Question: Why did you want to work in science and who is your favourite scientist

Grant Campbell answered on 13 Mar 2013:

Science was interesting in school and I seemed to have an aptitide for it, hence chose a science-based degree at university. Favourite scientists – hard to say, but they would probably include:

Leonardo da Vinci, who wanted to know everything (now that we realise how much there is to know, more than he could ever imagine, none of us aim to do that anymore!);

Charles Darwin, who was very patient and thorough in collecting his data before publishing his new theory – these are admirable qualities;

Isaac Newton, who had such a profound impact in so many areas (although as a person I don’t think he would be much fun to be with)

Albert Einstein, of course, who demonstrated the power of really clever and deep thinking and inspired many, both scientists and non-scientists.

Ernest Rutherford, who said “All science is either physics or stamp-collecting” (a thought that has influenced my own approach to science) and “We don’t have much money for this research, so we must think!” (and who was, like me, a New Zealander).

In terms of food science – Harold McGee, author of “On Food and Cooking”, a book that is helping me to answer many of these questions!