Candidate Profile

THE CRUISE SHIP ENRICHMENT NETWORK
ONLY REGISTERED AND AUTHORISED USERS CAN VIEW FULL CONTACT DETAILS
EXPERTISE
Health, Medicine & Wellbeing
Science - General
Sport
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WITH:
BIOGRAPHY
Mike is an experienced cruise ship speaker over 8 years with several cruise lines. His informal yet enthusiastic presentation style, coupled with humour and the large variety of topics offered, have had wide appeal to different cruise line audiences.

Mike studied at both Durham & Cambridge Universities: was Head of Biology at a London school for 3 years, then appointed to a lectureship in biology at Sussex University, where he finished his career as Chair of Environmental Science.

He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology in 1978 for his innovative teaching & research on ageing. In 1999, Sussex Alumni Society gave him an award for Excellence in Teaching. His career involved many aspects of Higher Education, writing for the Open University in its early days; undertaking consultancy work for the British Council; external examining & Quality Reviewing at various universities; publishing many books & papers.

Since retirement, Mike taught at the International Studies Center, Herstmonceux for 3 years and has given talks to U3a, PROBUS, WI & Eastbourne Ashridge Circle.

His strong interest in Sports stems from time as an athlete in the 1950s & 60s. As a National Serviceman, he represented Fighter Command in the RAF Championships. He was President of Durham University Athletic Union and represented British Universities Internationally. He was awarded Blues at Cambridge for athletics & cross country and was Buckinghamshire county champion in the 1 mile (3 times). 3 miles and cross country, representing the county at Inter-Counties events.


LECTURE TOPICS
There are a variety of topics that Mike is enthusiastic to talk about. Most subjects can stand alone, but in some cases be collated into an underlying theme. He also likes to select and modify talks to relate to the itinerary of the cruise.
Mike's aim is to inform, but also entertain. Humour is important and audience enjoyment is key as witnessed by excellent audience attendance.
Mike currently has around 25 different talks and adds new ones each year. He particularly enjoys talking about famous scientists and sports personalities. He also likes to talk about ageing (a subject that affects us all!), as his own research was in this field for a number of years.

Lecturing experience
Mike has given lectures and talks for over 50 years to a variety of audiences: to university students in the UK, USA and Canada; young scientists in schools, U3A, Probus, WI. Ashridge Circle, workshops abroad in several different countries, and cruise line speaking.


SCIENCE TOPICS (all lectures are fully illustrated)
Scientific voyages that changed our way of thinking about life on earth.

1 & 2. CHARLES DARWIN AND THE VOYAGE OF THE 'BEAGLE'. (2 lectures).
Part 1. The background to the voyage; the boat; the crew & passengers; the journey from Plymouth to Brazil, Uruguay,Argentina and Tierra del Fuego.
Part 2. The journey from Chile to the Galapagos Islands; to New Zealand, Australia and Tasmania via Tahiti. The homeward journey back to Falmouth via Cape Town, St Helena and Ascension Island. How the 5 year voyage called into question the views that Darwin held at the start of the journey and eventually led to his proposal for the theory of evolution. Both talks are extensively illustrated from archive material.

3. ALFRED RUSSEL WALLACE - THE OFTEN FORGOTTEN MAN. Wallace was the joint proposer with Darwin of Evolution by Natural Selection and the father of biogeography, especially of SE Asia. He too had his sailing mishaps. On leaving Brazil his ship caught fire and sunk.
Whereas Darwin could be regarded a a 'lucky' man; Wallace could be considered an 'unfortunate'. The talk looks at the background of the two men and their contribution to science, as well as the voyages and expeditions undertaken by Wallace. Why do we talk about 'Darwinism' but never 'Wallacism'?

4. A STUDENT EXPEDITION TO ICELAND 64 YEARS AGO.
64 years ago I was part of a small group of students who undertook fieldwork research over 6 weeks in Iceland. This is a story of our experiences and mishaps in a country that has changed significantly during that time and has much relevance to climate change.

5. THE COD WARS
This talk looks at the life history of the cod fish in the North Atlantic and the disputes ('WARS') between the UK and Iceland.

6. AGEING
How long will we live? Why do we grow old? Why do we live as long as we do? Would we really want to live forever? Theories of ageing along with a light-hearted view of old age.

7. THE NOBEL PRIZES. Stockholm and Oslo are the locations for Nobel Prize Awards. Alfred Nobel was a remarkable man; the inventor of dynamite, but a great philanthropist. This talk looks at the origin of the prizes and focuses on the Chemistry prize & the prize for Physiology & Medicine, particularly the prize winners that the speaker has met and their research. (A popular talk with audiences)

8. HAEMOPHILIA, RASPUTIN, FABERGE'S EGGS & THE DEMISE OF THE ROMANOV DYNASTY..
The talk starts with the genetics of haemophilia - moves on to Rasputin (a Siberian peasant & mystic) who appeared to be the only person capable of controlling haemophilia in Alexei, the son & heir of Tsar Nicholas II, who as a result had great influence over the royal family. This along with his questionable live style made him many enemies; together with the great wealth of the Tsar, including Easter presents to his wife of Faberge eggs finally precipitated the Russian revolution and the violent deaths of Rasputin and the Romanov family.

9. HAEMOPHILIA AND THE SPANISH ROYAL FAMILY.
The “Royal disease” started with Queen Victoria and affected several European royal families. Prince Leopold, Queen Victoria’s son died from haemophilia and two of her daughters were carriers like their mother, passing the disease to the Russian and Spanish royal families. Whilst the Russian story of the Tsar’s only son, Alexei, is well known, less is known about the Spanish royal family, where the disease played a role in the origin of the Spanish Civil War.

10. THE NORTHERN LIGHTS (AURORA BOREALIS)
The talk explains the source of the Auroras and how the different colours are produced in one of the great sights of the natural world.

11. GLACIERS & FJORDS
The talk examines the geological and astronomical changes in our World that have brought both Ice Ages and 'Greenhouse' conditions. It explains how glaciers are formed and move, giving rise to changes in the landscape and how fjords arose.

10. 'ANGEL OF MERCY' OR 'DOCTOR DEATH'? Dr John Bodkin Adams an Irish doctor practicing in Eastbourne, was acquitted of murder in 1956. Why was the trial so shambolic? Was there interference at the highest level? (a popular talk)

11.THE "MEDITERRANEAN DISEASE"
The frequency of 'thalassaemias' (meaning 'anaemias of the sea') is much higher in Mediterranean populations than many others. Why? The talk examines the causes and how populations have evolved to counteract the genetic disease.

12. THE “FERTILE CRESCENT” – THE ORIGINS OF YOU DAILY BREAD
The ‘Fertile Crescent’ is a crescent shaped area of the Middle East, including southern Turkey and the Nile basin. It is often regarded as the ‘Cradle of Civilisation’ and the ‘Garden of Eden’ as so many key crops had their origins there, along with the domestication of animals. The talk focuses on the evolution and cultivation of wheat and the spread of farming across Europe.

13. THE TIME THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA DRIED UP
As we sail throughout the Mediterranean, it is hard to imagine the turbulent times of its geological past; even times when it dried up and reflooded again. Also, throughout the many large and small islands scattered in the Mediterranean, there are some extraordinary fossil findings, which require explanations too.

14.PHYTOPHTHORA INFESTANS AND THE IRISH POTATO FAMINE.
Between 1801 and 1922, the whole of Ireland was part of the United Kingdom. Relationships however were always strained. The many poor peasants (tenant farmers) relied on potatoes as their staple diet. There had been other instances of starvation amongst the peasants, but none more so that the ‘Great Famine’ of 1845-49. The talk looks at the fungus that causes 'potato blight' and other factors tha t exacerbated the famine, where 1 million Irish died and another million emigrated, mainly to the USA.

15. DISCOVERING THE COELACANTH
In the early 20th century, an ancient fish, known as the Coelacanth was thought to be extinct, but in 1938 it was found by chance in a shark gill fishing net off the east coast of South Africa. The fishermen had no idea of the significance of their catch. Since that time other Coelacanths have been caught along with other ‘living fossils’ of great antiquity.

16. CORAL REEFS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Coral reefs make up about 1% of the Earth’s surface, but 25% of its biodiversity. Over the past century about 50% of reefs have been lost, mainly due to climate change. The Arabian Sea is a case in point, with coral reefs having to withstand extremes of temperature and higher salinity. Interesting research is being carried out at various marine institutes, especially those associated with the United Arab Emirates.

17. THE LEMURS OF MADAGASCAR.
Lemurs and Madagascar are unique. They are the oldest living primates and have unique characteristics. The talk looks at how lemurs got to Madagascar, the many species that exist there and their behaviour.

18. THE ANCIENT ROCKS OF SOUTH AFRICA
South Africa has some of the oldest rocks in the World and also some of the major diamond mines. The talk examines the geology, the very ancient fossils found there and the origin of diamonds and other precious gems.

19. MEMORIES OF A NATIONAL SERVICEMAN IN THE 1950s
Unless you had a good excuse, the ‘call up’ for National Service was compulsory. This is the story of the speakers experience in the RAF (operational radar) in the 1950s. Audiences find the account amusing and interesting.


SPORTS HISTORY

Mike's keen interest in many sports has led him to talk about "sporting heroes" of the amateur era and now the professional one.

1. "THE MAGIC MILE" (2 parts)
The origin and history of the mile track race from the seventeenth century to 1954 when Sir Roger Bannister broke the 4 minute barrier. Some surprises here! The mile has been described as 'the perfect distance'; neither too short, nor too long. Indeed a drama played out over four laps of the track. The name 'mile' has its origins from Roman times. These two extensively illustrated talks, including some video clips, introduce many famous athletes from the past and from many different countries along with the speaker's involvement with them as an athlete in the 1950s and 60s.

2. "THE CZECH LOCOMOTIVE" - EMIL ZATOPEK - not only an Olympic legend but a remarkable man.
His life is remarkable for triumph over adversity and of his patriotism, sportsmanship and kindness to others.

3. REMARKABLE STORIES FROM THE BALTIC OLYMPICS. Some remarkable stories have emerged from the Olympic Games held in the Baltic cities of Stockholm (1912), Antwerp (1920), Amsterdam (1928), Helsinki (1952) and Moscow (1980), which audiences will find intriguing.

4. THE CONTROVERSIAL BERLIN OLYMPICS OF 1936 - HITLER'S GAMES.
Several Olympics have been controversial but none more so than Berlin in 1936. The Games were extremely well organised and the facilities for the athletes outstanding; also several innovations took place, but it was a major propaganda exercise for the Nazi regime with sinister events going on in the background. (This has been a very popular talk).

5. LOS ANGELES 1932 and 1984. The city has twice been host to the Olympic Games. A comparison is made between the two occasions with some fascinating stories relating to the history of the times.

6. THE OLYMPIC GAMES - ANCIENT AND MODERN
The ancient Olympics had very different events and qualification criteria to those of the modern era, started in 1896 The talk examines how and why the ancient Games started and why they ended. How the modern Games started and how they have evolved over the years.

7. 26.2 MILES - THE MARATHON. A history and origin of the marathon along with some remarkable winners including some old athletic friends who were great marathon runners, notably Ron Hill, Tim Johnston & Eamonn Martin.

8.. MEMORIES OF THE ROME OLYMPICS (1960)
The speaker unfortunately was not selected for the Olympics in Rome, but had colleagues who were and after the Games came to know two of the Olympic champions, Herb Elliott 1500m from Australia and Peter Snell 800m from New Zealand.

9.'CHARIOTS OF FIRE' - FACT & FICTIONAL LICENCE
This inspiring film made in 1981, won three Academy awards, with Vangellis’s musical score particularly memorable. The film was set at the time of the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris and centred around two British athletes, Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell. They were the stars of the film, yet there were other British Gold medalists – why were they not mentioned? The star athlete of the Games was undoubtedly Paarvo Nurmi of Finland; he is not mentioned either. The talk examines the film in the light of what actually happened rather than the film version.

10. THE OLYMPICS - ANCIENT & MODERN
The ancient Olympics started in 776BC at Olympia, Greece. At that time, Greece was made up of small kingdoms, constantly fighting one another. Eventually a truce was made every four years so that the best athletes from each kingdom could compete against each other. The Games were very different from the modern ones and were also a religious festival dedicated to the Greek god Zeus. Evidence at times is patchy for what took place and who started the Games, often confused by myth and legend, but there are some amusing stories. In 146AD the Romans took over the Games, and as Christianity flourished the Games were banned as pagan cult, finishing in 426AD with the temple of Zeus burnt to the ground. The modern Olympic ideal was started by Baron de Coubertin in 1896 and the first Games hosted in Athens. It is interesting and often amusing to compare these first Olympics with those of 2004. Coubertin’s ideal of athletes meeting every four years from all over the world to promote peace and understanding between nations, as well as taking part for the joy of sport, has just about stood the test of time!
CRUISE HISTORY / EXPERIENCE
6 talks given on Saga Pearl II (42 day Caribbean cruise) - November to December 2016.

4 talks given on Marella Discovery (14 day Baltic cruise) - 12 September to 26 September 2018

8 talks given on 'Diamond' Princess M843 & M901 (21 day SE Asia cruise) - 19 December 2018 to 9 January 2019

8 talks given on Ruby Princess R915 (15 days Los Angeles to Hawaii - 8 April 2019 to 23 April 2019

4 talks given on Saga Spirit of Discovery (14 days around the British Isles) 12 May 2022 to 26 May 2022

9 talks given on Island Princess (28 days Mediterranean and Israel) 31 October to 28 November 2022

11 talks given on Celebrity Silhouette (13 days Baltic Cities) 13 May to 25 May 2023

8 talks given on Celebrity Silhouette (7 days Norwegian fjords) 24 June to 1 July 2023

10 talks given on Celebrity Silhouette (13 days Best of Scandinavia) 1 July to 13 July 2023)
RECENT PAST CRUISES COMPLETED
The following recent Cruise History has been recorded for this candidate.
SHIP REF CRUISE DESCRIPTION NIGHTS SAILING FROM DEPARTURE DATE
Spirit of Discovery SD130 Magic of the Northern Lights 15 Portsmouth Saturday, March 2, 2024
Celebrity Silhouette SI230909 Spain & Mediterraean 13 Southampton Saturday, September 9, 2023
Celebrity Silhouette SI230701 Baltic Cities 12 Southampton Saturday, July 1, 2023
Celebrity Silhouette SI230624 Norwegian Fjords 7 Southampton Saturday, June 24, 2023
Celebrity Silhouette SI230513 Best of Scandinavia 12 Southampton Saturday, May 13, 2023
Island Princess 2221 Mediterranean & Israel 14 Civitavecchia (for Rome) Monday, November 14, 2022
Island Princess 2220 Mediterranean & Israel 14 Civitavecchia (for Rome) Monday, October 31, 2022
Island Princess 2214 Iceland & Greenland 16 Southampton Friday, August 12, 2022
Spirit of Discovery SD070 Springtime in the British Isles 14 Dover Thursday, May 12, 2022
Ruby Princess R915 Hawaiian Islands 15 Los Angeles, California Monday, April 8, 2019
Diamond Princess M901 Malaysian Peninsula & Indonesia 13 Singapore Saturday, December 29, 2018
Diamond Princess M843 Southeast Asia from Singapore 11 Singapore Wednesday, December 19, 2018
Saga Pearl 11 P2165 Grand Caribbean Adventure 42 Southampton Tuesday, November 8, 2016