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This autobiography presents a personal account of the life of a woman academic, over a span of 60 years, from incidents in her childhood, through the education process from primary to pre-university education in British Malaya to two doctorates from University College London. As the story unfolds, it is immediately apparent that her journey in academia has been far from ordinary.She gives credit to the excellent early education she received in Ipoh ? a medium-sized town in Malaya ? from highly qualified and dedicated nuns and teachers in the Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus. Hers was a career carved out by Providence, as she ?drifted? to various international centers of learning, depending on the sponsorship of scholarships available at the time. Her drive and passion for chemistry (actually with other attributes as well) allowed her to rub shoulders with some of the best minds in the field. Her association with numerous colleagues, mentors and scientists, unintentionally and unknowingly, laid the groundwork for a sort of global networking, which in turn influenced her career path in subtle yet significant ways. This proved immensely useful later as she balanced the rigorous demands of teaching, research and family. She has shown that it is not impossible for a woman to make a success of family and life in academia.Indeed, her story will encourage young women venturing into science and academia. It also shows that developing countries ? more than their developed counterparts ? have a good deal to gain from their professional citizens by removing obstacles such as unduly early mandatory retirement and poor support for active researchers. It is a refreshing glimpse into the author's generation in science and academia and a repository of important insights for students and scientists in developing and emerging economies.

This autobiography presents a personal account of the life of a woman academic, over a span of 60 years, from incidents in her childhood, through the education process from primary to pre-university education in British Malaya to two doctorates from University College London. As the story unfolds, it is immediately apparent that her journey in academia has been far from ordinary. She gives credit to the excellent early education she received in Ipoh - a medium-sized town in Malaya - from highly qualified and dedicated nuns and teachers in the Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus. Hers was a career carved out by Providence, as she drifted to various international centers of learning, depending on the sponsorship of scholarships available at the time. Her drive and passion for chemistry (actually with other attributes as well) allowed her to rub shoulders with some of the best minds in the field. Her association with numerous colleagues, mentors and scientists, unintentionally and unknowingly, laid the groundwork for a sort of global networking, which in turn influenced her career path in subtle yet significant ways.This proved immensely useful later as she balanced the rigorous demands of teaching, research and family. She has shown that it is not impossible for a woman to make a success of family and life in academia. Indeed, her story will encourage young women venturing into science and academia. It also shows that developing countries - more than their developed counterparts - have a good deal to gain from their professional citizens by removing obstacles such as unduly early mandatory retirement and poor support for active researchers. It is a refreshing glimpse into the author's generation in science and academia and a repository of important insights for students and scientists in developing and emerging economies.

The Author seeks to trace his roots from the time the grandfather, Yong Koon (Seong) (born in 1871, China ; came to British Malaya in 1885 to join his two brothers to work as tinsmiths in Kuala Lumpur, Yong Koon went back to China to seek a wife ; married Loh Pat but left when she was with child in 1905. In 1911, he went to China to bring back his wife and first born son, Peng Pow , the father of the author. Another three sons were born, Peng Sin (1914), Peng Kai (1915) and Peng Seong (1923). Initially Yong Koon and his family, stayed with his brothers and families at their shop at Cross Street, Kuala Lumpur. Later, the grandmother , a shrewd and frugal n businesslady; saved enough to buy a 2 storey shop house at 219 Pudu Road which the whole family moved to. Peng Pow was a good student who studied in MBSKL in the early years but tranferred to Kajang High School where he sat for his Junior Cambridge Exams in 1922. Basing on his good scores; he and another classmate, Justice Tan Sri Datok Yong Shi Meow was asked by the school to sit for the Queen's Scholarship exams in 1924. Both were successful and offered scholarships to study in the United Kingdoom but they had to buy their own steamboat tickets to UK. Unfortunately, PP's parents refused to give him the money for the ticket as they expected him , being the first born son and out of filiality ; should stay behind to look after the parents and his 3 younger brothers. Instead the parents gave him money to start an English language bookstore in a small room at the corner pawnshop along Yap Ah Loy street. Phoenix Bookstore catered mainly for English businessmen, planters and returning soldiers serving in British Malaya then. By accident, an English businessman; aware that PP's father and uncles were tinsmiths, suggested that he should experiment with the manufacture of pewter ware such as beer mugs, cigarette cases, candle holders, vases ect. for export to England and Europe where these were in demand and expensive. After successfully producing some prototypes samples,;orders poured in and Malayan Pewter Works which PP started; moved to 219.By then, PP already married to his child bride (bought into the Yong family in 1917) had 4 older children (Woon Yin, Poh Seong, Siew Yin and Poh Fah). With the assitance of the 3 younger brothers; business picked up and PP even paid for the weddings of the two older ones. However; sometime in 1935; PP took a second wife and in 1939 told the father and brothers that he was moving away to a bigger premise at 4th Mile Cheras Road as his family was increasing and business expanding . After a heated argument with his father and brothers (Loh Pat already dead); PP and his two wives and 12 children, were asked to vacate the patriach home of Yong Koon , just after the fullmoon of the author. Not long after; Japan attacked Malaya on 10 Dec. 1941 and occupied Malaya and Singpore on 15 February 1942. Tragically, PP was murdered just 6 months or so before Japan surrendered after the dropping of the two atomic bombs on Horoshima and Nagasaki on 6 th and 8th August 1945. The author's mother , a widow with nine fatherless children; was totally devasted, penniless, disdraught and through sheer endurance, tremendous hardships, sacrifices and deprivations; finally saw her second last child (the author) graduate as an engineer in 1966 supported by scholarships in school and university.

This scientific biography of Douglas R Hartree not only describes important events in his life but also outlines his contributions to a number of fields. He is best known for his OC self-consistent fieldOCO theory for atoms, a theory he later used for the much more difficult problem of predicting the behavior of a magnetron. When Fock pre-empted his work on exchange, he began research into radio-wave propagation. Hartree was very interested in the process of computation. When he learned of a differential analyzer for solving differential equations, he first built a model using Meccano, a toy for children. The success of this model spread the notion of using devices to solve scientific problems. Application of the analyzer led Hartree to control theory and fluid dynamics. In both these areas he made significant, original contributions. With his extensive computing background, he was selected as the first civilian to evaluate the possibility of applying the US ENIAC computer to nonmilitary problems. His research touched the lives of many scientists."