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I had the privilege to interview Jay McFarlan, my oldest brother, recently. And although I’ve known Jay my whole life I learnt many new things about the man. We spoke about what he does, what’s important to him, and why he chose particular paths in life.

One thing is evident, Jay is a family man. His love for his family is immense. Jay started dating Veronica in his final year of high school. More than 12 years later, they are happily married with a 9 month old boy named Dash. With parents as loving and intelligent as Jay and Veronica, Dash is sure to be a humanitarian mastermind; watch out for him.

Jay is nearly complete his PhD at the University of Guelph where he is studying and writing about fat metabolism in muscle tissue. Curiosity and a strong work ethic are his fuel for scientific research. However, his journey into the realm of science isn’t your typical path.

Often times people are in a particular field as it agrees with them. Jay’s initial relationship with science was not so amicable. He told an amazing reflection on why he initially became interested in science:

“In grade 7 science class, I hated it. I think it was my worst mark… Mrs. Rikeman I don’t know if she made really hate science or if I already hated it at that point. But it got to the point where I started working really hard at something I wasn’t very good at. Just from having to work at something it made me appreciate the science a little more.” Jay McFarlan on 24 Nov 2011

Jay loved and still does love hard work. After grade school and high school, he chose to pursue science in the post-secondary realm. He tried his hand at medicine, dentistry, but ultimately he was bitten by the research bug. Long days and nights of research and experimentation ensued throughout his degrees. And those long nights and days have continued into his PhD.

Jay’s curious mind doesn’t stop after he ceases a day of writing and research. In fact, he’s the type of person to continue pondering during all hours of the day. For example, while playing with is baby boy Jay will often ponder what Dash is thinking, how he thinks (as he hasn’t developed language yet), and how his mental model of the world is changing so rapidly.

His ideas also encompass commercialization. For example, Jay describes creating bioluminescent flowers which could be used to light up patios, provide mood lighting at restaurant tables, or replace the night light in the hallway. A simple solution but created through very complex means; creating such a flower requires a bit more effort than ‘throwing in a couple of bioluminescent genes.’

Once Jay is completes his PhD in 2012, he’ll be on the market looking for a job in the research field. His open, curious mind and hard work ethic make him the ideal employee. If you or someone you know is in need of someone of his skill sets, be sure to contact Ian.

Notes: Illustration by Kendrick Tu, Recorded at the UnLondon UnLab.