David King (chemist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir David King
FRS FRSC FInstP
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
King in 2019
|
|
| Born |
David Anthony King
12 August 1939 |
| Citizenship | United Kingdom |
| Education | St John's College, Johannesburg |
| Alma mater | University of the Witwatersrand (BSc; PhD 1963) |
| Awards |
|
| Scientific career | |
| Fields |
|
| Institutions |
|
| Thesis | A Study Of The Ammonia Synthesis Over Vanadium Nitride, Correlated With The Structure Of The Catalyst (1963) |
Sir David Anthony King (born 12 August 1939) is a famous South African-born British chemist. He is also an academic, which means he has worked at universities for a long time. Today, he leads the Climate Crisis Advisory Group (CCAG). This group helps advise on how to deal with the big problems caused by climate change.
Sir David King has taught at many top universities. These include Imperial College London, the University of East Anglia, and the University of Liverpool. He was a professor of Physical Chemistry at the University of Cambridge for many years. He also led Downing College, Cambridge, which is a part of the university. Later, he moved to the University of Oxford. There, he directed the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment.
Beyond universities, Sir David King worked for the UK government. He was the Chief Scientific Adviser from 2000 to 2007. This means he gave scientific advice to the government. He also worked as a special adviser on climate change. In 2020, he started Independent SAGE. This group of experts gives advice on the COVID-19 pandemic.
Contents
Early Life and School
David King was born in South Africa on 12 August 1939. His father directed a paint company. David went to St John's College, Johannesburg, a private school for boys. He then studied at the University of the Witwatersrand. He earned a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree. In 1963, he completed his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree.
Academic Career
After finishing his PhD, David King moved to the United Kingdom. He worked at Imperial College London for a few years. Then, he became a lecturer at the University of East Anglia. In 1974, he became a professor of Physical Chemistry at the University of Liverpool.
In 1988, Sir David King moved to the University of Cambridge. He became a professor of Physical Chemistry there. He also led the University's Department of Chemistry for a long time. He was a "Fellow" at several colleges in Cambridge. This means he was a senior member of the college. From 1995 to 2000, he was the "Master" of Downing College, Cambridge. This is like being the head of the college.
Later, from 2008 to 2012, he worked at the University of Oxford. He was the Director of the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment. He also served as Chancellor of the University of Liverpool.
Research and Discoveries
Sir David King has written over 500 research papers. His work focuses on chemical physics. He also writes about how science can help make government decisions.
At Cambridge, he helped shape the field of surface science. This area of chemistry looks at what happens on the surfaces of materials. He also helped explain heterogeneous catalysis. This is a process where a substance speeds up a chemical reaction without being used up itself. This work is very important for many industrial processes.
Working Outside Universities
From 2000 to 2007, Sir David King was the Chief Scientific Adviser for the UK government. He advised Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. During this time, he spoke a lot about the need for governments to act on climate change. He helped create the £1 billion Energy Technologies Institute. This institute works on new energy solutions. He also wrote a book called The Hot Topic about climate change.
As Chief Scientific Adviser, he helped people understand climate change better. He also started "foresight studies." These studies look ahead to advise the government on big, long-term issues. These issues ranged from flooding to obesity. He also advised the government on other important topics. These included the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in 2001 and GM foods. He also worked on energy supply and how to create wealth through new ideas. He even suggested that scientists should have a kind of "Hippocratic Oath." This would be a promise to use science responsibly.
After leaving the government, he worked as a science adviser for a Swiss bank. But from 2013 to 2017, he returned to working with the UK government. He was the Special Representative for Climate Change. This meant he advised the Foreign Secretary on climate change issues.
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Sir David King started Independent SAGE. This group of experts gives advice on the pandemic. They aim to be very open and clear with their advice.
His Views
Climate Change
Sir David King has always been very clear about his views on climate change. He once said, "I see climate change as the greatest challenges facing Britain and the World in the 21st century." He also stated that it is "the most severe problem we are facing today – more serious even than the threat of terrorism."
He strongly supports the work of the IPCC. This is a group of scientists from around the world who study climate change. He believes their reports are the best information we have on the science of climate change.
He has also criticized the Bush administration in the US. He felt they were not doing enough to deal with global warming.
In 2021, Sir David King became the head of the Climate Crisis Advisory Group (CCAG). This group holds public meetings and publishes reports. They advise on how to cut emissions and remove carbon dioxide from the air. He promotes the CCAG's "4R planet pathway." This pathway suggests we need to:
- Reducing emissions (less pollution).
- Removing extra greenhouse gases from the air.
- Repairing damaged ecosystems (like forests and oceans).
- Strengthening our Resilience to climate impacts (being ready for changes).
Other Important Views
Sir David King has also shared his thoughts on other topics. He believes that organic food is not necessarily safer than food grown with chemicals. He also suggested that the Iraq war might have been one of the first "resource wars." This means it was fought to control important resources like oil.
He is a big supporter of nuclear power. He thinks it is a safe way to make electricity. It can help reduce harmful emissions from power plants. He also believes we need to find better ways to power cars and transport. He supports second generation biofuels. These are fuels made from plants that are not used for food.
Sir David King is also a "Distinguished Supporter" of Humanists UK. This group promotes humanism, which is a way of life based on reason and compassion.
Awards and Honours
Sir David King has received many important awards. He was made a Knight in 2003. This means he can use the title "Sir." In 2009, the French government made him a Chevalier of the Légion d'Honneur. This is a very high honour in France.
He was also elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 1991. This is a very prestigious group of scientists in the UK. He is also an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering (HonFREng).
Personal Life
Sir David King has two sons from his first marriage. In 1983, he married Jane Margaret. She works for charities. They have a son and a daughter together.
Books Published
- Sir David King, Gabrielle Walker, The Hot Topic: how to tackle global warming and still keep the lights on, Bloomsbury London 2008
- Oliver Inderwildi, Sir David King, Energy, Transport & the Environment, 2012, Springer London New York Heidelberg
Biographical Links
- David King interviewed by Alan Macfarlane 27 November 2009 (video)
- Sir David King at the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, University of Oxford
- Sir David King at the Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge
- BBC's biography of Sir David King
- David King's article on climate change at www.chinadialogue.net
- 'Profile: Professor Sir David King' by Alison Benjamin, The Guardian, 27 November 2007.
- Sir David King: Building a Sustainable Future Lecture presented at the Royal Institute of British Architecture 2007 (Video)
