gender
The Women’s History Network is inviting submissions for this year’s Clare Evans prize, awarded annually for a new essay in the field of women’s or gender history. Entries should be from women who have not yet published in a major academic journal. The winning essay will receive a £250 prize and be published in Women’s History Review. The deadline for receipt of entries is 31 May. Those wishing to submit essays should email Ann Hughes to establish the eligibility of the topic: hia21@keele.ac.uk
intimation
Dr John M. Rushforth, formerly Director of the University Computing Service, died at home on 5th February after a short illness.
Born in Yorkshire, John became a student at Birmingham where he studied mathematics. With specialist interest in number theory, he was initially appointed at Dundee as a Lecturer in Mathematics in 1953.
He took up the post of Director of the Computing Laboratory (with one member of staff) in 1965, and subsequently steered the Universityís computing service and its technology through two location changes (Springfield, then Park Place) and three decades of changing computer platforms. He originally supervised an STC Zebra (which he described as a ìroom-sized ready reckonerî), then an Elliot 4130 (a ìroom-sized pocket calculatorî), then on to the very popular DECsystem-10 mainframe in the 1970s, Primes, PCs, UNIX systems and a variety of networking and peripheral equipment.
In the early days John was programming at machine-level with paper tape. By the time he retired, computing had become ìinformation technologyî and was mostly interactive in real time. Latterly he had acquired additional skills with fighting computer viruses and teaching effective use of up-to-the-minute word-processing and spreadsheet packages. He was also a Fellow of the British Computer Society, the main UK professional organisation for those working in the information technology industry.
When John retired in 1992, he was the Universityís longest serving member of academic or related staff, and a much respected, thoughtful and kindly disposed father figure to those who worked for him. Colleagues in and beyond IT Services missed his happy smile and deerstalker hat. Now we shall miss him even more, and our thoughts are with his family.
golf
The Dow Putter competition - match-play knockout, will be played during the summer term. This year’s Dow Putter is likely to be as hotly contested as ever, and any members of the University wishing to compete should send their name, department, home and work telephone numbers, and official golf handicap to n.j.wade@dundee.ac.uk before 14 April, 2003.
innovation
The honorary graduates’ award for innovative teaching is inviting nominations for the prize in 2003. Nominations, which can be made by any individual teacher or group of teachers, should be confined to two sides of A4 paper and should be sent to the academic secretary by Monday 21 April.
celebration
The annual conference of the four Scottish departments of general practice recently marked the retrial of Professor John Bain from the Dundee department. Colleagues gathered in Stirling from Scotland and further afield to celebrate his career.
funfit
The children’s Easter programme will run from 7-18 April offering activity opportunities for children age from 3 to 15 years. All courses based at the institute of sport and exercise include; funfit club, junior sports, trampoline coaching, playfit, games and NRG max. Application forms are available from the institute reception and swimming pool. For more information contact: Hazel Bell, ext 5177, h.c.bell@dundee.ac.uk
Easter
During Easter vacation the institute of sport and exercise still offer over 25 exercise classes per week. Vacation timetables are now available at the institute and swimming pool reception desks. This special programme runs from Monday 17 March to Sunday 13 April, and includes all the popular classes like yoga, sleek physique and wellbeing.
history
Professor David Swinfen, who retired as vice principal of the University of Dundee last year is to embark on an updated history of the university to mark the institution’s 40th anniversary in 2007.
heads
Professor Richard Olver has taken over as head of the department of maternal and child health sciences for the coming three years. Professor Bob Steele will become head of the department of surgery and molecular oncology from 1 June for three years.
chair
Cancer researcher Alastair Thompson has been appointed to a personal chair within the department of surgery and molecular oncology. Professor Thompson’s research links laboratory advances in biochemistry, molecular biology and genetics with the clinical management of patients suffering from breast, oesophageal or gastric cancer. Over the last six years he has attracted, jointly with his colleagues, well over £3m in research funding. His publications include four books, seven chapters and well over 100 papers.