Prof George Murray Burnett FRSE FRSA FRIC LLD (1921–1980) was a Scottish mathematician and chemist. He served as both Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Heriot-Watt University from 1974 until 1980. He is largely remembered for his work on polymer reactions.

Life

He was born in Messina in

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...

on 12 July 1921. His family moved to

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

in his childhood and he was educated at Mile-End School before again relocating to

Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...

in Scotland. Here he attended Robert Gordon's College before being accepted by

Aberdeen University , mottoeng = The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom , established = , type = Public research universityAncient university , endowment = £58.4 million (2021) , budget ...

studying chemistry and mathematics. He graduated in 1943. On graduation he immediately moved to a teaching role within the university. In 1943/4 being an Assistant Lecturer in Natural Philosophy and 1944/5 a Lecturer in Chemistry. In 1945 he moved to

Birmingham University , mottoeng = Through efforts to heights , established = 1825 – Birmingham School of Medicine and Surgery1836 – Birmingham Royal School of Medicine and Surgery1843 – Queen's College1875 – Mason Science College1898 – Mason Univers ...

serving as a lecturer in Chemistry there for ten years. In 1955 he received a chair in Aberdeen University and was a Professor there until 1974. He then received a post as Principal of Heriot-Watt University. He served as this until his rather early death aged only 59. Over and above his role as Principal he served as Vice Chancellor under Chancellor Lord Thomson of Monifieth. On his death he was replaced by Prof Thomas Diery Patten. In 1956 he was elected a

Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE) is an award granted to individuals that the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland's national academy of science and letters, judged to be "eminently distinguished in their subject". This socie ...

. He held three separate doctorates.

Aberdeen University , mottoeng = The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom , established = , type = Public research universityAncient university , endowment = £58.4 million (2021) , budget ...

awarded him a PhD in 1947.

awarded him a DSc in 1954.

Strathclyde University The University of Strathclyde ( gd, Oilthigh Shrath Chluaidh) is a public research university located in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded in 1796 as the Andersonian Institute, it is Glasgow's second-oldest university, having received its royal c ...

awarded him an honorary Doctor of Letters (LLD) in 1979. Burnett married Nan Bow in 1946. He died in Edinburgh on 4 September 1980.

Publications

*’’Mechanism of Polymer Reactions’’ (1954) *’’Energy v. 2’’ (1969) *’’Transfer and Storage of Energy by Molecules’’ (1969)

Recognition

Burnett was painted by Peter Collins in 1982. The painting is held by Heriot-Watt University. A building on the Heriot-Watt campus is named George Burnett Hall in his honour.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Burnett, George Murray 1921 births 1980 deaths People educated at Robert Gordon's College Scottish mathematicians Scottish chemists Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Alumni of the University of Aberdeen Academics of Heriot-Watt University South African emigrants to the United Kingdom