Dr Richard Johnson

Biography

I joined the, then, Botany Department at Aberdeen University in 1962, as DSIR Research Assistant to Head of Department Professor Paul Weatherley: My main research interest became the transport of food substances within plants. I became Assistant Lecturer in 1964, Lecturer 1967 and Senior Lecturer 1974.

In 1964, I rebuilt an old EM3 transmission electron microscope, established an EM laboratory and obtained the first (Balzers) machine in the UK for freeze-fracturing and etching living cells. Later we obtained new transmission EMs and a scanning EM.  Eventually, I became 'Director' of the Biological Sciences Electron Microscope Laboratory in Old Aberdeen until it was taken over and moved to the Zoology Building.

I took voluntary early-retirement from the University in 1988.

During the 1980s, with grants from the Science and Engineering Research Council, I developed a laser-Doppler microscope to measure flow, diffusion, and viscosity in living cells. I was assisted by my SERC research assistant Graeme Dunbar. We collaborated with Dr Douglas Ross, Lecturer in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, Queen Mary College London and later at the University of Denver. The expertise of Harry Cobb and William Sinclair in our Departmental workshop was essential.

Between 1988 and 1991 I helped to set up Satrosphere (now The Aberdeen Science Centre) Scotland's first Hands-on-Science Centre, where I became 'Exhibits Director'. Subsequently I helped to set up an exhibition, 'Hands-on Plants', at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Then I helped to establish and became a Director and Chairman of Science Designs Ltd, a small company in Aberdeen to design and make hands-on exhibits and exhibitions for Science Centres.   In 2000 I returned to Satrosphere briefly to help facilitate Satrosphere's move to 'The Tram Sheds'.

See https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Richard-Johnson-11 for some of my publications.

Richard Johnson, 24/09/2021