Physics – My way

Abstract

I became a lecturer in astrophysics by chance. As I was completing my postdoc, looking at how one could do quantum field theory in the presence of gravity, I contacted various departments to see if there were any lectureships going. From departments of mathematics I was invariably told that the subject was too physical, and from physics departments that it was too mathematical. Astrophysics seemed a better bet, so I offered to give part of the Oxford undergraduate course on what was then the emerging subject of high energy astrophysics. I think I managed to keep a few pages ahead of the students most days. The result was a job offer from Leicester to teach astrophysics.