Geoffrey Allen (chemist)

{{infobox scientist |birth_date={{birth date|1928|10|29|df=y}} |birth_place=Clay Cross, Derbyshire |education={{plainlist| * Tupton Hall School * University of Leeds}} |death_date={{death date and age|2023|03|15|1928|10|29|df=y}} |workplaces={{plainlist| * University of Manchester * Imperial College London * Unilever}} }}

'''Sir Geoffrey Allen''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|FRS|FREng}}<ref>{{cite web|title=List of Fellows|url=http://www.raeng.org.uk/about-us/people-council-committees/the-fellowship/list-of-fellows|access-date=2014-10-10|archive-date=2016-06-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160608094405/http://www.raeng.org.uk/about-us/people-council-committees/the-fellowship/list-of-fellows|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Russell |first=John |date=2024 |title=Sir Geoffrey Allen. 29 October 1928 — 15 March 2023 |url=https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsbm.2023.0044 |journal=Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society |volume=77|doi=10.1098/rsbm.2023.0044 |doi-access=free }}</ref> (29 October 1928 – 15 March 2023) was a British chemist who also served as a Vice-President of the Royal Society. He was primarily known for his work on the physics and chemistry of polymers. Allen was especially well known for his work on the thermodynamics of rubber elasticity. He inspired a generation of physical chemists as a result of his research interests, and he had a passion for fostering links between academia and industry.

==Career== Born in Clay Cross, Derbyshire on 29 October 1928, Allen was educated at Tupton Hall Grammar School and the University of Leeds. He was Lecturer (1955–65) and Professor of Chemical Physics (1965–75) at the University of Manchester. Moving to London, he became Professor of Polymer Science (1975–76), Professor of Chemical Technology (1976–81) at Imperial College London. He chaired the Science Research Council from 1977–81.

Allen was Head of Research at Unilever from 1981–90, and a Director of Unilever from 1982–90. Since 1990 he has been an Adviser to Kobe Steel Ltd. He was Vice-President of the Royal Society from 1991–93, and Chancellor of the University of East Anglia from 1993–2003.<ref>{{cite press release|title=New Chancellor for UEA|publisher=University of East Anglia|date=18 June 2003|url=http://www.uea.ac.uk/mac/comm/media/press/2003/june/New+Chancellor+for+UEA|accessdate=17 August 2009|archive-date=5 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305040541/http://www.uea.ac.uk/mac/comm/media/press/2003/june/New+Chancellor+for+UEA|url-status=dead}}</ref> He was a member of the Royal Commission on Environmental Protection from 1994–2000, and President of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, (formerly the Institute of Materials) from 1994–95. He is an Honorary Fellow of Robinson College, Cambridge.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.robinson.cam.ac.uk/college-life/academic-life/fellows |title=List of fellows |website=Robinson College}}</ref> In 1985 he received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Bath.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bath.ac.uk/corporate-information/honorary-graduates-1980-to-1989/#1985-259d |website=University of Bath |department=Honorary Graduates |access-date=2024-07-25 |title=Honorary graduates, 1980 to 1989}}</ref>

Allen was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Essex in 1986,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.essex.ac.uk/academic/docs/cal/former.shtm |title=Honorary Graduates - Doctor of the University of Essex |accessdate=2018-04-20 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007233550/http://www.essex.ac.uk/academic/docs/cal/former.shtm |archivedate=2012-10-07 }}</ref> and an honorary doctorate from Loughborough University in July 1985, when he was pleased to share the stage with his godson who received his bachelor's degree at the same time.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lboro.ac.uk/service/publicity/degree_days/hon_grads_80to89.html |accessdate=20 Apr 2018 |title=Loughborough University: Honorary Graduates and University Medallists since 1966 |archive-date=4 July 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070704103239/http://www.lboro.ac.uk/service/publicity/degree_days/hon_grads_80to89.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Allen was President (1989–1991) of the Society of Chemical Industry, gave the Leverhulme lecture in 1990 (''Our Chemical Industry 2001''), and was awarded the society's Lampitt medal in 2017.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.soci.org/news/sci/society-member-recognition-awards-2017 |accessdate=20 Apr 2018 |title=Society of Chemical Industry: Society Member Recognition Awards 2017}}</ref>

Sir Geoffrey Allen died at his home on 15 March 2023, at the age of 94.<ref>{{cite web |title=Remembering SCI Past President, Sir Geoffrey Allen. 1928–2023 |url=https://www.soci.org/news/2023/6/remembering-sci-past-president-sir-geoffrey-allen-1928-2023 |website=SCI News |access-date=27 October 2023}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Allen, Geoffrey}} Category:1928 births Category:2023 deaths Category:Academics of Imperial College London Category:Academics of the Victoria University of Manchester Category:Alumni of the University of Leeds Category:Chancellors of the University of East Anglia Category:British fellows of the Royal Society Category:Fellows of the Royal Academy of Engineering Category:Fellows of Robinson College, Cambridge Category:Knights Bachelor Category:People from Clay Cross Category:Unilever people Category:Chemists of the University of Manchester Category:Chemists of Imperial College London