About Cambridge and the Conference Venue
The main venue for NT11 will be the area surrounding the New Museums Site, with lectures being held in the nearby Corn Exchange, and poster sessions at Pembroke College. These are located in the heart of the University, within walking distance from accommodation in the Colleges and the River Cam.
In terms of its scientific heritage, the New Museums Site is one of the richest sites in the world. Established on the site of the Old Botanic Garden in 1784, it has been the location of some of the most important scientific discoveries in late 19th and 20th centuries, including the electron by J.J. Thomson in 1897, 'splitting of the atom' by Cockcroft and Walton in 1932, the first electronically programmable computer (EDSAC) by Maurice Wilkes and his team in 1949, and Crick and Watson's elucidation of DNA structure in 1953.
It has also played host to many other scientific luminaries of the era, such as Ernest Rutherford (known affectionately as the 'Croc' because of his loud voice), Lawrence Bragg, Paul Dirac and Max Perutz. It is situated less than 100 metres from The Eagle public house, where Crick and Watson used to dine regularly, and which was also frequented by Royal Air Force pilots during the Second World War.
The conference dinner will be held on the Wednesday at the Aviation Museum in Duxford, underneath the wings of a retired Concorde.
