Features
Features
Centre for Science launch: a building for the ages
ABOVE: THE CROWD BUILDS IN ANTICIPATION OF THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE SIR ZELMAN COWEN CENTRE FOR SCIENCE
It was a scene never before witnessed in Morrison Street: there they were, approximately 2000 Scotch Family members, sitting on chairs out on the road in balmy spring weather, all eagerly watching the official opening of the brand new Sir Zelman Centre for Science. It was the early evening of an auspicious day: Scotch’ s 165th birthday, Thursday 6 October 2016, and an event to file away for posterity.
In typical Melbourne style, a wintry Wednesday gave way to a Thursday of blue skies, warm weather and a light breeze. Then it was back to winter the next day. But Thursday was tailor-made for outdoor celebrations, with guests arriving, and mingling on the concourse of the Centre for Science, in the Peter Henderson Foyer and Atrium and out on Morrison Street, enjoying conversation, drinks and finger food.
The celebrations kicked off at 5pm, with tours of the magnificent Centre for Science for VIP guests, capably led by boys from Years 6, 11 and 12 supported by Scotch Science staff.
At 7pm Principal Tom Batty welcomed guests and spoke of the significance of the date, and the impetus for science at Scotch which would flow from the new Centre for Science. He envisaged a future Scotch boy, born today, celebrating his 165th birthday on 6 October 2181 with a group of his classmates, after the boys had run their daily marathon— such would be the advances in medical science. The boys would drink a toast to the Scotch people of the 2010s who had had the vision to support the construction of what was by then a 165-year-old building( undoubtedly much refurbished over the years).
Australia’ s Chief Scientist, Dr Alan Finkel, one of the guests of honour at the launch, spoke next, pointing out that the new science facility was to be named in honour of a man of law— Sir Zelman Cowen— who, when speaking to the Royal Society of NSW in 1981, had said:‘ My qualifications and capacities to“ talk science” are very poor’.
‘ With all due respect to Sir Zelman and to Lady Cowen,’ Dr Finkel said,‘ we don’ t believe his claim to have known very little about science. The project of his life was to make the world a better
18 Great Scot Number 149 – December 2016