David Orme Masson

Sir David Orme Masson KBE FRS FRSE (13 January 1858 – 10 August 1937) was a scientist born in England who emigrated to Australia to become Professor of Chemistry at the University of Melbourne. He is known for his work on the explosive compound nitroglycerin.

Masson was born in Hampstead (near London), the only son and second child of English suffragist Emily Rosaline Orme and her husband, David Mather Masson, Professor of English Literature at University College London. His father later became Professor of Rhetoric and English Literature at the University of Edinburgh in 1865.

Masson was educated at Oliphant's School in Edinburgh (1865–68), the Edinburgh Academy and then the University of Edinburgh, where he graduated MA in 1877. He studied chemistry under Alexander Crum Brown. He then studied under Friedrich Wöhler at Göttingen in 1879 before returning to Edinburgh in 1881.He obtained his DSc degree in 1884.

Masson was involved in the founding of the Student Representative Council and studied the properties of nitroglycerin (glyceryl trinitrate).

In 1885 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His proposers were Alexander Crum Brown, Arthur Mitchell, John Murray, and Peter Guthrie Tait.

In 1884, Masson met Mary Struthers, daughter of John Struthers, and they were engaged soon after. However, they held off on marriage until Masson could find a secure appointment. In 1886, he was offered an appointment at the University of Melbourne in Australia, and they were subsequently married on 5 August 1886 in Aberdeen, and moved to Australia a few weeks later.

In October 1886 Masson arrived with his new wife in Australia to take up the position as Professor of Chemistry at the University of Melbourne.

In 1903, Masson was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, London.