Brian Smith

Professor Sir Brian Smith was a distinguished academic and administrator. He held positions at the University of Oxford, including Professor in the Department of Chemistry, and later became Vice Chancellor of Cardiff University. His research focused on intermolecular forces and their biomedical applications, leading to advancements in anaesthesia and diving safety. He authored influential textbooks such as Chemical Thermodynamics and later works in retirement.

Education: Graduated from Liverpool University, completed his doctorate there, and undertook postdoctoral research at the University of California, Berkeley. He was a Research Fellow at the Physical Chemistry Laboratory (Oxford) before becoming a Lecturer and Fellow of St Catherine's College.

Research Interests:

• Intermolecular forces and their role in biological systems
• Mechanisms of general anaesthesia and inert-gas narcosis
• Decompression sickness solutions for deep-sea diving

Awards: Knight Bachelor, recognized for contributions to science and academia. His work with the US Navy and Jacques Cousteau highlighted practical applications of his research.

Administration: Served as Master of St Catherine's College, Chairman of the General Board (Oxford), and Vice Chancellor of Cardiff University. Post-retirement, he contributed to fundraising for Oxford and held a Welsh supernumerary fellowship at Jesus College.

Labs/Teams: Associated with the Physical Chemistry Laboratory (Oxford) and Cardiff University's academic leadership teams. His research collaborations extended globally, influencing both academic and industrial sectors.