Metamorphosis

A story of one woman's transformation from a traditional Kiwi 'housewife' of the 1950s into a Career Fellow of the New Zealand Medical Research Council. Born in 1926, married at 21, and a mother of two children by 25, Glen Metcalf kept the home fires burning while her husband earned the money for their family. Deciding this was not the life she wanted - and wanting to put her MSc to use - Glen contacted Donald Beaven at the Medical Unit in Princess Margaret Hospital. It was here she metamorphosed into a scientist, gaining her PhD and publishing a number of professional papers. On retirement, Glen became a campaigner on environmental and social issues, going to the Environment Court as an objector to a wind farm in an area of rare limestone bush, and becoming involved with her local Mount Pleasant community following the Christchurch earthquakes.