Maurice Stacey facts for kids

Maurice Stacey was a brilliant British chemist. He was born on April 8, 1907, and passed away on October 9, 1994. He is most famous for his important work with Sir Norman Haworth. Together, they managed to create Vitamin C in a laboratory. This was a huge step forward for science and medicine!

Maurice Stacey's Life and Important Work

Growing Up and Education

Maurice Stacey was born in a town called Moreton, which is in Shropshire, England. He went to Adams Grammar School in Newport. After school, he studied at Birmingham University. He earned several degrees there, including his BSc, PhD, and DSc. This shows he was a very dedicated student!

Creating Vitamin C

Maurice Stacey started his career at Birmingham University in 1929. He worked as a demonstrator, helping students learn chemistry. His biggest achievement came in 1932. He was a key leader in the team, working under Sir Norman Haworth, that successfully made Vitamin C in a lab. It was Maurice Stacey himself who managed to get the pure synthetic vitamin C.

From 1933 to 1937, Stacey worked at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. He was a Beit Memorial Fellow for Medical Research. This allowed him to continue his important scientific studies.

His Career at Birmingham University

In 1937, Maurice Stacey returned to Birmingham University. He first became a lecturer in chemistry. Later, he became a reader in biological chemistry. This meant he was teaching and doing research in the chemistry of living things.

From 1946 to 1956, he was a professor of chemistry at the university. Then, from 1956 until he retired in 1974, he was the Mason Professor and head of the Chemistry Department. He also served as the dean of the Faculty of Science from 1963 to 1966. This shows he was a very respected leader in the science world.

Important Research

Maurice Stacey's main research focused on polysaccharides. These are complex types of carbohydrates, like starches and cellulose. He helped to develop a special bacterial polyglucose called dextran. This substance became very important because it could be used as a blood plasma substitute. This means it could help people who had lost a lot of blood, like in emergencies or during surgery.

Awards and Recognition

Maurice Stacey received many awards for his amazing contributions to chemistry.

• In 1933, he was given the Meldola Medal by the Royal Institute of Chemistry.
• He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1950. This is a very high honor for scientists in the United Kingdom.
• In 1966, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).
• He was also a vice-president of the Chemical Society several times.
• He received the Tilden Medal in 1944 and the Inaugural Haworth Medal in 1970.
• Later, he received the Centenary Medal from Birmingham University in 1975.
• He also got the Jubilee Memorial Medal in 1979.
• He was honored by the US National Academy of Sciences and received the John Scott Medal from the City of Philadelphia.
• Several universities, including Keele University and the University of Lima, gave him honorary doctorates.

Maurice Stacey passed away in Birmingham on October 9, 1994. He left behind a legacy of important discoveries and contributions to chemistry.