Sir Brian Smith

Cardiff University’s Vice-Chancellor has paid tribute to his predecessor, Sir Brian Smith who died last week.

Sir Brian was the University’s Vice-Chancellor between 1993 until he retired in 2001. Despite retirement, he maintained an active and close working relationship with the University acting as an International Ambassador until 2012.

He was also instrumental in establishing the Cardiff University Innovation Network which helps support and encourage innovation in local businesses.

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Colin Riordan said: “It’s with great sadness that we’ve learnt of the passing of our former Vice-Chancellor, Sir Brian Smith.

“I was fortunate to meet Sir Brian on a number of occasions and I was struck by how passionately he spoke about his time and his affection for the University.

“His commitment to internationalism and to the advancement of research and innovation was beyond his time. His vision and passion helped lay the foundations upon which our thriving, dynamic and modern University is built.

“On behalf of everyone in the university community, I offer my deepest condolences to his family at this extremely difficult time.”

Born in North Wales and educated locally, Sir Brian gained a first-class honours degree in Chemistry and a PhD in Physical Chemistry at the University of Liverpool.

He moved on to a Research Fellowship at the University of California, Berkeley, and subsequently became a Lecturer in Physical Chemistry at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of St Catherine's College, Oxford, where he remained until his appointment at Cardiff.

Sir Brian published widely with books and research articles on intermolecular forces and the physiological affects of simple gases. He was awarded a DSc from the University of Oxford in recognition of this research, some of which contributed to advances in the technology of deep-sea diving.

Read Sir Brian's obituary, written by Professor Paul Atkinson.