Teaching

By September 1960 I had planned my teaching work for the coming session, when we would have second year students in the BSc course in Electronics. Also I should be able to start research, albeit part-time, an experience that I had never had before. There was no space for experimental work in microelectronics, but I could work in my office. Then bad news came.

Eric Zepler had been taken ill, and was unlikely to return to work before term started in October. I volunteered to teach his classes in addition to my own. It was the obvious thing to do, because I had attended his Diploma classes in 1957-8. I assumed that he would be back at work in a week or two, or three, or four…….and so his absence went on, for the whole of the academic year. My work in that year was certainly challenging, because his teaching was so highly regarded.

Undergraduate Admissions

During that year I also assumed responsibility for undergraduate admissions. When Eric Zepler returned we worked together on that activity. He cared deeply about young students. Some applicants were interviewed by both of us together, and I remember how gently he questioned them.

Undoubtedly our new BSc course was very popular because other universities were offering degree courses in Electrical and Electronic Engineering that did not concentrate so strongly on electronics, especially solid-state electronics. After Eric Zepler retired in 1963 I continued to be responsible for undergraduate admissions for many years. The admission process became easier when the national clearing house system was introduced in 1964-5, because it imposed a limit on the number of universities that each student could apply to.

Following the publication of the Robbins Report in 1963 the government gave university departments an opportunity to expand. We were able to enrol considerably more students in our department while maintaining high standards, in response to increased numbers of well qualified applicants.