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“Dr. Joe” – everyone’s favourite scientist
Dr. Joe Schwarcz makes chemistry popular, is an accomplished magician, loves Broadway musicals and is an avid sports fan.
By
Peter Kerr
“Dr. Joe” - as he is known to Montrealers - has created a
multi-disciplined career as a chemical scientist, magician, author,
broadcaster, speciality food marketer, and motivational speaker. All
this while serving as Director of McGill University’s Office for
Science and Society. His mandate is to demystify science for the
public, the media and students. Got a question about chemistry in
everyday life? – call Dr. Joe.
Born in Hungary, Joseph Schwarcz was an only child. His parents had
lost their respective spouses and their parents during the war. His
father survived a Russian labour camp and his mother was a Holocaust
survivor.
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Dr. Joe Schwarcz, Director of the McGill University Office of Science and Society
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During the Hungarian uprising in 1956, the family escaped
into Austria from their nearby border town. “We had a guide to
take us through the barbed wire, because there was a minefield at the
border. There I was – nine years old and crawling under the wire,
trying to avoid the searchlights, and the mines.”
| Like so many immigrant families, the Schwarcz family landed at Pier 21
in Halifax and came to Montreal by train. It was just before Christmas
and the city was decorated with lights. Dr. Joe reminisces that his
first impression of Canada was one of cheerful lights. The family
stayed a week with a relative before being able to rent their own
apartment. |
Dr. Joe the family man |
“My father got a job almost immediately at Handy Andy
as an accountant. Unfortunately we were robbed on the second day
– so we weren’t off to a good start.”
Joe attended Logan School on Darlington, and in Grade 3 he was invited
to a friend’s birthday party. It would prove to be a
life-changing experience for 9 year-old Joe. “There was a
magician performing – and he had three ropes that he was going to
change into one. Instead of using the usual magic words like
Abracadabra, he said that he was going to sprinkle a ‘Magic
Chemical’ on the ropes.” Dr. Joe continues, “This
reference to a chemical intrigued me so much that I went to the library
and looked up chemistry. I’ve followed the two disciplines every
since.”
“As soon as I started reading about chemistry, I was intrigued by
its importance in everyday life – how chemistry could explain how
the world works.”
“At the same time, I got into magic. I realized that some people were pretending that it was real.”
Dr. Joe continues to describe his elementary school chemistry.
“At the time there was zero available in science. We spent time
memorizing formulas without the teacher ever explaining a connection to
everyday life. This especially bothered me because I knew what it
should be like from my own research in the library.” Dr. Joe
would find that even as a university student, chemistry was still a dry
subject.
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Selecting produce for Dr. Joe’s
Hungarian Goulash
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“I decided that I’d do things differently.
Chemistry is all-encompassing – and relates to everyday life.
When I started to teach, I peppered my lectures with relationships to
everyday life.”
Dawson College was Dr. Joe’s first employer, and he soon was
invited to be an Adjunct Professor at McGill, where he has taught ever
since. In 1999, he was promoted to be Director of McGill
University’s Office for Science and Society. “It’s a
unique venture – the first time it’s ever been done. Our
mandate is to demystify science and foster critical thinking. There is
a tremendous scientific illiteracy in the general
public…everyday there’s a new scare.
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In the CJAD studios with the family
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” Warming to the
subject, he continues; “There’s a core of people who
believe that there is a kind of unholy alliance between science and the
pharmaceutical industry for profit. They promote the myth that
‘nature is good – synthetic is bad’. They forget that
cholera and dysentery are no longer part of our daily lives thanks to
science.”
“Once a month we bring high school students to McGill and talk to
them about science at a university level. We want to motivate them to
consider science in university; and we find that these sessions are
effective.”
I asked how a chemistry academic came to become a popular broadcaster.
Joe explains that his media career began in 1980 as a result of the
late Ted Blackman’s influence. “Ted was at The Gazette, and
I had done a demonstration at the UNESCO Pavilion at Man and His World.
I had shown how you could make a foam called Polyurethane by mixing two
liquids.
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Dr. Joe the magician
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Ted described it as Urea Formaldehyde (a very controversial
insulating product) in his column, and I wrote to the Gazette and
explained the error. Having realized that he laid a scientific egg, Ted
printed a retraction, noting that he had skipped too many science
classes in high school.”
“I got a call from CJAD to talk about the issue on air, and the
next week there was another science issue. 26 years later I’m
still broadcasting with CJAD, and I have a weekly column with The
Gazette called “The Right Chemistry.” In concluding his
introduction to the media world, Dr. Joe acknowledges Ted Blackman:
“Ted was one of the brightest men I’ve ever
known.”
Dr. Joe has published six books which have been translated into five
languages, sold around the world and are all bestsellers. Additionally,
he was the chief consultant for two Readers’ Digest books,
“Foods that Harm, Foods that Heal” and “The Healing
Power of Vitamins, Minerals and Herbs” which have both been
international bestsellers, selling millions of copies. “When you
publish – there is something that exists, something
permanent.”
In reference to his academic accomplishments, Professor Schwarcz has
received many awards for his teaching of chemistry and his ability to
interpret scientific issues for the general public. He has received the
Royal Society of Canada’s McNeil Award and the American Chemical
Society’s prestigious Grady-Slack Award. Dr. Joe is the only
non-American to receive this award, and he is in good scientific
company with Isaac Asimov and New York Times columnist Walter
Sullivan. In addition to his regular show on CJAD (and now CFRB in Toronto), Dr.
Joe has appeared hundreds of times on the Canadian Discovery Channel
(including being the host of “Science to Go” - a 13 episode
show about common foods), TV Ontario, Global Television, CBC-TV and
CTV-TV. “Every week CTV, Global or CBC will be in here.
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Dr. Joe
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I’ve found that the reporters are receptive and that they want to
make sure that they get it right.” He continues; “A lot of
scientists don’t want to speak to the media. However we need to
put an emphasis on communicating with the public. I realize it takes
effort. In fact, being a scientific communicator is itself a speciality
that requires rehearsal and planning to be effective.”
“A big part of my job is to separate sense from nonsense.”
Joe is also an accomplished cook, and as regular CJAD listeners will
know, he has produced and marketed limited quantities of Dr.
Joe’s Hungarian Goulash at the Qualitifruits in Cote St-Luc. What
started out as a hobby is becoming bigger – much bigger. Last
summer he wanted to see if he could take his food business to a larger
scale. He was pleasantly surprised when Canada’s largest food
retailer Costco became interested. “Of course we can’t
begin to meet their quantity requirements, so now we’re looking
for some venture capital to set up large scale production.”
By now you might be wondering if Dr. Joe has time to sleep, let alone
have a life beyond science. Joe met his wife Lisa when they had summer
jobs at Reitman’s. Joe started driving Alice home, a romance
ensued and they married in 1973. The couple have three children.
“The two eldest are doctors, and our youngest is 14 and in Grade
9. I’m trying to save her for science!” In response to my
raised eyebrows; “It took Lisa a long time to convince me that a
third child would be a good idea – she was right – it was a
very good idea.”
Broadway musicals are a favourite with Dr. Joe. “My introduction
to Broadway musicals was with a presentation of “Camelot”
starring Richard Burton, Robert Goulet and Julie Andrews. I was
hooked!” Since then he has seen over 130 different Broadway
musicals, travelling frequently to New York and London, and
occasionally to Toronto.
Holidays continue on a musical theme. “We got into cruising about
6 or 7 years ago and we thoroughly enjoy it – especially the
Broadway-style shows on board the ships. The quality of their
entertainment is high, and we enjoy every aspect of a cruise
holiday.”
Joe maintains a trim physique with daily workouts at a gym near his
McGill office in the Otto Maas Chemistry Building. “I played a
lot of baseball and hockey in my youth, and I still have a keen
interest in sports. I tune in ESPN every night to see the sports
news.”
Dr. Joe’s comfortable McGill University office is a long way from
the minefield at the Hungarian border; and the terror experienced by a
nine-year old boy crawling his way to freedom. Perhaps it was this
experience that shaped his ability to see beyond the present and to
question how the world worked. After spending a little time with Joe,
you can see that the curious 9 year old who ran to the library to look
up “Chemistry” still resides in the man who has become a
huge success by many standards. His intellect is palpable, his eyes
alive with curiosity…he’s “Dr. Joe” –
Montreal’s favourite scientist.
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