Michael P. Wilson is a research scientist at the School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, and Acting Executive Director of the Berkeley Center for Green Chemistry. His work linking green chemistry with chemicals policy helped launch the California Green Chemistry Initiative. Read more about him below.
Q. What is the best gift you have ever received?
A. The thing that comes to mind is the confidence in ideas and their ability to change the way things are. That was the way my mother lived her life.
Q. What was the last thing that inspired you?
A. A lecture given at UC Berkeley by a recently-awarded doctoral candidate. He spoke to a room of about 200 chemistry majors about their role in the future of global survival and health and sustainability, and they just lit up an applauded. That was so different from my experience as a chemistry student. It seemed divorced from the world.
Q. What comforts you?
A. I’ve been involved for many years in various movements for social change. I am comforted by the recognition that our work is part of a continuum. We don’t have to get it all done in our lifetimes, much less in the course of a week or a day.
Q. When do you feel most creative?
A. When I’m finally rested, and when I’m learning and around people who love to learn and ask questions.
Q. How would you describe yourself in five words or fewer?
A. Idealistic, practical, motivated, loving, community-oriented.
Q. What is your favorite cocktail?
A. I’m more of a beer drinker — anything dark enough to hold a spoon upright.
Q. What is your favorite thing about San Francisco?
A. The wind, the bay, the fog, and, being a former firefighter, the fire department.
Q. How did you get into trouble as a child?
A. One day I took everything that was under the sink and in the medicine cabinet in the bathroom. I emptied all the jars into a coffee can and stirred it around. That was the one time I remember being spanked by my mother. I think she was mostly worried about my health. I just wanted to look at the colors and see what would happen.
Q. What is your greatest extravagance?
A. My 15-foot sailboat.
To read more about Wilson’s panel, click here.
*Photo by Mabel Jimenez.
