For almost four decades, Professor Barry Fox and Associate Professor Marilyn Fox studied, worked and travelled the world. Now, Barry is ensuring their bond lives on with a Gift in Will to the University.
By the time the couple learned, in 2000, that Marilyn had incurable ovarian cancer, they had spent decades studying, working and adventuring together, across the globe.
When they received the unexpected cancer diagnosis, Marilyn was Head of the UNSW School of Geography, and Barry was a professor in the School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences (BEES). Within a month, Marilyn had taken a medical retirement. Shortly after, Barry retired to care for her. They returned to Newcastle where they met, and Marilyn passed away in 2002.
Marilyn and Barry began their working lives teaching for three years at high schools in Wollongong and then for two terms in Newcastle, before making a life-changing move to Canada. While working at a high school in Ontario, Marilyn completed a science degree in Botany. Barry completed an MSc in solid state physics and some additional courses, including one in community ecology.
“Three weeks into it, I knew that's what I wanted to do for the rest of my life,” says Barry. “I was interested in the way different species of animals make up a community in any one place.”
Coming to UNSW
After their two-year teaching contract in Canada finished, the couple bought a Volkswagen Kombi in Germany and spent the next 12 months travelling through Europe. They returned to Australia at the end of 1973, and both completed PhDs at Macquarie University. In 1979, Barry started as a tutor, then senior tutor and, in 1982, was appointed lecturer in the UNSW School of Zoology. Marilyn was appointed to the National Herbarium of NSW, Royal Botanic Gardens, as a plant ecologist at the beginning of 1979.
“She had about a decade there and then she decided that really she wanted to be teaching. She was always a far better teacher than I am,” says Barry.
Within a matter of months, Marilyn had joined Barry at UNSW as a senior lecturer in the School of Geography in the Faculty of Applied Science.
“There was an ad for a senior lecturer in any of five different fields, and Marilyn had published papers in all five of them,” he says. “It was like the job was written for her. So, she started there in 1990 and four years later she was head of school.”
Establishing prizes to inspire
After Marilyn passed away, Barry established the Marilyn Fox Prize in Environmental Science at UNSW in her honour. He also made arrangements for the Marilyn Fox Memorial Dux Award at the primary school Marilyn had attended in Cardiff, a prize he is proud to present in person each year. Speaking to the children and their parents, he likes to recall Marilyn’s story, and her lifelong passion for learning.
“I hope the example of her life may inspire you all and show you that you can expect many changes in the direction of your career throughout your lifetime. I hope it also demonstrates the important role education plays in these changes of direction,” he says on presentation day.
“You can cope with the changes in careers that you will all face by continuing your education throughout your life; by setting achievable goals; by remaining enthusiastic and interested, with a positive attitude to life and learning; and finally, by remaining resilient and adapting to the changes you encounter.”
Barry has recently made arrangements to establish the Barry Fox Prize in Ecology. There will also be a Gift in Will to the University to establish the Barry Fox Prize in Biology. All these prizes are fitting tribute to a couple who were united by a love of learning, and a fierce embrace of change and growth.
“I've lived a very interesting life, and now I’m very comfortable,” says Barry. “I'm lucky enough to have the money to do this sort of thing, and I’m very happy to be doing it.”
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