14 October 2013
Professor Charles McKean's career to be celebrated at conference
The career of the late Professor Charles McKean will be celebrated later this month at an academic conference with its
origins in his ground-breaking research into Scottish Renaissance Studies.
Professor McKean, Emeritus Professor of Scottish Architectural History at the University of Dundee, died earlier this
month at the age of 67.
'A New Platform for Scottish Renaissance Studies' takes place at Perth Conference Centre on Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th
October. The conference, which had been planned before Professor McKean's passing, seeks to bring disparate Scottish
Renaissance research undertaken over the past decade into a coherent whole to provide the basis for future studies.
Professor McKean had been at the forefront of this field of study, and his findings helped bring about a revaluation
of the Scotland's cultural achievements during the period and the role played by Scotland in the European Renaissance.
Renowned academics from across Europe will present papers at the conference alongside prominent Scottish academics and
early career researchers. Delegates will include current and past colleagues and students of Professor McKean's and also
post-graduate students from across Scotland, thanks to funding for this purpose from the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE).
Conference organiser Sue Hewer said, 'I received an email from Charles two weeks before his death in which he expressed a
wish that the conference should go ahead because he was passionate about Scottish Renaissance studies and wanted this conference
to herald a new era in the field.
'He was an inspirational figure in the world of academia for decades, both in terms of his research and his teaching.
I am an old student of his, and we remained good friends since. Charles was always very supportive of new researchers so we're
delighted that an award from the RSE is enabling PhD students and early-career researchers to present at the conference
and attend as delegates.
'The weekend will be a celebration of his work as well as a call for other academics to build on his legacy. The fact
that delegates will be attending from abroad reflects the esteem that the academic world held him in.'
In addition to the five conference sessions there will be two site visits, one to the privately owned Megginch Castle
on the Carse of Gowrie and the other to Huntingtower Castle.
On the Saturday evening there will be a dinner to celebrate Professor McKean's contribution to Scottish Renaissance
Studies with particular reference to the architecture, clients, interiors, structure and setting of the Renaissance
Scottish country seat.
Professor McKean was the foremost authority on Scottish architectural history, and his distinguished career also
saw him appointed architecture correspondent for The Times newspaper and Chair of UNESCO Edinburgh World Heritage Trust.
He was appointed Head of the School of Architecture at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design (part of the
University of Dundee) in 1995, before taking up his position as Professor of Scottish Architectural History in the University's
History department in 1997.
Professor McKean was a passionate advocate of preserving Dundee's architectural history and led hundreds of walking
tours of the city over the past two decades. He was awarded an Honorary Stephen Fry Award by the University in 2012 for his life time achievements in engaging the public with his research in Scottish architectural history.
The University will host its own memorial event for Professor McKean later this year.
More information is available from www.dundee.ac.uk
or by contacting Sue Hewer on suehewer1@btopenworld.com.
For media enquiries contact:
Grant Hill
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384768
E-MAIL: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk
MOBILE: 07854 953277 |
