SCOTLAND’S FIRST black professor, Sir Geoff Palmer, has been installed as the new chancellor of Heriot Watt university.

The historic appointment, officially announced earlier this year, makes Palmer, 81,  the country’s first university chancellor of African Caribbean heritage. In his new role will involve representing the university in a ceremonial and ambassadorial capacity, presiding over graduations and academic awards.

The distinguished academic has a long association with Heriot Watt.  He was accepted for a PhD in grain science and technology there in 1965 when it was part of Edinburgh University.

Speaking to The Voice Palmer paid tribute to his family and people who had supported him during the course of his career. He paid special tribute to his mother who arrived in England in 1948 as part of the Windrush Generation.

“It’s a great honour” Palmer said. “I immediately thought about me getting off the HMS Ascania, which was the boat I came to England on in March 1955 as a 14-year-old to join my mother.  

“She brought me here, quite rightly, to help her to work. But  to her great disappointment, and mine, the authorities said I had to go back to school because I wasn’t quite 15.”

‘Educationally subnormal’

Palmer continued: “Looking back that one month has made me Chancellor because I’ve stayed in education ever since. In the beginning it was tough because that year I was designated in 1955 educationally subnormal.

“But my mother and my aunts looked after me and were a very important part of my education. Also without the actions of people helping me along the way, such as Professor Anna Maceod who accepted me for a PhD at Heriot Watt in 1964, I couldn’t have made it. It’s not only your own academic abilities that will get you through the education system to a very senior level.”

After completing his PhD thesis, entitled Ultra-structure of cereal grains in relation to germination in 1967, Palmer gained an international reputation for his invention of the barley abrasion process, the process by whichbarley is converted into malt. After its invention it was widely used by the British brewing industry.

He later became a professor at Heriot Watt until his retirement in 2005. Palmer is currently Emeritus Professor of brewing and distilling. As well as his academic work he is a respected race equality and human rights campaigner.  The professor has written extensively on how to enhance the education of ethnic minority children. In 2001 he published his critically acclaimed book on race relations, Mr. White and the Ravens.

Speaking about his new role Palmer said: “My job is to promote the university worldwide. I’ll be using the reputation I’ve gained in all these areas, all this work, not only my scientific but my community work to say, look what this university has done for me. If it can do it for me, it can do it for you too.”

‘One humanity’

He added: “My ethos is that we are one humanity. We have a phrase at Heriot Watt called One Watt. So whenever I’m speaking, I’m saying this university is, is a one humanity university.

“Everybody who comes here will be treated equally. The role of chancellor means I go to graduation ceremonies, and I highlight the fact that we have a great academic and research  reputation, and that the university has a compassion and a feeling for its staff and students.”