Sumant Mathure speaks about his time as a research student in Mechanical Engineering at Dundee College of Technology, his journey from India to Dundee in January 1987, the work he did on continuous casting with precious metals, and meeting Prince Philip during the College’s centenary celebrations in 1988.

[0.00] Interview Preliminaries
[03:22] Interview starts
[04:20] Name & connection to University - Jan 1987-May 1991 at DIT
[04:44] Research into continuous casting with gold, silver copper; Working with Birmingham Mint & Rautomead; Student project working on unique relationship with manufacture & institution
[06:00] Already had a Bsc in chemistry (?) from India; Dr Robert W Johnson was his supervisor
[07:00] Degree in metallurgy (mentioned in Herald newspaper)
[08:00] Dr R W Johnson presented a paper on continuous casting in Mumbai at the Hotel Taj. This attracted him to studying in Dundee.
[10:00] Lots of profound memories from his “golden years”. Born in 1966 and arrived in Dundee 5th Jan 1987, only 20 years old, no internet, only letters and telephone to communicate. His Dad was in Dubai when he and his mother received the letter of acceptance from R W Johnson to attend at DIT. Courses started on 7th Jan
[11:53] First time travelling alone internationally. Arrived to the worst winter in the UK
[12:45] Not happy with the snow, weather or food.
[13:53] Met friends, started to feel Scottish
[14:50] Food – first 3 months were in halls of residence. He had to prove he was able to do his studies and so was often working on projects into the later hours. Meaning he’d miss his high tea at the halls and would be given cold salad to eat!
[15:50] Difficult to understand the Scottish accent
[16:15] Student council international food fest. Sumant insisted on 4 tables to represent India
[18:50] Had international housemates, from China, Egypt and Zambia.
[19:20] Duke of Edinburgh visit in 1989 to look at the gold project
[22:00] Gold project. Only a few people were able to enter the mechanical engineering room where the gold project was taking place. Needed a pass to get in. Felt very proud that he was one of the students who had access
[23:30] Sumant ran the demo for Duke of Edinburgh. Metal heated to 1100 degrees C – needed to be very careful and was his responsibility to make sure the demo ran smoothly!
[24:20] Duke of Edinburgh comments on India and how pleased he was with the presence of international students
[25:10] Felt honored as a student to be there
[26:36] Becoming a university in 1992-1994. Had to scrap the mechanical engineering degree.
[28:50] He also did consultancies under R W Johnson and 2 scholarships
[29:20] Joined his father in India after graduating in 1991. 1994 – got married. 1995 – made director of his Dad's company.
[31:00] Over 400 clients, very popular and well-reputed company in India.
[31:40] Still maintained contact with R W Johnson and others.
[31:46] Interview Recording ends

Alexander (Sandy) Robertson shared his memories of studying Mechanical and Production Engineering at Dundee Technical College, including his accommodation in "digs", and using early computers. He shares anecdotes about lectures and various lecturers during his time there.

0.00 Interview started
0.20 Studied Mechanical and Production Engineering – father owned a garage in Nairn
1.10 Showed us his certificate
1.25 Donald Macgregor, his friend from Nairn, did civil engineering
1.50 Things going on at the time - Vietnam War. NCR (National Cash Registers) laying off staff in Dundee
2.30 Talked about new technology that he used – showed a slide rule that he used as a calculator.
3.40 “Everything was new technology to me”
4.20 Funny memories – filling out form for new course, someone wrote “occupation - Poet Laureate”, so he was challenged to recite a poem to everyone else.
5.30 There were hundreds of engineers but they all had to do a common course in Chemistry. Chemists don’t normally do complicated formulae (unlike physicists and engineers), but one day when Dr Hargreaves did, the engineering students all cheered. Dr Hargreaves turned around and said “Don’t cheer! Just throw cigarettes!”
6.40 Tutorials – one student trying to impress his tutor, trying fancy equations to solve a problem – nothing worked. An old tutor in “Plus fours” (trousers tucking into socks) suggested using Ohms Law – “you’ve tried everything else, even though it won’t work you might as well try it.”
8.00 Meeting a support tutor, who asks the students how they’re doing. One student had no problems, but the support Tutor kept asking, “Are you sure?”. Eventually, in desperation – “Maybe you could listen to some of my problems.”.
8.50 1966 college computer. I remember a lab on programming the digital computer. Paper tape of an inch wide, punched with a programme. Basic stuff. Another computer we used more and earlier – an analogue computer. More of a continuous computer, plugging in wires to create circuits (like an old telephone exchange).
11.20 At Aston in Birmingham, he used a computer with punch cards. In early days in Dundee, the computer was huge – filled a whole room.
12.20 AR asked Stuart and Aaron if they used computers much. They used computers a lot – for technology, and English for example.
13.30 Societies – “I had friends that played rugby. I don’t remember being in any societies. We had parties, get togethers, played golf. Societies were not something we had in the 60s.”
14.40 Accommodation – we had to find our own accommodation. Stayed in a Church of Scotland Hostel on Hilltown. Had a cubicle. Amongst other people – bakers, plumbers etc. The baker made the porridge early in the morning – hard once they got to it. Then he stayed in an apartment (flat) with his friend Donald MacGregor, then he was in digs (shared rented accommodation) with a schoolteacher at Kirktown Secondary School, Miss Wallace – Kirktown won Top of the Form in 1967 – she coached that team. Knowledgeable person that helped him get through his final year at the College
17.20 Not been back in Dundee since 1970. He thinks the accommodation has changed. Courses have changed. Very different now.

Highlight on Department of Business Studies, inc Behavioural Studies research on polling and marketing techniques in pain measurement, Business School course in retail management, and research on “cut price shopping”. Also news of student “Reclaim the Night” march and vigil for the Women’s Safety campaign for Zero Tolerance for violence against women.
0.00 Start
0.45 Jimmy Black interviews Behavioural Psychologist Mike Swanston in the Dept of Business Studies about pain, and the use of animated pictures in multiple choice questionnaires to help measure pain. Also being developed for opinion polls and marketing.
06.25 Jimmy Black interviews John Fearney at the Dundee Business School in Dudhope Castle about the new course being developed in Retail Studies, and research on trends in “cut-price shopping”.
09.45 Jimmy Black speaks to Stewart Howe about courses and career opportunities for graduates from the Department of Business Studies.
11.50 Quiz: Dept of Mathematics and Computer Sciences – Gary Reynolds, Neil McEwan, Roy Middleton, Alan Clark. Questions on their specialist subject and general knowledge.
17.10 Brian Lindsay – News Roundup, intimation of “Reclaim the Night” march and vigil for Women’s Safety Campaign tying in with the new Zero Tolerance poster campaign raising awareness of women’s safety and men’s awareness of women’s fears. Upcoming inaugural meeting of the Anti-Racism society with a cheese and wine night at the Marketgait building. Notes the society is meeting against a backdrop of increased racial intolerance and British National Party activity across the country. Upcoming Halloween party in the Marketgait with associated party games. Mixed Hockey Team and Rugby Team are in training preparing for their first games in the Inter University League (to which the Hockey Team has just been admitted). DIT Football Team won their last match 3-1 against Birkhead on Saturday. Scorers were Terry Thomas, Willy Patrick, and Scott Symon. They now have 5 points from 5 games.
19.37 End

Features interview with Principal Bernard King, highlight on Mechanical Engineering and the Continuous Passive Motion Machine for hand injury therapy, student quiz and weekly News Roundup.

0.00 Start
1.30 Interview with Principal Bernard King giving an overview of the background and work of DIT
5.00 Mechanical Engineering project on the Continuous Passive Motion Machine for hand therapy. Interview with patient Duncan McKenzie, and machine creator, David Caeras (?)
8.40 Interview with Prof John Milne on Research & Development projects at the Mechanical Engineering Department, and the prospects for graduates
11.30 Quiz – Computing Science Students Stewart King, David Graham, Graeme Melville, and Denise Cooper. Questions on their specialist subject and general knowledge.
17.20 News Round-up with Brian Lindsay. Focus on Freshers Fortnight at the Marketgait Students Union – events include Scottish country dancing, 60s &70s Disco, Bouncy Boxing Night, River Detectives gig, and “Blastaway” Night.
19.30 - End

“Features the work of Molecular Life Sciences, plus the quiz and news from around the Campus”.
Highlights cryopreservation work in the Department and Freshers Week events.

0.00 Start
0.50 Jeff Ferguson talks to Department of Medical Life Sciences about Cryopreservation and the wider subject of Biotechnology. Dr David Button, Dr Graeme Wishart, and Kevin Gartland, all from the department, are interviewed about the subjects.
09.05 Dr David Button is interviewed about the qualifications needed for entry onto Biotechnology courses, and the job prospects for students successfully completing a diploma or degree.
11.40 Quiz – Chemistry and Biology students Chris Ruff, Paul Hartley, Michael Kilpatrick, and Jamie Balderson. Questions on their specialist subject and general knowledge.
17.05 News round-up with Brian Lindsay. Freshers Week events just finished – Blastaway Night, Blind Date Night (compered by comedian Ed Byrne), and River Detectives gig (which was recorded for use in their up-coming live album). Future events include the Rock Music Society disco, Dance Music Society disco, and “Party Night”. Sports activities: Football team has already started its participation in the Midland Amateur League (W3 L2 so far); the Amateur League is starting this week. Trials for the Rugby Team (which this season includes Scotland Internationalist Andy Nicoll) are taking place at Caird Park. Hockey Club inaugural party “Bunnies Night” followed by fun game at Austin Park have taken place and a more serious game will be happening next week at Maryfield Astroturf; Basketball is starting at the Lynch Centre; Women’s only gym, and a self defence class (led by Grant Clark) are starting at the Marketgait Building; Grant Clark is a black belt in karate and he also runs karate classes.
19.50 End

“Jeff Ferguson, Jimmy Black, and Brian Lindsay with their weekly magazine all about Dundee Institute of Technology”
Highlights an innovative undergraduate accountancy honours project about financing problems in the British film industry, news of attacks on students in Dundee, and the end of Freshers Week.
0.00 Start
0.45 Jimmy Black interviews Accountancy student Michael Christie, and his supervisor in the Department of Accountancy Robert Jelly, about his Honours Project about financing problems in the British film industry in the early 1990s. As part of this project he spoke to leading figures involved in financing the British film industry (investors, producers etc), inc. Chris Butterfield about their views on this topic.
7.45 Jimmy Black interviews Robert Jelly about the degree and diploma courses in Accountancy, Economics, Law, Travel and Tourism Development. He also speaks about job and salary prospects for Accountancy graduates.
10.56 Quiz: Mechanical Engineering students Reg Wilson, Philip Strachan, Jo Philips, Mike McFarlane. Questions on their specialist subject and general knowledge.
17.15 News Round-up with Brian Lindsay: Report of latest attack on a Dundee student in South Tay Street on Sunday. The student was robbed of cash and credit cards. Reminder to stay safe and stay in groups when out at night. Student Union Dance Music Night promoted, the annual church service the following Sunday evening, opportunity to donate blood, new James Thin bookshop opened in the DIT building until October 29th.
19.31 End

Highlight on government plans to change the funding structure and conditions of student associations, work of electrical engineering department on speech verification in credit card machines and energy efficiency planning, plus news of expanding student leasing scheme for local authority flats.
0.00 Start
0.55 Brian Lindsay interviews Student President Rachel Thomas about Government plans to change the way that Student Associations are funded in order to ensure money is not misspent on inappropriate party political style campaigning. Activities were to be split into two areas - “core” (funded) and “non-core” (not funded). Core was defined as catering, welfare, internal representation, sports. Argument was that DIT societies were built around educational activities that are good for students to engage in (e.g. science society, quantity surveying societies) and that need funded (e.g. to bring in external speakers). In addition, the proposal to bar students from engaging in political activity. Students associations were impartial in regard to party politics, but there were other political issues that affected students and that they spoke out on (e.g. the student campaign for university status for DIT). The proposed changes would have prevented students from speaking out on these wider issues that affected them and that they had a right involve themselves in. She comments on the importance of the Students Association, run by students for students, that they take responsibility for and that contributes to their rounded education.
3.55 Jeff Ferguson interviews Andy Sepaluk from the Electronic and Electrical Engineering Department about speech verification in credit card machines in order to prevent cash / credit card fraud.
6.35 Jeff Ferguson interviews Dr Suhale Ozveron from the Electronic and Electrical Engineering Department about his project to improve electrical power system planning to make the power generation process more efficient, and make it more environmentally friendly.
9.10 Jeff Ferguson interviews Dr Peter Martin in the Electronic and Electrical Engineering Department about the career and further education opportunities for graduates from its courses.
12.45 Quiz: Honours students from the Department of Accountancy Mabel Cheung, Julie Hughes, John Potts, John Keogh. Questions on their specialist subject and general knowledge.
17.35 Brian Lindsay’s News Round-up. Announcement on the scrapping of Saturday night opening of the Marketgait Students Union due to poor take-up of the Saturday disco. Announcement of the Students Association Hardship Fund, administered by Student Services, providing emergency loans to students. Expansion of Scheme to lease local authority flats to students – before the expansion there were 9 flats on Kingsway East and Butterburn Court available to students, and it was hoped to lease more if there was sufficient demand. DIT Football Team was near the bottom of the Midland League Division 2 after being defeated 3-0 by Arbroath High School and they only had 3 points from their first 4 games, caused by injury problems and difficulties raising a team at the beginning of term that led to a game having to be conceded due to insufficient numbers.
19.41 End

“Features an interview with Dr Karen Sullivan about her research into DNA molecules”
Highlight on Department of Molecular Life Sciences research on DNA fingerprinting and possible application in forensic police work and detecting wildlife crime, Student Association work towards NUS “Student Fest” campaign against government changes to student associations, and Graduation Day.

0.00 Start
0.45 Jimmy Black interviews Dr Karen Sullivan in the Department of Molecular Life Sciences about research on DNA fingerprinting. Discussion on forensic police uses of DNA finger printing for suspect elimination, and her current work using DNA finger-printing to research the effect of environmental stress on the DNA in cells. For the first time finger-printing allows entire strands of DNA to be scanned in order to locate areas undergoing change in response to stress. This can be applied to various different areas, such as crop research (e.g. to help increase resistance to disease or dry environment and pests) to help identify unstable DNA regions to try and understand them in an effort to help fix them. The technique could even be used to combat poaching – analysing the meat of elephant carcasses to see if they were sourced from regions where it was illegal to cull them or not.
9.30 Quiz: Electronic and Electrical Engineering students Ahmar Ghaffoor, Doug Watson, Donald Laing, Jason Moonie. Questions on their specialist subject and general knowledge.
15.20 Brian Lindsay’s News Round-up. He speaks to NUS Scotland Vice President Douglas Traynor about the NUS campaign against changes in student’s unions, “Student Fest” – a day of events and entertainments advertising what’s student life has to offer from the student associations points of view. An anti racism campaign is being launched across the country too. The events and activities of “Student Fest” are all things that the proposed government changes would prevent, such as debates, charities, anti-racism work, clubs and societies, social events etc even the opportunity for the national student voice to be heard, since the changes would only fund welfare, catering, internal representation and sports.
17.27 Highlight on Graduation Day, with degrees being conferred by Principal Bernard King, including three Hon Fellowships to DIT Alumnis - George Simpson, Chief Executive of Rover Cars and Vice Chair of British Aerospace; Alastair McCallum, Chief Executive at Don and Low Holdings; Roderick Rennit, Director of Water Services for Tayside.
18.05 DIT Football Team doing better in the League. 3rd equal in the league after another victory against Birkhead (1-0, with Terry Thomas scoring a penalty against them). Next week they play Fintry Thistle. Hockey Team had their first game of the season, winning 2-1 against Napier in the Inter-University League (scorers – Paul Lyall and Robin Campbell).
19.09 End

Highlight on Civil Engineering and Surveying – study in cost management in reactive maintenance in buildings, and computer monitoring system for measuring the length of time before road repairs become necessary, Students Association AGM – increasing efforts on the government changes to students associations, plus elections of Women’s Officer and LGB Officer. Report on International Food Night.

0.00 Start
0.45 Jeff Ferguson interviews Bill Crabb a chartered surveyor and lecturer in the Department of Civil Engineering, Surveying and Building about his study in cost management and control in reactive maintenance in buildings.
3.45 Jeff Ferguson interviews Dr Ali Shart in the Department of Civil Engineering, Surveying and Building about the programme he had developed for use with a deflectograph machine for measuring the length of time before road repairs become necessary.
8.30 Jeff Ferguson speaks to Professor Suzanta Sarkar, Head of the Department of Civil Engineering, Surveying and Building about the course and career opportunities there. The conversation covers the Higher National Diploma courses, further study opportunities, for example the Masters Degree in Wastewater and Environmental Management, or postgraduate research for an MPhil, PhD. The BEng degree Civil Engineering is unique in Scotland in that it is a sandwich degree (with work training placements contributing to the degree).
12.10 Quiz – students from Economics and Law “Ian, Peter, Gareth, and Steve” (no surnames given). Questions on their specialist subject and general knowledge.
18.05 Brian Lindsay’s news roundup. Report on DIT Students Association General Meeting, inc motions re lack of sports facilities for the increasing numbers of students at DIT. Proposals were made for purchase of an all-weather multi-purpose pitch, a grass pitch, and negotiation with the local district council for concessionary rates for things like swimming, golf and tennis. A DIT ten-pin bowling league was also proposed. The motions were passed. Proposals were passed to intensify the existing campaign against the planned government measures concerning SA funding, to have a gala day celebrating the qualities of SAs and publicise the campaign. Proposals were also passed to create new posts on the SA – a women’s officer and a LGB officer (it being felt these two groups were under-represented in the Institute). Two bi-elections were held for Deputy President, and Shop Vice President. The winners were Kirk Potter and Jo Williams respectively.
19.45 International Food Night at the Union where foreign students representing 30 countries prepare and present food traditional to their culture. E, W, N & S parts of the globe are represented. Entry costs £4.
20.10 Sports News – Rugby Team match cancelled due to non-appearance of the opposition. Football team was beaten 4-3 by Fintry in a close match, and have 9 points in the League from 8 games.
21.05 End

Highlight on forging international links – establishment of MBA programmes overseas, joint overseas research programme in studying dry rot, franchising courses overseas, overseas studying opportunities and facilitating international students studies at DIT. DIT rugby player Andy Nicoll won an international cap playing for Scotland against the All Blacks.

0.00 Start
0.40 Brian Lindsay speaks to Graham Martin in the Dundee Business School about DIT’s international links being forged through the School through the establishment of MBA programmes in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Europe (Cyprus, Greece). Dr John Palfreyman in School of Life Sciences speaks about his research programme with Danish and English partners studying dry rot, and the benefits of developing international links for both research and benefits for students. Tony Dinning speaks about his experiences in Perugia in Italy. Graham Martin explains the process of franchising courses abroad, particularly the experience supporting colleagues in Kazakhstan with this. Alex Buchner a postgraduate student from Heidelberg in Germany speaks about his experiences studying Software Engineering at DIT. Grahame Martin expresses the view that the international links demonstrate DIT’s credibility as a higher education institution.
9.00 Quiz – students from Civil Engineering and Quantity Surveying. Neil Stewart, Cameron Findlay, Arthur Bell, Ian Beet. Questions on their specialist subject and general knowledge.
14.50 Brian Lindsay’s news roundup. DIT Student Association President commented negatively on proposals in the Education Bill to reform student unions outlined in Queen’s Speech for the upcoming parliamentary session. DIT Anti-Racism Society running a bus to Saturday’s anti-racism demonstration in Glasgow. DIT Football team’s match against the Dundee College of Further Education postponed to next Saturday due to bad weather; DIT Rugby Club holding a cheese and wine night on Monday. Andy Nicoll was picked for the Scotland Rugby Team on Saturday and gained an international cap playing against the All Blacks (New Zealand). Scotland was beaten 51-15.
17.22 End