I held the first Chair of Inorganic Chemistry in the UK

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Negotiations for the Chair of Inorganic Chemistry at Newcastle University

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I held the first Chair of Inorganic Chemistry in the UK

Norman Greenwood Scientist

		Views	Duration
121. I held the first Chair of Inorganic Chemistry in the UK		54	00:50
122. Negotiations for the Chair of Inorganic Chemistry at Newcastle...		50	02:10
123. Planning help at Newcastle University		41	01:14
124. Thinking about the purpose of a university education	1	51	03:51
125. How to teach an ever-updating chemistry field		53	02:17
126. Developing my students' education		51	01:28
127. Tricks to engage students with learning		70	00:58
128. University must not produce matriculated sponges!		45	01:46
129. Creating Chemistry Centres for school teachers		33	01:40
130. The Royal Institute's 'travelling circus'		31	00:47

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So Newcastle was going through the stages of becoming independent, and by 1963 it had in fact become the independent University of Newcastle upon Tyne. As I said, one of the reasons I was in England, was this excitement of new universities being established. I think actually, technically, I was the first established Chair of Inorganic Chemistry in the country. There were, of course, several inorganic chemists who had chairs, Harry Emeléus in Cambridge, Geoff Wilkinson in Imperial College, Ron Nyholm in London, but they were professors of chemistry who happened to be inorganic chemists; this was established as an inorganic chair.

Norman Greenwood (1925-2012) was born in Australia and graduated from Melbourne University before going to Cambridge. His wide-ranging research in inorganic and structural chemistry made major advances in the chemistry of boron hydrides and other main-group element compounds. He also pioneered the application of Mössbauer spectroscopy to problems in chemistry. He was a prolific writer and inspirational lecturer on chemical and educational themes, and held numerous visiting professorships throughout the world.

Title: I held the first Chair of Inorganic Chemistry in the UK

Listeners: Brian Johnson

Professor Brian FG Johnson FRS, FRSE, FRS Chem, FAcad Eu, FAS. Professor of Inorganic Chemistry University of Edinburgh 1991-1995, Professor of Inorganic Chemistry University of Cambridge 1995-2005, Master Fitzwilliam College Cambridge 1999-2005. Research interests include studies of transition metal carbonyls, organometallic chemistry, nano- particles and homogeneous catalysis. Professor Johnson is the author of over 1000 research articles and papers.

Tags: Newcastle University, 1963, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, Cambridge University, Imperial College, UCL, University College London, Harry Emeléus, Geoff Wilkinson, Ronald Nyholm

Duration: 50 seconds

Date story recorded: May 2011

Date story went live: 25 November 2011