Taking up residence
Sawyer to immerse himself in science at U of S

January 23, 2009

By Mark Ferguson

One of the country's premier research facilities will soon be home to one of the country's most famous science fiction writers when Robert J. Sawyer joins the Canadian Light Source synchrotron (CLS) as the writer-in-residence this summer.

"I don't think this has ever been done at a science lab," said Sawyer about joining a research centre as a fiction writer. "My job is to keep up to date with science and technology. I'm extremely interested in particle accelerators and it (the CLS) was on my radar."

Sawyer is the author of 20 science fiction novels, which have been published in 15 languages. The Ontario resident is the only Canadian to win all three of the world's top science fiction awards—the Hugo Award in 2003 for the novel Hominids, the Nebula Award in 1996 for The Terminal Experiment, and the John W. Campbell Memorial Award in 2006 for Mindscan.

Sawyer is no stranger to particle accelerators either, having visited both the CLS and the Swiss synchrotron CERN, which he used as the setting for his novel Flashforward. But, he told On Campus News, this will be the first time he's actually worked at one.

"I'll be immersed in the day-to-day, hands on work at a research facility. I want the sensory experience of how scientists argue, eat lunch, their social activities …  and you can't get that on the VIP tour," he laughed.

During his two-month stay in Saskatoon, which begins June 1, Sawyer will spend about half of his time working on his own projects, including the third book in his WWW trilogy, Wonder, (the first book, Wake, will be released in April and the second book, Watch, next year). He'll also be writing an episode for the first season of a TV show based on his novel Flashforward, airing on the ABC network and starring Joseph Fiennes (Shakespeare in Love).

When he's not writing, Sawyer will mentor other writers on a first come, first serve basis. And with a full portfolio of non-fiction, scripts, magazine articles and mysteries, his scope is much larger than just science fiction.

"Anything people have got, I will read it and help them. We'll have a one-on-one conversation and I'll give them my advice."

The seed to join the CLS was planted in 2005 when Sawyer was promoting his new book, Mindscan, at a book signing at McNally Robinson Booksellers. After chatting with CLS employees Jeffery Cutler, director of industrial science, and Matthew Dalzell, communications co-ordinator, Sawyer was ready to set up camp in Saskatoon. And "not being a fool," he chuckled. "I agreed to do this in the summer."

Although a rare position, this is not the first time a writer has worked from a research and science facility. In 1976, Ray Bradbury, one of the genre's most famous writers and the author of such classics as Fahrenheit 451 and Something Wicked This Way Comes, worked for NASA during the Viking exploration of Mars.  When the first images of Mars arrived from the spacecraft, Bradbury was asked by TV reporters, "how do you feel about this landing? Where are the Martian cities and where are all the living beings?"

"Don't be a fool," Bradbury retorted. "We are the Martians! We're going to be here for the next million years. At long last, WE ARE MARTIANS!"

Like Bradbury, Sawyer has a personal interest in scientific research and hopes working at the CLS will inspire him.

"I want to get a better flavour for people who work with this kind of technology. I'll be there to soak it all up."