A special interest – celebrating 80 years of AVA membership

Some people just know what they want to do with their life. An unwavering commitment to a career or passion. This is certainly true for Dr Ian Pearson, who in 1932 at the age of 5 confidently declared to his parents that he wanted to be an ‘animal doctor’. “I knew all my life that I wanted to be a vet, I never wanted to do anything else,” said Ian.

Fast forward to April 2024 and 96-year-old Ian has chalked up an impressive 80 years as a proud, engaged AVA member. First joining as a student member in 1944, Ian’s career and the AVA have been closely intertwined ever since and his work to develop the Special Interest Groups is still very much evident today.

Science, health and service runs deep in the Pearson family DNA. Ian’s father was a Presbyterian minister with John Flynn’s Australian Inland Mission in the isolated Carnarvon region in Western Australia, well before the road to Perth existed. Following his father’s premature death at the age of 39, Ian’s mother made the “very wise and brave” decision to relocate the family from their Manilla parish in regional NSW to Sydney, determined to see all 3 of her children receive a good education.

Her decision was the right one. Ian’s brother Keith earned science and education degrees, taught in secondary schools for some years and then followed his father’s footsteps into the Presbyterian ministry. Sister Betty studied nursing, working in NSW before joining John Flynn’s Australian Inland Mission, firstly in WA’s Kimberley region, and then Oodnadatta in outback South Australia. Ian’s passion for animals led him to Hurlstone Agricultural High School in south-west Sydney and in 1944 he was accepted into the University of Sydney Veterinary School. Ian’s wife Judith, whom he met at St Stephen's Presbyterian church in Macquarie Street, Sydney, was also a scientist (CSIRO Botany School) and their sons David (professional geologist and grazier) and Kingsley (medicine) followed similar paths.

The NSW Department of Agriculture supported Ian’s veterinary studies and after graduating in 1949, he spent the next 7 years at the Department’s Veterinary Research Station at Glenfield, on poultry pathology, general diagnostics, microbiology and pathology, before transferring to the CSIRO McMaster Laboratory within the University of Sydney as a Research Officer, working in parasitology with Hugh Gordon for 6 years.

A tea break in the field with McMaster Lab Research Scientist colleagues. Left to right: Hugh Gordon, Joe Boray and Ian Pearson, taken in the 1950s. [Source: CSIRO]. 

Ian’s next career move into the veterinary chemicals industry would lead to an involvement with the AVA which has indelibly shaped the way the Association functions today. In 1961, a meeting with fellow poultry industry veterinarians led to the formation of the NSW Veterinary Poultry Association – later Australian VPA – which went on to become the first Special Interest Group of the AVA. Ian was also one of a small number of veterinarians in industry who discussed the possible formation of a group similar to the Horseshoe Club in Britain and the Industrial Veterinarians Association in the USA, and in 1965 the Association of Veterinarians in Industry (AVI) came into being, with Ian elected inaugural Chairman.

“That Ian Pearson is vitally concerned with Special Interest Groups is shown by the fact that he was co-convener of the inaugural meeting of the Australian Society for Parasitology, was Foundation Chairman of Australian Veterinarians in Industry, a Foundation member of the Australian Veterinary Poultry Association and the Australian Association of Cattle Veterinarians and is a member of the Veterinary Teachers and Research Workers’ group.” – Australian Veterinary Journal, Vol. 53, October, 1977.

The President Dr R W Gee congratulating Dr Pearson on his election to Fellowship of the Association. (Source: AVJ Vol 53 October 1977)

Following 27 years in industry with a number of companies including Parke Davis and Merck Sharp and Dohme, with responsibilities for research, clearance and registration of new products, and marketing support, Ian retired as Director of Scientific and Regulatory Affairs with Syntex Animal Health.

From 1977-1978 Ian served as President of the AVA, becoming a Fellow of the AVA in 1977. Ian shares that he “absolutely enjoyed contributing to the profession” and, with an eye for record keeping, spent several years researching the history of the AVA. His research was published in the October 2013 issue of the Australian Veterinary Journal.

Congratulations Dr Ian Pearson on achieving 80 years of AVA membership. The number of years in total may draw attention, however the real applause should be given for Ian’s generous contribution and service to the profession throughout his entire working career, and into retirement. Thank you, Ian!