TOOLS OF SCIENCE
A series of meetings
hosted by The Physics Museum,
The University of Queensland
For students, scientists,
engineers, historians of science and technology, teachers,
collectors, and all those fascinated by old scientific instruments.
Meetings will be held
in lecture room 7-222 on the St. Lucia
campus of The University of Queensland, 6-7.30pm. A lecture illustrated where possible with
items from the Physics Museum collection will be followed by a discussion period
where participants will be encouraged to show items they have brought along.
Light refreshments will be provided courtesy of the School of Physical Sciences.
The Physics Museum will be open from 5.30pm.
For details contact Prof. Norman Heckenberg on 3365 3369 or heckenberg@physics.uq.edu.au or go to http://www.physics.uq.edu.au/physics_museum/tools_of_science/tools_of_science.shtml
For parking
see http://www.uq.edu.au/maps/
| Tuesday, May
6 Parnell (7) 222 Margaret Wegener |
Lippmann's Colour Photography link to more details |
| Tuesday, June
3 Parnell (7) 222 |
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| Tuesday, July
22 Parnell (7) 222 Anthony Roberts |
Australian Electric Clocks |
| Tuesday, August
19 Parnell (7) 222 |
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| Tuesday, September
9 Parnell (7) 222 Andrew White |
Hanbury Brown, Twiss and all that |
| Tuesday, October
7 Parnell (7) 222 Norman Heckenberg |
Galvanometers |
| Tuesday, November
4 Parnell (7) 222 Alan Emmerson |
Tools of the Instrument Maker |
Previous Talks 2007
| Tuesday, April
1 Parnell (7) 222 Ian Jempson |
Celestial Navigation link to more details |
| Tuesday, March
4 Parnell (7) 222 Simon Manley |
Electronics Then and Now: How the revolution in biology since WWII was driven by advances in electronics link to more details |
Previous Talks 2007
| Tuesday, August
21 Parnell (7) 234 Dr Norman Heckenberg |
The Astrolabe link to more details |
| Tuesday, July
24 Parnell (7) 234 Neil Boucher |
Prehistory of Radio link to more details |
| Tuesday, May
22 Colin Gladstone |
Lighthouse Technology link to more details |
| Tuesday, March
6 Richards (5) 207 Julian Holland |
Looking for Angelo Tornaghi Scientific instruments and clocks bearing Tornaghi's name are preserved in numerous public and private collections. Who was Angelo Tornaghi? link to more details |
| Thursday, March 15 Parnell (7) 326 Robert Holmstom |
Building the first microprocessor The Intel 4004 microprocessor was 35 years old in 2006. Robert was a member of the team that created it. link to more details |
| Tuesday, April
17 Richards (5) 207 Dr Colin Kennard |
Forensic Tools in Solving Art Mysteries Two examples will be discussed. The first one used neutron activation analysis to uncover an image which differed from the visible image in an art work. The second example used observation, X-ray absorption, Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectroscopy to determine the nature of some "blood" allegedly percolating from a religious statue. Colin Kennard is a retired Associate Professor from the then Department of Chemistry, The University of Queensland, from 1964 - 1999. His field of research has been crystal structure analysis and has determined a variety of compounds ranging from beta-rhobodedral boron to DDT type insecticides and 2,4-D type herbicides. |
Previous Talks 2006
Tools of Science website <link>
| Tuesday, March
14 Various experts |
Scientific Instrument Antiques Roadshow Members of the public are encouraged to bring along old scientific instruments, tools and gadgets for identification and discussion. Bring that mystery item, or if you know what it is, try to stump the experts! |
| Tuesday, April 4 Prof. Richard Yeo |
Encyclopedias as Tools of Science: during and since the Enlightenment. link to more details |
| Tuesday, May 9 Norman Heckenberg |
The Magnetic Compass. The talk will be illustrated with a range of compasses and magnetic instruments from the Physics Museum collection. |
| Tuesday, July 25 John Mainstone |
Sights, Sounds & Spaces link to more details |
| Tuesday, August 22 Don Dinnie |
An Obscure History of Solid State Electronics link to more details |
Previous Talks
2005
October 18 David Whitehead: Becoming a Physicist 50 Years Ago - link to more details
September 20 Norman Hckenberg : The Brownian Movement - link to more details
August 23 Lindsay Ball : Spark Mechanical Calculators - link to more details
May 24 Norman Heckenberg: Einstein and the Talkies
April 19 Rex Newsome & Peter Hadgraft: Crystal Wireless Receivers
March 22 Alan Emmerson: Huygens and the Pendulum Clock - link to more details
2004
October 19 Norman Heckenberg: Portable Sundials - link to more details
September 21 Alan Emmerson : Steel Before Science - link to more details
August 24 Rex Newsome & Peter Hadgraft: Spark Transmitters and Crystal Receivers - link to more details
May 25 Astrid Vallati: The Gun: The beginning of the Industrial Age - link to more details
April 20 Alan Emmerson: The Scientific Collectables of Prof Teddy Hall - link to more details
March 23 Brian Phillips: Balances and Weighing - link to more details
2003
October 28 Norman Heckenberg: Slide Rules
September 9 Colin Kennard: X-ray Instruments - link to more details
August 19 George Dick: Precise length measurement - link to more details
June 24 Peter Hadgraft & Rex Newsome: Early radio broadcasting technology - link to more details
May 27 Col Lynam: Seismometers and Seismographs - link to more details
April 29 Chris Nurser: Quartz Crystals in Electronics - link to more details
March 25 Alan Emmerson: Air Data Instruments for Aeroplanes - link to more details
2002
November 19 Wilber Williams: 40 Years Computing at UQ - link to more details
October 29 Windsor Davies: Microscopes - link to more details
September 24 Alan Emmerson: Precision Clocks - link to more details
August 20 Norman Heckenberg Vacuum Tubes - link to more details
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For more details, please contact Dr Norman Heckenberg on 3365 3369 or by email (heckenberg@physics.uq.edu.au) or go to http://www.physics.uq.edu.au/physics_museum/index.shtml