| I was appointed to the Atlas Research Fellowship at St. Catherine’s College, Oxford University, where I distinguished myself by fainting at the Fellows’ annual feast. I’d had too much to drink (but the other Fellows, bless them, blamed my mishap on the slippery dining room floor). |  |
 |
Whenever I talked about my work, glazed eyes would stare back at me. I soon tired of this and turned to investment banking, only to be confronted by a new reaction: awe at the many dollars it was assumed I must have. |
| A major setback came when I was diagnosed with a brain tumour. Though benign, the tumour was located in my lower brain and had to be removed. Thanks to being super-fit, I recovered quickly. But I vowed that if I ever had another critical illness I would alter my lifestyle. |  |
 |
I moved into quantitative trading in order to gain greater control over my hours. This enabled me to indulge even more in the sports I enjoy, one of which is cross-country skiing. I’m not very skilled, but I love the quiet of snowy trails. They’re utterly magical, especially at dusk. |