Nigel Snaith: incoming Johnian Society Chair reveals his plans
Nigel Snaith (1979) took over from Claire Griffiths (1985) as Chair of the Johnian Society in January. Nigel studied Natural Sciences at St John’s and, after studying for a PhD in Materials Science at Birmingham University, spent his career in the Oil and Gas industry. We asked him a few questions about his life since St John’s and his hopes for the Johnian Society.
What do you hope to achieve as Chair of the Johnian Society?
I hope to welcome even more alumni to Johnian Society events, especially by offering new events in different regions. I am conscious that our activities tend to be focused in South East England and, if possible, I would like to do more for members in other parts of the UK. I would hope to continue the series of online talks and to introduce new activities, such as walking tours and meet-ups at local landmarks such as National Trust properties or RHS gardens. Many people may already be members of these places so this could be a low entry barrier for anyone wanting to meet up. I would welcome suggestions from any Johnians. We are holding our first National Trust meet-up at Buscot Park in Faringdon.
What is special about the Johnian Society?
I really like that its primary purpose is simply to improve contacts between alumni. It is a wonderful way to keep in touch with or meet other Johnains and has helped foster many great friendships for me, especially through playing golf with members. We had our centenary last year and ran a family day. I don’t personally have children, but I think the opportunity for people to bring their children and show them the College was much appreciated.
What would you say to people who have never been to a Johnian Society event before?
Come along and give us a try. The chances are that you will meet people with similar interests, and people that you find interesting. The reason I kept coming back was because I found that we had great conversations. I think St John’s has a certain character, which means that Johnians do tend to get on with each other well. In my experience, Johnians tend to be smart and open people, and I think building a community is reward on its own.
Whilst at St John’s you played golf for the University and rowed for the College. What were some highlights of your time in those sports?
I played golf with the CU Stymies (University second team) and was very privileged to play many of the best courses in southern England, at the same time enjoying fantastic hospitality from the members. As a golfer and scientist, my rowing was limited to ‘gentlemen’s’ eights. The highlight was winning my oar in the LMBC 11th eight (Nigel is pictured, below, third from the right). I continued rowing in The Netherlands, Brunei (amongst the crocodiles) and now back in the UK. I was fortunate in picking two sports as a youngster that I can still participate in today.
You have played with the Johnian Golf Society since 1983 and led the organisation since 2013. What has kept you involved?
I started to play golf with the Johnian Society while still a student at Birmingham University. I remember being very impressed by the friendliness and inclusivity of the Johnian golfers, despite the age differences, and I made it a habit to come back for the annual Johnian golf meeting, even when I was based abroad. We were very appreciative of the College’s support for our annual meeting. I was delighted to be asked to take over the organisation of the Johnian Golf Society in 2013.
After almost 40 years with Shell and BG Group, what changes have you seen in the industry?
Supported by improvements in computer capabilities, the processing of seismic data developed tremendously over my time in the industry so that we can now map geological structures with much more accuracy and even get an indication of the presence of hydrocarbons. Developments in horizontal drilling mean that we can now produce small pockets of hydrocarbons that it would not previously have been economic to develop.
The widespread application of fracking combined with horizontal drilling has meant that we are now able to produce from low permeability formations, such as shales. There is no doubt that these technologies have been of enormous benefit to the US economy in particular. However, the impact that hydrocarbon consumption has had on the environment makes it controversial. I was interested to see the College has initiated a series of lectures on climate change and I will follow these with interest.
Do you have any advice for current students or recent graduates looking to go into the energy sector?
I must admit that things were much easier when I entered the energy sector as the large companies, such as Shell, were fully prepared to train people to acquire the skills necessary for roles in the industry. Nowadays companies look more to recruit staff who already have the skills necessary for the role.
– Think about the skills that you need to do the role you are looking for.
– Remain open to opportunities, particularly where these offer the opportunity to acquire valuable skills, and where possible be prepared to travel.
– Develop and make use of your networks.
Please email us with any ideas for Johnian Society events.
