George Gray | |
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| Born | George William Gray 4 September 1926 |
| Died | 12 May 2013 (aged 86) |
| Occupation | Professor of Organic Chemistry |
| Spouse | |
George William GrayCBE FRS (4 September 1926 – 12 May 2013) was a Professor of Organic Chemistry at theUniversity of Hull who was instrumental in developing the long-lasting materials which madeliquid crystal displays possible. He created and systematically developedliquid crystalmaterials science, and established a method of practical molecular design. Gray was recipient of the 1995Kyoto Prize in Advanced Technology.[1]
Born inDenny,Scotland,[2] Gray was educated at theUniversity of Glasgow and while working as an assistant lecturer at the University College in Hull (then part of theUniversity of London) obtained his PhD in 1953.[3]
He developed his academic career at the college, which became theUniversity of Hull in 1954, from 1946 to 1990. He was appointed senior lecturer in 1960, Professor of Organic Chemistry in 1974, and GF Grant Professor of Chemistry in 1984.[3] He remained an Emeritus Professor at Hull.[4]
In 1990 he joined the chemical companyMerck, then became an independent consultant in 1996.[3]
In 1973, in conjunction with theRoyal Radar Establishment, Gray showed that4-Cyano-4'-pentylbiphenyl possessed a stablenematic phase at room temperature.[5] This compound and other long-lasting cyano-biphenyls made thetwisted nematic display (LCD) popular. Gray wrote the first English book on liquid crystals,"Molecular Structure and Properties of Liquid Crystals", published in 1962.[6]
Gray was recipient of the 1995Kyoto Prize in Advanced Technology and was made aCommander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1991. He was elected aFellow of the Royal Society in 1983, and in 1987 was awarded theLeverhulme Medal of the Royal Society. In 1979 he was awarded theRank Prize for Opto-electronics and in 1996 theSID Karl Ferdinand Braun Prize. The University of Hull was the first university to be awarded theQueen's Award for Technological Achievement, in 1979, for the liquid crystal joint-development work.[4] Gray has been a Director of the International Liquid Crystal Society. Members of theBritish Liquid Crystal Society honoured his achievements by establishing the George W. Gray Medal for contributions to liquid crystal research and technology.[7]
In March 2013, theUniversity of Hull celebrated the 40th anniversary of Gray's seminal paper being published on 22 March 1973.[8]
Hull Trains named their firstBritish Rail Class 222 'Pioneer'high-speed trainProfessor George Gray in recognition of his achievements in the modern history ofHull.[9][10]
In 1953 George Gray married Marjorie Canavan, who died two weeks before her husband. In later life they lived in Furzehill inWimborne Minster,Dorset. They had three daughters.[3]
