and coffee with a liqueur, port or brandy to follow. The inclusive price is ÂŁ 13.50 and dre is informal (lounge suits preferred) .

For ome time now a cheme ha been running in Dartmoor Prison to collect and ell used tamp with all proceed going to the Royal Lifeboat In tirution. All tamps are welcomed - even the mo t mundane.

John Muir Assistant Principal

THE 1986 COMMEMORA no

Several thousand pounds are rai ed each year by the cheme, a well as providing ome intere t for those in the prison itself.

If you want to send stamps then I would b pleased to forward them or you can write direct to:

Stamps, Senior Officer Blake, HMP Dartmoor, Princetown, Telverton, Devon PL20 6RH David Green Dept. of Geography

ORATIO

LATIN AMERICA, DEMOCRACY AND EUROPE to be delivered by Dr Raphael Caldera Former President of Venezuala

COMME T is produced by the King's Col lege London (KQC) Information Office on the Strand campus.

MONDAY DECEMBER 1ST NEXT EDITIO : Copy date Friday Novem ber 21 for pu blication in the week of December 8

Great Hall Strand campus S.OOpm Admission by ticket available free from the Principal's Office

LIAISO

LU CH-TIME SEMINAR

Wedne day 19

ovember 1986

12.45 - 1.45pm in the Committee Room, Strand campu Sandwiches and coffee available

Please return the slip to Peter Lawrence, Room 223 Strand campus, by noon on 17 so that we have an idea of numbers I plan to attend the Uaison lunch-time seminar on 19

NAME

ovember

ovember

DEPARTMENT

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