Graham Richards facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Graham Richards
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Graham Richards at the Royal Society admissions day in London, July 2018
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| Born |
William Graham Richards
1 October 1939 |
| Died | 11 February 2025 (aged 85) |
| Education |
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| Awards | Richard J. Bolte Sr. Award (2018) Mullard Award (1998) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Quantum mechanics Theoretical chemistry |
| Institutions | Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, Oxford. |
| Thesis | Electronic spectra of simple molecules (1964) |
| Doctoral advisor | Richard F. Barrow |
William Graham Richards (1 October 1939 – 11 February 2025) was a very important chemist. He was a Fellow at Brasenose College, Oxford. From 1997 to 2006, he led the chemistry department at the University of Oxford.
Richards was a leader in using computers to design new molecules. This was especially helpful for making new medicines. He helped start a company called Oxford Molecular Ltd. He also created a new way to get money for research at Oxford University. This idea was so good that other universities started using it too.
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Early Life and Education
Graham Richards was born on October 1, 1939. His hometown was Hoylake, England. His parents, Percy and Gwendoline, were both from Wales.
He went to Birkenhead School. In 1958, he won a scholarship to study at Brasenose College, Oxford. He earned his first degree in Chemistry from Oxford in 1961. After that, he continued his studies. He focused on how light interacts with molecules. He received his Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in 1964.
Career and Research Focus
After finishing his DPhil, Graham Richards continued his research. He worked in Oxford and Paris, France. He soon returned to Oxford as a research fellow. From 1966 to 1994, he was a lecturer at Oxford University. He became a professor in 1996. He was the head of the chemistry department from 1997 to 2006. He officially retired from Oxford University in 2007.
Computers and Chemistry
When Richards was a student, he used Oxford's Ferranti Mercury computer. He used it to solve complex math problems in chemistry. Later, in France, he used even more powerful computers.
Back in Oxford, he started using computers to solve problems in quantum mechanics. This is a field that studies how tiny particles behave. His important paper in 1979 showed that computer methods could be as accurate as experiments. Sometimes, they were even better.
"The work represents perhaps a near perfect instance of theory being in harmony with experiment, each aspect vital to the other and the combination much more than the sum of the separate parts." – Graham Richards
Richards realized that computers could help design new medicines. He became a pioneer in this area. He was the first to create colorful computer models of molecules. Many of his techniques are now used widely in science and industry.
In 1982, Richards helped create the Molecular Graphics Society. This group started a journal in 1983. Richards was the main editor of this journal for many years.
Starting New Companies
In 1989, Richards helped start Oxford Molecular Limited. This company created computer software. The software helped model small molecules and proteins. It was also used to design new drugs.
The company grew thanks to new laws that helped universities work with businesses. In 1992, Oxford Molecular Group (OMG) became a public company. This meant its shares could be bought and sold on the London Stock Exchange. This made Oxford University £10 million! At its best, the company was worth £450 million. It was later sold for £70 million.
Richards also helped raise £64 million for a new lab at Oxford University. He found a new way to get funding. A company agreed to give money in exchange for a share of future spin-out companies. This new way of funding has brought over £100 million to the University of Oxford.
He also worked with ISIS Innovation Ltd. This company helps turn university research into new businesses. It has helped create about 60 new companies. The Financial Times newspaper called this funding approach "the way universities should be financed in the future."
Screensaver Lifesaver Project
In 2000, Richards started a project called Screensaver Lifesaver. He used distributed computing for drug design. This project used the unused time on millions of personal computers around the world. People downloaded a special screensaver. When their computer was idle, it would help the project.
This created a huge "virtual supercomputer." It tested billions of chemical compounds. The goal was to find possible treatments for diseases like cancer, anthrax, and smallpox. This project was a team effort with companies like Intel and United Devices.
In 2001, Graham started another company called InhibOx Ltd. This company used cloud computing for drug discovery. It created a large database of molecules called Scopius. In 2002, Richards gave his shares in InhibOx to the National Foundation for Cancer Research. In 2017, InhibOx changed its name to Oxford Drug Design Ltd. It now focuses on finding new antibiotics.
Awards and Honours
Graham Richards received many awards and honors for his work. He was a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society. He was given the title Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).
Some of his key awards include:
- 2018: Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS)
- 2018: Richard J. Bolte Sr. Award
- 2011: Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales
- 2001: Commander of the Order of the British Empire
- 1998: Mullard Award from the Royal Society
- 1972: Marlow Medal from the Royal Society of Chemistry
Personal Life
Graham Richards married Jessamy Kershaw in 1970. She passed away in 1988. In 1996, he married Mary Elizabeth Phillips. He had two sons and three stepchildren.
