Donegal’s own Nobel Prize winner William C. Campbell and co-author Claire O’Connell will feature on a fascinating programme on RTE tonight.
The authors of ‘Catching the Worm’ will feature as part of Science Week 2020 which is taking place from 8 to 15 November.
Ramelton-born Campbell, Ireland’s only Nobel prize winner for Physiology or Medicine, and Claire O’Connell, science journalist, will feature on Future Island, hosted by Liz Bonnin and Luke O’Neill.
The show will air on Thursday, 12 November, at 7 p.m. on RTÉ One.
William C. Campbell is the author, with Claire O’Connell, of Catching the worm, published by Royal Irish Academy, in partnership with the RDS, in June 2020 to coincide with Professor Campbell’s 90th birthday.
In 2015, Dr William C. Campbell’s quiet retirement changed abruptly when, at the age of 85, he won a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
In Catching The Worm – A Memoir, Campbell recalls his early life in Donegal and studying zoology in Trinity College Dublin, then moving to the United States to work as a parasitologist.
While working with the company Merck, he helped to discover several drugs to control parasitic worms. One of those drugs, ivermectin, has spared millions of people from the devastating effects of river blindness.
Through his memoir, Campbell provides a snapshot of growing up in Ireland before and during World War II, as well as insights into science, the arts, teaching, family and what really matters in life.
Bill lives in North Andover with his wife, Mary. They have three children and five grandchildren.
So what is Future Island?
In the midst of a pandemic, 2020 has been Irish science’s finest hour. But how will our brightest brains equip us to thrive in a future that is safe and sustainable? And how can Irish citizens actively participate in shaping and choosing this future? Presented by Liz Bonnin, a science, natural history and environmental broadcaster, this will be a television homecoming for the former Dublin resident who has built an acclaimed career in the UK over the last decade. With an infectious passion for science and the natural world, Liz is in her element picking the brains of scientists and bringing the latest laboratory breakthrough advances to a mainstream audience. Tune into RTÉ One at 7 p.m. on 10, 11 and 12 November.
