The University of Sheffield
Department of Chemistry

Emeritus Prof. Charles J.M. Stirling, FRS

Prof. Charles J.M. Stirling, FRS

Phone: +44 (0)114 222 9453
Room Number: E49

email : C.Stirling@sheffield.ac.uk

Professor: BSc St Andrews (1952); PhD London (1955); DSc London (1967); Hon.DSc St Andrews (1994)), Hon DSc Aix-Marseille (1999); Hon. Member Societa Chimica Italiana (2003); Hon. Fellow, Universtiy of Wales, Bangor (2004); Hon. D.Sc. Sheffield (2007); Foundation Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales 2010; Research Fellowships, Porton Down (1955-57); Edinburgh (1957-59); Lecturer, Queen's University of Belfast (1959-65); Reader, Kings College London (1965-69); Professor: University of Wales, Bangor (1969-1990); Visiting Professor Hebrew University of Jerusalem (1981) and Australian National University (1999); RSC Award for Reaction Mechanisms (1988); Royal Society/BAAS Millennium Award and Fellowship (1999). President: Perkin Division of the RSC (1989-91); President: Chemistry Section British Association for the Advancement of Science (1990). CChem; FRSC (1967); FRS (1986).

Key Words

Reactivity and mechanism. Molecular assembly and interaction.

Research Interests

Reactivity in its widest sense in attempts to understand and quantify molecular behaviour in ordered and disordered systems. Formation and reactivity of thin films of polyfunctional molecules is being investigated; such systmes have remarkable properties of self assembly, the ability to order absorbed molecules and they show reactivity strikingly different from that of disordered systems. Application of very thin films of calixarenes in surface treatments is being investigated.

Other Professional Interests and Involvement

These have been focused in two areas:

Advice on Science Education and Research with particular reference to Chemistry.
Membership of the Royal Society Education Committee
Honorary President of the Yorks and Humberside Section of the Association for Science Education.
Foreign member of the Consiglio for the Reaction Mechanisms Group at Rome
External Assessor for the Chemistry Departments at Queen Mary College and Westfield College, London; University of Leicester; Kuwait; Bologna.

Public Appreciation of Science
1991 First Sheffield 'Town and Gown ' Lecture
1992 Christmas Lectures from the Royal Institution (163rd series) BBC TV
1995 to present: Public Orator, University of Sheffield.
1999 Member of the local organising committee for the British Association Meeting, Sheffield
2000 British Association/Millennium Commission Award and Fellowship for placing 1000 experimental activity kits in Sheffield primary schools.
2003 to present: Chair of the organising committee for Science Week in South Yorkshire.

Between 1990 and 2008 I have delivered roughly 200 popular science lectures in universities, schools, and community organisations such as U3A, PROBUS etc.

Selected Publications