The Member Spotlight is an ongoing Q&A series focused on getting to know the CASSS community. Today’s spotlight shines on Jeremy Springall, Associate Director - Global Technical Operations at AstraZeneca.
Q. What was your motivation to volunteer with CASSS?
I wanted to get more involved in bringing some of the amazing science that people undertake to a wider audience, as you never know what people might take from it and adopt in their own fields. After attending a couple of CASSS conferences I wanted to see behind the curtain and understand what it took to put something of that scale together.
Q. What do you do to relax? Do you have any hobbies?
Spending time with the family outdoors is the main way that I spend my time outside of work. I particularly enjoy road cycling and I’m due to take some kayaking classes in the near future as I think getting out on the water could be a great way to calm the mind.
Q. What's your favorite type of food or special dish you cook? Why?
I’m torn between two, Mexican/Latin American and Indian. The spices, heat and flavors are amazing so I’m drawn to those. In terms of a special dish that I cook, a Sunday roast is right up there as there is a lot of nostalgia from my younger days and is about spending time with family.
Q. What is your favorite movie, tv show, music or book?
I’m a big fan of sci-fi and particularly the Dune book series, the film was a fair representation of the first half of the book as well in my opinion. In fact anything by Frank Herbert is a good read and I’ve started to re-read the Isaac Asimov robot and foundation series of books again.
Q. What famous person (dead or alive) would you choose to have dinner with? Why?
As a enormous rugby union fan I would have to go for Jonny Wilkinson. To be able to cope with the pressure and spotlight of a nation and deliver with all that expectation. That is something which I think is a very special talent and I would really like to understand his driving motivations and how he dealt with it all.
Q. What’s your favorite travel experience?
Going rock climbing and camping with friends in Fountainebleu, France is something I look back on with fondness. Camping in the howling wind and rain on the south coast of the UK with my wife was a really enjoyable time as well. I’m really looking forward to taking my son for his first time camping later this year as well. So I would have to say camping would be my favorite travel experience as you can get into nature and away from things.
Q. What would people be surprised to know about you?
I am an award winning homebrewer and in 2019 I made it the finals of the American National Homebrew competition having won my regional section with my American stout. I’m current learning how to brew, and trying to perfect, lagers and traditional Belgian wheat beers.
Q. How did you get inspired to go into science/biotech/pharma industry?
A good question, I would say that I always had an interest as a child about how and why things work or do what they do and as such science was a natural field to fall in to. As I got older being able to make a difference to patients lives has definitely become the motivation to continue doing what I’m doing.
Q. If you did anything other than your current occupation, what would it be?
A tough one to answer, perhaps a professional brewer as it is still very scientific and you can be very creative with it.