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David Spearman was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1937. After an undergraduate education in mathematics and physics at Trinity College Dublin he obtained his PhD in Cambridge in 1961. He served as Research Fellow at University College London and CERN during 1961 and 1962, Research Associate at the University of Illinois (1962-64) and Lecturer in Theoretical Physics at the University of Durham (1964-66). He returned to Trinity College Dublin as University Professor of Natural Philosophy, a position he held from 1966 to 1997. He was Vice-Provost of Trinity College from 1991 to 1997. He is currently a Pro-Chancellor of the University of Dublin. David Spearmen was Ireland's delegate to the European Science Foundation in the late 1970s and served as Vice-President of the European Science Foundation from 1983 to 1989. In this capacity, he was involved in the events surrounding the creation of Academia Europaea, of which he was a Founder Member, and was elected as its first Treasurer at the Foundation meeting in Cambridge in 1988.
Anne Buttimer (AB): Here we are in Dublin, January 2009, exploring some ideas about the origins of Academia Europaea. We have the great privilege of meeting Dr David Spearman, foundation member and first Treasurer of Academia. The aim is to shed light on the founding ideas and underlying visions of the Academy, how these have been implemented and what challenges it faces in the future. You are most welcome, David: I'm grateful that you have taken the time to come and listen to my queries. Can you recall the context in which Academia Europaea was founded?
David Spearman (DS): It is a pleasure to be here and thank you for asking me. I think this is a very appropriate project that you are initiating, to look back on the history and the founding visions of Academia. I think what one needs to recognise is that, in relation to the European concept, things were very different then, certainly where science was concerned. I remember, when I was involved in the European Science Foundation (ESF), it was observed that European academics met each other in the United States. They didn't meet in Europe. That was something which had to be...