Colloquia

Wright Colloquium 1981

Planning 1981

THE EARLY YEARS: 1981–1996 In 1981, planning began for the creation of a week-long science festival (“Colloquium”) in Geneva, to inform and entertain the public.

Year: 1981

THE EARLY YEARS : 1981 – 1996

In 1981, planning began for the creation of a week-long science festival (“Colloquium”) in Geneva to inform and entertain the public. The Wright Science Colloquia officially started in 1984 with “MAN AND HIS UNIVERSE | Science for the Non-Scientist”, in partnership with the University of Geneva (UNIGE).

Since their inception, the Wright Science Colloquia themes have centered around issues relevant to “Man and his Universe”. Specific themes have ranged from the formation of the universe to contemporary issues related to the environment, human health, and technology.

Letter from H. Dudley Wright – November 2, 1981

Following the first Wright Colloquium held in Geneva in June 1981, Dr. H. Dudley Wright wrote to Dr. Sydney Brenner (who would later receive the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2002[1] for discoveries concerning genetic regulation of organ development and programmed cell death):

Dear Sydney :

Many, many thanks for your letter.

Our time together was absolutely brilliant and super.

We’re about to “zero in” the “Colloquium” in Geneva for 1982. One full week of gorgeous science.

The whole program is now scheduled for the last week of May or third week of June, in order to accommodate the Academic year and some are working on “Sometimes Vacations”.

The program is beginning to develop, based upon many of your inputs and those of Michael, Viki Weiskopf and Gordon Adda.

I am not sure how long a person should speak, nor the continuity of that speech, but I am certain that we will do it.

Would you like to be on the Nominating Committee, or “une sorte de Comité d’Honneur”, in order to select those who speak (not to be exclusive of course).

All forces are now working, in order to achieve the goal of Geneva and present the “Science Festival”, or the “Wright Colloquium”.

I send you with this letter my heartiest thanks for a lovely, lovely afternoon and dinner together. May we have many more.

Sincerely,
H. Dudley Wright

Reference: HDW/dh-90481

Sources

  1. Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2002. The Nobel Prize was awarded jointly to Sydney Brenner, H. Robert Horvitz and John E. Sulston “for their discoveries concerning genetic regulation of organ development and programmed cell death”. Source: NobelPrize.org