Background
Pitman was born in 1933, at the family home in Bristol, England to Percy George Pitman (a butcher) and Norma Ethel née Payne (a milliner). When World World War II began, Michael and his mother and brother lived in the village of East Harptree which was relatively safer from the threat of German bombs. Returning to Bedminster, Michael attended Colston"s School as his father and grandfather had, although the family"s financial circumstances required him to qualify for a scholarship to attend Colston"son
Education
His family lived in Bedminster where Michael attended Southville Primary School in an adjacent suburb.
Career
Education and career
Graduating with a first class degree, another scholarship from the Agricultural Research Council enabled him to complete a Doctor of Philosophy in botany in 1959. He continued to work at Cambridge in teaching and post-doctoral research, and was appointed a Junior Fellow of Street John"s College. In 1962, Doctor Pitman was offered a job as a lecturer at the University of Adelaide in South Australia, which he accepted, intending to return to England eventually.
However, his family found the lifestyle in Australia very enjoyable, and when Pitman was offered the position of Professor of Biology (Plant Physiology) at the University of Sydney in 1966, he and his family decided to remain in Australia permanently.
Organisational career
In 1983, Doctor Pitman retired from the University of Sydney, and was appointed as the Director of the Institute of Biological Resources, one of the divisions of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation), Australia"s peak scientific body. In 1992, Pitman was made the second Chief Scientist of Australia, advising the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet on scientific matters.
Membership
He became an associate member of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation"s Executive in 1985, and was Deputy to the Chief Executive from 1987 to 1988.
