BC Business
Brett Finlay wants to dispel a common misconception: “People don’t realize that creativity in science is important. You have to think very big, and you’re always trying to think outside the box.”
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It’s that attitude that has propelled Finlay to the top of his field. In 2001 he came up with an innovative solution to halting E. coli infections at the source with a vaccine for cattle, and in 2004 he headed the SARS Accelerated Vaccine Initiative. So how does this serious scientist get the creative juices flowing? Music. Every Wednesday night, Finlay and four buddies get together, drink scotch, and let ’er rip. “It’s nice to let [the science] idle in the background while you focus on the other lobe in the head and let it percolate,” he muses. For inspiration, Finlay listens to the legends. “Coltrane practised 12 hours a day. Charlie Byrd, 10 to 12 hours a day, every day,” he notes. Finlay doesn’t put in those kinds of lung-busting hours, but for an hour a day, no matter where he is, he methodically tackles scales and technical exercises. “I’m a scientist, so I’m anal,” he admits. “It’s the only way to get better.” Finlay flirted with the idea of being a professional musician as a youngster, but ultimately chose science. “I realized you had to be No. 1 on the call list or you weren’t going to make it. With science you just had to be good.” Finlay’s top picks: Ken Burns Jazz Collection: Sonny Rollins (Verve); Somethin’ Else (Blue Note Records); Oscar Peterson: A 75th Birthday Celebration (Verve).