Liquid crystal research reinforced at University of York
Posted on 13 October 2005
The Department has appointed Duncan Bruce, an authority on transition metal complexes with liquid crystal properties, its new Professor of Materials Chemistry.
Liquid crystals represent the fourth state of matter -- neither liquid, solid nor gas -- with properties intermediate between solids and liquids. Their molecular orientation can be controlled with applied electric fields, and they are most commonly used in liquid crystal displays (LCDs) in watches, calculators and lap-top computers.
They are also major components of cell membranes, washing powders and soaps, and are used in making mechanically strong materials such as Kevlar and spider silk.
I am delighted to be working in York where more than ever we can advance our science that brings together inorganic chemistry and liquid crystals
Professor Duncan Bruce
Professor Bruce, 45, was previously at the University of Exeter where he was appointed Chair of Inorganic Chemistry 10 years ago. He was Head of the School of Chemistry at Exeter between 1997 and 2002.
He said: "I am delighted to be working in York where more than ever we can advance our science that brings together inorganic chemistry and liquid crystals. This is a terrific Department in a first-rate University and I am very pleased to be part of both."
At York, Professor Bruce and his five-strong research team will continue their work on metal-containing compounds, some of which has important potential applications particularly for high-density information storage.
Professor Bruce was educated at Trinity School, Carlisle and studied Chemistry at the University of Liverpool, where he also did a PhD. He later worked at Sheffield University, as lecturer, Warren Research Fellow of the Royal Society for five years and, between 1994 and 1995, as Co-Director of the Sheffield Centre for Molecular Materials. He has held visiting positions at academic institutions in France, Italy, Australia, Japan and Brazil.
In 1990, he was the first winner of the British Liquid Crystal Society Young Scientist Award. Between 1994 and 1995, he held the Sir Edward Frankland Fellowship of the Royal Society of Chemistry and in 1995 he was the Potts' Medallist of the Liverpool University Student Chemical Society. A year later he won the Corday-Morgan Medal and Prize of the RSC.
The Carlisle-born scientist, who is married with two children, is chair (ascending) of the Royal Society of Chemistry's Materials Chemistry Forum, and was Secretary of the British Liquid Crystal Society (1995-2001) and UK Editor for the journal Molecular Crystals and Liquid Crystals from 1993-2001.
Notes to editors:
- The Department of Chemistry at the University of York has an excellent reputation for teaching and research. In the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise the department was awarded a 5 rating. It is led by Royal Society of Chemistry prize-winners in all three branches of physical, organic and inorganic chemistry. It has 46 members of academic staff, more than 380 undergraduate students, 150 graduates and 90 research fellows. More information at www.york.ac.uk/depts/chem/
- Earlier this year, Professor John Goodby , an authority on physico-chemical aspects of low molar mass and polymeric liquid crystals and related self-organising systems, and his research team moved to York's Department of Chemistry from the University of Hull.