Dr Victor Squires

1. Tell us about yourself and some career/life highlightsVictor Squires

My career highlights must include getting my PhD and, later, my promotion to Principal Research Scientist with CSIRO. Still later I received 2 Gold medals from the Government of China. In 2008 "The International Science and Technology Cooperation" I was the first Australian to ever get this award.   In 2011 a Friendship Award -- the highest award given by China to a foreigner. In 2018 I was made an Honorary Doctor of the Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou -- the first ever recipient

2. Did you study online or on campus? How was your experience studying either on campus or online?

I am proud to say that I was an External student for 3 degrees from UNE. Ba. Litt.B. and M.A. (Hons)

3. Please provide any comments on your UNE lecturers/professors?

I am particularly grateful to Professor Noel Beadle (Botanist) and John Le Gay Brereton (Zoologist) and a young Botany Tutor Brien E. Norton (Ben) who was in Utah State University while I was a PhD student there. We had collaboration on projects in Africa and in Central Asia

4. What was your end goal when you started your degree?

To get admission (qualify) to Australian Institute of Agricultural Science and get on career path in CSIRO to become a Senior Research Scientist instead of a Senior Technical Officer

5. How are you using what you learned in your degree in your professional life?

Every day in every way.

6. What are your plans for the future?

Happy Retirement interspersed with publication of some books (as Author, editor)

7. What does living in South Australia mean to you?

A great place to live, good climate, clean air, good people

8. Anything else you would like to add about your life or your study

I have lived a full and interesting life (not finished yet) and the opportunities presented by UNE and its  external programs in the 1960s (and going forward) unlocked many doors and created an ":invisible college" of teachers, researchers and fellow students that have lasted for decades.