Francis Leslie Scott facts for kids

Francis Leslie Scott (born July 3, 1928 – died January 14, 2008) was an important Irish chemist. He was known for his work in organic chemistry, which is the study of chemicals found in living things. He also made many contributions to science in general.

Scott started his career at University College Cork (UCC). There, he wrote many scientific papers. These papers were published in well-known journals like Nature. He wrote over 100 papers while he was a professor at UCC.

He also helped many of his students become successful. He wanted to train top students to stay in Ireland. Most of his students stayed in Ireland after their studies.

Francis Scott's Education Journey

From 1945, Francis Scott studied at University College Cork. He was very good at both mathematics and chemistry. He got the top score in Ireland for both subjects.

In 1948, he earned his Master of Science (MSc) degree in chemistry. He was the best student in his class. In 1952, he completed his PhD. His research was about special chemical compounds.

From 1949 to 1953, Scott helped guide many students. He worked with Professor Joseph Reilly. Together, they helped 25 students get their MSc and PhD degrees. One of these students was Margaret Kennedy, a physicist. She later became his wife.

Scott also received a special scholarship. This scholarship helped him attend the National University of Ireland (NUI).

Francis Scott's Chemistry Career

In 1953, Scott moved to Los Angeles, USA. He worked at the University of California (UCLA). There, he continued his research with another chemist, Saul Winstein.

In 1954, he started working for the Pennwalt Corporation. He spent six years researching rocket propellants and organic polymers. This work was very secret. In 1955, he also became a lecturer at UCLA. He kept doing his own research too.

At just 30 years old, in 1958, he earned a higher doctorate (D.Sc.). He was the youngest person from NUI to achieve this.

Professor at University College Cork

In 1960, Scott returned to UCC. He took over from Joseph Reilly as the professor of chemistry. Under his leadership, more students joined the chemistry program. The number of research papers also grew a lot.

His research mainly focused on how chemical processes work. He studied compounds with lots of nitrogen. He also looked at Heterocyclic compounds and organophosphorus chemicals. His work covered many areas of chemistry.

In 1963, he was chosen to be a member of the Royal Irish Academy. This is a very important honor for Irish scientists.

Scott's Contributions to UCC

Scott was very active in the UCC Graduates Association. He became a member of UCC's governing board. This was from 1967 to 1973. During this time, he helped get money for new buildings and improvements at the university.

He also played a key role in hiring new professors. He helped bring in Joe Cunningham for physical chemistry. He also helped appoint Brian Hathaway for inorganic chemistry. Scott taught not only organic chemistry but also other science subjects.

International Conferences in Cork

Scott organized several big international conferences in Cork. The first one was in July 1964. It was about organic reaction mechanisms. Over 600 scientists from around the world attended.

Later conferences focused on other areas of chemistry. These included inorganic reaction mechanism, nitrogen chemistry, and sulfur chemistry. These events helped UCC chemistry become known worldwide.

After his wife passed away in 1973, Scott returned to UCC. He worked with Donald J. Cram. Donald Cram later won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.