I am a photographer and writer with a background in science and technology, living in Coronado, California. I enjoy all types of photography, but especially architectural photography in black and white and abstract photography in color. I write photo essays covering a range of photography-related topics.
I developed an interest in photography as a graduate student, but my enthusiasm waxed and waned over the years as family responsibilities and other priorities competed for my time. A few years ago decided to buy a professional quality camera and take photography more seriously. Since then my photographic interests have grown and merged with my enjoyment of writing. I use Leica cameras and L-mount lenses, and shoot photographs in both color and black & white
Originally from Wales, I recently retired after a long career in drug discovery at both major pharma and biotech companies. After attending Dynevor Boys Grammar School in Swansea, I studied Chemistry at Imperial College, London, where I won the Frank Hatton prize for best degree, and the Edmund White prize for Excellence in Organic Chemistry. I hold a PhD in Organic Chemistry from Cambridge University and spent two years as a NATO postdoctoral fellow and Fulbright-Hays travel scholar at Stanford University in California and Columbia University in New York.
I worked at Pfizer for many years, leading research units in both the UK and the US, and was also President of the Ferring Research Institute in San Diego. My most recent role was as Senior Vice-President of Drug Discovery at a San Francisco Bay Area-based biotech company, insitro, applying machine learning to the challenges of discovering new medicines.