Mr. Threlfall, Miss. Burr, and Me⎯My Life in Science

In deference to Steven Pinker’s “it’s in the genes” polemic, I cannot credit heredity for pursuing science in my academic and professional lives. My parents and all my blood relatives had neither interest nor aptitude for science and, for that matter, never attended college. My upbringing pushed me into science so my history seems consistent with Richard Lewontin’s emphasis of the importance of environment in shaping one’s life. More than anything, my experiences in high school nurtured my lifelong embracement of science.

I attended Willow Glen High School, in San Jose, California, from 1952 to 1955. I had no plans to attend college or study science. My encounters with two teachers, William Threlfall and Harriet Burr, changed all that. Those experiences profoundly and forever affected my life.

Mr. Threlfall was my high school chemistry teacher. He challenged and inspired. I vividly recall two incidents that won me over to science. He assigned each student the task of identifying the chemical composition of a mystery sample. My sample consisted of a vial of white salt crystals. I did not know it at the time, but Mr. Threlfall gave me the class’s most difficult sample: a mixture of two different salts that looked the same. On a whim, I separated the crystals using tweezers and analyzed each crystal individually. I reported that my sample was a mixture of a sodium and cadmium salt. Mr. Threlfall was impressed and told me so. My self-esteem climbed a couple of notches. The other class assignment that stimulated my interest in science involved making a consumer product. I chose toothpaste. Here I learned the potent synergy of science and art. Science provided the toothpaste’s important functional properties¾a surfactant and an abrasive. Art was essential to incorporate favor, color, and texture that would appeal to consumers. That lesson served me well in my food development career. (Maybe Bruno Latour, who savors systematic and pragmatic methods, would have been impressed.)

Miss Burr taught high school mathematics. Her life was teaching, coaching, and inspiring students. More than anyone, Miss Burr encouraged, prodded, and insisted that I attend college and study science or engineering. I did not realize it at the time, but I owe my lifelong success to Miss Burr.

Genes may have helped to fashion my persona. Perhaps my independence, curiosity, and objectivity are inherent in my genetic makeup. But, clearly, Mr. Threlfall and Miss. Burr taught me to love, respect, and embrace science.