David Harrison

Sir David Harrison FRSCM (3 May 1930 – 27 March 2023) was a British chemical engineer and academic. He was vice-chancellor of the University of Keele from 1979 to 1984, vice-chancellor of the University of Exeter from 1984 to 1994, master of Selwyn College, Cambridge, from 1994 to 2000, and pro-vice-chancellor of the University of Cambridge in 1997.

Early life and education David Harrison was born in Clacton, Essex on 3 May 1930 to Lavinia (née Wilson) and Harold David Harrison. His father, originally from Exeter, was a civil engineer. During World War II, the young David Harrison was evacuated to Sunderland, attending the local Bede School. He attended Clacton County High School upon his return to Essex following the war. He joined Selwyn College, Cambridge as an undergraduate in 1950 to read natural sciences. Graduating with a double first in 1953, Harrison stayed on at Cambridge to pursue a PhD in physical chemistry. His doctoral research focused on the heat capacities of liquids and was under the supervision of Professor Emyr Alun Moelwyn-Hughes. In this role, he was remembered for his advocacy for the admission of women to Selwyn, which was a men-only college until 1976. He was also credited as an early champion of widening participation, building relationships with schools that had not traditionally sent their pupils to Oxbridge to encourage applications from these schools.

Harrison left Selwyn in 1979 to take up the post of Vice-chancellor at Keele University. In 1984, he took up his second vice-chancellor post at University of Exeter, where he remained until 1994. During his tenure at Exeter, he hosted Archbishop Desmond Tutu as a visiting professor to the university. The South African Archbishop delivered a public lecture at the Great Hall, where he addressed an audience of 2,400 people, calling for sanctions against the Apartheid regime.

Harrison returned to Selwyn in 1994, this time as Master of the college, a role he held until 2000. He was also Cambridge's deputy-vice-chancellor from 1995 to 2000 and served briefly as pro-vice-chancellor in 1997. where his focus was the chemistry curriculum and school outreach activities. Between 1996 and 2005 he was Chairman of the Council of the Royal School of Church Music.

Honours and recognitions Harrison was appointed fellow of Selwyn College in 1957 and honorary fellow of Homerton College in 2016. He also received multiple honorary doctorates: Keele University - DUniv (1992) University of Exeter - DSc (1995) University of York (2008)

He was appointed to fellowships of many learned societies, including the Royal Institute of Chemistry (later the Royal Society of Chemistry) in 1961, the Institution of Chemical Engineers in 1968, Royal Society of Arts in 1985, and Royal Academy of Engineering in 1987.

Harrison received a CBE in the 1990 New Year Honours. He was knighted in the 1997 New Year Honours for services to education and nuclear safety.

Personal life In 1962, Harrison married Sheila Rachel Debes, who was a teacher. They had a daughter and two sons (by one of whom he was predeceased). His funeral took place at Selwyn College Chapel on 20 April 2023. A memorial service celebrating Harrison's legacy was organised by Selwyn College on 21 October the same year.

Legacy and commemoration Harrison House and Harrison Drive in Homerton College, University of Cambridge are named after Harrison, marking his service as chair of the Trustees of Homerton College until 2010 when it received its Royal Charter and became self-governing. The Senior Common Room at Selwyn College was renamed the Harrison Room on Harrison's 90th birthday in 2020. He is also the namesake of the Harrison Building at the University of Exeter.

Following Harrison's death in 2023, Selwyn College created The Sir David Harrison Fund in memory of its alumnus and former master, with the aim to support the teaching and learning of science at the college. The endowment funds a teaching fellowship as well as a Master's scholarship.

British Guyanese writer David Dabydeen dedicated his 2024 novel, Sweet Li Jie, to Harrison, who was Admission Tutor when Dabydeen matriculated at Selwyn College in 1974.