WRI work in partnership with The Royal Institution of Great Britain
Westlakes Research Institute will work in partnership with The Royal Institution of Great Britain for the first time in June 2004 to provide local primary schools with the opportunity to take part in a demonstration lecture by Dr. Eric Webster.
The lecture explores the science of sound. Three sections will be covered; the ear itself and how we hear sounds, the science of waves especially sound waves and finally the creation of sounds using a variety of musical instruments.
With the help of volunteers from the audience they will try to answer questions such as:
What is sound?
How does sound travel?
What do sound waves look like?
How do musical instruments make sound?
Dr Eric Webster was educated at Wallasey Technical Grammar School and the University of Hull (B.Sc. 1963, Ph.D.1967), following which he became a lecturer at Harris College, Preston, later to become the University of Central Lancashire. He spent 13 years as a part time lecturer with the Open University and has been an A level examiner for the Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate for over 25 years. He has been very keen to promote the understanding of science at both primary and secondary level having given numerous lectures on static electricity, sound, music and physics topics to many groups in the North of England.
His research interests were centred around the use of digital image processing techniques to improve quality assurance in the field of medicine, which he undertook with a number of companies in the North West. He has now retired from full time lecturing but continues to promote an interest in science through the Royal Institution’s lecture programme.