9 October 2008

'Watson-Watt: Battle of Britain - Three Steps to Victory'

New exhibition - October 16th to November 20th, University of Dundee

'Watson-Watt: The Battle of Britain - Three Steps to Victory' is an exciting new exhibition at the University of Dundee celebrating one of the UK’s great technology pioneers.

The work of Brechin-born scientist Sir Robert Watson-Watt and his team played a crucial role in the defence of the United Kingdom during World War II, developing workable RADAR systems that were absolutely key to the country defending itself in the Battle of Britain.

The exhibition features a fascinating collection of photographs and artifacts relating to both Watson-Watt himself and his valuable work on RADAR. It also includes a section on the Watson-Watt Society of Brechin’s plans for a permanent memorial in the scientist’s birth town.

Visitors will also see an example of how RADAR technology is still being developed with a demonstration of the `Radar In A Room’ technology from the Millimetre Waves project run by the University of St Andrews. This tracks objects and movement in a room, in a manner similar to the Marauder Maps used by Harry Potter!

Watson-Watt was a graduate of University College, Dundee, forerunner to the University of Dundee, gaining a BSc in Engineering in 1912. He subsequently went on to lead the pioneering research on RADAR at the National Physics Laboratory and the Bawdsey Manor Research Station.

The title of the exhibition is drawn from Watson-Watt’s own published account of how the RADAR system was developed.

'The work led by Robert Watson-Watt in the 1920s and1930s proved hugely significant at the time of World War II and continues to be of great use in our modern world, influencing everything from air traffic control to sat-nav systems' said exhibition organiser Sarah Parkes.

'With this exhibition we are hoping to show people how that technology was developed, how it was used and the influence it has had on the world. We also want to celebrate the fact that one of the key scientists behind this pioneering work belonged to the local area.'

The exhibition is being held in the Queen Mother Building at the University of Dundee and will run from Thursday 16 October to Thursday 20 November (closed to the public Friday 24 October). The exhibition is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Late evening opening Wednesday 22 October, 9am-7.30pm. Admission is free. School visits can also be arranged. For further information please contact us on 01382 386 730 or at events@dundee.ac.uk.

NOTES TO EDITORS
For more on the `Radar In A Room’ project see: www.vision4thefuture.org/s3_workshop/w_radarinaroom.htm.

For media enquiries contact:
Roddy Isles
Head, Press Office
University of Dundee
Nethergate Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384910
E-MAIL: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk