Nisbet, Hugh Bryan, 1902-1969, Principal, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland

Hugh Bryan Nisbet was born 31 March 1902 and was brought up in Edinburgh, Scotland. He attended George Heriot's School, then studied at Heriot-Watt College, where he gained the qualifications of associate, B.Sc, Ph.D and D.Sc. He also spent a period in Graz and Vienna (Austria) studying organic chemistry.

His entire academic career was spent at Heriot-Watt College. He held a number of positions within the department of chemistry, rising to become Professor in 1946. His scientific work, on which he based many papers, dealt mainly with pyrazoline local anaesthetics, analytical problems and investigations of pyridine bases in shale oil and coal tar.

In 1950, he was appointed Principal, on James Cameron Smail's retirement. As Principal, he continued the expansion policy of his predecessor, which had been suspended during the war years. The reforms of the college led to it being granted University status by the government in 1966, the year of his departure from the Principal's post. When the college became Heriot-Watt University, Nisbet became Vice-Chancellor, a position he held only for a short while before retiring in 1967.

He died in Edinburgh, 21 November 1969.

While studying in Austria, Nisbet worked with experts in the field of organic chemistry, including Fritz Pregl, winner of the 1923 Nobel Prize for Chemistry and Herbert Feigl.

None

1921: B.Sc. Heriot-Watt College, Edinburgh

1921-1924: Demonstrator in chemistry, Heriot-Watt College, Edinburgh

1924-1946: Lecturer in applied chemistry, Heriot-Watt College, Edinburgh

1946-1950: Professor of Chemistry, Heriot-Watt College, Edinburgh

1950-1966: Principal, Heriot-Watt College, Edinburgh

1963: C.B.E.

1964: Commander, Royal Norwegian Order of St Olav

1964-1966: Vice-Chairman, Scottish Technical Education Consultative Council

1966-1967: Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Heriot-Watt University

1968: Honorary DLitt. Heriot-Watt University

: Fellow of the Institute of Fuel

: Fellow of the Institute of Petroleum

: Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh

List of sources for the biographical information:

, Biographical Database of British Chemists, ( http://www.5.open.ac.uk/Arts/chemists/person.cfm?SearchID=3882The Open University, 2000)

, Who's Who 1897-1996, ( http://www.lib.gla.ac.uk/Resources/Databases/w.shtmlA & C Black (Publishers) Ltd, 1996)

, Year Book of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1971-1972, Sessions 1969-1971, (Edinburgh, Royal Society of Edinburgh, 1972)

Authority record created according to the National Council on ArchivesRules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names (NCA Rules)1997 and International Council on Archives: Ad Hoc Committee on Descriptive StandardsInternational Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons and Families (ISAAR)CPF1995

Personal name authority record compiled for the GASHE project by John O'Brien, using the biographical record created by the NAHSTE project, Glasgow University Archive Services, 14 August 2002