Professor Tom McLeish FInstP, FRSC, FRS

It is with great sadness that I announce the death of Professor Tom McLeish who was Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research at Durham between 2008 and 2014 and a member of the Department of Physics until 2018.

His main scientific discipline was theoretical physics, but this was only a small part of a gigantic range of interests and work across science, social sciences, arts and humanities. He was a true polymath and when appointed to be the first Chair of Natural Philosophy at the University of York it summed up his unique approach and international standing.

As a scientist, he worked closely with experimentalists and industry across physics, chemistry and biology. His work is renowned for increasing our understanding of the properties of soft matter; his ‘pom-pom model’ of the flow properties of polymer solutions became a text-book standard and his public lectures were frequently illustrated by chains of beads representing the structures of polymers. He began as a lecturer in Physics at Sheffield and then held Professorial posts at Leeds and Durham. He was deeply committed to developing the community of researchers, particularly the young, leading the Polymer Interdisciplinary Research Centre while at Leeds and subsequently founding the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Soft Matter and the Physics of Life Network. At Durham University he was Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research, and he was an enthusiastic member of the SCR in St. Mary’s College and a great advocate of interdisciplinary research at the Institute of Advanced Study. It was during this time at Durham that he and David Wilkinson conceived the initial idea of Equipping Christian Leadership in an Age of Science (ECLAS), wanting to change the culture among senior Christian leaders in their view of science - from fear to joy.

Alongside his world leading scientific research, Tom also pioneered interdisciplinary work in medieval science and theology working with Professor Giles Gasper and others on the Ordered Universe project. This project brought physicists, psychologists, engineers, and mathematicians into close collaboration with philosophers, historians, classicists, theologians, and literary scholars, from many different countries and traditions, and all focused on the writings of the 13th century polymath Robert Grosseteste. Tom's leadership and participation within this project showed his universal vision of academic collaboration and his total commitment to the values and practice of collaborative, interdisciplinary, working. The enthusiasm Tom displayed for working with others, mentoring younger (and older) colleagues, and communicating with the public, was matched only by his determination and drive to see the complex multidisciplinary articles and books from the project through to completion. 

His engagement with medieval thinking, and the nature of science and theology, found expression in other projects too. In his book Faith and Wisdom in Science he demonstrated biblical expertise on the book of Job and brought it into dialogue with a theology of science. In The Poetry and Music of Science: Comparing Creativity in Science and Art he showed how his love of music and poetry could both illuminate the scientific enterprise and respond to it.

Tom was a Fellow of the Institute of Physics (FInstP), a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC) and in 2011, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). He was also a Senior Associate Fellow at Pembroke College, University of Oxford. 

An Anglican lay reader, in 2018, Tom was awarded the Lanfranc Award for Education and Scholarship by the Archbishop of Canterbury ‘for his record as one of the most outstanding scientists of his generation, and the leading contemporary lay Anglican voice in the dialogue of science and faith’.

It was very much part of Tom’s desire to bridge sciences and the humanities in ways that enrich the understanding of all. Indeed, shortly before his death Tom continued to work with great joy as co-editor on a project resulting in a multi-authored book, Eclipse & Revelation Total Solar Eclipses in Science, History, Literature, and the Arts, forthcoming with Oxford University Press.

Alongside all these achievements, Tom was a human being who demonstrated generous friendship to all, eager to serve, help, comfort and encourage. Loved and respected for his humility, his sense of fun and commitment to truth, generations of students and colleagues were shaped by his work and his life.

There will be a small family funeral followed by a thanksgiving service, further details to follow.

Tom will be greatly missed by all who knew him, and our thoughts and sincere condolences are with Tom’s family and friends at this time.

Karen O’Brien

Vice-Chancellor and Warden