Alumni
It was such an honour to go up to
Helen’s inaugural lecture as a newly
appointed Professor of Chemistry at
Birmingham University. The day was
fantastic, right from Helen showing
me around the lab she works in, to
meeting her family, Mum and Dad
and younger sister Fiona (who I also
taught A-level chemistry) and her
family. I even impressed myself by
understanding (most) of Helen’s
lecture on her research; although the
photo of me with her A level chemistry
group all those years ago came as a
bit of a surprise!
Dave Waistnidge
Earlier this year, I had the great pleasure
of delivering my Inaugural Lecture at the
University of Birmingham. All Professors
are asked to give an Inaugural Lecture
in recognition of their appointment,
and they are a great opportunity for the
Professor to tell colleagues, friends and
the public about their research. I was
especially delighted that my former
Professor Helen J. Cooper
Professor of Mass Spectrometry and EPSRC Fellow
University of Birmingham
The Professor and the Student ..
but which is which?!
Chemistry teacher, your very own Mr
Dave Waistnidge, was able to attend.
Dave taught me Chemistry for both my
O-level and A-level and really sparked
my interest in the subject.
After leaving KEVICC, I went to the
University of Warwick to read Chemistry.
On completing my BSc, I stayed at the
University of Warwick to study for a PhD.
I had always been more interested in
physical chemistry and my PhD focused
on understanding the gas-phase ion
chemistry inside a mass spectrometer
– and this has been at the centre of my
research since those days. I stayed on at
Warwick where they were lucky enough
to get funding for the most powerful
mass spectrometer available. This was
capable of analysing large biomolecules
such as proteins, and so began my move
towards to the biosciences, although
always (and to this day) with one foot
still in physical chemistry.
In 2000, I had the opportunity to move
to Florida State University to work in the
lab of the inventor of that very powerful
mass spectrometer. This was a wonderful
time for me – I was working in one of the
biggest laboratories in the world, with
access to fantastic kit and the brightest
colleagues, and the sun always shone!
In 2003, I came back to the UK to the
University of Birmingham. I have set
up a research programme aimed at
developing novel approaches, using
mass spectrometry, for the analysis of
biomolecules directly from their natural,
or actual, environment. I am particularly
interested in proteins. The Lecture I
gave recently, entitled 'From surface to
structure: Exploring the molecular world',
marks the culmination of my career to
date. I’m looking forward to continuing
my research, and exploring the chemistry
that underlies it all.
Helen Cooper
Julie left KEVICC
in 2000. Now a
published author,
she tells her story of how she achieved her
dream with the publication of her first novel
about 18th century Cornwall,
The Cornubian
.
I knew from a very early age that I wanted
to be a writer. I still have my very first book,
The Kitten
, that I penned in Marldon Primary
School. I did well in my GCSEs at KEVICC and knew I wanted to
stay on at Kennicott but, in the summer of 1998, I suffered a
head injury in a national karate competition. The neurosurgeon
informed me that the after-effects I was experiencing were the
result of a concussional brain trauma, and that it should clear
up within 6 months. But, when I joined Sixth Form, I suddenly
found I was struggling to concentrate. My writing started going
funny. I became anxious and frustrated and my G.P. advised
me to leave Sixth Form as I was putting myself under too much
pressure – but I didn’t like the idea of giving up. Sadly, I was not
able to achieve the results I would have been capable of prior to
the accident. The odd thing was, whenever somebody asked me
what I would like to do for a living, I would always answer,
Well,
I’d like to be a writer, but…
There was always a ‘but’.
Being a writer never really occurred to me as a realistic
occupation. After all, I also wanted to marry Mel Gibson, have
an apartment in Monte Carlo and fly my own Learjet. Then I
found
The Kitten
– that first story – again. In fact, I found
over fifty stories. I had never stopped writing, you see. Being
a jeweller was kind of nice. As was being a nursery nurse. But
Julie Spiller
neither was what I had really wanted to do. I dug out my best
work, a novel written not long after I had finished my A Levels,
when my confidence was at its highest, and I re-edited it; re-
researched it; trained in writing screenplays; converted it into
a four and a half hour TV drama and sent it to Julian Fellowes,
who writes
Downton Abbey
. Against the wishes of his solicitor,
he actually made contact.
It might be easier to sell as a novel,
he said. I re-checked my historical facts and then re-wrote the
entire thing. I submitted it to a publisher. They told me if I could
get 250 pre-orders, they would publish it. I started publicising.
Generally the response was helpful but one published author/
turned bookshop-owner, informed me that I would never get
250 copies, 'not in a million years', as an unknown author. The
support I received from KEVICC made me feel I was capable
of success – since my book became available, over 30 former
KEVICC pupils have contacted me with the words,
At last! We’ve
been waiting for this for 14 years!
I tentatively contacted Mrs
McGinnis in the hope she might help publicise my book.
You
probably won’t remember me,
I wrote.
Of
course I remember you, Mel Gibson and
themanuscript
, was her reply. How funny.
Everyone else remembered exactly who I
was. It was only I who had forgotten.
I truly believe that anything is possible
if you want, and work for, it enough. If
you still dream about it – whether you’re
13, 33 or 93 – then it’s not too late. But
the earlier you do it, the longer you’ll be
happy. So start NOW.
Julie Spiller
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