president
Professor Tony Wildsmith of the Department of Anaesthesia at Ninewells Hospital was elected as the
President of the Scottish Society of Anaesthetists, the oldest national society of anaesthesia in the
world, at the annual meeting in April. He follows a long line of distinguished Scottish colleagues, but
is particularly proud to be the first Englishman to hold the office.
library
The University library has joined SCONUL Research Extra - the largest borrowing scheme for higher education
researchers in the UK and Ireland providing access to 125 UK libraries including Edinburgh and Glasgow.
The scheme, which was launched on Monday 2 June is open to academic staff - on open or fixed term contracts
and postgraduate research students registered for a PhD, MPhil or similar qualification. There is no charge
to join and participants can apply to become a member of any other participating University's library
service. Full details www.sconul.ac.uk/use_lib/srx/. Registration forms are available at all University of
Dundee libraries.
communicating
This year's deadline to apply for the EMBO communication award is August 31st. The award - a silver medal
and 5 000 euros - is presented for an outstanding contribution to public communication in the life
sciences. Practising scientists researching in Europe or Israel are eligible for the award. Full details
http://www.embo.org/projects/scisoc/com_medal.html
languages
All university staff and students can study French, German, Spanish and Italian at various levels at
lunchtime or early evening. Apart from a small registration fee, all classes are free. Classes resume in
October. For further information contact Liz Campbell, ext 4385. e.c.campbell@dundee.ac.uk
workshop
Furthering links between higher and further education, Malcolm Horner and Andy Munns led a project
management workshop for 40 staff at Dundee College in May.
innovation
The Honorary Graduates' Award for Innovative Teaching 2003 has been given to two groups and two individuals
for teaching projects. Dr Suzanne Zeedyk for "motivation and history of initiative"; Dr Richard Parsons
for "complete solution for self and peer assessment of text using novel online system"; Alison Fox, Lorna
Stevenson and Kathleen McMillan for "description of the mentor accountant"; and Dr Nick Hine, Dr Andy
Judson and Dr Alan Prescott for "online access to an electron microscope". A full report on the winning
projects will be published in the next issue of Contact.
mullard
Nominations have opened for the Royal Society Mullard award for an individual who has an outstanding
academic record in any area of natural science, engineering or technology and whose work is currently
making a contribution to national prosperity in the UK. Full details of the award, including an on-line
nomination form, can be accessed at www.royalsoc.ac.uk. The closing date is 30 June.
history
Twenty-five history teachers from Tayside, Fife, Angus and Perthshire attended a one day conference in the
Department of History addressing key curriculum subject areas. Professor Charles McKean spoke on the
development of the urban environment in Scottish cities. The conference provided an opportunity to build
relations with historians working in secondary education connecting classroom history to academic research
and new resources.