A short symposium was held in the Department of Earth Sciences in Cambridge on
Friday February 9 this year. The theme was to honour the memory of Alan Smith
and some of the many ways he contributed to teaching, research and scientific
progress over his career. The event was held the day before his memorial
service in St John's College Chapel and was followed by a meal attended by
Alan's daughter, her family and some of Alan's many friends in a Cambridge
restaurant that evening.
Speakers at the mini-symposium included Nigel Woodcock, Euan Nisbet, James
Jackson, Andy Gale, Robert Hall, Colin Reeves and Roy Livermore. Peter Friend
took the chair. Each speaker was allowed 20 minutes and more than 50 people
filled the lecture theatre used for the event. An informal reception was held
in the Sedgwick Museum immediately afterwards. Even people who knew Alan well
were surprised by the breadth of the work Alan had contributed to through his
enthusiasm and perceptively critical - but always friendly - outlook.
2018 June 20