Chemist’s Research At Norwich

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30940, 22 December 1965, Page 1

Chemist’s Research At Norwich

Dr. R. D. Topsom, who has been appointed foundation professor of chemistry at the new La Trobe University, which will open in Melbourne next year, returned yesterday to the University of Canterbury where he has been senior lecturer. He has been overseas for IS months on a Nuffield Fellowship, chiefly engaged on research at the new University of East Anglia at Norwich, but also visiting about 20 other British universities. With Professor A. R. Katritzky at Norwich, Dr. Topsom made a significant “breakthrough” in the determination of the electronic structures of aromatic molecules. This has attracted widespread attention in the scientific world. Dr. Topsom mid it was fortuitous that he and Professor Katritxky camo together this

year. They found that their different approaches were most fruitful. Dr. Topsom said East Anglia had a very strong research school in chemistry with about 70 post-graduate research workers and visitors from America, France, Sweden. Poland and Denmark. This made a very stimulating scientific environment This kind of enthusiasm wais evident in most of the new English universities of which seven had been built in recent years while various colleges of advanced technology had been upgraded to university status. What they lacked in traditions they made up in innovation and experiment The standard staff-student ratio overall in the new English universities was one to wight This made possible a new pattern of more intimate teaching. First-year chemistry students at East Anglia, for instance, had six lectures a week, three seminars in groups of 12, and one tutorial in groups at three so that they

received formal teaching, elaboration, and then problem discussion. The tendetocy for British students to attend universities outside their home towns

made a big demand for residential halls and many of the new universities were experimenting with collegiate systems with teaching, study, and living accommodation combined. All were very wellequipped and had fine libraries. La Trobe University, to which Dr. Topcotn win go in February, is the third tn the Melbourne area. On a 500acre site many innovation are being tried. Senter staff will move in'to plan next year and the first 360 students will arrive in 1907. About 10000 are expected eventually. Bound a central core of a library, atatelstMtan MHiibf ma fltsf aag rtutait centres there vQ bo about 10 colleges. The maatar planner is Mr Boy Simes »n of a firm working to MoSeo/tho United States, Canada. England; Denmark. Finland, Switzerland, and Israel.

Academic organisatioa will be more Sexibte than usual with small schools end much teter-discipUßary activity-