1960s

From trashed guitars to electric cars, Ash Gupta has blended a life and career that have been equally eventful. He tell us about previous and current ventures, and how he still rocks at 74.

Mary Chamberlain studied Politics at Edinburgh at a point in history when students were a crucial part of political debate and protest. She tells us about being a founding member of the University's Politics Society and a career that has finally led her to her dream job.

Abraham Augustus Clemwood Fung-A-Fat is a retired medic from Guyana. Here he remembers his time as a student in 1960s Edinburgh and tells us about his many accomplishments since graduating.

Fadwa Affara retired to Edinburgh following an international career in nursing education regulation and advance practice, but that hasn't stopped her from supporting healthcare professionals fighting the Covid-19 pandemic.

Grania Skeldon has led a peripatetic life. Here the 1966 French and German graduate recounts her work and travels with the United Nations and as a freelance editor.

Rob Blacklock recalls his experience of studying medicine in the 1960s and shares the path he took to becoming a consultant urological surgeon.

Renowned Milton scholar Dr John Hale on the research path that took him to Dunedin, New Zealand, and why the author of 'Paradise Lost' is worth disagreeing with.

Law graduate Jimmy Gordon traces the challenges and opportunities he's embraced over the decades, starting with anecdotes about politics, papers and prams as a student parent in the sixties.

Ian Malcolm swapped a radio station for university lecture halls when he decided to become a teacher. Now retired, he has spent much of his time revisiting his Merchant Navy past in his published writings.

Edinburgh Dental School graduate James O'Donnell looks back on a fulfilling career in dentistry in his home city.

Medieval historian and writer Gabor Ronay was forced to flee Hungary after the 1956 Revolution. Starting over in Edinburgh, he loved every aspect of student life in the welcoming city.

Politics graduate Mary Chamberlain on smuggling anti-Apartheid literature, developing oral history and reinventing herself as a novelist.

Alongside careers in research, science, technology and teaching, brewing science pioneer Professor Sir Geoff Palmer has contributed greatly to civil society and has a keen interest in Scottish-Caribbean historical connections.

Dr Alan Wilson's career in veterinary medicine has taken him to Uganda, Australia, Kenya, and Indonesia, where he founded a company that helps local people conserve their environment through ecotourism.

Professor Malcolm Blackie’s long career in African agricultural development and education has benefited many people, from former students now in influential positions to smallholder farmers.

No stranger to helping people out, Moragh Bradshaw MBE tells us about her involvement in everything from student campaigns to extensive voluntary work, and shares her reason for supporting the University through a gift in her will.

From South Africa to Somalia and hospital wards to war zones, Dr Christa Hook's global career can be described as a spiral.

Based in Hong Kong since the late sixties, committed feminist Professor Judith Mackay is a leading advocate of tobacco control, a role that comes with powerful industry adversaries.

Chris Cameron is an Edinburgh alumnus three times over, and with degrees in three very different subjects. He tells us why he kept coming back.

With a varied international career to look back on, Jason Spencer-Cooke tells us about his equally varied student experiences.

Eve Clark, Professor of Linguistics at Stanford University, was drawn to language from a young age having grown up speaking English and French. She shares her many memories of living and working in Scotland.

Hamish Halls' decision to switch from Chemistry to Philosophy after his first year proved to be a very wise one. He explains why and vividly recounts life as an Edinburgh student in the 1960s.

An initial project working with flies in India sparked Professor Prem Narain’s lifelong passion for genetics and led him to Edinburgh where alongside his PhD and DSc he gained many fond memories of Scotland.

After retiring from the church, the pioneering Bachelor of Divinity graduate Reverend Professor Margaret Forrester began a new career as a children’s author.

Graham Hutchins was so taken by Edinburgh after a year of study that he decided to stay on to complete his degree. He talks to us about interning at the Parish of St. Ninian’s and the journal he kept.

Business coach and eMentor Roger Thomas, talks about his time at University and where his career has taken him including over 20 years at IBM.

Dr Derek Bruce talks to us about moving to the United States after graduating in medicine and how his Scottish charm and accent helped his career along the way.

Edinburgh was always physics graduate John Moffat’s first choice of university but a conversation with a professor led him down an unexpected path.

Professor Ian Brown believes his time at school and at Edinburgh laid the foundations for his long and interesting career. He talks to us about enthralling lecturers and being a playwright.

Mary Gavan, pure sciences and nursing studies graduate now shares her professional knowledge through storytelling.

Harriet Hoskyns-Abrahall hurled herself into every aspect of student life, and has maintained that attitude towards life ever since.

Journalist John Lloyd has sound advice for current students based on his own experiences of life at Edinburgh and beyond.

The continuous variety of student life- from shared bedsits to field trips in the Alps- stood out for Edinburgh’s Makar, Christine De Luca.

Donald Chatfield was drawn to Edinburgh by New College’s international reputation.

Lisbeth Thoms studied everything from fine art to politics, but it was archeology which inspired her subsequent career.

Robert Buckland arrived in Edinburgh by steam train from Wales in the 1960s.

Dining with Nobel prize winners and learning judo were some of Hamish Long’s highlights from his time at university.

Despite going to school with Mick Jagger, Andrew Dobbie calls his acceptance to the University of Edinburgh, 'the best thing that happened in my young life'.

Vivienne Cochrane tells us of a life marked by curiosity. Here we learn about Vivienne’s extensive travel and varied career.

Children’s Holiday Venture founder and Dick Vet graduate Martyn Edelsten, explains how starting the student society led him to working in developing countries.

Schuyler Jones travelled the world before choosing to come to Edinburgh.

Morag MacCormick began Nursing Studies at the University when it was the only course of its kind in Europe.

Retired further education specialist, Anne West chats about working with young people and James Robertson Justice and his mini.

Blue Badge Guide for Scotland Norma Allan talks about special memories, interesting vacation jobs and her love of poetry.

Professor Brian Perry talks about studying at the Dick Vet and a career that has spanned the globe.

Educator Angus Alexander Edmonds talks William Golding, the value of participating in clubs and societies, and how living with others is an education in itself.

Well travelled linguist, James Telfer Inglis talks about identifying your limits and the value of learning to network.