Downing 2010 cover opt b_Layout 1 - Downing College - University ...

DOWNING COLLEGE 2009–2010at that institution, and the notable expert in brain functions and cybernetics,W Grey Walter, in 1970. He continued his work on all fronts, directing alaboratory of Brain and Perception, and establishing the ‘Bristol Exploratory’(now Explore@Bristol), which encouraged young people to interact ‘hand on’with science and allowing them “to shake hands with the Universe”. Hiscollaborator on this project, Patricia Heard, was to remain close to himthroughout the rest of his life, after the divorce from his second wife Freja in 1976.The Exploratory was, in fact, the first of several of similar enterprises for thepublic dissemination of science to which he contributed, others including theScience Centre at the former Royal Observatory at Herstmonceux Castle inSussex, the “Launch-Pad” gallery at the Science Museum in London, the ‘MindZone’ of the Millenium Dome and an exhibition with Gombrich at the Instituteof Contemporary Arts. Appropriately, he was the Christmas Lecturer at the RoyalInstitution’s series for children on the very first occasion they were televised.He retired in 1988, but continued to be very active, including, fortunatelyfor us, many visits to Cambridge, and he clocked up no fewer than 10 honorarydegrees from various prestigious institutions.Richard Gregory received many honours. He was elected (late as usual, forpsychologists) as a Fellow to the Royal Society in 1992 and was its FaradayMedallist in 1989 and Medawar Lecturer in 2001. He was also a Fellow of theBritish Psychological Society (1981) and the Institute of Physics (1999), asomewhat unlikely, but highly appropriate combination in his case. He was amade an Honorary Fellow of the British Association for the Advancement ofScience in 2006. He received the Hughlings Jackson Medal from the RoyalSociety of Medicine in 1989. He would have also been a Fellow of the BritishAcademy had he lived in time to receive the distinction, the accolade of beingFRS and FBA also being especially rare. He was appointed CBE in 1989.Richard Gregory had rare genius, being a polymath in biology, cybernetics,engineering, physics and art, as well as experimental psychology. He will be longremembered and mourned by his friends and many young scientists whosecareers his wonderful personality and passion for science helped to launch. Hedied on May 17th 2010, and is survived by his former wives, Mary and Freja, byPatricia Heard and his two children from the first marriage.TW Robbins FRSJoan Isobel Chadwick who died on 5th January 2010 was the widow of JohnChadwick MA, LittD FBA, former Fellow in Classics and Emeritus Fellow, andmother of Anthony.118