School Memories

How old were you when you became interested in science?
Between 8 and 12 years I became interested in astronomy and natural history. I remember running down the road in my bare feet at bedtime, looking at Sputnik 2, the second artificial satellite ever sent up, going across the sky. When I was about 11, I got a small telescope and could look at craters and mountains on the moon, Saturn and Jupiter.

Are there any particular people that got you interested in science?
My primary school teacher, Mr Edwards at Lime Park School, Wembley, was the first person to talk about science with me. At secondary school, my biology teacher Mr Keith Neil, was fantastic. He made us really enthusiastic about biology.

What are your memories of science at school?
Funny smells in the chemistry labs, and experiments in the laboratory not working very well, I’m afraid! Actually, experiments still don’t work very well now that I’m a research scientist so there’s no big difference there!
I did like science, especially biology, because you seemed to be able to discover things for yourself. I have good memories of school science.

How do you think children learn science best?
If their curiosity is aroused they get interested. Just being told facts is boring. The process of discovery is important, and knowing science is changing all the time as discoveries are made and our understanding increases.
Teachers can help children can learn for themselves, guiding and encouraging rather than telling facts. Children have to learn about the process of science and what makes it a reliable source of information.

What were your interests and hobbies as a teenager?
I was interested in science. As an older teenager I became a glider pilot and learnt to fly aeroplanes. I also liked walking in the mountains and climbing.

What made you decide to study science post-16 and what subjects did you study?
I had trouble deciding. I liked science and English. I went for science as my curiosity was aroused and I felt that I could find things out. I studied physics, chemistry and biology post 16. I was very curious about the world around me. Science seemed the best way to understand it.

Next >>