19 March 2012
Dr Sydney Andrew, a brilliant industrial chemical engineer who exemplified the SCI mission of encouraging the application of chemical and related sciences for public benefit, died in November 2011.
A life member of SCI, at the 1989 AGM, Dr Andrew was awarded the Society's Medal and gave a lecture on 'Neglected Science: a view from industry'. As a result, he has bequeathed a substantial share of his estate (estimated value of over £1m) to SCI for the founding of the Andrew Medal Lecture to be presented every third year on the theme of neglected science. These are areas of science which, though of importance in agriculture and the chemical industry, receive scant attention from academic research, and for academic research into Neglected Science.
After studying mechanical engineering at Newcastle University, Dr Andrew read chemical engineering at Cambridge, before embarking upon a successful career at ICI. In 1967, he was appointed industrial professor in chemical engineering at Leeds University where he was later made an Honorary Doctor of Science. Concurrently, he ran the ICI Billingham Catalysis Group. Elected to the Royal Society in 1976, he became a Senior Research Associate of ICI.
He became a Foundation Fellow of the RAE and chaired the IChemE Research Committee for many years. His work for ICI contributed to modelling the effect of fertilisers on root growth and the design of novel steam reformers and ammonia converters. SCI is very grateful for this generous legacy and encourages other members interested in contributing in this way to contact us.
Biographical data in this article is based on an obituary by Peter Davidson published in tce, published by IChemE, February 2012.
Joanne Lyall Executive Director, SCI, 2010-13
Visit Blog