Colin Eaborn
Encyclopedia
Colin Eaborn FRS was a British scientist and academic noted for his work in establishing the Sussex University School of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences. Born to a joiner
, he gained first-class honours from University College Bangor
and, after research during the Second World War, accepted a position as an assistant researcher at University College, Leicester in 1947. In 1951 he won a Rotary Foundation
Fellowship, which allowed him to spend a year working at the University of California, Los Angeles
with Saul Winstein
and his research group, and in 1960 published the seminal 'Organosilicon Compounds.
In 1961 he was appointed as a science professor at the newly-created Sussex University. There he introduced unconventional lecture and degree structures, eventually attracting a staff which, by the mid-1970s, included two Nobel Laureates and seven Fellows of the Royal Society. For his work he was himself made a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1970, and served on the Society Council for two terms during the 1970s and 80s. After retiring from active work in 1988, Eaborn died on 22 February 2004 in Brighton
.
and his wife, with the family moving to Wales when he was six months old to find work. He and his sister went to the Holt Endowed School, the local village school, and from 1934 he studied at Ruabon Grammar School
. In 1941 he took up a place at what is now the Bangor University
to study Chemistry, intending to become a teacher after graduation. While there he met Joyce Thomas, an English student, and the two married in 1949. At Bangor, Eaborn obtained First Class Honours, and his studies were greatly assisted by the appointment of the noted chemist Ted Hughes in 1943. After graduation, Eaborn continued to work at Bangor under legislation which required graduating scientists to work towards the war effort.
Fellowship, which allowed him to spend a year working at the University of California, Los Angeles
with Saul Winstein
and his research group. Thanks to grants from the United States Air Force
and Army
, Eaborn was able to assemble a team of 15 researchers and students, and in 1960 published the textbook Organosillicon Compounds, which had "a major influence on the development of what has become one of the most prolific areas of organometallic chemistry, with extensive applications in organic synthesis, catalysis and materials science".
In 1961, Eaborn accepted an appointment as one of the first four science professors of Sussex University. While there he massively restructured the School of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, moving from a department of four scientists to a faculty of 40 in the mid-1970s, including two Nobel Laureates and seven Fellows of the Royal Society. Rather than dividing the department per speciality, each area (organic, inorganic and physical chemistry) intermingled, with researchers encouraged to share work and collaborate. Eaborn also introduced the "degree by thesis" program, in which students would be granted their degree after a thesis and an oral exam rather than traditional written exams; this was successful in attracting "original and self-motivated" who had not completed the conventional education program prior to university.
Eaborn introduced "crash courses", where a subject would be crammed into a period of weeks rather than spread out over a year, and served as the first Dean of the School of Molecular Sciences until 1968, and from then until 1972 the first Pro-vice-chancellor
for Science. He retired in 1988, and died in his sleep after a long illness on 22 February 2004.
, which was awarded based on his various articles and publications. From 1963 to 1993 he served as a regional editor of the Journal of Organometallic Chemistry
, and in 1970 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, serving on its council between 1978 and 1980 and again between 1988 and 1989. Between 1965 and 1970 he was the Honorary Secretary of the Royal Society of Chemistry
, receiving its Organometallic Award in 1974, the Ingold Award in 1976 and the Main Group Award in 1988.
Joiner
A joiner differs from a carpenter in that joiners cut and fit joints in wood that do not use nails. Joiners usually work in a workshop since the formation of various joints generally requires non-portable machinery. A carpenter normally works on site...
, he gained first-class honours from University College Bangor
Bangor University
Bangor University is a university based in the city of Bangor in the county of Gwynedd in North Wales-United Kingdom.It was officially known for most of its history as the University College of North Wales...
and, after research during the Second World War, accepted a position as an assistant researcher at University College, Leicester in 1947. In 1951 he won a Rotary Foundation
Rotary Foundation
The Rotary Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation that supports the efforts of Rotary International to achieve world understanding and peace through international humanitarian, educational, and cultural exchange programs...
Fellowship, which allowed him to spend a year working at the University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
with Saul Winstein
Saul Winstein
Saul Winstein was the Canadian chemist who discovered the Winstein reaction, in which he argued a non-classical cation was needed to explain the stability of the norbornyl cation. This fueled a debate with Herbert C. Brown over the existence of delocalized cations such as this. Richard F...
and his research group, and in 1960 published the seminal 'Organosilicon Compounds.
In 1961 he was appointed as a science professor at the newly-created Sussex University. There he introduced unconventional lecture and degree structures, eventually attracting a staff which, by the mid-1970s, included two Nobel Laureates and seven Fellows of the Royal Society. For his work he was himself made a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1970, and served on the Society Council for two terms during the 1970s and 80s. After retiring from active work in 1988, Eaborn died on 22 February 2004 in Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
.
Early life
Eaborn was born to a joinerJoiner
A joiner differs from a carpenter in that joiners cut and fit joints in wood that do not use nails. Joiners usually work in a workshop since the formation of various joints generally requires non-portable machinery. A carpenter normally works on site...
and his wife, with the family moving to Wales when he was six months old to find work. He and his sister went to the Holt Endowed School, the local village school, and from 1934 he studied at Ruabon Grammar School
Ruabon Grammar School
The Ruabon Grammar School was situated in Ruabon, Denbighshire in north-east Wales. It provided a grammar school education to boys in the parishes of Ruabon and Erbistock....
. In 1941 he took up a place at what is now the Bangor University
Bangor University
Bangor University is a university based in the city of Bangor in the county of Gwynedd in North Wales-United Kingdom.It was officially known for most of its history as the University College of North Wales...
to study Chemistry, intending to become a teacher after graduation. While there he met Joyce Thomas, an English student, and the two married in 1949. At Bangor, Eaborn obtained First Class Honours, and his studies were greatly assisted by the appointment of the noted chemist Ted Hughes in 1943. After graduation, Eaborn continued to work at Bangor under legislation which required graduating scientists to work towards the war effort.
Academic work
In 1947, Eaborn became an assistant researcher at University College, Leicester. At the time it was a small department with five members of staff and little money for research, but despite that he published his first academic paper in 1949, based on work he had done at Bangor, and continued to publish research papers, eventually numbering over 500. In 1950 he was made a Lecturer, and in 1954 a Reader as part of Leicester's attempts to gain university status, which required people noted enough to raise its profile. In 1951 he was granted a Rotary FoundationRotary Foundation
The Rotary Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation that supports the efforts of Rotary International to achieve world understanding and peace through international humanitarian, educational, and cultural exchange programs...
Fellowship, which allowed him to spend a year working at the University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
with Saul Winstein
Saul Winstein
Saul Winstein was the Canadian chemist who discovered the Winstein reaction, in which he argued a non-classical cation was needed to explain the stability of the norbornyl cation. This fueled a debate with Herbert C. Brown over the existence of delocalized cations such as this. Richard F...
and his research group. Thanks to grants from the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
and Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, Eaborn was able to assemble a team of 15 researchers and students, and in 1960 published the textbook Organosillicon Compounds, which had "a major influence on the development of what has become one of the most prolific areas of organometallic chemistry, with extensive applications in organic synthesis, catalysis and materials science".
In 1961, Eaborn accepted an appointment as one of the first four science professors of Sussex University. While there he massively restructured the School of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, moving from a department of four scientists to a faculty of 40 in the mid-1970s, including two Nobel Laureates and seven Fellows of the Royal Society. Rather than dividing the department per speciality, each area (organic, inorganic and physical chemistry) intermingled, with researchers encouraged to share work and collaborate. Eaborn also introduced the "degree by thesis" program, in which students would be granted their degree after a thesis and an oral exam rather than traditional written exams; this was successful in attracting "original and self-motivated" who had not completed the conventional education program prior to university.
Eaborn introduced "crash courses", where a subject would be crammed into a period of weeks rather than spread out over a year, and served as the first Dean of the School of Molecular Sciences until 1968, and from then until 1972 the first Pro-vice-chancellor
Pro-Vice-Chancellor
In a university, an assistant to a vice-chancellor is called a pro-vice-chancellor . These are sometimes teaching academics who take on additional responsibilities. Some of these responsibilities are in charge of Administration, Research and Development, Academic and Education affairs...
for Science. He retired in 1988, and died in his sleep after a long illness on 22 February 2004.
Recognition and other work
Eaborn became the first non-American to receive the Frederick Stanley Kipping Award of the American Chemical SocietyAmerican Chemical Society
The American Chemical Society is a scientific society based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. Founded in 1876 at New York University, the ACS currently has more than 161,000 members at all degree-levels and in all fields of chemistry, chemical...
, which was awarded based on his various articles and publications. From 1963 to 1993 he served as a regional editor of the Journal of Organometallic Chemistry
Journal of Organometallic Chemistry
Journal of Organometallic Chemistry is published by Elsevier. Its main focus is organometallic chemistry....
, and in 1970 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, serving on its council between 1978 and 1980 and again between 1988 and 1989. Between 1965 and 1970 he was the Honorary Secretary of the Royal Society of Chemistry
Royal Society of Chemistry
The Royal Society of Chemistry is a learned society in the United Kingdom with the goal of "advancing the chemical sciences." It was formed in 1980 from the merger of the Chemical Society, the Royal Institute of Chemistry, the Faraday Society and the Society for Analytical Chemistry with a new...
, receiving its Organometallic Award in 1974, the Ingold Award in 1976 and the Main Group Award in 1988.