David Phillips

David Phillips, (born 3 December 1939)

Education and early life Phillips was born 3 December 1939 in Kendal, lived in South Shields and attended the Grammar School. He was appointed a lecturer in chemistry at the University of Southampton, rising to the status of Reader then becoming Wolfson Professor of Natural Philosophy, at the Royal Institution. In 1981, Phillips became a founding member of the World Cultural Council. In 1989 he moved to Imperial College, London as professor of physical chemistry and held a number of senior posts there. In May 2011 he was the guest on Desert Island Discs and that the popularity of the movie created an enduringly negative image of nuclear power – as something dangerous that could be wielded by megalomaniacs with aspirations to world domination. Phillips claims that when nuclear power is discussed "it is not at all surprising that the public at home and abroad are sceptical" and concludes that "The Royal Society of Chemistry asserts that nuclear power has to be part of the future national energy mix, in which it plays a major role. Fossil fuels have to be eradicated for people to live in a healthy environment. Let's say yes to nuclear and no to Dr No's nonsense."

Awards and honours Phillips received the Porter Medal in 2010 and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 2015. D. Markovitsi, president of the European Photochemistry Association, presents D. Phillips with the Porter Medal at the IUPAC Symposium on Photochemistry at Ferarra