16 November 2010

'Daftie and Johnnie: D'Arcy Thompson's lifelong friend, John Scott Haldane' - public lecture

The relationship between Dundee's pioneering scientist D'Arcy Thompson and his lifelong friend John Scott Haldane will be explored at a public lecture at the University of Dundee later this week.

The event will be hosted by the Abertay Historical Scoiety and the lecture, entitled 'Daftie and Johnnie: D’Arcy Thompson's lifelong friend, John Scott Haldane' will be delivered by Professor Martin Goodman from the University of Hull.

Taking place on Wednesday, 17th November from 6.30pm, the lecture will take place at the D'Arcy Thompson Zoology Museum, Carnelley Building.

Born just hours apart 150 years ago, D’Arcy Wentworth Thompson and JS Haldane, walked to school and joined the schoolboy Eureka Society together. The friendship of Thompson was pivotal to J.S. Haldane's astonishing career. When D'Arcy Thompson took up the Chair of Biology at University College Dundee, he quickly invited Haldane to join him in some important physiological research.

Professor Goodman is the author of the award-winning biography of Haldane 'Suffer & Survive: The Extreme Life of J.S.Haldane', which was published in 2007. He will be recounting several fascinating tales born of one of the greatest friendships in science.

This lecture is one of many events to be held in 2010 to mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of D'Arcy Thompson who was appointed Professor of Biology at University College, Dundee at the age of just 24. He held this position (which was later retitled Professor of Natural History) until 1917, when he left Dundee to take up the Chair of Natural History at United College, University of St Andrews.

His great work 'On Growth and Form' (1917) was one of the most influential scientific texts of the early twentieth century. J.S. Haldane is most famous today as the inventor of the gas mask, which he developed from years of dangerous and pioneering self-experimentation.

The talk starts at 6.30pm with refreshments available from 6pm. Entry is free to all AHS members. Non-members are requested to make a small donation to the society.

Enquires about this event or the work of AHS should be directed to Matthew Jarron, Secretary of the Society, on m.h.jarron@dundee.ac.uk.

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Grant Hill
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University of Dundee
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