Was Issac Asimov just a writer or did he have a science education background?

Funny story, which Asimov told several times.

Asimov was a bright student in university, graduating with a chemistry degree as an undergraduate from a branch of Columbia university in Manhattan.

Thankfully for the history of science fiction, Asimov couldn’t get into medial school so applied to the graduate chemistry program at Columbia. However, he didn’t have the organic chemistry course that was a prerequisite. He asked to take it before he started the Master’s program, but the administration didn’t like him much so they told him he had to take organic chemistry along with a full course load, thinking he wouldn’t be up to the task. Instead, he aced the course and got his Master’s in 1941 and his Doctorate in 1948. In between, he worked as a civilian chemist at the Philadelphia Naval Yard. He nearly got drafted into the post-war army because they got his birthdate wrong (as he was 26, he was too old) but the mistake was corrected and he was honorably discharged.

As another twist of fate, a professor at Boston University had read “Nightfall” and offered him a position which turned into an instructor job at $5,000 a year.

That’s where things get interesting. Asimov’s writing career was taking off and by 1952 he had pretty much stopped doing research to focus on his writing, which was paying more than his teaching job. He was a high rated instructor but his lack of research and his high income started to grate on his colleagues. His mentor managed to get him a tenured position in 1955 and that’s when things really hit the fan.

By 1957 BU tried to fire him, but Asimov noted he was tenured and couldn’t be fired without cause. The school tried to deny he had tenure, but he had lots of documentation to back up his claim. However, the school could and did remove all his teaching duties and stopped paying him a salary.

For the next two years Asimov was in limbo. He was still earning a living from his writing, but he had nothing to do at the university. He finally reached an agreement that he could keep his position on the condition he give an introductory lecture every year. He then switched to writing full time and the rest is history.

By 1979 BU realized his mistake and promoted him to full professor. They still didn’t pay him or give him any duties, but by then Asimov was making an outstanding living from his writing in any case.