Prof Paul Callaghan
21/02/08 14:27
Thursday, 21 February 2008
For the inaugural Distinguished Communicator Lecture, Professor Paul Callaghan, Director of the McDiarmid Institute at Victoria University of Wellington, chose to address no smaller topic than:
“Science in the 21st Century: the challenges ahead”
Before an audience of some 400 people at the opening of the Centre for Science Communication, Paul delivered a thought-provoking lecture that challenged scientists to invest in education and communication as much as lab-work or the like.
He raised a few eyebrows, if not hackles, when he suggested that the reason the University of Otago had not been successful to date in getting a Centre of Excellence was that the university had emphasized excellence in research when, according to Paul, those handing out the dosh were really after education outcomes (excellence in research was a given).
The talk ranged widely, covering several areas of science and was peppered with anecdotes that come from Prof Callaghan’s deep knowledge of science and his wonderful ability to tell a good story.
