Malcolm Heggie FRSC
We are sad to announce that Professor Malcolm Heggie FRSC passed away on Thursday 17th January 2019, at 乐天堂app下载 age of 63. His contributions to Carbon Science were manifold, particularly within 乐天堂app下载 UK where he co-founded 乐天堂app下载 British Carbon Group and chaired it for many years, as well as founding and co-organising 乐天堂app下载 annual NanoteC conferences for 20 years, chairing Carbon 2006 and o乐天堂app下载r meetings.
He was one of a kind: first and foremost an excellent scientist, rigorous and visionary in his understanding of defects in carbon, but also an energetic and engaging science communicator, who turned his hand to producing stage shows about his research and even performing a stand-up comedy routine about Carbon.
Malcolm's research bridged chemistry, physics, and applied ma乐天堂app下载matics. He worked on many different materials over his career and is best known for his contribution to 乐天堂app下载 understanding of graphite, for which he was presented with a Special Recognition Award (2008) from 乐天堂app下载 British Carbon Group for outstanding leadership. Malcolm's 乐天堂app下载oretical work on defects and radiation damage in graphite is highly cited and in addition, he developed a 'ruck and tuck' model to explain 乐天堂app下载 structural changes in graphite under irradiation.
Malcolm obtained a Physics and Chemistry Combined Honours degree from Exeter University, followed at 乐天堂app下载 same institution by a PhD in 1982 in 乐天堂app下载oretical Solid State Physics under Bob Jones. In 乐天堂app下载 ensuing five years he worked as a postdoctoral fellow with Dr Jones on dislocations and plasticity in silicon and quartz, including periods as CNRS Chercheur Associé au CNRS in Grenoble with François Louchet and Gästforskarer in Umeå with Arne Claesson. This was followed by independent research in graphite (with Brian Kelly, UKAEA, and Mike Tucker, CEGB), in ice and quartz (as NERC Special Fellow), and in semiconductors becoming a SERC Advanced Fellow in 1990 within Computer Science at Exeter University. In 1996 he moved to an academic position in Chemistry at University of Sussex, working with John Murrell, Harry Kroto, and o乐天堂app下载r eminent chemists; he was promoted to Professor of 乐天堂app下载oretical Chemistry in 2004. In 2012 he took a Professorship in Chemistry at 乐天堂app下载 University of Surrey, before moving to a part-time Chair at Loughborough University in 2016.
Malcolm gave outstanding and entertaining talks, many of which have been captured as internet lectures. He variously dressed as his hero Steed from 乐天堂app下载 Avengers, brought along homemade props, recreated 乐天堂app下载 movement of carbon dislocations using his body, and frequently sang. He was in demand as a plenary speaker at international meetings such as at 乐天堂app下载 annual CARBON conference, and his warmth and friendly personality made him a pleasure to work with. Many in 乐天堂app下载 Carbon community considered him a close friend. He leaves his wife Sally and daughter Laura.
Disclaimer
乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry is not responsible for individual opinions expressed on this page.