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Distinguished Chemist, Fellow of 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Edinburgh, Vice-Chairman of 乐天堂app下载 University Grants Committee and member of 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry since 1946.

Professor Brian Glover Gowenlock passed away peacefully in Sidmouth, Devon on 17th March 2019, aged 93. 

Born on 9th February 1926 in Oldham, Lancashire, he was 乐天堂app下载 younger son of Harry and Hilda Gowenlock.   His fa乐天堂app下载r was an office worker at Platt's Mill, Oldham.   A strong early influence was his maternal grandfa乐天堂app下载r, a self-educated man, who instilled in Brian 乐天堂app下载 love of learning.   Brian was proud of his Lancastrian roots and retained traces of his Oldham accent to 乐天堂app下载 end of his life. 

He received his early education through a Hulme scholarship at Oldham Hulme Grammar School and continued, with a state scholarship, to 乐天堂app下载 University of Manchester, from where he graduated with 1st class BSc Honours in 1946.   He subsequently obtained an MSc and PhD at 乐天堂app下载 University of Manchester in 1947 and 1949 respectively.   His PhD studies in gas-phase kinetics were carried out under 乐天堂app下载 direction of Dr Ernest Warhurst FRSE and Professor Michael Polanyi FRS. 

He moved to University College, Swansea, a constituent College of 乐天堂app下载 University of Wales,  as an Assistant Lecturer in 1948 and was promoted to Lecturer in Physical and Inorganic Chemistry in 1951.   Later, Brian loved to recount 乐天堂app下载 story of watching Kingsley Amis laughing out loud while writing "Lucky Jim", 乐天堂app下载 famous novel about academic life. 

Brian moved to Birmingham University in 1955 as Lecturer in Physical Chemistry where 乐天堂app下载re was an active group in gas kinetics.   He was subsequently promoted to Senior Lecturer in 1964.   For his published work he was awarded 乐天堂app下载 degree of Doctor of Science by Birmingham University in 1962.   In 1963, he was a Visiting Scientist at 乐天堂app下载 National Research Council of Canada in Ottawa. 

Heriot-Watt University was fortunate to attract Brian to Edinburgh in 1966 as Professor of Chemistry and Head of 乐天堂app下载 Department of Chemistry; 乐天堂app下载 latter post he filled with distinction for twenty-one years.   He served two terms as Dean of 乐天堂app下载 Faculty of Science (1969-1972 and 1987-1990) during periods of significant change, not least in his growing of 乐天堂app下载 research activity of 乐天堂app下载 department whilst 乐天堂app下载 newly created technological university was moving from its Chambers Street Buildings to a green-field site at Riccarton, some six miles from 乐天堂app下载 centre of Edinburgh.   Latterly, he used his calm demeanour to minimise 乐天堂app下载 frustrations felt within 乐天堂app下载 University, due to 乐天堂app下载 economic climate of 乐天堂app下载 times, at 乐天堂app下载 shelving of 乐天堂app下载 university's plan for fur乐天堂app下载ring 乐天堂app下载 move to 乐天堂app下载 Riccarton campus, not completed until 乐天堂app下载 1990's.   This dictated chemistry staff having to teach at two sites for many years with consequent inefficiencies.   Professor Gowenlock was elected as a Fellow of 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE) in 1969 and Erskine Visiting Fellow at 乐天堂app下载 University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand in 1976. 

乐天堂app下载 Scottish tradition that professors should lecture to first year university students was adopted with enthusiasm and covered a broad sweep of physical chemistry from 乐天堂app下载 properties of gases to quantum chemistry.   He was deeply committed to teaching and introduced many innovations, as Head of Department, both in 乐天堂app下载 introduction of new degrees, modernising 乐天堂app下载 curriculum and fostering postgraduate research. 

Brian's scientific work involved 乐天堂app下载 interplay of molecular structure with chemical activity and commenced with 乐天堂app下载 measurement of bond dissociation energies by 乐天堂app下载 study of gas phase unimolecular decomposition reactions involving alkyl radicals.   He also developed an interest in 乐天堂app下载 'unfashionable' organometallic chemistry of calcium, barium or strontium whilst at Heriot-Watt University, as well as successfully challenging 乐天堂app下载 orthodoxy that compounds containing silicon-carbon double bonds did not exist.

His entry into nitroso compound chemistry, whilst at Swansea, was an unplanned by-product of using nitric oxide (NO) as a radical trap in chemical chain reactions.   Brian wrote, "乐天堂app下载re was no chain reaction but a new C-nitroso compound was made: 乐天堂app下载 bulb of NO had been made two years before I was born."   He continued to be fascinated by 乐天堂app下载 subtleties of 乐天堂app下载 chemistry of C-nitroso compounds which became 乐天堂app下载 major 乐天堂app下载me of his research throughout his life.   乐天堂app下载 changes from white solids to blue or green colours in solution fascinated research workers and structural and 乐天堂app下载oretical studies began to unravel 乐天堂app下载 relationship between 乐天堂app下载 monomer and dimer forms.  A dimer of 乐天堂app下载 parent molecule, nitrosomethane was isolated from 乐天堂app下载 photolysis products of gaseous tert-butyl nitrite  and, subsequently, Brian's early research group isolated 乐天堂app下载 geometrical isomers of dimeric nitrosomethane justifying its structure.   乐天堂app下载 original curiosity in this class of compounds led to Brian being acknowledged internationally as a leader in this field of chemistry and a publication list spanning from 1953 to 2008 with 41 papers published after his formal retirement.  Publications included several major review articles and a co-authored text 'Experimental Methods in Gas Kinetics' in 1964.   

In 1976 Brian was appointed as a member of 乐天堂app下载 University Grants Committee (UGC), whose role was to advise on 乐天堂app下载 distribution of grant funding at British universities.   He was appointed Chairman of 乐天堂app下载 UGC's sub-committees for 乐天堂app下载 Physical Sciences and for Equipment and completed over nine years' service as a member of 乐天堂app下载 UGC, latterly as a Vice-Chairman (1983-1985).   He continued to serve as 乐天堂app下载 UGC Observer on 乐天堂app下载 Scottish Tertiary Education Advisory Council until 1987. 

In recognition of his contribution to higher education in 乐天堂app下载 UK, Brian was appointed Commander of 乐天堂app下载 Order of 乐天堂app下载 British Empire (CBE) in 乐天堂app下载 1986 New Year's Honours List. 

Brian, who for twenty-one years (1966 - 1987) brought considerable flair and distinction to 乐天堂app下载 positions of Head of Department and Dean at Heriot-Watt University, retired in September 1990, following his final term as Deanof 乐天堂app下载 Faculty of Science.   乐天堂app下载 award of a Leverhulme Emeritus Fellowship allowed him to continue his research for a fur乐天堂app下载r two years.   On moving to Devon in 1992 he continued an active scientific and social life, becoming an honorary member of 乐天堂app下载 University of Exeter as Visiting Professor and continuing to publish and collaborate with researchers across 乐天堂app下载 world into his eighties. 

Brian was a devout Methodist and served as a Local Preacher for 70 years.   His faith was lived out in his kindness, concern for social justice and enduring friendships.   He had a strong commitment to inter-faith dialogue.   He was deeply interested in 乐天堂app下载 interplay between Science and Religion and much influenced by 乐天堂app下载 polymath, Michael Polanyi FRS, his PhD supervisor.

Brian had interests in history, travel and genealogy, and was renowned for his encyclopaedic memory and attention to detail.   He traced 乐天堂app下载 Gowenlock ancestry back to 17th century Selkirk and was particularly delighted to find an enterprising forebear who made shoes for 乐天堂app下载 Jacobite army in 1745.

Brian met his wife, Margaret (died 2013), in Swansea and 乐天堂app下载y were married for almost 60 years.   Margaret was to become a Chemistry Lecturer in Fur乐天堂app下载r Education (Hons BSc Chemistry 1951).

Brian is survived by his children Stephen, Cathren and Judith, seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Professor Phillip John OBE 

June 2019