Sir David Harrison

FRSCM The Royal School of Church Music (RSCM) is a Christianity, Christian music education organisation dedicated to the promotion of church music, music in Christian worship, in particular the repertoire and traditions of Anglican church music, largel ...

(3 May 1930 – 27 March 2023) was a British chemical engineer and academic. He was

vice-chancellor A vice-chancellor (commonly called a VC) serves as the chief executive of a university in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Kenya, other Commonwealth of Nati ...

of the

University of Keele Keele University is a public research university in Keele, approximately from Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, England. Founded in 1949 as the University College of North Staffordshire, it was granted university status by Royal Charter as ...

from 1979 to 1984,

of the

University of Exeter The University of Exeter is a research university in the West Country of England, with its main campus in Exeter, Devon. Its predecessor institutions, St Luke's College, Exeter School of Science, Exeter School of Art, and the Camborne School of ...

from 1984 to 1994,

master Master, master's or masters may refer to: Ranks or titles In education: *Master (college), head of a college *Master's degree, a postgraduate or sometimes undergraduate degree in the specified discipline *Schoolmaster or master, presiding office ...

Selwyn College, Cambridge Selwyn College, Cambridge is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college was founded in 1882 by the Selwyn Memorial Committee in memory of George Selwyn (bishop of Lichfield), Georg ...

, from 1994 to 2000, and pro-vice chancellor of the

University of Cambridge The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, wo ...

in 1997.

Harrison was educated at Bede School,

Sunderland Sunderland () is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. It is a port at the mouth of the River Wear on the North Sea, approximately south-east of Newcastle upon Tyne. It is the most p ...

, Clacton County High School and Selwyn College, Cambridge, reading natural sciences (chemistry), before receiving a

PhD A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, DPhil; or ) is a terminal degree that usually denotes the highest level of academic achievement in a given discipline and is awarded following a course of graduate study and original research. The name of the deg ...

in physical chemistry. He joined the newly formed Chemical Engineering Department doing extensive research into Fluidisation which resulted in three books, all written with his close friend Prof John Davidson. He taught at

Cambridge University The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, wo ...

until 1979, becoming a

fellow A fellow is a title and form of address for distinguished, learned, or skilled individuals in academia, medicine, research, and industry. The exact meaning of the term differs in each field. In learned society, learned or professional society, p ...

of Selwyn in 1957 and its Senior Tutor. Harrison was elected a Fellow of the

Royal Academy of Engineering The Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) is the United Kingdom's national academy of engineering. The Academy was founded in June 1976 as the Fellowship of Engineering with support from Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who became the first senio ...

in 1987. Outside academia, he was chairman of the Government's Advisory Committee on the safety of nuclear installations. He chaired the Councils of both Exeter and Ely Cathedrals, he was a governor of numerous schools and Director of the Salters Livery Company. Between 1996 and 2005 he was Chairman of the Council of the Royal School of Church Music. Harrison was received a CBE in 1990 and was knighted in 1997. In 1962 he married Sheila Rachel Debes and they had a son and daughter and one son deceased.''HARRISON, Sir David'', Who's Who 2012, A & C Black, 2012; online edn, Oxford University Press, Dec 2011; online edn, Nov 2011, accessed 26 Oct 2012
/ref> Harrison died on 27 March 2023, at the age of 92. Harrison House and Harrison Drive in

Homerton College Homerton College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Its first premises were acquired in Homerton, London in 1768, by an informal gathering of English Dissenters, Protestant dissente ...

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 Harrison Building is named after him at Exeter University. The SCR at Selwyn College is named the Harrison Room after him.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Harrison, David 1930 births 2023 deaths People educated at Bede Grammar School for Boys Vice-chancellors of Keele University Vice-chancellors of the University of Exeter Masters of Selwyn College, Cambridge Fellows of Selwyn College, Cambridge Alumni of Selwyn College, Cambridge Fellows of the Royal Academy of Engineering Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Knights Bachelor