SAFE Network Dev Update - February 14, 2019

Fleming - Alpha 3
Maxwell - Alpha 4.
Beta.
???

7 Likes

Maybe use some other (women) names from Scottish history in the area of Mathematics and Science

Mary Somerville (1780-1872) — mathematician and astronomer:
Mary was born in Jedburgh in 1780 and was described on her death in 1872 as the ā€˜Queen of Nineteenth Century Science’. She wrote three major scientific works and was the first woman to be elected to the Royal Astronomical Society. Somerville College in Oxford is named after her

Elizabeth Fulhame (precise dates unknown) — chemist:
Little is known about Elizabeth who published a book in 1794 called ā€˜An essay on combustion’. It was clearly the work of a skilled chemist, but was criticised by many scientists (all of them men) who thought she was exceeding her bounds as a woman. Her book was translated into German and was republished in Philadelphia where she was elected as an honorary member of the Philadelphia Chemical Society

Victoria Drummond (1894-1978) — marine engineer:
Victoria was born at Megginch Castle, Perthshire and was a goddaughter of Queen Victoria. Her passion for engineering did not seem to flow from her aristocratic background but so intent was she in an engineering career, that she served an apprenticeship in Caledon Ship Works, Dundee. She served on a number of ships, but faced opposition from the male establishment in trying to gain a chief engineer’s certificate. She eventually triumphed’ and one of the many highlights of her career was being awarded the MBE and Lloyd’s war medal for bravery for single-handedly keeping the engines of the SS Bonita running while under German bombardment.

Charlotte (ā€˜Lotte’) Auerbach (1899-1944) — geneticist:
Lotte spent much of her working life in Edinburgh after fleeing Nazi Germany in 1933. She became a pioneer in the study of genetic mutations and was one of the first scientists to understand the dangers of nuclear radiation. She was one of the first women to be made a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

Muriel Robertson (1883-1973) — zoologist:
Muriel was born in Glasgow and studied at Glasgow University. She is known for her work on parasites that causes illnesses such as sleeping sickness. She also played an important role during both world wars in identifying types of the bacteria Clostridium which can infect war wounds. She was one of the first women to be elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society.

Last one sounds a bit like my mother who discovered diseases around the war time. And she is of Scottish decent

Dunno if @nicklambert might be interested in this list I found. I am sure there are more.

22 Likes

Thanks for the list @neo, food for thought.

8 Likes

Charlotte (ā€˜Lotte’) Auerbach: when you want to put the emphasis on mutable data.

5 Likes

I was thinking Nessie :sunglasses:

7 Likes

I didn’t think beta should be mythical but real :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

4 Likes

Or is it the mythical proven real? :wink:

2 Likes

Sticking out my neck here.

Absolutely agree @neo, that the options should be kept open and inclusive. As a person with a scientist mother and many strong women in my family I am one of the first to say so.

At the same time, I would not want it to be based on anything else than skill. The names chosen so far were probably chosen because these people were truly prominent, absolutely unique and brilliant. If that is what we’re looking for when searching for a name, then look only at that.

My 2 cents.

8 Likes

Exactly, but as you know women had the same skill, but less opportunity in those days and to some extent still. So the fact that these women rose to rival the best of the men of their day speaks a lot.

Its what people do and how they act that defines them. As you I had strong women in my life when growing up and I always thought there was no difference in potential in any person no matter their outward appearance.

6 Likes

Let’s have 15 Alphas just so we can cover both sexes

5 Likes

Maybe the ladies would like to put female candidates forward?

3 Likes

Agree 100%. As life should be in general, see people not gender.

On another note Fleming, Maxwell, Watt, Baird, Bell and Co, how the heck does a race of people, from this little tiny country, whom most can barely decipher, end up with so many significant contributors to the world around us?

Stubbornness is my best guess :grinning:

11 Likes

6 Likes

@Zoki I didn’t include her since she piked out and went over the pond.

2 Likes

This is certainly a bit part of it, I think it comes from a tougher life in the past as well and apparently living on the edge of the world at times. Makes you wonder what would have happened if so many of us had not be sold into slavery or cleared from the highlands and maybe if we had never fallen foul of being dragged into the UK. Not that we are bitter about it, we will forgive in a few thousand years :smiley: At least it gave Canada, Australia, NZ and the USA some decent friendly genes to be getting on with.

13 Likes

Thats not what all of you Scots say :thinking::joy:

I’ve heard some use terms (in language suitable for the forum) like when hell freezes over :stuck_out_tongue:

3 Likes

I think she ticks every single box, born and educated in Scotland.
Scottish, Ayr, Mathematician, Graph theory, worked in the telecoms and communication industry.

Not sure it matters too much she went abroad for a job.

I’d put this to a vote.

Edit: removed mistake

FYI: Alpha 4 is already Maxwell

4 Likes

Oops. Sorry. My mistake.

2 Likes

Please don’t lynch me.

I am all for the sentiment behind honoring (Scottish) people who have contributed to society or excelled.

But lets not nerd out to the point that the name does not relate to average joe and a global audience.
(and global team)

3 Likes