Research
I officially retired in 2000, and now in 2009 I am beginning to phase out my activity in research. I am no longer accepting either students or research assistants, although I will continue to think about and work at problems that interest me.
History Studies
In recent years I have become interested in the history of science, and that has led me to prepare a history of the UWO Physics and Astronomy Department, to study the origins of Canadian radar research, and most recently to participate in studying the origins of space science research in Canada.
In August 2005 the Physics and Astronomy Department celebrated the careers of six faculty members who retired from the department in 2005. This led me to reflect on the history of the comings and goings of faculty over the years, from which I concluded that this was an interesting moment in the history of the department.
Photography
| Since my retirement and particularly since I acquired my first digital camera in 2003, I have become quite interested in photography. At first most of my photographs were of things that I found in nature, but recently many of them have been of other things - buildings, streetscapes, and especially reflections in windows - but also including the occasional example of physics in everyday life. You can find some of my other photographs here. I am now (as of Sept. 2007) taking myself so seriously that I even have my own photography web site, Don Moorcroft - Photography. |
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Photographs of stone carvings on the Physics and Astronomy Building
| I have always wanted to photograph the interesting sculptures which can be found on the exterior of the Physics and Astronomy Building, but until recently I didn't own a camera which would allow me to do that. Most of these scuptures go unnoticed by almost everyone on campus, even though some, such as the 'Yorkshire Farmer', are in plain sight if you know where to look. Others are high up, near the top of the building, and many are hidden behind shrubbery; during much of the year a large number are covered over by vines, and in some cases remain obscured even when the leaves have fallen. In some cases it appears that the carvings are being damaged by the vines. During November 2006 I photographed over 30 of the most interesting of these decorations on the building. I have made up several composite images which show where the sculptures are located together with their photographs. As I acquire more information about these works I will add it to the pages here, along with credits for the information that I gather. Guide to the stone sculptures on the Physics and Astronomy Building |
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