Personal Advancement
Bob McDonald: The science of going for itAvid sailor Bob McDonald's 48-foot, two-masted yawl is called Freedom II, which is appropriate, because as he says, "Freedom I is my spirit." DOROTHEA HELMS |
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 [ 2002-09-25 ] |
"Kids should be encouraged to take risks from time to time," says Bob McDonald, "the science guy."
The popular science journalist and host of the CBC's Quirks & Quarks has taken bold risks to live his dream career. From english and philosophy studies in university and a stint working construction during the 1970s, Bob switched his passion to science, and has travelled the world to broaden his knowledge base.
"I think it should be mandatory in our education system that everyone take a year off after university to travel. A good part of what you need to be a journalist is broad background of experience. Take a map of the world, throw a dart at it and go there."
His travels led him in 1992 to Quirks & Quarks, CBC's weekly radio science program heard by a national audience of nearly 500,000, and around the world on short-wave via Radio Canada International. The award-winning show is consistently rated the most enjoyed program by CBC Radio listeners, and is included in the world's top ten short-wave radio programs in English.
Bob's ability to funnel complicated topics into a stream of commentary that makes them both understandable and interesting was recognized with the prestigious 2001 Michael Smith Award for Science Promotion from National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, and the 2002 Sandford Fleming Medal from the Royal Canadian Institute.
The pied piper of science has also produced, written and hosted more than 100 educational videos, and was host of CBC television's children's science program Wonderstruck, which ran from 1985 to 1992.
"I don't have a formal education in science," he admits. "In 1972 the Ontario Science Centre was looking for people to do shows there. I had done some theatre in school and was good on stage. The staff scientists took me under their wing and helped me learn about things like static electricity and lasers. I guess you could say I'm an opportunist."
He's definitely an entrepreneur. In the mid-seventies, when NASA started sending robots to planets such as Mars and Jupiter, Bob went to California to the jet propulsion lab where the missions were controlled.
"I was there when messages actually came in from space. When I returned to Toronto, I was an instant expert. I appeared on Canada AM and other news shows, and people kept saying how good I was on camera."
Bob cultivated that affinity, and became, as he says, "the science guy" for various shows. After six years with the Science Centre, Bob "took the big leap into freelance writing and broadcasting." Then he did something most people only dream of -- he took six months to travel around the world.
"There was an eclipse of the sun in Africa in 1979, and a group from Toronto was going to see it. I wanted to join them, but I figured why go halfway around the world and come back the same way? Sure, it was a risk, but kids should be encouraged to take risks from time to time."
When CBC asked him to do documentaries, Bob says it "scared the pants off me." As usual, he said yes and then figured out how to do it -- once again under the wing of experienced professionals, this time producers at CBC. As for this being his dream career, he says "You bet! I'm stunned sometimes when I realize who's on the other end of the line. The biggest names in science talk to me."
In 2000 his book "Measuring the Earth with a Stick: Science as I've Seen it" was short-listed for the Canadian Science Writers Association Book Award.
What's the science behind his success? "Always say yes to opportunity. Take a chance and beat the fear."
(Dorothea Helms (writer@wsws.ca) is an internationally published freelance writer who co-owns a communications firm with her husband.)
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