Abstract

Malcolm Rose was born in Coventry in 1953 and began writing stories as a hobby while taking a PhD in chemistry at York University. He became a Lecturer in Chemistry at The Open University but this job left very little time for writing fiction, which he did mostly after midnight. Perhaps that’s why he writes many strong scenes set on dark nights! He put aside his test-tubes in 1996 and became a full-time writer of thrillers and crime stories for young people.

In Mixing Chemicals and Characters, he argues that the crafts of writing fiction and science are not as different as they might seem. Like authors, scientists strive to be creative, imaginative and patient, and they must also write up their results. Often, chemical research aims to understand some aspect of life and that’s what a writer tries to do. A whodunnit and exploring a chemical reaction are both investigations, even if the tools are different. Finally, he will explain why novelists should look to science more often and why science’s role in fiction is on the rise.

His recent books include the TRACES forensic science series and THE DEATH GENE , a biological thriller (see “www.malcolmrose.co.uk” for more information).

Target audience – Anyone interested in the cross-over between literature and science. Suitable for adults, families and young people from the age of 10.

Venue : Department of Chemistry, Lensfield Road, Cambridge

Free admission. Doors open at 18:30. Come early to get a good seat.

Contact Norman De’Ath tel: 01223 870121

Dept of Chemistry, Cambridge Please check “www.soci.org” for the latest news on this and other SCI events.