H/02/02/02 eSenate: January 2012 The University of Edinburgh ...

Special Minute
Professor David Rankin, BSc, PhD, FRSE
Professor David Rankin obtained his first degree from the University of Cambridge, followed
by research under the supervision first of Evelyn Ebsworth and then George Sheldrick. In
1969 he obtained his PhD with a thesis entitled “Germyl Derivatives of the Elements”. His
initial research on the synthesis of germyl compounds paved the way to spectroscopic and
structural studies, including an introduction to the technique of gas electron diffraction in
Manchester. Following his PhD, David moved to Edinburgh University as a temporary ICI
Research Fellow. This move reunited him with Evelyn Ebsworth who had been appointed as
the first holder of the Crum Brown Chair in Chemistry at Edinburgh in 1967. David remained
in Edinburgh for the rest of his scientific career, being promoted to a Personal Chair in
Structural Chemistry in 1989. After moving to Edinburgh, the focus of his synthetic work
shifted to fluorophosphine derivatives, but the structural emphasis remained with the
establishment of a gas electron diffraction laboratory in Edinburgh in 1977. The initial gas
electron diffraction apparatus (imported second hand from the USA) served David faithfully
over the years and has now been moved to the University of Canterbury in New Zealand,
where it will continue to contribute to the determination of molecular structures under the
care of Sarah Masters, one of David’s former students.
David’s name has been synonymous with gas electron diffraction research in the UK for
more than three decades and is to be found on many an undergraduate reading list thanks
to the “Structural Methods in Inorganic Chemistry” book he co­authored with Evelyn
Ebsworth and Stephen Cradock. He is currently working towards preparing a third edition
(with Carole Morrison, University of Edinburgh, and Norbert Mitzel, University of Bielefeld),
which will be published by Wiley in the Spring of 2012. In an academic career spanning
more than 40 years David has published almost 500 papers. He was the most cited electron
diffractionist for over nearly 20 years and the most cited chemist in the University of
Edinburgh over the same period. He received the Royal Society of Chemistry Award for
Structural Chemistry (1990), was awarded a Tilden Lectureship (1996) and was elected a
Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1991. More recently he has been a recipient of
the International Barbara Mez­Starck Prize awarded annually for outstanding contributions in
the fields of experimental structural chemistry and molecular physics.
David held many important posts in the School including Head of Inorganic Chemistry and
Head of Department (on two occasions). In the years before his retirement he was the
Chairman of the Board of Examiners. In this role, David has received the highest praise
from External Examiners and greatly alleviated colleagues in the School of time consuming
tasks by streamlining the processes and procedures. One of his duties was to oversee the
preparation of exam papers. His abhorrence of split infinitives and incorrect punctuation is
legendary!
David has many interests outside structural chemistry. He has e.g. accrued an international
reputation as an expert on rhododendrons. His studies of the relationships between metals
in plants and soils are accompanied by biennial trips to hunt rhododendrons on Chinese
limestone mountains! His wonderful garden in Lasswade has been enjoyed by many
colleagues and the gardening hobby he shares with his wife Stella has developed into a
thriving nursery business, Kevock Garden Plants. Having dominated the Best in Show
category at Gardening Scotland for the last few years, David and Stella exhibited for the first
time at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2011 and were awarded a silver gilt medal. David
continues to contribute to the life of the School but now has the opportunity to devote much
more time to his love of plants and garden design. We wish David and Stella a long, happy
and busy “retirement” with lots more Garden Show success.