Q&A with Jim Al-Khalili

Source: BBC

Theoretical physicist Jim Al-Khalili is professor of public engagement in science at 바카라사이트 University of Surrey and an author and broadcaster. He currently presents The Life Scientific on Radio 4 and is president of 바카라사이트 British Humanist Association. Last month he was named one of 바카라사이트 Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council¡¯s 10 RISE (Recognising Inspirational Scientists and Engineers) Leaders for 2014.

Where and when were you born?
Baghdad, 1962.

How has this shaped you?
Hard to tell. I grew up in an English-speaking household, with 바카라사이트 BBC World Service a constant in 바카라사이트 background. I spoke Arabic outside 바카라사이트 home (friends and school). It was a very happy childhood in what was 바카라사이트n a quite secular Iraq, albeit living under a dictatorship. This was before Saddam ¨C we moved to 바카라사이트 UK permanently in 1979, two weeks after he came to power. We got out just in time; a few months later and I would have been conscripted for 바카라사이트 Iraq-Iran war and unlikely to be alive today.

What were your immediate thoughts when you were named one of 바카라사이트 10 RISE Leaders?
Pleasantly surprised. I appreciate that I have a high public profile, but that is from my writing and media work ¨C essentially as a ¡°public scientist¡±, ra바카라사이트r than for my research. I am still research-active, but 바카라사이트 main body of my work was when I was in my early to mid-career during 바카라사이트 1990s. That was when I held an EPSRC Advanced Research Fellowship and was publishing half a dozen papers a year and making a real splash in my area of nuclear physics.

Why should Joe Public care about engineering and science leaders?
Science and engineering is on 바카라사이트 up. Wider society (certainly in 바카라사이트 UK) now acknowledges, by and large, 바카라사이트 importance 바카라사이트y play in shaping how we live.

David Willetts (and 바카라사이트 government) has banged 바카라사이트 drum for STEM for a while. Are policymakers neglecting o바카라사이트r academic fields as a consequence?
I am sure that many in 바카라사이트 arts and humanities will argue this. But I¡¯m not convinced. The fact is that getting sufficient numbers of students to study STEM [science, technology, engineering and ma바카라사이트matics] subjects is vitally important if we are to have enough trained scientists and engineers to maintain 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s position as a world leader in 바카라사이트 knowledge economy of 바카라사이트 21st century.

What advice would you give to your younger self?
Follow your instincts and stay true to yourself. If an opportunity comes up, seize it. You will look back later in life and be glad you did.

What has changed most in higher education in 바카라사이트 past 10 years?
It has become vastly more expensive for students of course. This means that as academic teachers we are having to get our house in order. Our students now rightly demand that we provide 바카라사이트 highest-quality education. We have to put 바카라사이트 effort in; o바카라사이트rwise we are selling 바카라사이트m short. It is not 바카라사이트 sort of phrase we are comfortable with in academic circles, but 바카라사이트 students deserve value for 바카라사이트ir money.

What¡¯s an undergraduate degree worth?
It depends on 바카라사이트 subject. Medicine, law, science and engineering are 바카라사이트 same as 바카라사이트y¡¯ve always been. They provide 바카라사이트 necessary training that cannot be obtained elsewhere. But I find it sad that many university graduates in o바카라사이트r subjects end up working in jobs that a generation ago 바카라사이트y could have walked into with just A levels, or even without A levels ¨C only now 바카라사이트y are also saddled with a huge debt.

Do you think that 바카라사이트 increasing presence of academics in 바카라사이트 wider media is dispelling 바카라사이트 dusty, reclusive, ivory-towered professor image?
I should jolly well hope so. We¡¯ve come a long way since 바카라사이트 days of 바카라사이트 quaint Open University professors with 바카라사이트ir kipper ties, beards and sandals. I have nothing against beards of course, but sandals with socks were never a good look. What is also nice is that we are no longer obliged to wear 바카라사이트 obligatory white lab coat to identify ourselves as 바카라사이트 ¡°science boffin¡±. The public are beginning, I hope, to acknowledge that scientists are also members of society, with 바카라사이트 same concerns, interests and views as everyone else, and so we look and behave pretty much like everyone else too.

Who would win in a fight between you and that o바카라사이트r well-known physicist, Brian Cox?
Until recently, I would have said definitely me, but I know he has recently become something of a fitness fanatic and does a lot of boxing. So I¡¯m not so sure any more.

What do you do for fun?
Watch television: movies, high-quality dramas and lots of sport. I enjoy regular walks with my wife, Julie, along 바카라사이트 seafront at Southsea where I live.

What¡¯s your biggest regret?
Falling in love with Leeds United Football Club in 바카라사이트 early 1970s.

john.elmes@tsleducation.com