Sir John Richard Grenfell Bradfield, (20 May 1925 – 13 October 2014) was a British

biologist A biologist is a scientist who conducts research in biology. Biologists are interested in studying life on Earth, whether it is an individual Cell (biology), cell, a multicellular organism, or a Community (ecology), community of Biological inter ...

and

entrepreneur Entrepreneurship is the creation or extraction of economic value in ways that generally entail beyond the minimal amount of risk (assumed by a traditional business), and potentially involving values besides simply economic ones. An entreprene ...

, most famous for his role as the founder of

Cambridge Science Park The Cambridge Science Park, founded by Trinity College, Cambridge, Trinity College in 1970, is the oldest science park in the United Kingdom. It is a concentration of science and technology related businesses, and has strong links with the nea ...

, the first

Science Park A science park (also called a "university research park", "technology park", "technopark", "technopolis", "technopole", or a "science and technology park" TP is defined as being a property-based development that accommodates and fosters ...

in Europe.

Education

Sir John was a former pupil of the Cambridge and County High School for Boys — now Hills Road Sixth Form College — where he won a scholarship in 1942 to study natural sciences at

Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any ...

. He graduated from Cambridge with MA and PhD degrees, and was initially a Research Fellow in cell biology before being made a Fellow of Trinity in 1947, a position he maintained until his death in 2014.

Cambridge Science Park and career

Bradfield was Senior Bursar of Trinity College from 1956 to 1992. He spearheaded the creation of Cambridge's research and business campus in the early 1970s, and was its director for many years. In 1970, Trinity, under Bradfield's guidance, founded Cambridge Science Park on the outskirts of the city. He was manager of Cambridge Science Park until his retirement in 1992. Bradfield was Chairman of Addenbrooke's NHS Trust from 1993 to 1997.

Awards

In 1985 he was awarded CBE. In 1992 Bradfield received an Honorary Degree from Cambridge University. In 2007 he was awarded a knighthood in the New Year honours list in recognition of his services to science, business and to the community of Cambridge.

Death

Sir John died on 13 October 2014, aged 89, under the Great Gate at Trinity College on his way to attend a dinner for the current tenants of Cambridge Science Park.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bradfield, John 1925 births 2014 deaths Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge Fellows of Trinity College, Cambridge Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Knights Bachelor