Creation of the College Science

Year Engineering Course began

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Recommended by the Dainton report (Dainton picture left), increasing the length of the Engineering course was designed to expand students possibilities in obtaining managerial posts in industry by adding a year of study in industrial, social and economic studies. This was 'to produce engineers of a very high quality with an understanding of engineering in its managerial, social and economic context and able to advance to responsible positions in manufacturing industry'. Universities made bids for University Grants Committee funds for this and Imperial was one of those accepted.

David Huddie had come to similar conclusions as to the need for expansion studies from his in-depth investigation of Imperial and its courses.

Humanities Department opened

The Humanities Department was formed from the Associated Studies and History of Science with the first Head of Department being Professor David Raphael, a Philosopher.

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"The merger of our institutions was inspired by a vision of the great advances in science and medicine we could make together. The past experience of Imperial College is that students are enthused by biomedical topics and show great interest in undertaking research in this area both as undergraduates and postgraduates. St Mary's is similarly spurred by the creative opportunity of ideas within one institution.

We are confident of the rich potential for development in Clinical Ophthalmology and Visual Science. Also of the central role of the Centre for Biological and medical Systems as the spur and focus to harness the complementary skills and interests of the enlarged Imperial College of Science, technology and Medicine. The key to our success in the biomedical field lies in bringing together multidisciplinary teams with established records of achievements. We undertake to build a team who will keep Imperial College of Science, Technology and medicine at the international forefront of biomedical research and teaching."

Joint course with Royal College of Art in Engineering Design established

The Department of Mechanical Engineering launched collaboration with the Royal College of Art Industrial Engineering School.

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City & Guilds Centenary celebrations

In 1985, the City & Guilds College celebrated its Centenary.

The festivities included a visit by Margaret Thatcher to the College, and a major exhibition entitled Tech 2000.

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Honda Wind Tunnel opened

The Aeronautics Department has developed expertise in testing vehicle aerodynamics, including the Bluebird of Donald Campbell and the Formula 1 racing car companies.

In 1982, the Honda R&D Division agreed a five year contract for the construction of a £700,000 wind tunnel specifically for studying vehicle aerodynamics with the capability of simulating cross winds and ground effects.

"The merger of our institutions was inspired by a vision of the great advances in science and medicine we could make together. The past experience of Imperial College is that students are

enthused by biomedical topics and show great interest in undertaking research in this area both as undergraduates and postgraduates. St Mary's is similarly spurred by the creative opportunity of ideas within one institution.

Imperial merges with St Mary's Hospital Medical School

In 1988, Imperial College of Science, Technology & Medicine was formed through the merger of the College with St Mary's Hospital Medical School. A joint message from Imperial's then Rector Sir Eric Ash and the then Dean of St Mary's Professor Peter Richards states:

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Merger with the National Heart & Lung Institute at Royal Brompton

The National Heart and Lung Institute's merger with Imperial in 1995 makes it one of the founding divisions of what later became the School of Medicine. It now carries out pioneering research on all aspects of heart, lung cardiovascular disease, with increasing emphasis on interdisciplinary work in the areas of biomedicine, biophysics and bioengineering.

The merger of the National Heart and Lung Institute in 1995 with Imperial College marked another step in the development of the Institute from its beginnings in the nineteenth century and subsequent mergers with: The Hospital for Consumption and Diseases of the Chest 1841, later the Brompton Hospital and its sister hospital in the East End, the London Chest Hospital; The National heart Hospital; The Institute of Cardiology; The Brompton Hospital Medical School and the Institute of Diseases of the Chest.