Oral history of British science
Forrest, Michael (Part 5 of 14). An Oral History of British Science.
- Add a note
Log in to add a note at the bottom of this page.
- All notes
- My notes
- Hide notes
- Add to playlist
Log in to add this item to one of your personal lists.
- Add to favourites
Log in to add and display this item in your personal list of favourites on the right hand side of this page.
The British Library Board acknowledges the intellectual property rights of those named as contributors to this recording and the rights of those not identified.
Legal and ethical usage »
Type
sound
Duration
01:03:00
Shelf mark
C1379/48
Subjects
Physics
Recording date
2011-05-11
Recording locations
Interviewee's home, Abingdon
Interviewees
Forrest, Michael, 1934- (speaker, male)
Interviewers
Lean, Thomas (speaker, male)
Abstract
Part 5: Story about applying Harwell: secrecy limiting knowledge before starting work; applying with friend Albert Packwood after a lecture from a Harwell scientist, for Assistant Experimental Officer post, class distinction between Scientific and Experimental Officers, risks for high-flyers. [02:30] Story about formal interview for post: chairman Dr Harding; interviewers interested in sandwich aspect of his course; questions on interest in photography; backgrounds of interviewers, assignment to Dr Peter McWhirter; starting salary. [07:15] Anecdotes about security clearance: Girlfriend Anita proving to intelligence officer that MF wasn't homosexual; intelligence officer mistaking MF referee Dr Jack Wilson for his brother, the communist Dr Alistair Wilson. [09:56] Remarks on starting Harwell: medical examination; not knowing what his job was going to be; photographs and security; Peter McWhirter explaining MF would be working on fusion as an experimental spectroscopist; ZETA experimental fusion device; use of spectrometer to test temperature of plasma; MF designing a stabilised spectrometer. [Short Pause 15:20] Description of Spectrometry's use in fusion research: identification of make-up of plasma; importance of optics; spiked output display. [19:30] Remarks on: plasma; MF limited early knowledge of fusion; introduction to experimental electronics and vocabulary of exotic named equipment; Bremsstrahlung light; [22:10] limited training, learning on the job from others; learning spectroscopy; later boss Alan Gibson. [23:35] Description of Harwell in 1950s: airfield, Van der Graaf generator, swimming pool reactor with blue Cherenkov radiation, security, canteen, social club, hostels, MF accommodation in Sutton Courtenay. [26:00] Description of Hanger 7 where MF worked at first; laboratories; ZETA; Cathode Ray Tube instrument displays; chief experimental officer Ted Butt; film recording of results. [29:00] Remarks on ZETA: experiment to generate fusion reaction in laboratory using Deuterium and Hydrogen; Tritium use on later JET [Joint European Torus]; limited knowledge of plasma physics; specialised work groups; challenge of magnetically containing plasma; MF experiment to measure electrons by examining X-rays released from ZETA, using a beryllium lensed pinhole camera. [31:50] Remarks on typical daily activities at Harwell: building equipment; taking measurements; calibrating equipment; interaction with others. [34:00] Remarks on: divisions into different work groups; theoreticians' high status; yearly reports and promotion prospects, importance of publication; security classification of ZETA. [35:55] Remarks on class division between scientific and experimental officers: working practices, experimentalists left off publications, amalgamation of grades, degree results' limited value in research, MF career potential and switch to scientific officer class, promotion rates, [38:50] change to more democratic system, social mixing across division. [40:10] Comments on national service: thinking he might be deferred; regimental traditions of the Queen's Royal Regiment in Guildford; similarity to boarding school; mix of people, including former razor gang members; MF annoyance at National Service; transfer to Intelligence Corps at Maresfield; attitudes toward national service; training, anecdote about bayonet fighting with a veteran sergeant; [46:30] other recruits; limited social life, drinking. [47:25] Comments on posting to GCHQ [Government Communications Headquarters] at Cheltenham: MF relief; more intense military training with SAS; drawing straws for posting to GCHQ; friend Alec Colqhoun; MF unable to talk about his work there; MF finding the experience interesting but not career furthering; finding himself the only scientist in group; limited knowledge of work; differences of scientific work. [52:30] Remarks on return to Harwell: time away treated as continuation of service; transition back to physics; marriage and birth of first son; move to Abingdon, priority over locals for housing; birth of son Andrew in 1960; social life before and after children; limited social life at Harwell, improved at smaller Culham. [56:45] Remarks on interaction with different groups at Harwell: contact often limited apart from groups they were working with, such as electronics; effects of security. [58:20] Further remarks on ZETA: optimistic early predictions; Physics little understood; first claims of fusion by John Cockcroft and others mistaken; inexperienced neutron measurement personnel; MF excitement at working on edge of technology; instrumentation arrangements.
Description
Life story interview with physicist Dr Michael Forrest.
Related transcripts
Dr Michael Forrest interviewed by Thomas Lean: full transcript of the interview
Related links
Visit this interviewee's page on the 'Voices of Science' web resource
Metadata record: