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Past Meetings

Date

Speaker

Topic

2007



September

Roger Chambers

Preliminary inaugural meeting

October

Bob Mizon

A Tour of the Universe in Space and Time

November

Ray Maycock

Seeing is Believing

December

[Visit]

Wych Farm Oil Extraction Facility (Susie Baverstock)

Date

Speaker

Topic

2008



January

Dr Andrew Nicholson

The Ecology of Purbeck Heathland

February

Norman Burrell

Brief Post War History of Grain Storage

March

Simon Robinson

Climate Change

April

Prof Ken Peach

Particle Physics: Adventures in the Quantum Wonderland

May  *

David Gerry

The Technology of Canals

June

John Hale

The Evolution of Sound in TV Post Production

July

John Ross

Myxomatosis: A nice example of Co-evolution

August


[No meeting]

September

Ian Platt

The History of the Camera

October

Dr Bill Penley

The Early Days of Radar

November

Jim Kerr

Hypnotism

December

Bob Mizon

Comets

Date

Speaker

Topic

2009



January

David Harris

A Physicist’s View of Humanity’s Top Ten Problems

February

Cyril Carr

The Avro Vulcan Bomber

March

Ian Mackenzie

Above or Below Average? Testing at REME 1987-2002

April

Robin Humphries

Agricultural Irrigation

May

[Visit]

Weymouth Sewage Treatment Works

June

[Visit]

Bournemouth  University - Archaeology

July

[Visit]

Canford Heath Nature Reserve

August


[No Meeting]

September

Ben Buxton

British Pre-History: The Scientific Evidence

October

Graham Elmes

Ants and their Guests

November

John Lillington

My Experience in the Nuclear Industry

December

Ian Platt

The Greatest Detective Story in Geology

Date

Speaker

Topic

2010



January

David Harris

How Forensic Science Can Reveal the Truth

February

Barry Wheeler

The Design and Construction of Bridges

March *

Mark Warn

Managing Forests for Timber and Wildlife

April

John Howard

Building a Portable X-Ray System for Security Use

May

Dr Phil Judkins

Echoes of the Past Radar DVD showing by John Hale

June


[No Meeting]

July

[Visit]

Imery’s Ball Clay Processing Plant - Furzebrook

August


[No Meeting]

September

Lynn Insall

Genetic Modification and Food

October

Martin Gregory

Waste Management in Dorset

November

Ray Maycock

Roses are Red, Violets are Blue - Or Are They?

December

David Harris

What is Time? How Do We Measure It?

Date

Speaker

Topic

2011



January

Steve Austen

The Design and Construction of Lifeboats

February

Brian Andrews

The Sandbanks Ferry - An Engineering Story

March

Dr Howard Oliver

From Deep Freeze to Hothouse (with Mrs Sylvia Oliver)

April

Dr Phil Judkins

Bletchley Park and the Enigma Machine

May

Peter Curran

The New Poole Bridge

June

[Visit]

Hall and Woodhouse, Blandford

July

Andy Ramsbottom

Managing Poole Harbour - An Engineer’s Perspective

August


[No Meeting]

September

Dr Ken Collins

The Mary Rose Journey  (with Jenny Mallinson)

October

John Howard

The Origins of the Quantum Theory

November

Alan Bagley

Why Digital? Why is everything going digital these days?

December

Ian Mackenzie

GPS and Digital Mapping

Date

Speaker

Topic

2012



18 January

Chris Copson

The development of Armoured Fighting Vehicles

15 February

Dr David Bacon

Energy in the Universe

21 March

Richard Edmonds

The Jurassic Coast, geology and geotourism

18 April

Dr Phil Judkins

Breakout!” & More Deadly than the Male

16 May

James Fradgley

Tides on Earth

20 June

Nigel Webb

History of Nature Conservation

18 July

Phil Stephens

The Science of Bell Ringing

15 August


[No Meeting]

19 September

Steve Turnock

Extracting Energy from the Wind

17 October

John England

The Royal Naval Cordite Factory, with John Hale (DVD)

21 November

Dr Michael Bailey

Robert Stephenson - The Eminent Engineer

19 December

David Parham

The Swash Channel Wreck

Date

Speaker

Topic

2013



16 January

John Hale

The Evolution of TV Post Production Sound

20 February

Anne & Mike King

Rocks and Landscapes

20 March

Ian Platt

The History of the Camera

17 April

Phil Judkins

“Chess” -  The Science behind the Air War, 1939 - 45

[Presentation Postponed - Rescheduled to 16th April next year]

15 May

Ray Maycock

Memory - Try and Keep it in Mind!

19 June

Geoff Kirby

The History of the Torpedo

17 July

Charles Miller

Surface & undersea drilling operations in the oil industry

20  August

[Visit]

The Purbeck Mineral & Mining Museum

18 September

Adrian Harvey

Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon: Knee & Hip procedures

16 October

James Fradgley

The Astronomical causes of Global Warming

20 November

David Harris

What is Time?  How do we measure it?

18 December

Geoff Kirby

The History of the Toilet - A light hearted talk!

Date

Speaker

Topic

2014



15 January

Colin Wintle

David Harris

Heat transfer in a nuclear reactor

A physicist at large

19 February

Mike Goater

Coastal Engineering

19 March

John Churchill
John Hale

The First “HS2” - First design of High Speed Rail in UK
The Evolution & Anatomy of Computer Hard Discs

16 April

Phil Judkins

“Chess” -  The Science behind the Air War, 1939 - 45

21 May

Chris Sargeant

Colour Science in the high Street

18 June

Ian Platt

Is the moon a balloon?

16 July

Stephen Irving

Growing Food - How do we feed the world?

20 August

Nigel Webb

Visit: Higher Hyde Heath Nature Reserve

17 September

Pat Murdock

Importance of Rare Earth Metals for modern technology

15 October

John Ives

Zero Gravity

19 November

Jeremy Southgate

Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon: Hand surgery procedures

17 December

Geoff Kirby

Optical Illusions  [Change to previously published programme]

Date

Speaker

Topic

2015



21 January

Tony Bates

Making of AV presentations - Dorset scenery & wildlife

18 February

Ian Church

Forensics: “The death by fire of an old lady”

18 March

Gareth Gregory

Application of science and technology to Olympic Sports

15 April

Phil Judkins

Diamond cut diamond: Wireless intercept & enigma in desert war

20 May

Ian Platt

The Earth’s magnetic field and its reversals

17 June

John Hale

Life Story - The Discovery of the Double Helix and DNA

15 July

Sarah Welton

Marine Conservation Locally, Nationally & Internationally

12 August


[Visit cancelled]

16 September

Pat Murdock

The Story of Coal

21 October

Nigel Webb

The History of Heathland

18 November

John Churchill

La Palma - Isle of Dark Secrets

16 December

Geoff Kirby

Breast Health & Bra Comfort

Date

Speaker

Topic

2016



20 January

John Hale

The Birth of Television

17 February

David Harris

The History of Computing - Part 1

16 March

Robert Westwood

Geology of the Jurassic Coast

20 April

Phil Judkins

Before Exocet, Before Cruise - The Hunt for German Missiles

18 May

Jim White

Dorset Grasslands

15 June

Kevin Patience

Scapa Flow – Salvaging the Imperial German Navy

20 July

Mike Waldock

Tributyl Tin – The deadly chemical on the bottom of boats

17 August

Jim White

Field Trip: Dorset Grasslands

21 September

Michelle Spruce

Microcirculatory changes and diabetes

19 October

John Churchill

Design of large Astronomical Telescopes

16 November

Brian Cresswell

Technologies for Tracking Wild Animals

21 December

Geoff Kirby

The Early History of Mathematics

*  Additionally, on 15th May 2008, we had an all day trip to the National Oceanography Centre (part of the University of Southampton), including a cruise on the RS Callista and a tour round the shore facilities with a talk on "Polar Exploration"
*   Additionally, on 31st March 2010, we visited the Royal Signals Museum at Blandford Camp where we were given a talk on "The Technology of Communications".

Date

Speaker

Topic

2017



18 January

Emma Rance

Dorset Wildlife Trust’s Vision for Living Seas

15 February

John Churchill

The Tools of Astronomy

15 March

Ted Proctor

The Physics of Radiotherapy

19 April

David Harris

The Devil’s in the Detail

17 May

John Hale

Weather Forecasting - FitzRoy to the Future

21 June

Dale Johnson

Surviving the Blitz - from Gas Masks to Doodlebugs

19 July

Gordon MacPhearson

Immunity - the Good, the Bad and the Unknown

16 August


[No Meeting]

20 September

Michael Bailey

The Archaeology of early Steam Locomotives

18 October

Derek Monk

Of Mushrooms and Men

15 November

Ted Pratt

Wild flowers of the Isle of Purbeck and Brownsea Island

20 December

Geoff Kirby

Quirky Astronomy

For the Programme of Meetings
for the Current Year Click Here

Date

Speaker

Topic

2018



17 January

Sean Walls

Tracking Dragonflies and Birds

21 February

John Lillington

Nuclear Power: Past, Present and Future

21 March

John Forsdyke

Small Wonders - Microscopy

18 April

Phil Judkins

Convoy – The War at Sea

16 May

Ray Jones

Working with H.M. Submarines

20 June

Andy Ramsbottom

The New Quay in Poole Docks

18 July

Alan Turner

Science of LSM Organ with Demonstration

15 August


[No Meeting]

19 September

Cheryl Bailey

Modern Day Psychiatry: Art, Science or Mumbo Jumbo?

17 October

David Harris

How it all Began - Part I  The Non Organic Universe

21 November

David Harris

How it all Began - Part II The Organic Universe

19 December

Geoff Kirby

The Wonderful World of Non-Dimensional Number Groups

Date

Speaker

Topic

2019



16 January

Steve Etches

Stories from Deep Time - The Etches Collection

20 February

David Harris

Forensics: The Devil’s in the Detail

20 March

John Forsdyke

Even Smaller Wonders - Microscopy

17 April

Phil Judkins

Spies, Science and the Deceptions masking D-Day

15 May

Alan Neal

Radiation - Facts and Myths - Uses and Abuses

19 June

Malcolm Haas

How the Mind Works

17 July

[Visit]

Swanage Railway & Purbeck Mineral & Mining Museums

21 August


[No Meeting]

18 September

Colin Divall

Canford Manor’s “splendid archway under the
South-Western Railway”, ca 1844-55

16 October

David Harris

John Hale

Dmitri Mendeleev and the Periodic Table

How Can Three Words Save Your Life?

20 November

Richard Cottrell

John Snow - Pioneer in three fields of Medicine

18 December

Richard Edmonds

The Great Bindon Landslide of 1839

Date

Speaker

Topic

2021



20 January

Marten Gregory

Zoom Meeting: Waste Management

17 February

Gordon MacPherson

Zoom Meeting: Immunology & Immunity

17 March

Lindsay Dixon

Zoom Meeting: Orthopaedic Implant Design

21 April

Phil Judkins

Zoom Meeting: Science, Theft and Treachery

19 May

Will Bond

Zoom Meeting: Ecological Restoration

16 June

Laura Gleave

Zoom Meeting: Understanding Strokes

21 July

Jim White

Zoom Meeting: The Biodiversity of Flora in Purbeck

18 August

Jim White

Field Trip: Dorset Flora - Stoborough Heath

15 September

[No Meeting]

[No Meeting]

20 October

Geoff Kirby

Zoom Meeting: The History of the Toilet: A Fresh Flush

17 November

David Harris

Zoom Meeting: The Extraordinary Man from Freshwater

15 December

Nick Ward

Zoom Meeting: Lighthouses

Zoom
Meetings
Online

Date

Speaker

Topic

2020



15 January

John Hale

Feature Film: “Life Story” - The Discovery of DNA

19 February

Michael Edmonds

Observing the Effects of Nerve Damage in Diabetes

18 March

Malcolm Haas

The Mind and our Lives - ‘Taking the road less travelled’

Meeting postponed

15 April

Phil Judkins

Science, Theft and Treachery

Meeting postponed until April 2021

20 May

David Harris

Zoom Meeting Online:  What is Time?

17 June

Phil Judkins

Zoom Meeting Online:  Secrets and Spies

15 July

Michael Bailey

Zoom Meeting Online:  The LYON that Roared:
The Archaeology of an Early Steam Locomotive

19 August

Geoff Kirby

Zoom Meeting Online:  Covid-19: The Statistics

16 September

John Hale

Zoom Meeting Online:  Tech Forum & Discussion

21 October

Richard Cottrell

Zoom Meeting Online:
               Sir Jack Drummond - Scientist, Icon or Spy?

18 November

Geoff Kirby

Zoom Meeting Online:  Covid Update and the Future

16 December

Michael Wardle

Zoom Meeting Online:  The Magic of Mathematics …

Zoom
Meetings
Online

Date

Speaker

Topic

2022



19 January

Rebecca Mack

Zoom Meeting: The Work of a Patent Attorney

16 February

Gareth Parry

Zoom Meeting: Porthcurno and Global Communications

16 March

Nigel Webb

Zoom Meeting: The Natural History of Spitsbergen

20 April

Phil Judkins

Zoom Meeting: Science, Theft & Treachery - Part 2

18 May

Sarah Gilbert (video)

Zoom Meeting: Covid Race: Vaccine Versus Virus

15 June

Ian Caskie

Zoom Meeting: SS Great Britain - Launch to ‘re-launch’

20 July

Paul Culshaw

Zoom Meeting: The MRI Scanner - A whistle-stop tour

17 August


[No Meeting]

21 September

Various

Zoom Meeting: Recordings of past meetings

19 October

Alan Neal

Nuclear Fission & Fusion: Net Zero by 2050?

16 November

Nick Burden

The Evolution and Optics of the Eye

21 December

Geoff Kirby

Optical Illusions & Visual Phenomena

Zoom
Meetings
Online Meetings
at
Harman’s 
Cross

Date

Speaker

Topic

2023



18 January

Richard Cottrell

An Introduction to Toxicology

15 February

Charles Rees

Alcohol Considered

15 March

Lindsay Dixon

Regulation of Medical Devices

19 April

Phil Judkins

Using Military Intelligence

17 May

Nick Ward

Development of Marine Navigation

21 June

Chris Morris

The world's first Driverless and Unattended train

19 July

Brian Cresswell

Wildlife Tracking Wizardry

16 August


[No Meeting]

20 September

John Ives

Zero Gravity

18 October

Nick Reed

Tides - Their Origin and Influence

15 November

Ian Brown

The Emergency 999 Service

13 December

Nick Blackman

The Development of British Military Helicopters

Note: Dates in RED are not on the third Wednesday in the month