You can make a difference

With a Kentish accent that defies living in Australia for almost 40 years, George Southgate explains how he came to establish a Fellowship Fund in the School of Physics at the University of Adelaide.

"I walked in off the street and said, `how would you like some money?' and I just thought I'd walk in and walk straight back out, having written a cheque."

Despite his casual telling, the story of George's generosity has a more serious side. It was being diagnosed with a serious illness that drove him to consider the impact he could make, both today and for the future.

"It made me focus on the fact that I wasn't immortal," George says. "Which made me think, what am I going to do with my estate? I've always admired the brains of the scientists, engineers and chemists that have built the knowledge that we have today."

The George Southgate Fellowship Fund will give University of Adelaide physicists the opportunity to attend conferences and conventions around the world, as well as providing for noted international physicists to visit Adelaide, greatly contributing to the teaching and knowledge in the field.

It is thanks to George's own intellectual curiosity and his lifelong interest in physics and chemistry, which will allow a new generation of thinkers to explore and develop their knowledge for the future benefit of all.

For more information about giving to the University of Adelaide, contact: Development and Alumni, +61 8 8303 5800 or email development@adelaide.edu.au