Sadly, Steve died in 2013, well before his time. However, his wife Anna was so positive about Steve’s time at UCL and so keen for him to figure in the Reflections, that she wrote a contribution on his behalf. I was, of course, delighted and it appears here. I guessed at Steve’s likely response to the initial questions, with help from his colleagues and friends and especially Frank Vetere (see below).
Date of MSc: 1986/1987
Pre MSc View of HCI/Cognitive Ergonomics: Aware of applied psychology; but no detailed knowledge of, or exposure to, HCI/Cognitive Ergonomics
Anna Howard writes: Steve Howard, at the age of 17 years, realised mid-way through a four year fitter and turner apprenticeship with British Nuclear Fuels, based at Capenhurst, Chester, UK , that he really did not want to spend his working life with his arms immersed in cold oil. BUT where to??
Having been told by his high school teachers aged 16, that he would never amount to much, so might as well leave school. He attempted to make his own choices; but rejected by MANWEB, his suggestion of a future in carpentry was dismissed out of hand by his Father. His guitar playing was not good enough to join Bob Dylan and the Band, so the only acceptable option was either to join the Army or to get an apprenticeship, which was the tradition in Steve’s family. Especially lucky were lads, whose Dads were already employed in places, where apprenticeships were available. Steve’s Father arranged a visit to his place of employment Capenhurst, where he was a fireman.
It was obvious Steve did have an interest in, and most importantly an understanding of, engineering, so not surprisingly he did well and was considered a good apprentice. An example of his skill is now a very treasured piece of ‘artwork’ in our home.
Jump forward to 1986 and the day Steve started at UCL; his fortuitous meeting with the ‘main man’ Prof. JL, a very grown up experience; something like going from our mini to a VW Passat, once we became parents!!
From the moment Steve set foot in the place, we knew he was in the right space for his emerging interests. He found in his fellow students a wide span of experiences and social levels, which opened up his mind to the possibilities of an academic career making new age technology (which he himself had struggled with at undergraduate level) easier to comprehend. Rachael’s expertise was a great comfort as Steve found himself overwhelmed at times, struggling with so many unknowns.
Family and friends would ask “What is Steve doing?” I would answer Ergonomics. “Oh yes we have heard of that, it is a scandinavian design for cars and furniture”!!
Steve had a hard route to climb; but climb it he did. Our love for each other enabled Steve to rise to a position unimaginable, when we met in 1982.
Being at the start of a ‘new’ discipline was exciting; but the challenges enormous, not least the daily journey across London by tube and train to NPL Teddington (his sponsor), with sudden bouts of serious anxiety attacks. Pivotal in his progress was the steady guidance of his sponsor Dianne Murray.
January 1990, there was an early morning job interview conference call from our home in Walsall to Melbourne, Australia. Coincidentally, it was Steve’s rather unique additional apprenticeship qualification alongside his UCL MSc that got him the position at Swinburne University, then known as Swinburne Institute of Technology.
From 1999 to his untimely death in April 2013, he was at a place he felt to be the very essence of UCL, Melbourne University, where he had unlimited opportunity in research and revelled in the opportunities to promote his passion HCI.
UCL was never far from Steve’s thoughts and he spoke of its influence on his thinking Prof JL, often remembering lectures, field visits and the pathology lab at The Royal Free Hospital with clarity!
Every academic institution has a significant part to play in our exciting, fast-shrinking world and for future students to have access to excellence, it is important there be an archive, where information on the development of a subject be available, so I am pleased UCL is taking this initiative in addition to this website.
Steve answered some of the questions; but remained excited by the on-going development of a subject at the very core of what it is to be human. Questioning.