To celebrate 60 years of Flinders, we interviewed our longest serving staff member. Starting with the uni back in 1982, Peter Pfeiffer has worked at Flinders for 44 years, supporting chemistry teaching in Science & Engineering.

What is your role here at Flinders? What role did you start in at Flinders?

I help manage the Senior Chemistry Teaching Laboratories with three other Chemistry Technicians. This involves maintaining complex Scientific Instrumentation and training HDR students on the various Scientific instruments available (GC/MS, GC, FTIR HPLC etc.).  I also help in the First-year Chemistry Teaching Laboratories when needed, helping to ensure they run smoothly and efficiently.

I was initially employed as a Chemistry Technician (Grade 1).

What initially drew you to this type of work?

I enjoyed working in a Science Laboratory learning all the various techniques involved. I am interested in all areas of science not just Chemistry.

I have worked in Earth Sciences and Biology helping with field trips to Port Lincoln, Port Elliot, Naracoorte and Clare. I also worked for a few years in the Flinders Advanced Analytical Laboratory as it was known back then.

Tell us the changes you’ve witnessed in your field/area in the time you have been with us.

In years past each Department in each School had only a couple of Professors. The School of Chemistry within the School of Physical Sciences had a Professor of Organic Chemistry, Professor of Inorganic Chemistry and a Professor of Physical Chemistry. Now there are a lot more.

We even had two Scientific Glassblowers working in the School of Physical Sciences making things like glass condensers and glass oil diffusion pumps.

What has been your career highlight to date?

Attending a couple of Conferences interstate, doing a Radio-isotope handling course at ANSTO’s Lucas Heights in Sydney for 4 weeks and entering the old HIFAR nuclear reactor.

Driving over the Mundoo, Boundary Creek, Ewe Island and Tauwitchere barrages as a short cut to the Coorong for a Marine Biology field trip. Permission was granted by SA Water. There were waterbirds everywhere! Magic.

What do you enjoy about working at Flinders?

The people. We are all helping the young students turn into young scientists.  To engage with students from all parts of the world, learning their customs and culture and seeing them learning our culture.

The Native Flora Park beyond the Ring Road to the east. It is a place to forget about work for a while and to get out of the Lab briefly. I have been doing monthly Bird Surveys in this area for the past 25-30 years.

Tell us about your ideal weekend

My ideal weekend is catching up with friends and family with a few hours birding thrown in for good measure. Or just relaxing ‘up river’.