David Clary
Sir David Charles Clary, FRS (born 14 January
1953) is a British theoretical chemist. He was Sir David Clary
president of Magdalen College, Oxford, from 2005
to 2020.[2] He was the first chief scientific adviser to
the Foreign and Commonwealth Office from 2009
to 2013. He is a Professor of Chemistry at the
University of Oxford.[3]
Education
He was born in Halesworth, Suffolk, and attended
Colchester Royal Grammar School from 1964 to
1971. He has a BSc (1974) from the University of
Sussex and a PhD (1977) and ScD (1997) from the
University of Cambridge, where he was at Corpus Sir David Clary, from the portrait by Keith
Christi College. He undertook post-doctoral research Breeden
at IBM in San Jose, California, and at the University Born David Charles Clary
of Manchester. 14 January 1953[1]
Halesworth, Suffolk, United Kingdom
Nationality British
Appointments Alma mater University of Sussex (BSc)
University of Cambridge (PhD)
In 1980, he was appointed lecturer at the University
of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology Known for Quantum theory for chemical
(UMIST). In 1983, he was appointed lecturer and reactions
then reader in theoretical chemistry at the University Spouse Heather Ann Clary
of Cambridge, where he was fellow and senior tutor Awards FRS (1997)
of Magdalene College. In 1996, he was made Knight Bachelor (2016)
director of the Centre for Theoretical and International Honorary Member of
Computational Chemistry and professor at American Academy of Arts and
University College London. In 2002, he moved to Sciences (2003)
the University of Oxford, where he was head of the Royal Society of Chemistry:
Division of Mathematical and Physical Sciences and Meldola Medal and Prize (1981),
professorial fellow of St John's College. He was Marlow Award (1986),
elected President of Magdalen College, Oxford in Corday-Morgan Prize (1989),
2005. Chemical Dynamics Award (1998) (h
ttps://[Link]/prizes-funding/pri
He was editor of Chemical Physics Letters from
zes/archives/chemical-dynamics-aw
2000-2020 and was a reviewing editor of Science ard/),
from 2003-16. He has held numerous visiting Tilden Prize (1998),
fellowships and given several named lectures. Polanyi Medal (2004),
Liversidge Award (2010),
Some of his work as the first chief scientific advisor Spiers Memorial Award (2018)
to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is Annual Medal of International
described in an article in Science and Diplomacy.[4] Academy of Quantum Molecular
Science (1989)
Scientific career
Awards Fields Theoretical Chemistry
In 1997 Clary was elected a Fellow of the Royal Institutions IBM San Jose California
Society for his development of the quantum theory University of Manchester Institute of
for chemical reactions.[5] He is a Fellow of the Science and Technology
American Association for the Advancement of University of Cambridge
Science, the American Physical Society, the Royal Magdalene College, Cambridge
Society of Chemistry (RSC) and the Institute of University College London
Physics; International Honorary Member of the University of Oxford
American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a Magdalen College, Oxford
member of the International Academy of Quantum Foreign & Commonwealth Office
Molecular Science. He was elected Einstein Doctoral Nicholas C. Handy
Professor of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in advisor
2014 and an honorary fellow of the Chemical Website [Link]/people
Research Society of India in 2019. He received an /professor-sir-david-clary/ ([Link]
honorary DSc from the University of Sussex (2011), [Link]/people/professor-
and was elected an honorary fellow of Magdalene sir-david-clary/)
College, Cambridge in 2005 and Magdalen College,
Oxford in 2020.
Clary was knighted in the Queen's 2016 Birthday Honours for services to international science.[6] The
citation for his knighthood stated:
"Professor Clary has made an outstanding contribution to enhancing the international reputation of UK
science and higher education. Through his leadership, he has enhanced Magdalen College’s position as
one of the leading academic institutions in the world. In his own scientific research he developed new
theories for calculating the rates of chemical reactions. As Head of the Division of Mathematical and
Physical Sciences at Oxford University he facilitated links between physical, life and medical sciences,
helping to raise Oxford's profile as a leader for scientific research and innovation. As the first FCO Chief
Scientific Adviser he enhanced significantly the visibility of UK science and innovation overseas, being a
major proponent of using scientific collaborations to enhance international relations."[7]
Research
The citation for his election as a Fellow of the Royal Society states:
"Professor Clary is distinguished for his use of quantum collision theory as a practical tool for explaining
a wide variety of experimental results in chemical reaction dynamics. His general theories and
computational methods enable reliable predictions to be made on the reactions, energy transfer and
dissociation of polyatomic molecules in selected quantum states. His work also has important
applications in understanding interstellar, combustion and atmospheric chemistry, as the extreme
temperatures of these environments can be hard to reproduce in the laboratory, but are readily treated
with these theoretical methods."[8]
His current research focus is in developing semiclassical rate theories for chemical reactions.[9]
He is an authority on Erwin Schrödinger, the discoverer of the form of quantum theory known as wave
mechanics and Fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford.[10]
Books
Schrödinger in Oxford ([Link] World Scientific Publishing, 2022.
The Lost Scientists of World War II ([Link] World Scientific
Publishing, 2024.
Walter Kohn: From Kindertransport and Internment to DFT and the Nobel Prize ([Link]
rg/10.1142/13806), World Scientific Publishing, 2024.
References
1. "CLARY, Prof. Sir David Charles" ([Link]
o/U11140/CLARY_Prof._David_Charles). Who's Who 2013, A & C Black, an imprint of
Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2013; online edn, Oxford University Press.(subscription required)
2. "Professor Sir David Clary" ([Link]
Magdalen College Oxford.
3. "Professor Sir David Clary FRS" ([Link]
Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford.
4. Clary, David C. (16 September 2013). "A Scientist in the Foreign Office" ([Link]
[Link]/editorial/2013/scientist-in-foreign-office). Science & Diplomacy. AAAS.
5. "Quantum Theory of Chemical Reactions — David Clary / Serious Science" ([Link]
[Link]/watch?v=frty6nCiT20). YouTube. 14 July 2020.
6. "No. 61608" ([Link] The
London Gazette (Supplement). 11 June 2016. p. B2.
7. "Birthday Honours 2016, Diplomatic service and Overseas list, Notes on Higher Awards" (htt
ps://[Link]/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/528701/birthday
_honours_2016_overseas_higher_awards_notes.pdf) (PDF). [Link].
8. "David Clary" ([Link] Royal Society.
9. Shan, Xiao; Burd, Timothy A. H.; Clary, David C. (2019). "New Developments in
Semiclassical Transition-State Theory" ([Link]
9-9003-4923e4a84802). The Journal of Physical Chemistry A. 123 (22): 4639–4657.
Bibcode:2019JPCA..123.4639S ([Link]
doi:10.1021/[Link].9b01987 ([Link]
PMID 30969125 ([Link] S2CID 106410325 ([Link]
[Link]/CorpusID:106410325).
10. "Schrodinger and His Equation — David Clary / Serious Science" ([Link]
watch?v=5OdOQUkjIws). YouTube. 2 September 2019.
External links
Biography at Magdalen College ([Link]
y/)
Oxford University biography ([Link]
Biography at the International Academy of Quantum Molecular Science ([Link]
g/members/[Link])
Royal Society biography ([Link]
Retrieved from "[Link]
