My name is Maurice Gallagher and I live just outside Edinburgh on Lawfield Farm, Scotland. I am a retired scientist and educator. I have spent most of my working life genetically engineering bacterial pathogens to decipher how they work, to ‘tame’ them and exploit their properties for biomedical and biotechnological purposes. I have also worked to pass my knowledge on to others in ways that will help them develop their academic skills and abilities so that in turn, they can advance science, their lives, and the lives of others in a responsible and supportive manner.

Since retiring in 2021, with initial guidance from a well-known local artist, Jan Miller (Penicuik, Scotland), I have immersed myself in the wonders of creative crafting. I largely work with stained and kiln-fired glass, occasionally also making wooden items (an old hobby). I recycle my ‘waste’ glass fragments wherever possible into simple glass jewellery, mainly necklaces & earrings.  More recently, I have been fortunate to join the Precious Metal Workshop (PMW) in the Leith area of Edinburgh city. This allows me to further develop my skills towards making more sophisticated jewellery pieces (benefiting from the excellent guidance of skilled silversmiths, such as Eve Smith and Amanda McGrattan and others in the PMW).

I also use my knowledge of biology, as a beekeeper. I have a small number of hives in Midlothian and have invested over a decade in voluntarily training new beekeepers at Newbattle Abbey in Midlothian, Scotland. I mainly give my honey to friends & family but sell the surplus at local craft fairs or via local shops.