he was born in napier, new zealand and studied at a farming college in invercargill, where he won a bursary to study agricultural sciences at the university of new zealand. there he was awarded a research scholarship to continue his studies in britain. after gaining a bsc in electrophysiology and neuroscience at the university of otago in dunedin, he moved to aberdeen to join the rowett research institute, an agricultural research facility of the university of aberdeen. there he was awarded a phd for his studies on the vagus nerve of sheep.