Tom McLeish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tom McLeish
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| Born |
Thomas Charles Buckland McLeish
1 May 1962 |
| Died | 27 February 2023 (aged 60) |
| Nationality | British |
| Citizenship | British citizenship |
| Alma mater | University of Cambridge |
| Spouse(s) | Julie Elizabeth King (m. 1984) |
| Children | 4 children |
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| Thesis | Molecular models of polymeric flows (1987) |
Thomas Charles Buckland McLeish (May 1, 1962 – February 27, 2023) was a British theoretical physicist. He was known for his work on understanding soft matter. This includes things like liquids, foams, and many biological materials. These materials can easily change shape when pushed or pulled.
He was a professor at Durham University and led their Centre for Soft Matter. This center brought together experts from physics, chemistry, math, and engineering. He also held the first Chair of Natural Philosophy at the University of York.
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Early Life and Education
Thomas McLeish was born on May 1, 1962. He went to Sevenoaks School in Kent, England. Later, he studied at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. He earned his first degree in 1984. In 1987, he completed his PhD. His research focused on how fluids move, which is called fluid dynamics.
A Career in Science
McLeish started his teaching career in 1989. He was a physics lecturer at the University of Sheffield. From 1993 to 2008, he was a professor at the University of Leeds. There, he specialized in polymer physics. Polymers are large molecules, like plastics.
In 2008, he moved to Durham University as a physics professor. He also served as the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research until 2014. This role meant he helped guide the university's research efforts. In 2018, he joined the University of York. He took on a new role there as the Chair in Natural Philosophy.
How He Studied Things
Even though McLeish mostly worked with theories and ideas, he also teamed up with scientists who did experiments. He also worked with companies. He made big steps in understanding complex, tangled molecules. He studied how different substances, like oil and water, mix (or don't mix!). This helped predict how fluids would behave in factories.
After 2000, he started working on biological physics. He looked at how proteins form structures. He also studied how proteins move and how this affects signals in the body. He used math and physics to understand how living things change over time. By 2015, he had written about 200 scientific papers.
His Life Outside Work
In 1984, Thomas McLeish married Julie Elizabeth King. They had four children together: two sons and two daughters.
He was also very interested in the history of science, especially from the Middle Ages. He was part of a group at Durham that studied medieval times. In 1993, he became a lay preacher in the Anglican Church. He gave sermons at a church in York. In 2014, he wrote a book called Faith and Wisdom in Science. This book explored how religion and science can connect.
Thomas McLeish passed away on February 27, 2023, when he was 60 years old. A special service was held to remember him in April 2023.
Awards and Recognition
Thomas McLeish received many honors for his scientific work.
- In 2003, he became a Fellow of the Institute of Physics (FInstP).
- In 2008, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC).
- In 2011, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). This is a very high honor for scientists in the United Kingdom.
He also won special medals for his work in rheology. Rheology is the study of how matter flows and changes shape.
- In 2007, he received the Weissenberg medal from the European Society of Rheology. This award is for scientists in Europe who have made great, long-term achievements in rheology.
- In 2010, he won the Bingham Medal from the Society of Rheology.
In 2017, McLeish received the Sam Edwards Medal and Prize. This was for his important contributions to understanding how molecules flow. It also recognized his work on how biological molecules behave and how things build themselves.
In 2018, the Archbishop of Canterbury gave him the Lanfranc Award for Education and Scholarship. This award recognized him as an outstanding scientist. It also honored his role in discussing how science and faith can work together.
In 2021, McLeish gave a special lecture called "Rediscovering Science as Contemplation."
Selected Books
- The Poetry and Music of Science: Comparing Creativity in Science and Art (2019)
- Faith and Wisdom in Science (2016)
