Kerry Hamilton did not have a train set as a child nor did she play with Dinky toys. Until very recently these facts would have damaged irreparably her credibility in the transport fraternity. The fact that she is a woman would not have helped either since transport enthusiasts, in and outside academia, formed an almost exclusively male club. The University of East London, who recruited her to head a new transport studies unit, believe she will be the UK's first female professor of transport. She is planning a number of research projects concerned with aspects of health, pollution and the use of transport by women andchildren. "Transport is a political and social issue, not a trainspotters' issue", she said.
Other chairs appointed include: Christopher Ellis, head of the department of manufacturing engineering and design, Ford professor of engineering; Anne Woollett, reader and deputy head of department, professor of psychology.
The Scottish Agricultural College
The college's board approvedthe award of five personal professorships at its meeting in February, as follows: Carol Duffus, head of crop science department; Karl Linklater, head of SAC veterinary services;Ray Noble, head of biochemicalsciences department; John Oldham, head of genetics and behavioural science; Cled Thomas, headof the grassland and ruminantscience department.
University of Teesside
John Haywood, physicist and head of the Cleveland unit of the regional medical physics unit at South Cleveland Hospital, has been appointed visiting professor to the university.
Maggie Gill, chief executive of Natural Resources International, professor of internationalagriculture; John Perfect, director designate of the Natural Resources Institute, professor of agricultural development.