The RERC Conference at the University of Wales, Trinity St David, Lampeter Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Establishment of the RERC in 1969

Prof Bettina Schmidt the current Director of the RERC at Lampeter organised a three day conference in July to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the original RERC in Oxford in 1969.

The event was supported by the Alister Hardy Trust and over 60 delegates attended many travelling from other countries to support the conference. The three day event comprised of key note lectures and also a varied and diverse programme of presentations delivered by research students and those following doctoral studies. Notable presentations were given by Prof Leslie Francis (chair of the AHT) Prof Ann Taves (University of California, Santa Barbara), Prof Jeremy Carrette (University of Kent), and Marianne Rankin (Director of Communications) and Wendy Dossett (former Director of the RERC).

Ann Morgan, Marianne Rankin, Bettina Schmidt and Wendy Dossett.

A celebratory dinner was hosted on the first evening at which the Vice Chancellor Medwin Hughes spoke, and also Dr Tom Farley who is the grandson of Sir Alister Hardy and a Trustee. Peggy Morgan, a former Director of the RERC also spoke about her own reminiscences of Hardy and his legacy.

The Hardy family had kindly loaned many personal items for a display in the university library and small tours were facilitated by Tom Pitchford. It was a fascinating exhibition with many items not seen before.

The event was very well organised and thanks should go to Prof Bettina Schmidt and those behind the scenes who made the conference such a great success.

The attached photographs provide a flavour of the event.