Dr Cooper returns to Mollison Drive
Ethan (Year 12) recounts his experience of Dr Cooper's recent maths lecture delivered in the JJ Hall...
Last Thursday, students and staff at Wilson’s School were treated to a special visit from retired mathematics teacher Dr Cooper, who returned to give a lecture on the mathematics of climate change. The event, held in the JJ Hall, was attended by an eager audience keen to learn from one of the school’s most esteemed former teachers.
Dr Cooper, who retired to Cumbria after a distinguished career at Wilson’s, captivated the audience with a detailed presentation on how mathematical models are instrumental in understanding the complex changes affecting the Earth’s climate. He walked the audience through the principles of a radiative model, explaining how scientists use mathematical equations to measure energy imbalances in the atmosphere and predict future climate scenarios. His explanation elucidated how data is used to track phenomena like global temperature rise, melting ice caps, and shifts in weather patterns.
The lecture highlighted the critical role mathematics plays in addressing the urgent challenge of climate change, with Dr Cooper emphasising that models are essential tools for understanding long-term environmental shifts and informing policy decisions.
Having Dr Cooper return to the school, even if just for a day, was a true privilege. His decades of teaching experience, coupled with his enthusiasm for applying mathematics to real-world problems, left a lasting impression on every single person in attendance. As one student remarked, “It was fascinating to see how something we learn in class, like mathematics, is being used to tackle one of the world’s biggest challenges.”
Though Dr Cooper is now enjoying his well-earned retirement in Cumbria, the school is hopeful this won’t be his last visit. His presence was a welcome reminder of the legacy he left behind at Wilson’s School, and there is much excitement about the possibility of him returning to share more of his knowledge in the future.