40s and 50s Memories
Of his later life he writes:
When invited to prepare a summary of my life
and career after leaving King's the first thought
that occurred to me was the value of the nature
vs. nurture paradigm. To what extent should I
attribute any achievement (or lack of it) to my
genetically-inherited innate ability (or lack of it),
as compared with the contribution made by my
family upbringing and schooling?
I came to King's from a small prep school, the
headmaster of which was passionate about
latin, cricket and hockey. So I arrived at King's
half expecting a role for sport being integrated
with the regular academic activity (see later).
After two years at King's I found myself heading
for 'A' Levels in maths, physics and chemistry,
which led to my going to university (Oxford) to
read chemistry. A trivial memory from this period
is that I just happened to be in the right place at
the right time in May 1954 when Roger Bannister
ran the first four minute mile at Iffley Road. I
was sufficiently enraptured by chemistry that I
stayed on to do a doctorate and, still enthralled
by the subject went on to an exciting year as
a post- doc at Cornell University, in Ithaca, NY
State, USA. Travel there and back was steerage
class in a trans-Atlantic liner. This year in the
US was an enriching experience. In the middle
of this academic frenzy I married Caroline and
for the past 55 years she has given continuous
and enthusiastic support and encouragement
to my career pursuits. She also produced two
lovely children.
Back in the UK I got a research job in the
pharmaceutical industry with Pfizer. At that
time this industry, along with some academic
institutions, was at the forefront of investigations
into the biochemistry and molecular biology of the
mammalian body. The workplace led to exciting
interdisciplinary collaboration and as a chemist
at Pfizer I interacted with pharmacologists,
biochemists, histopathologists, haematologists,
clinicians, veterinarians, microbiologists,
statisticians, and so on... We also had many
fruitful interactions with academia. Publication
in scientific journals was encouraged. Another
amusing aside is that when I was a student it
happened that three of my lecturers were Nobel
prize winners, so I listened to them weekly for
several years. Then, in my later movements through the world of science while researching
at Pfizer, I was lucky enough to hear lectures
from 12 more Noel laureates.
Alastair Monro on his Tartan 34 yacht Weedeoch
After 16 years my job took me to France, to head
up a Toxicology Research Centre, at Amboise,
in the Loire Valley. Then ten years later I moved,
still with Pfizer, to the US. Now my role expanded
such that I became involved with intra-industrial
working parties, and international scientific
societies and congresses which promoted
debate with the drug regulatory authorities
around the world. Their job was to ensure that
the safety standards for approval to market
drugs were based on the best science available.
I found this challenging and rewarding. A first
conclusion at this point is that from a personal
experience the study of chemistry offers many
career possibilities and, given that continuing
and unavoidable role of chemistry everywhere
in our lives and environment, the potential must
still be there today. It was also my good fortune
to work in two foreign countries - ten years
in each - which allowed me to strike up long
lasting friendships with persons from a wide
diversity of backgrounds and nationalities.that
was a real pleasure.
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