Peter Barham
Encyclopedia
Professor Peter Barham is a Professorial Teaching Fellow in Physics
at the University of Bristol
, UK and visiting Professor of Molecular Gastronomy
at the Royal Veterinary University in Copenhagen, Denmark
.
Peter Barham's research at the University of Bristol is concerned with polymer physics
and he has found great ways to connect his research with his love of penguins, including the creation of silicon-based flipper bands which can be used for monitoring penguin populations. The silicone bands are designed to minimize the potential impact of carrying an external marking device and are currently in use on African penguin
s (Spheniscus demersus) at Bristol Zoo
, UK and in the wild in South Africa
. More recently, together with colleagues in the Computer Science Department at the University of Bristol, he has developed a computer vision
system for the automatic recognition of African penguins. This system is currently undergoing trials in South Africa.
Prof. Barham has contributed to the development of the new science of molecular gastronomy and has authored the book The Science of Cooking (ISBN 3-540-67466-7). He has collaborated with a number of chefs including Heston Blumenthal
, the chef/owner of The Fat Duck
and also a proponent of molecular gastronomy. He is Editor-in-Chief of a new journal, Flavour, which covers the science of molecular gastronomy.
Peter Barham contributes to the public understanding of science
by giving public lectures on molecular gastronomy and penguin conservation biology. He has addressed audiences in both the UK and further afield. Titles of previous public lectures include "Ice cream delights", "Why do we like some foods and hate others?", "Kitchen disasters and how to fix them" and "A passion for penguins". He has also written articles for several national newspapers, makes frequent television and radio appearances, and was scientific advisor to the Discovery Channel series 'Kitchen Chemistry'. Most recently he appeared on an episode of the BBC2 programme "Heston Blumenthal: In Search of Perfection" which aired in the UK on 27 November 2007.
He has written a book entitled "The Science of Cooking" 4th Oct. 2000. Amazon
describes the book in the following terms: "A kitchen is no different from most science laboratories and cookery may properly be regarded as an experimental science. Food preparation and cookery involve many processes which are well described by the physical sciences. Understanding the chemistry and physics of cooking should lead to improvements in performance in the kitchen. For those of us who wish to know why certain recipes work and perhaps more importantly why others fail, appreciating the underlying physical processes will inevitably help in unraveling the mysteries of the "art" of good cooking."
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
at the University of Bristol
University of Bristol
The University of Bristol is a public research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.The University is...
, UK and visiting Professor of Molecular Gastronomy
Molecular gastronomy
Molecular gastronomy is a subdiscipline of food science that seeks to investigate, explain and make practical use of the physical and chemical transformations of ingredients that occur while cooking, as well as the social, artistic and technical components of culinary and gastronomic phenomena in...
at the Royal Veterinary University in Copenhagen, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
.
Peter Barham's research at the University of Bristol is concerned with polymer physics
Polymer physics
Polymer physics is the field of physics that studies polymers, their fluctuations, mechanical properties, as well as the kinetics of reactions involving degradation and polymerisation of polymers and monomers respectively....
and he has found great ways to connect his research with his love of penguins, including the creation of silicon-based flipper bands which can be used for monitoring penguin populations. The silicone bands are designed to minimize the potential impact of carrying an external marking device and are currently in use on African penguin
African Penguin
The African Penguin , also known as the Black-footed Penguin is a species of penguin, confined to southern African waters. It is known as Brilpikkewyn in Afrikaans, Inguza or Unombombiya in Xhosa, Manchot Du Cap in French and Pingüino Del Cabo in Spanish...
s (Spheniscus demersus) at Bristol Zoo
Bristol Zoo
Bristol Zoo is a zoo in the city of Bristol in South West England. The zoo's stated mission is "Bristol Zoo Gardens maintains and defends biodiversity through breeding endangered species, conserving threatened species and habitats and promoting a wider understanding of the natural...
, UK and in the wild in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. More recently, together with colleagues in the Computer Science Department at the University of Bristol, he has developed a computer vision
Computer vision
Computer vision is a field that includes methods for acquiring, processing, analysing, and understanding images and, in general, high-dimensional data from the real world in order to produce numerical or symbolic information, e.g., in the forms of decisions...
system for the automatic recognition of African penguins. This system is currently undergoing trials in South Africa.
Prof. Barham has contributed to the development of the new science of molecular gastronomy and has authored the book The Science of Cooking (ISBN 3-540-67466-7). He has collaborated with a number of chefs including Heston Blumenthal
Heston Blumenthal
Heston Marc Blumenthal OBE is an English chef and owner of The Fat Duck, a three-Michelin-starred restaurant in Bray, Berkshire voted Best Restaurant in the UK by The Good Food Guide 2007 and 2009, and voted best restaurant in the world by Restaurant magazine in 2005...
, the chef/owner of The Fat Duck
The Fat Duck
The Fat Duck is a restaurant run by chef Heston Blumenthal in Bray, Berkshire, England. The restaurant is known for its menu of unusual dishes, created following the principles of molecular gastronomy examples include: "snail porridge", "sardine on toast sorbet", "bacon and egg ice cream", and...
and also a proponent of molecular gastronomy. He is Editor-in-Chief of a new journal, Flavour, which covers the science of molecular gastronomy.
Peter Barham contributes to the public understanding of science
Public awareness of science
Public awareness of science , also public understanding of science , is a term relating to the attitudes, behaviours, opinions and activities that comprise the relations between the general public or lay society as a whole to scientific knowledge and organisation.It is a comparatively new approach...
by giving public lectures on molecular gastronomy and penguin conservation biology. He has addressed audiences in both the UK and further afield. Titles of previous public lectures include "Ice cream delights", "Why do we like some foods and hate others?", "Kitchen disasters and how to fix them" and "A passion for penguins". He has also written articles for several national newspapers, makes frequent television and radio appearances, and was scientific advisor to the Discovery Channel series 'Kitchen Chemistry'. Most recently he appeared on an episode of the BBC2 programme "Heston Blumenthal: In Search of Perfection" which aired in the UK on 27 November 2007.
He has written a book entitled "The Science of Cooking" 4th Oct. 2000. Amazon
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
describes the book in the following terms: "A kitchen is no different from most science laboratories and cookery may properly be regarded as an experimental science. Food preparation and cookery involve many processes which are well described by the physical sciences. Understanding the chemistry and physics of cooking should lead to improvements in performance in the kitchen. For those of us who wish to know why certain recipes work and perhaps more importantly why others fail, appreciating the underlying physical processes will inevitably help in unraveling the mysteries of the "art" of good cooking."