|
Most memorable/fondest memory of Univ? A memorable moment at Univ was going out into Helen’s Court to find Jules Goddard, Robert Kibble and Jeremy Hein all glum with news of the assasination of President Kennedy.
Awkward moments at Univ?– Never!
The most important thing I learnt - to think, or did I know this already?
Most important thing you wish you had learnt at Oxford? I wish I had learnt more relevant career and life skills. On graduation I knew everything about pyroxene minerals and have never once needed this.
Percent satisfaction with Oxford – 69%. One of my tutors became a good friend.
Proudest achievement of my career – surviving while maintaining good humour.
Lowest point in my life? The lowest point in my life was the untimely death of Sarah my beloved second daughter at the age of 23. She had just got a First in History and started work when she suffered a cardiomyopathy.
Adjective that best describes career? The adjective that best describes my life since Univ is possibly "battered but undaunted".
% of potential achieved? The percentage of my potential achieved ranges from zero to 70, depending on what area of achievement.
Most significant unfulfilled ambition? My most significant unfulfilled ambition is to finish writing some fiction – so be careful, you might feature in it!
Level of optimism about medium-term future of the world? My level of optimism about the medium-term future of the world is not high as far as the UK is concerned. In the UK the gap between the "haves" and the "have-nots" has widened significantly. There is not enough progress towards sustainable development and ecologically responsible energy production. We still have unpleasant class distinctions. Mrs Thatcher’s leadership appears to me to have made a virtue of greed, which may have led directly to the current issues of bankers’ pay. I think we have been poorly served by politicians and servants who appear to have forgotten the ethos of service and remain over-concerned with their own status and the maintenance of elitism. I would hope that Univ is in the vanguard of genuine meritocracy – as reflected, for example, in the proportion of undergraduates from state schools.
Professional Life: After Univ, I joined the British Geological Survey and worked there for 17 years. I travelled widely and enjoyed that. I published a lot of research papers and a few books. Then for 4 years I was Head of Geology at Oxford Polytechnic before working in the oil industry in various roles for 7 years. Next, as Principal, I successfully turned around Queen Elizabeth’s College which specialises in re-skilling disabled people (often the result of accidents or illnesses) and placing them in new careers. Having turned around one college I decided to try to rescue Plater College but that proved too difficult and I resigned after 2 years. Since then I have done various jobs, most recently administering a small charity ZANE ( Zimbabwe A National Emergency) which included winning them The Telegraph Christmas Charity of the Year in 2010.
|
|
Me - I don't often wear a tie
My house - a converted blanket mill in Witney
In Arles with my youngest daughter
My youngest grandchild - she is one of four so far
|