Celebrating Tom McLeish

This workshop will celebrate the academic work, and legacy of Tom McLeish (1962-2023). Tom worked in many different fields, crossing disciplinary boundaries and encouraging us to engage with one another. This meeting held in his honour will cover several of his main fields of study:

• Polymer Physics and Rheology
• Physics of Life
• The Science-Humanities Interface

About the Meeting

The meeting will start mid-morning on Monday (2 September) and finish around lunchtime on Wednesday. There will be a dinner on the Tuesday evening, which we hope will lead many to random interdisciplinary encounters of just the kind that Tom loved.

Confirmed Speakers 

Polymer Physics and Rheology (Monday 2 September) 

• Jaap den Doelder, Eindhoven University of Technology
• Ron Larson, University of Michigan
• Denise Li, University of Edinburgh
• Tim Lodge, University of Minnesota
• Scott Milner, Penn State 
• Peter Olmsted, Georgetown University
• Charley Shaefer, University of York
• Lynn Walker, University of Minnesota 

Physics of Life

• Sarah Harris, University of Sheffield
• Rhoda Hawkins, University of Sheffield
• Rivka Isaacson, Kings College London 
• Bhavin Khatri, Imperial College London
• Philip Nelson, University of Pennsylvania
• Tannie Liverpool, Bristol University 
• Sheena Radford, University of Leeds
• Hannah Smithson, University of Oxford 

Science-Humanities Interface

Speakers to be confirmed.

Organising Committee

• Colin Bain (Durham University)
• Mike Cates (University of Cambridge)
• Giles Gasper (Durham University)
• Mark Leake (University of York)
• Daniel Read (University of Leeds)
• David Wilkinson (Durham University)

Registration

Attending the meeting will cost £135 including the conference dinner, lunch and refreshments. Please email bsi.manager@durham.ac.uk to register your interest. A registration form will be shared through this website, and those pre-registering will be contacted to let them know when registration is open. When registering you will be asked to confirm which of the days you will attend the meeting to allow us to plan for catering.

Accommodation

A limited amount of accommodation is available in Grey College at £52.50 pppn B&B and will be provided on a first come first served basis.  If you wish to take up this accommodation please indicate this during registration. 

We can also offer a conference rate at the Radisson Blu of £111 per night B&B (with at £10 supplement for double occupancy), inclusive of car parking.

There are various other options close to the conference site (Premier Inn, Indigo, Marriott, Victoria Inn) that guests can book directly.