Interview with Professor Charles Watson AM - Neuroscientist, Public Health Guru, Health Scientist

Emeritus Professor Charles Watson has done it all, well, if not exactly all, then nearly all in the fields of neuroscience, public health and health sciences.

Emeritus Professor Charles Watson AM

Charles is Emeritus Distinguished Professor of Health Sciences, Curtin University, January 2017 to the present; Professorial Research fellow, Neuroscience Research Australia, 2007 to the present; Adjunct Professor of Neuroscience, University of Queensland, 2013 to the present; and Senior Honorary Research Fellow, University of Western Australia, 2017 to the present.

In the 1980s and later, Charles performed a number of significant senior public health roles in the WA Health Department. Most recently, he was Senior Medical Officer and Human Biosecurity Officer at the Health Department during the Covid period, April to July 2020.

Earlier, in 2004, in recognition of his many contributions in these fields, Charles was awarded an AM – a Member of the Order of Australia.

While he started out his careers in News South Wales, there can be little doubt Charles Watson is now a fully fledged eminent West Australian, and a notable Fremantle Person to boot.

Along the way, his books – The Rat Brain in Stereotaxic Coordinates with George Paxinos (now in its 7th edition), and earlier with Garry Egger, Staying Well and Getting Better – have become pioneering tomes in the neuroscience and public health fields respectively.

But Charles’ contributions don’t end there. He continues to serve on the Neurological Council of WA, as Chairman of the Board, and as a Board Member and National spokesperson for Gun Control Australia, as well as Senior Examiner for the Australian Brain Bee Challenge and on the Academic and Competition Advisory Committee of the International Brain Bee.

Charles also is and has been a wonderful mentor to many younger professionals, especially women, in his fields.

And, we are informed, he also wields a mean baritone saxophone and is a fast finisher of the daily cryptic crossword over his morning coffee.

So, be prepared if you decide to engage Charles in idle conversation!

The Editor of Fremantle Shipping News, Michael Barker, was honoured to meet with Charles Watson to make this podcast, that you’ll find below, discussing Charles’ careers in neuroscience, public health and the health sciences, and so much more beside – as well as Fremantle!

Michael Barker, Editor, Fremantle Shipping News

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