James Irvine (chemist)

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Sir James Colquhoun Irvine, KBE, FRS, (May 9, 1877-June 12, 1952) was a British chemist and Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of St Andrews from 1921 until his death. As a research chemist, Irvine worked on the application of methylation techniques to carbohydrates, and isolated the first methylated sugars, trimethyl and tetramethyl glucose.

Irvine was born in Glasgow, and studied at the Royal Technical College, Glasgow, before taking a BSc in Chemistry at St Andrews. From there, he went to the University of Leipzig, where he studied for a PhD under Ostwald and Wislicenus. Returning to St Andrews, he was awarded a Doctor of Science degree, and taught Chemistry there. He was made Professor of Chemistry in 1909 and Dean of Science in 1912. In 1921, he was apponted Principal. His tenure saw the renovation and restoration of both buildings and traditions, and his works are still talked of today. His commitments spanned further than the University, into higher education in Britain and the colonies.

He was made a Fellow of The Royal Society in 1918, and received honorary doctorates from the Universities of Aberdeen, Cambridge, Columbia, Durham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, McGill, Oxford, Princeton, Toronto, Wales and Yale.