What is the Question – May

For May’s What is the Question, ROLAND ROCCHICCIOLI chatted with retired microbiologist Robert Thurman.

 

What is your name?

Robert Thurman

 

What is your occupation?

Microbiologist (environmental virology), retired.

 

What brought you to Ballarat?

A desire to live in this beautiful land which hosts the most amazing world-class flora and fauna.

 

What is your favourite spot in the city?

Lake Wendouree precinct. It is a green space a few blocks from the CBD where one can exercise, admire the flora and fauna or relax and contemplate life’s mysteries. It is on a par with New York’s Central Park.

 

What is the best decision- ever?

To uproot our family from the USA and move lock-stock-and barrel to Australia.

 

What building would you choose to be?

The Natural History Museum in London because of its educational value. It houses rare collections which demonstrates human development and scientific discoveries through the ages.

 

What is the greatest love of your life – apart from friends and family?

It is learning about life’s mysteries: the origin of the universe, how life began, and speculating on the future of humanity. I also love creating music and art.

 

What or who inspires you?

I am continually inspired by creative individuals who have risen to the peak of their chosen profession by exploring and solving many of the great questions regarding human development and philosophy across all disciplines. To mention a few: Einstein, Newton, Darwin, Pasteur, Aristotle.

 

What music and television do you like?

The depth and breadth of many musical genres, especially classical. I like documentary style television shows that help expand my understanding of humanity’s place in the universe.

 

What is your favourite quote?

“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can,” John Wesley (1703-1791)

 

What person – living or dead would invite to dinner party?

There are legions of people I would invite. However, one stands out – Oscar Wilde. His rapier wit makes me smile.

 

What technological/scientific development boggles your mind?

The James Webb Space telescope because of its sheer size, origami-style deployment at one of the Lagrange Points 1.5 million kilometres from earth and the quality of its 6.5-metre gold-coated beryllium reflector, which is oriented to within ten nanometres.

 

What qualities do you admire in other people?

Honesty, tenacity, compassion, resiliency and humility.

 

What scares you?

Climate change, because politicians continually shirk their duty to limit and reverse practices which further degrade our environment to the detriment of future generations.

 

What was the name of your favourite teacher – and why?

My grade nine science teacher Mr Nicholson opened my eyes to science and taught me how to learn for myself.

 

What is something about you which is still the same as when you were a child?

I hope my inquisitiveness and thirst for knowledge, which began at age 15 when my parents bought me a microscope, is still robust and never fades.

 

What is the funniest thing you remember one of your kids saying, or doing?

Hearing my son, while standing on the observation deck of the Barringer Space Museum which is perched on the lip of the world’s best-preserved meteorite crater in Arizona, say, “Gee Dad, that meteorite almost hit this building!” My reply, “Yes, son. It only missed it by 50,000 years.”