A PROFESSOR at a university in Indiana who was born and brought up in Inverclyde says one of his teachers at Greenock Academy inspired him to pursue a career in history. 

James MacLeod, who is a Professor of History at the University of Evansville, will be returning to his hometown in December to give a talk on the religious imagery of Scotland's First World War war memorials. 

James, 58, who is the brother of popular Inverclyde science fiction author Ken MacLeod, has been invited to give the talk at the Watt Institution by members of the Inverclyde Heritage Network. 

The university professor, who has lived in America for 25 years, said his school experiences in Inverclyde helped shape his working life. 

James added: "I really liked history from a very young age. 

"I was always interested in the First World War and was always struck by how interesting and cool the war memorials were. 

"I loved history at school and I had really great teachers, Iain Liddell especially. 

"He really inspired me to study history at university. 

"Iain said he's going to try to make it along to the talk but has warned he might heckle me!"

James says his presentation on December 13 will be a "really interesting" discussion about war memorials in Inverclyde that people will have visited, and will explore what they memorials are 'actually saying'. 

He added: "There are parts that people maybe miss or don't think about. 

"I'll speak about the Wellpark memorial and the symbolism of it, and about the religious messages in all of these memorials. 

"It will really tie the two themes of the First World War and religion together, and they're topics close to my heart. 

"Hopefully people will be able to look at war memorials and know what they're saying a bit more than before.

"I'm really thankful to Inverclyde Heritage Network for inviting me."

James was taught at Ardgowan Primary, Greenock Academy and Edinburgh University. (Image: James MacLeod) James grew up in Greenock as the youngest of seven children and attended Ardgowan Primary before he went to Greenock Academy. 

His dad worked at sea and then became a Free Presbyterian minister, and his mum was a history teacher. 

After he left school, he studied history at the University of Edinburgh, and then went on to gain a PhD in Scottish religious history at the same institution. 

When James left university, he lined up two job interviews - one for the University of Dundee, and another for the University of Evansville's base in Harlaxton, Grantham. 

He took the Evansville job and didn't go for the Dundee interview, which James reckons was a real turning point in his career. 

James added: "The decision completely changed my life. 

"If I had gone to Dundee, I wouldn't have met my wife or had my children. 

"Choosing the Evansville job meant that I've had to teach things completely outside my comfort zone but I've learned so much."

James met his now wife Jessica - who is originally from Boston - when she was working as a nurse in Grantham, and the couple moved to the University of Evansville base in Indiana in 1999. 

They have three children - Eilidh, Calum, and Gavin. 

James said Evansville is 'real America' and said there's a lot of similarities between the city and Greenock. 

He said: "I never thought I would leave Scotland. 

"Moving to England was a huge deal. 

"I can remember sitting on the train leaving Waverley and being so upset 

"Moving to the States didn't seem that big of a deal after that. 

"Evansville is a river town like Greenock and it has a lot of port and shipbuilding connections. 

"The people are really friendly, just like the people in Greenock, and it's a really nice place."

James is a cartoonist and his political doodles have been published in the local Evansville newspaper. 

He said enjoys getting his feelings off his chest through the cartoons. 

James said the prospect of Trump winning the forthcoming US election is 'terrifying'

He added: "We know a lot of families, and have a lot of friends who are people of colour, or immigrants from Latin America, or who are gay and trans. 

"It can't imagine what is life going to be like for people like them if Trump wins."

(Image: University of Evansville) James, who is the university's chair of the Department of History, Politics, and Social Change, said the best part of his job is getting the chance to spend his life with young people. 

He added: "I get older every day, but they're always between 18 and 22. 

"It definitely keeps you young.

"The students are as good as they ever were and I'm surprised every day by the things they know. 

"I have great colleagues, and it's a lot of fun."

* James will be speaking at the Watt Institution, on Friday, December 13, from 1pm.