Biography:Lindsay Heathcote Briggs

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Lindsay Heathcote Briggs
Born(1905-01-03)3 January 1905
Hastings, New Zealand
Died16 January 1975(1975-01-16) (aged 70)
Auckland, New Zealand
Alma materAuckland University College
University of Oxford
Known forContribution to the structure of strychnine; chemistry of New Zealand native plants
AwardsHector Medal (1943)
Scientific career
FieldsOrganic chemistry
InstitutionsUniversity of Auckland
Thesis (1932)
Doctoral advisorRobert Robinson

Lindsay Heathcote "Bob" Briggs (3 January 1905 – 16 January 1975) was a New Zealand organic chemist.

Early life

Born in Hastings in 1905,[1] Briggs was educated at Auckland Grammar School.[2]

Academic career

After graduating from Auckland University College with a Master of Science with second-class honours in 1928,[3] he received funding to research manuka oil the following year,[4] and undertook independent research at Massey Agricultural College from 1929 to 1930.

He then went to the Dyson Perrins Laboratory at Oxford University for a PhD under Robert Robinson, investigating the chemical structure of strychnine.[1] He was awarded his doctorate in 1932 and returned to Auckland, where he was appointed as a lecturer in organic chemistry in 1933.[2]

In 1941 he was awarded a DSc from Auckland University College.[3] He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand in 1942[5] and served as its president from 1956 to 1958.[6] He was awarded the Hector Medal by the society in 1943.[7]

He was also an active member of the Auckland University field club.[8]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 McLintock, A.H., ed (1966). "Briggs, Lindsay Heathcote". An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand. http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/1966/briggs-lindsay-heathcote. Retrieved 20 August 2014. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Chemistry lecturer". New Zealand Herald: p. 10. 27 March 1933. http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=NZH19330327.2.116. Retrieved 20 August 2014. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 "NZ university graduates 1870–1961: Bri–By". http://shadowsoftime.co.nz/university4.html. Retrieved 20 August 2014. 
  4. "Scientific research". Evening Post: p. 10. 5 March 1929. http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP19290305.2.86. Retrieved 18 August 2014. 
  5. "The academy: A–C". Royal Society of New Zealand. http://www.royalsociety.org.nz/organisation/academy/fellowship/fellows-1919-present/a-c/. Retrieved 19 August 2014. 
  6. "Presidents of the Royal Society of New Zealand". Royal Society of New Zealand. 2012. http://www.royalsociety.org.nz/organisation/council/presidents/. Retrieved 18 August 2014. 
  7. "Hector Medal". Royal Society of New Zealand. 20 June 2014. http://www.royalsociety.org.nz/programmes/awards/hector-medal/recipients/. Retrieved 18 August 2014. 
  8. Millener, Laurie (1975). "Obituary – Professor L.H. Briggs". Tane: The Journal of the Auckland University Field Club 21: 175–176. http://www.thebookshelf.auckland.ac.nz/docs/Tane/Tane-21/24%20Obituary%20-%20Professor%20L.%20H.%20Briggs.pdf. Retrieved 20 August 2014.