It’s official - scientists are creatures of impulse. Robert Schaffer readily admits to ‘throwing caution to the wind’ when he relocated from Norwich eight years ago to carry out post-doctoral research at Auckland University. After a stint in the States (completing three years’ further research at Michigan State University) he was once again lured back to New Zealand.
Today, Robert has curbed his jet-setting streak. He and his wife have settled in Auckland and are New Zealand residents. Robert works for HortResearch, where he researches microarrays, a passion which has taken him to the States and back. “It’s a method of analysing thousands of genes at the same time – it’s quite a new and powerful technique.”
Robert’s methods of acquiring a job were slightly less orthodox than most. After hearing that HortResearch was starting to use microarrays, he used his contacts to find out whether there was an opportunity of a job - “the plant science community is very small”
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“The beauty of working at HortResearch is that they span a range of research from applied to pure research - and there is large availability of different types of fruit and a lot of knowledge of people working in orchards - all the way to molecular biology. I think this is fairly unique in the world.”
He likes Auckland, despite the good-natured rivalry that it tolerates from the rest of the country, and plans to stay in the future. “It’s a good standard of living, great weather, and I love being close to the sea.”
He especially appreciates the accessibility of a wide range of outdoor pursuits. A keen tramper, he’s enjoyed some of the country’s most loved tramping spots, including the Abel Tasman walks and the Tongariro crossing.
Although Robert says there are opportunities for scientists in New Zealand, he admits it’s the day-to-day life which sealed his decision. “It’s more about the lifestyle. Here, there is more to life than just working – I really love that about New Zealand.”