The University of Cambridge is celebrating the tercentenary of its first chair of chemistry. A two-day celebration, starting today (Friday 6 December 2002) will present a feast of Cambridge chemistry, past, present and future.

The chair’s first holder, Giovanni Francesco Vigani; a contemporary and friend of Isaac Newton, taught as chemistry was emerging as a distinct discipline from its old association with alchemy and pharmacy. Three hundred years and 15 holders later, the chair continues as the prestigious BP 1702 Chair of Chemistry, making it the oldest continuously occupied chair of chemistry in the UK.

To mark this tercentenary, the Department of Chemistry takes stock of the events of the last 300 years, celebrates the remarkable renovation of the University Chemical Laboratory and explores the contribution that Cambridge chemists and chemistry are making in an ever-changing world.

The theme of the celebration is transformation and change. Changing one substance into another is central to chemistry. Current research in the department includes the synthesis of better catalysts to transform methane to valuable methanol, the use of chemical informatics to design potent anti-cancer drugs, the monitoring of the intricate chemistry of the atmosphere, and the study of the abnormal protein folding that causes Alzheimer’s and other devastating diseases.

The department itself is also being transformed. Through the generosity of donors such as the Joint Infrastructure Fund (JIF), Unilever, BP, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pfizer and the University itself, the Lensfield Road Laboratory, state-of-the- art when it was built in the 1950s, is being renovated to provide the cutting-edge facilities expected of one of the world’s leading chemistry departments.

A series of lectures today (Friday 6 December) will look back at aspects of the history of chemistry at Cambridge including Vigani, experiments in the 18th century and Cambridge chemistry at War.

Tomorrow (Saturday 7 December) takes time to look forward with the department and includes a tour of the newly refurbished, JIF funded labs in the department.

Dr Mary Archer, Chair of the Tercentenary Steering Group said:
"Chemistry in Cambridge has been at the forefront of advancing knowledge for centuries and it is fitting that we should take this time to look back at our proud achievements and look forward to the possibilities of future research."

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