Richard Harries

Richard spent a year as a mathematics undergraduate at Oxford, before changing his degree to medicine.

- What is your connection with Oxford Mathematics?

I did a year as a mathematics undergraduate under the guidance of the excellent Dr Roaf. After Mods I decided to change to medicine but, unfortunately, there wasn't a place at Oxford for me so I moved to South Wales where I completed my medical training.

- What do you do now?

I am a consultant radiologist. I retired from full-time employment at 60 but have continued to work one day a week in the hospital. I also work remotely from home every day.

- What success in your life are you most proud of?

Apart from my children, completing seven London Marathons.

- What has been your biggest career challenge so far?

Learning how to work in the pre-hospital emergency setting. I started working for a voluntary organisation after I 'retired', but as a radiologist I have had very little experience of front-line emergency medicine.

- How much maths is there in your day job?

Not much now, but there has been a lot earlier in my career. Soon after I finished my radiology training in 1984 I embarked on a research thesis which eventually led to an MD. The subject was a complex multisystem inherited disease and my goal was to calculate the risk of any family member developing any of the various manifestations of the disease at any age. I did this using Bayes' Theorem, perhaps a little risky, but it provided the solution to the problem.

- What do you like/miss/remember most about Oxford Mathematics?

The intellectual challenge of studying mathematics.  I always looked for ways of using mathematics during my career and completed a mathematics degree with the Open University in 1998.

- What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?

Playing the piano, walking, preparing for physical challenges (Kilimanjaro this year), amateur drama.