Professor Keith Smith
BSc MSc PhD CChem FRSC
Keith Smith was educated at Manchester University (BSc 1968, MSc 1969, PhD 1971), spent a year as a Royal Society Exchange Fellow at ETH in Zurich and then moved to Wales. During 1978-79 he was a visiting researcher at Purdue University, working with HC Brown (1979 Nobel Laureate).
He was Head of Chemistry at Swansea University before moving to his current position as Professor of Organic Chemistry at Cardiff University. He is also a former President of the National Conference of University Professors and is currently a Trustee of the Sir Richard Stapley Educational Trust and Managing Director of CatCelt Ltd.
His research interests have surrounded the development of novel synthetic reactions, particularly ones involving the use of boron or lithium reagents or zeolite catalysts. He has around 300 publications, including several books and patents. He received the inaugural RSC Industrially Sponsored Award for Green Chemistry in 2001 and was elected Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales at the inaugural election in 2011.
In addition to being a Member of Council he has had several roles with the RSC, including membership of Finance Committee, Honorary Secretary of the Perkin Division, Chair of the Post-Experience Courses Committee and Chair of the South Wales West Local Section.
