I started the day with an e-mail from a friend telling me that she'd heard my PhD supervisor had died. She did her post-doc in the lab and we worked together on the same project. In fact he brought her in to rescue me, as the senior team members on that topic had moved on, and we had a fun and successful few years. It seems he'd been unwell for a short time which is a blessing as much of his family is abroad and a sudden death would have been very hard. However, it came as a shock to me because he was a very fit man - still writing and travelling extensively and we had come to believe he was indestructible. He had a big influence on me at the start of my career - he was strict in a good way, he demanded high standards and he had high expectations of his female students whom he felt were under-represented in science. He also looked after us and his students were always allocated the best rooms in college. He used to have his students and my friend Jan to drinks before college dinners because Jan's tutor (who was also mine) only invited boys to his drinks dos (these were the very early days of co-ed!). In fact the college was pretty divided in their opinion of him because there was a large contingent who disapproved of his pro-women stance. He also must have been generous with his references because I pretty much always got the jobs I went for. He had a very distinguished career and spent several years as Master of St John's - a very prestigious role. He loved the college and I knew the flag would be at half mast for him to day. http://www.joh.cam.ac.uk/professor-richard-perham-1937-2015
I immediately recognised the shot as yours, Judith. You write a fitting informal tribute and it's always hard to hear of he death of somebody we regard as fit and well, also somebody who has had a large influence on us and 'championed our cause' so to speak.
A beautiful tribute to your professor .......you were lucky to be taught by such a pro women chap.....how forward thinking of him & generous with his time & guidance .....you must have a lot to thank him for! Lovely to see how his college has remembered him. Lovely photo Judith...a sad day.
Great you were able to put into words what meaning he had in your life! I'm sure you would have let him know at one time or another! He looks a nice and gentle person and sad that he didn't have many years of retirement to enjoy!
A wonderful tribute to Professor Perham, Judith. It sounds like he was a very remarkable man. He was obviously well respected and remembered fondly by faculty and students with the lowered flag.
Lovely tribute Judith - image and words. Those special people who really make a difference in our lives and touch us deeply leave a hole in our hearts with their passing. A sad day for you. Hope you found comfort in the writing of this tender tribute.
