Leon Francis Phillips (born 14 July 1935) is a New Zealand physical chemist specialising in the

gas-liquid interface In the physical sciences, an interface is the boundary between two spatial regions occupied by different matter, or by matter in different physical states. The interface between matter and air, or matter and vacuum, is called a surface, and studied ...

and atmospheric chemistry.

Biography

Born in

Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the R ...

on 14 July 1935, Phillips was educated at Westport Technical College and Christchurch Boys' High School. He studied at Canterbury University College, from where he graduated with an

MSc MSC may refer to: Computers * Message Sequence Chart * Microelectronics Support Centre of UK Rutherford Appleton Laboratory * MIDI Show Control * MSC Malaysia (formerly known as Multimedia Super Corridor) * USB mass storage device class (USB MSC ...

with first-class honours in 1958. After a

PhD PHD or PhD may refer to: * Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), an academic qualification Entertainment * '' PhD: Phantasy Degree'', a Korean comic series * ''Piled Higher and Deeper'', a web comic * Ph.D. (band), a 1980s British group ** Ph.D. (Ph.D. albu ...

at the

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

and post-doctoral research at

McGill University McGill University (french: link=no, Université McGill) is an English-language public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1821 by royal charter granted by King George IV,Frost, Stanley Brice. ''McGill Universit ...

, he returned to lecture at Canterbury, rising to the rank of professor in 1966. In 1968 he was elected a

Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context. In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements. Within the context of higher education ...

, and in 1979 he won the society's Hector Medal. In 1959, Phillips married Pamela Anne Johnstone, and the couple went on to have two children.

Selected works

* * *

References

1935 births Living people People from Thames, New Zealand People educated at Buller High School People educated at Christchurch Boys' High School University of Canterbury alumni Alumni of Christ's College, Cambridge Academic staff of the University of Canterbury New Zealand chemists Physical chemists Fellows of the Royal Society of New Zealand 20th-century New Zealand scientists {{NewZealand-academic-bio-stub