My friend and former colleague Alan McCarthy, who has died aged 69 of cancer, was a microbiologist at Liverpool University and was also involved in the running of the Council for At-Risk Academics (Cara), a body that supports academics who have fled from their homelands as refugees.
He began his work with Cara in 2006, and served as the chair of its UK allocation committee, as well as honorary secretary and chair of trustees, taking on ever greater responsibilities as its income grew up to £12.5m in 2023.
In particular, he helped to drive forward programmes in Jordan that supported exiled Iraqi academics (2006-12) and allowed 200 Syrian academics to settle in Turkey (2016-24). He also mentored exiled academics in the UK through Cara’s fellowship programme.
Alan was born in Belfast, the eldest of four children, to June (nee Hamilton), a nurse, and John, a draughtsman at the Harland & Wolff shipyard. At Friends’ school in Lisburn he met Linda Robinson, a fellow pupil, and they married in 1976.
Alan studied microbiology at Bath University, followed by a PhD in bacterial taxonomy at Bradford University, after which, in 1981, he joined a research group I was leading at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology. In 1985 he left Manchester to become a microbiology lecturer at Liverpool University, rising to be a professor there in 2002.
Alan’s research at Liverpool centred on microbial ecology, nutrient recycling and taxonomy, and he designed novel methods for sustainable waste management and fuel production. He was also active as an administrator at the university.
His sense of humour, informality, wisdom, generosity and empathy were greatly appreciated by his colleagues at Liverpool, as well as at Cara. Those qualities were also brought to bear as a governor of Shrewsbury school and its associated Shrewsbury House youth and community centre in Liverpool.
Alan’s home in Cheshire was a social hub, for he was intensely interested in people and always supportive of their interests and activities. In his spare time he loved driving his old red MG sports car, was a wicketkeeper in village cricket teams and a rock and jazz music enthusiast.
He is survived by Linda, their children, Liam, Jack, Alex and Dan, and grandchildren, Anna, Ned and Lucas, and by his sisters Arlene, Frances and Deborah.
