CAFÉ Scientifique Launceston’s founder and prime mover, Professor Colin Webb, has decided after seven years that it is time for him to retire.

When Colin and his wife, Margaret, retired to Devon they felt the area needed a forum where local people could come together to learn about and discuss innovations in science and technology in a non-academic atmosphere, and starting a Café Scientifique in Launceston seemed to fit the bill.

Since August 2010, there have been 45 talks by distinguished speakers covering topics from nuclear power to the human genome via decoding ancient languages, scientific spies, historical poinsoners and the Higgs Boson. Speakers have included Sir Kenneth Grange, designer of the 125 locomotive, and Professor Sir Walter Bodmer, who has mapped the human genome of the British Isles.

It seemed only fitting that the last lecture of the ‘Webb era’ should be by Colin himself, talking about his long and distinguished career as a pioneer in the discovery and development of lasers and laser technology.

He managed to combine a distinguished academic career at Oxford University with founding a groundbreaking firm manufacturing lasers for research and industrial purposes, which, as was pointed out by one of Colin’s distinguished former colleagues, Professor Derek Stacey, was considered ‘not quite the done thing’ in the sixties.

Following his talk, Colin and Margaret were presented with gifts in appreciation of all their hard work over the last seven years and, after the usual superb refreshments at Jericho’s, Colin answered questions from the audience in accordance with Café Scientifique’s belief that there is ‘no such thing as a stupid question’.

A new committee comprising Professor Mike Moore of Plymouth and Exeter universities, Professor Fenella Wojnarowska, Brenda and Mike Hooton, Rob King, Maureen, Amy and Cherry Warne will be ensuring that Café Scientifique Launceston continues as before.

A full programme of talks has already been planned, the first on Tuesday, March 21, by Professor Elizabeth Wellington of the University of Warwick, whose talk is entitled ‘The Role of the Environment in the Transmission of Bovine TB’.

All the talks at Café Scientifique are free, though all refreshments much be paid for and a small voluntary donation is invited to cover the costs of hiring the room and the speakers’ expenses.

It is hoped many science enthusiasts will join in 2017.