10 Facts About Colin Eaborn

Colin Eaborn FRS was a British scientist and academic noted for his work in establishing the Sussex University School of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences.

Colin Eaborn was born to a joiner and his wife, with the family moving to Wales when he was six months old to find work.

At Bangor, Colin Eaborn obtained First Class Honours, and his studies were greatly assisted by the appointment of the noted chemist Ted Hughes in 1943.

In 1947, Colin Eaborn became an assistant researcher at University College, Leicester.

Thanks to grants from the United States Air Force and Army, Colin Eaborn was able to assemble a team of 15 researchers and students, and in 1960 published the textbook Organosillicon Compounds, which had "a major influence on the development of what has become one of the most prolific areas of organometallic chemistry, with extensive applications in organic synthesis, catalysis and materials science".

In 1961, Colin Eaborn accepted an appointment as one of the first four science professors of Sussex University.

Colin Eaborn introduced the "degree by thesis" program, in which students would be granted their degree after a thesis and an oral exam rather than traditional written exams; this was successful in attracting "original and self-motivated" who had not completed the conventional education program prior to university.

Colin Eaborn introduced "crash courses", where a subject would be crammed into a period of weeks rather than spread out over a year, and served as the first Dean of the School of Molecular Sciences until 1968, and from then until 1972 the first Pro-vice-chancellor for Science.

Colin Eaborn retired in 1988, and died in his sleep after a long illness on 22 February 2004.

Colin Eaborn became the first non-American to receive the Frederick Stanley Kipping Award of the American Chemical Society, which was awarded based on his various articles and publications.