Tyndall Lecture for Schools
Tyndall Lecture 2009
The Human Body is the Ultimate Physics Laboratory
Dr Kevin McGuigan
Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
You can watch the full video by visiting the following link: IOP IRELAND 2009 TYNDALL LECTURE
Physics is the Cinderella of the sciences when talking about Human Body function. This lecture will show how its role is taken for granted and often under-valued compared to its two ugly sisters – Chemistry and Biology. We will explore how the same physical principles determine the size of an aneurysm, the characteristic tone of flatulence or the curvature of a David Beckham free-kick. Using the latest images, movies and demonstrations we will see why perspiration is much more socially acceptable compared the cooling methods used by other animal species. A forensic examination of road traffic collisions and the injuries they produce will reveal that the physical cause for these is often closely related to one of the roles played by saliva!
Dr Kevin McGuigan is a Senior Lecturer in Medical Physics at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland(RCSI). He is the Director of the RCSI MiniMed School which hosts a series of medical education outreach lectures all around the country which provide an opportunity for the public to learn more about the human body, how it functions and what happens when it doesn’t. In addition, Dr McGuigan is the head of the Solar Disinfection research Group at the RCSI. This is a specialised research group which examines new technologies for the inactivation of waterborne and/or medically relevant microbiological pathogens using both real and simulated sunlight, primarily for use in developing countries. Dr McGuigan is the principal investigator/coordinator for a multi-centre, international research programme examining the health impact of appropriate technology interventions against waterborne disease in developing countries on 3 continents. The SODISWATER Project receives funding from the EU (FP6-INCO-CT-2006-031650) and the Irish Government (IrishAid/HRB GHRA-2006-01) and involves research groups from Cambodia, Kenya, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Ireland, the UK, Spain and Switzerland.
Contact: kmcguigan@rcsi.ie
- UCC Tuesday 20 January 12.00pm and 2.00pm
Contact: Dr Paul Callanan 021 4902468 or paulc@miranda.ucc.ie - UL Wednesday 21 January 12.00pm
Contact: Dr George McClelland 061 202469 or george.mcclelland@ul.ie - IT Carlow Thursday 22 January 2.00pm
Contact: Dr Loranne Vallely 059 9170474 or loranne.vallely@itcarlow.ie - NUIG Friday 23 January 2.00pm
Contact: Dr Ray Butler 091 493788 or ray.butler@nuigalway.ie - RDS Monday 2 February 12.00pm and 2.00pm
Contact: Alexis Steberger 01 240 7289 alexis.steberger@rds.ie - QUB Wednesday 4 February 2.00pm
Contact: Prof Bob McCullough 028 9097 3709/3523 or rw.mccullough@qub.ac.uk - Waterford IT Thursday 12 February 10.00am
Contact: Dr Gabriel Gallagher 051 302645 or ggallagher@wit.ie
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