I conducted research in Astrophysics as an undergraduate project in the summer of 1993 at Oxford University, and during my PhD studies in Cardiff 1995-1999.
The acme of science…
What is is that most scientists covet in their career? A Nobel Prize? A named chair at Oxford or Cambridge? Security of tenure? Or the privilege of standing at Faraday’s desk in the most famous lecture theatre in the world at Albermarle Street in London?
My opportunity to stand at Faraday’s desk came in March 2001 when, as part of National Science Week, I took part in a modern-day “balloon debate” (updated to the concept of a doomed space station). I had to arrgue Michael Faraday’s case for being saved for posterity at the expense of Marie Curie (radioactivity), Guglielmo Marconi (development of radio communication) and Rosalind Franklin (“the dark lady of DNA”). Madame Curie and Signor Marconi were quickly disposed of, the dark lady gave the English gent a close run, but naturally Faraday was preserved for posterity, making my debut in the Faraday Theatre a roaring and very satisfactory success.
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