Against the Tide : An Autobiographical Account of a Professional Outsider

in Against The Tide: An Autobiographical Account Of A Professional Outsider, Leslie Woods Relates The Fascinating Story Of His Life From Fisherman's Son In New Zealand To Head Of The Mathematical Institute At The University Of Oxford. After Starting At A Trade School, He Won A Scholarship To A University, Then Joined The Rnzaf, And Later Became A Fighter Pilot In The Pacific. Woods Then Won A Rhodes Scholarship To Merton College In Oxford After Wwii. Following Several Years Of Research In Aerodynamics, He Became A Professor Of Engineering At The University Of New South Wales. He Also Had A Fellowship With Oxford's Balliol College And Had A Consultancy At Culham Laboratory Where He Researched The Theory Of Magnetically Confined Hot Plasmas. In 1970, Woods Became A Professor Of Plasma Theory Yet Became Disillusioned With The Fusion Energy Project, Which He Believes Survived On Exaggerated Claims Of Progress. besides Recounting His History, Woods Explains Why Magnetic Fusion Has Failed To Succeed And Outlines The Philosophy Of Science To Which He Subscribes. He Writes Frankly About Both His Successes And Failures And Finishes With An Account Of His Taking Up Gliding At The Age Of 74. booknews woods Recounts His Journey From A Fisherman's Son In New Zealand To Head Of The Mathematical Institute At Oxford University. A Scholarship To University Bailed Him Out Of Trade School, Then He Ran Away And Joined The Air Force To Become A Fighter Pilot In The Pacific During World War Ii. Later He Resumed His Academic Pursuits Through Aerodynamics, Engineering, And Plasma Theory. At 74 He Took Up Gliding. Annotation C. Book News, Inc., Portland, Or (booknews.com) In Against the Tide: An Autobiographical Account of a Professional Outsider, Leslie Woods relates the fascinating story of his life from fisherman's son in New Zealand to head of the Mathematical Institute at the University of Oxford. After starting at a trade school, he won a scholarship to a university, then joined the RNZAF, and later became a fighter pilot in the Pacific. Woods then won a Rhodes scholarship to Merton College in Oxford after WWII. Following several years of research in aerodynamics, he became a professor of engineering at the University of New South Wales. He also had a fellowship with Oxford's Balliol College and had a consultancy at Culham Laboratory where he researched the theory of magnetically confined hot plasmas. In 1970, Woods became a professor of plasma theory yet became disillusioned with the fusion energy project, which he believes survived on exaggerated claims of progress. Besides recounting his history, Woods explains why magnetic fusion has failed to succeed and outlines the philosophy of science to which he subscribes. He writes frankly about both his successes and failures and finishes with an account of his taking up gliding at the age of 74. "In this book Leslie Woods tells the story of his life from fisherman's son in New Zealand to Head of the Mathematical Institute at Oxford University." "He escaped from a trade school by winning a scholarship to university, and then ran away from home to join the RNZAF, and later became a fighter pilot in the Pacific. After the War he won a Rhodes Scholarship to Merton College, Oxford, and following several years of research in aerodynamics, became a Professor of Engineering at the University of New South Wales. In 1961 he was elected to a Fellowship of Balliol College, Oxford and undertook research into the theory of magnetically confined hot plasmas with a consultancy at Culham Laboratory." "In 1970 he became a Professor of Plasma Theory, but became disillusioned with the fusion energy project, which he believes survived on exaggerated claims of progress, Woods explains why, in his view, magnetic fusion has failed to succeed and outlines the philosophy of science to which he subscribes. He writes frankly about both his successes and failures and finishes with an account of his taking up gliding at the age of 74"--Jacket TeX output 2000.01.14:1126 Contents 7 Preface 9 List of Illustrations 11 1. Growing Up 17 2. University Days 48 3. Learning to Fly 70 4. Flying about New Zealand 91 5. On Active Service 114 6. Rehabilitation 143 7. Kiwi at Oxford 167 8. Research and Lecturing 193 9. University of New South Wales 216 10. University of Oxford 233 11. Struggles in Research 263 12. The Tokamak Fiasco 288 13. Ebb Tide 318 Index 329 It only took me minutes to fly from Auckland over the Coromandel Range to Mercury Bay in my World War II fighter plane.