Brian Foster
Oxford Unversity
A Chance to Serve…
Saxonfest
30/5/08
Introduction
Some selected committee highlights.
Postscript
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Introduction
It takes longer to read the section of David’s CV
relating to committee and “pro bono” work than
I have for my talk!
His Glasgow committee work will be covered after
lunch. I will concentrate on the other stuff - mostly,
but not exclusively - pp.
Extracts from archeology in the Foster Archive of
UK particle physics committees.
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The way we were
But first – extracted from the Oxford NPL archive.
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Kendrew
David was my first boss – I worked on TASSO
as RAL RA from 78 – 82 until moving to IC and
then getting lectureship in Bristol in 84.
The regular crisis in pp was in full flow at this
point – SERC were worried about growth in
contribution to CERN due to weakness of pound.
Sir John Kendrew chaired committee that
recommended 25% in
domestic spend and tried
to implement 25% cut in
subscription. The whole
community, including
David, were mobilised.
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From archives
One of the
initiatives of those
days was writing
to MPs.
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Post Kendrew
Cutting the domestic
spend by 25% was
the easy part. Then
the government tried
to bully CERN –
Abragham.
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Post Kendrew
The trench warfare
continued for several
years.
David played an
important part in
initiatives at this
time, such as
foundation of IoP
HEPP group.
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Glasgow in Kendrew era
In the midst of
all this excitement,
PPC still found time
for its programme
of visits to groups.
Glasgow hosted
us in 1987. This
to quote KS, was
still BD.
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Planning for the future
As an SERC employee, David was, if not ineligible,
then at least not encouraged, to serve on SERC
committees.
He was however in demand outside the UK, and
began a long involvement with ECFA and its many
organs in 1986 – utilising expertise on tracking
detectors as Chair of LHC tracking WG.
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The committee years
In 1990, David came to Glasgow as Kelvin professor.
Once this was known, he was immediately inducted
into PPESP, 89-92.
At this point the avalanche began. Unusually, David
made Chairman of the PPC without having served
as a member. He became PPC chair in 1992 and
ex officio member of first NPB and then PSAB. He
had to cope with his share of the perennial crises –
including threats to withdraw from LHC.
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The committee years
In the middle of his term,
PPARC was formed.
David played a crucial role
as midwife – laying
foundations for atmosphere
of respect & trust with
astronomers that persists
to this day.
As so often, I followed
in David’s footsteps –
in 1996 I succeeded him as
PPC Chair and then
became Co-Chair of SC.
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The committee years
In 1997 David became a
member of PPARC
Council, where he served
for 4 years. He was also
a distinguished chair
of the PPARC PUS
panel.
We had lots of fun, since
I also attended Council
as co-chair of SC.
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The committee years
In all of these roles, David strongly interacted
with UK policy on CERN; he attended UKCC
and was an advisor to the delegates to CERN
Council, attending Council and Committee of
Council.
In CERN itself, David has had a most distinguished
record, as DRDC member, SPC member 1993-98
and member of Review Committee in 2002. He was
also a PRC member at DESY and is currently a
member of IUPAP C11 Commission.
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The committee years
Going well beyond particle physics, David also
had two terms on the Council of the former
CCLRC – 2000-2001 and 2005-2007. He was Chair
of PPUAC for many years. He has also served the
MRC as a member of “Discipline Hopping Awards
Panel” and Adv. Group on Technology.
Outside RC’s, David’s contributions bewildering in
variety. Council of RSE, External Examiner at
Oxford, British Council, 1996 RAE. Many services
to Anglican Church.
David is chair of the King’s College London
Redundancy Committee!
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University Committees
I promised I wouldn’t talk about this – but
one anecdote.
Current University positions:
Head: Experimental Particle Physics Research Group
1990 –
Chair: Recruitment Advisory Panel from Jan 2006
Convener: Deans’ group 2005Member: Research skills training group 2004Member: Research Planning and Strategy Committee
2005Member: Scottish Univ's Environmental Research Centre
Mgmt C’ttee 2005Member: Gifford Lectures Committee
(Natural Theology) 1993 15
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“Saxon Glasgow”
Google “Saxon Glasgow” gives:
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Ave atque vale
A quote from Andy Parker
David, I hope your wise counsel will continue to be
available to us in the crises of the future! Thank
you from us, your colleagues, but most of all,
from UK particle physics – it would have been
a different, and poorer, discipline, if you hadn’t been
among its leaders for so many years.
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