Grey matters: An opportunity to give back

Emeritus Professor Christopher Saint considers himself lucky to have had a rewarding career in science, and to have been able to contribute to improving Australia’s water supply through research and development and the application of new technologies that ensure continuity of supply around Australia.   

Chris (pictured) spent half his career in industry and half in academia, before “retiring” at the end of 2019.  

“I was lucky to be involved in work both inside and outside academia, but my experiences left me with insight into a big problem that needs to be solved, and I don’t believe anyone is really tackling it at the moment,” he says.  

For 16 years he worked for SA Water Corporation in South Australia before venturing back into academia in 2011.  

“A major reason I was tempted to finish my career in a university was that I knew when I eventually ‘retired’ I could carry on doing voluntary work – such as the mentoring of junior staff and supervision of students – something to keep my grey matter active.”   

During his days at SA Water Corporation, he attended many retirement functions of a broad range of experts: engineers, administrators, maintenance personnel, scientists, technicians, accountants, legal experts, and others. Each one of them “left the building” never to tread foot in it again.  

“A whole lot of expertise just walking out the door,” he says. “I have also met many retired people who are quite frankly bored at times and feel that they are no longer making a significant contribution to society. They would like to but are unsure how to do it.  

“Many would love to spend some of their time talking and passing on the skills and knowledge they learned over their lifetime and career.  

“So, while I am fortunate that I can still contribute as little or as much as I want to my life’s passion, many people out there aren’t as fortunate but would like to give back.”

His idea is to link such seniors with people in the early parts of their careers, probably from apprentices up to those fully qualified – but in the first 10 years or so of their careers, which he calls “the formative years”. A typical age range might be something like 18-30.  

He is making a rallying call for seniors who might be interested in getting involved in such an initiative.  

“Before I can take it further, I need to know that there is a groundswell of interest,” Chris says.  

“I’m thinking involvement with a range of flexibility that suits the mentors as well as the mentees and ideally, eventually, I’d like it to be across all of Australia with no restrictions on vocation.  

“In this day and age, you don’t even need to both be local, as much can be achieved just by a friendly discussion via video call.”  

With a list of registered mentors, Chris says, the next step can be taken to approach industry associations and other relevant bodies to elicit their involvement.  

His hope is that “Grey Matters” will become a vehicle for linking those who have the knowledge with those who need it.  

Chris says, “I’d envisage that the initiative might be funded in an ongoing capacity by the mentees or their associated workplace, similar to the ‘mind-a-home’ type concept where the house sitter pays an annual fee but it’s free of charge for the houseowner.  

“We all want our country to prosper, so why waste the talent that is out there that wants to contribute and otherwise maybe left to wither on the vine?"