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Harry Melville (chemist)
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Harry Melville (chemist)
Sir Harry Work Melville, KCB, FRS, FRSE (27 April 1908 – 14 June 2000) was a British chemist, academic, and academic administrator, who specialised in polymer research. He spent his early career in academia as a lecturer and researcher, before moving into administration as a civil servant and university college head.
He was a fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, from 1933 to 1944, Professor of Chemistry at the University of Aberdeen from 1945 to 1947, and Mason Professor of Chemistry at the University of Birmingham from 1948 to 1956. Having moved into administration, he was permanent secretary of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research from 1956 to 1965, chairman of the Science Research Council from 1965 to 1967, and principal of Queen Mary College from 1967 to 1976.
Melvin was elected to the fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and of the Royal Society. He was awarded Meldola Medal by the Institute of Chemistry and the Davy Medal by the Royal Society. He gave the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures in 1955 and the Royal Society's Bakerian Lecture in 1956. He was knighted as a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in 1958.
Melville was born on 27 April 1908 in Edinburgh, Scotland. He was the son of Thomas Melville and his wife, Esther Cumming Burnet Nicol. They lived at 233 Dalkeith Road in the south of Edinburgh.
He was educated at Preston Street School, a state primary school in Edinburgh, and at George Heriot's School, a private school in Old Town, Edinburgh. He then studied for a year at Heriot-Watt College, a technical college that specialised in engineering.
Having won a scholarship as a Carnegie Scholar, Melville studied chemistry at the University of Edinburgh. He graduated with a first class honours degree in 1930. He was then awarded a Carnegie Research Scholarship and undertook research toward a doctorate. He competed his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in 1933 and his doctoral thesis was titled "Investigation of molecular structure and chemical change by means of band spectra". He was awarded a Doctor of Science (DSc) degree, a higher doctorate, by Edinburgh in 1935.
In 1933, Melville was elected a fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge. He also worked at the Colloid Science Laboratory in Cambridge under Eric Rideal, and in 1938 became its assistant director of research. His research during this period was focused on polymers.
In 1939, Melville was appointed a professor as Chair of Chemistry at the University of Aberdeen. However, war broke out before he could take up the post. During World War II, he worked for the British government. From 1940 to 1943, he served as Scientific Adviser to the Chief Superintendent of the Ministry of Supply, and was based at Porton Down. Then, from 1943 to 1945, he served as superintendent of the Radar Research Station at Malvern, Worcestershire.
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Harry Melville (chemist)
Sir Harry Work Melville, KCB, FRS, FRSE (27 April 1908 – 14 June 2000) was a British chemist, academic, and academic administrator, who specialised in polymer research. He spent his early career in academia as a lecturer and researcher, before moving into administration as a civil servant and university college head.
He was a fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, from 1933 to 1944, Professor of Chemistry at the University of Aberdeen from 1945 to 1947, and Mason Professor of Chemistry at the University of Birmingham from 1948 to 1956. Having moved into administration, he was permanent secretary of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research from 1956 to 1965, chairman of the Science Research Council from 1965 to 1967, and principal of Queen Mary College from 1967 to 1976.
Melvin was elected to the fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and of the Royal Society. He was awarded Meldola Medal by the Institute of Chemistry and the Davy Medal by the Royal Society. He gave the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures in 1955 and the Royal Society's Bakerian Lecture in 1956. He was knighted as a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in 1958.
Melville was born on 27 April 1908 in Edinburgh, Scotland. He was the son of Thomas Melville and his wife, Esther Cumming Burnet Nicol. They lived at 233 Dalkeith Road in the south of Edinburgh.
He was educated at Preston Street School, a state primary school in Edinburgh, and at George Heriot's School, a private school in Old Town, Edinburgh. He then studied for a year at Heriot-Watt College, a technical college that specialised in engineering.
Having won a scholarship as a Carnegie Scholar, Melville studied chemistry at the University of Edinburgh. He graduated with a first class honours degree in 1930. He was then awarded a Carnegie Research Scholarship and undertook research toward a doctorate. He competed his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in 1933 and his doctoral thesis was titled "Investigation of molecular structure and chemical change by means of band spectra". He was awarded a Doctor of Science (DSc) degree, a higher doctorate, by Edinburgh in 1935.
In 1933, Melville was elected a fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge. He also worked at the Colloid Science Laboratory in Cambridge under Eric Rideal, and in 1938 became its assistant director of research. His research during this period was focused on polymers.
In 1939, Melville was appointed a professor as Chair of Chemistry at the University of Aberdeen. However, war broke out before he could take up the post. During World War II, he worked for the British government. From 1940 to 1943, he served as Scientific Adviser to the Chief Superintendent of the Ministry of Supply, and was based at Porton Down. Then, from 1943 to 1945, he served as superintendent of the Radar Research Station at Malvern, Worcestershire.