Our Department History

Early Lectures
Founding Professors
NMR equipment in Chemistry
Outreach
Work Experience
University Glassblower

When the University of Warwick was founded in 1965, it was built on a bold vision: to be modern, interdisciplinary, and forward-thinking. Science was placed at the heart of this vision.

In fact, the University’s coat of arms reflects this commitment, featuring molecular and atomic symbols alongside traditional academic emblems, a clear statement that science was foundational to Warwick’s identity. The Atomic Symbols in the Shield represent the university’s focus on physics, chemistry, and natural sciences research and the DNA Helix Crest symbolizes molecular biology and genetics, highlighting contributions to life sciences and biotechnology.

Department Timeline

1960s

Early Years: Department of Molecular Sciences

One of Warwick’s first academic buildings was purpose‑built for the Department of Molecular Sciences, reflecting the founders’ ambition for the University to champion cutting‑edge science from the very beginning.

The School of Molecular Sciences opened in October 1965 with a small but dynamic team of 12 academic staff, supported by postdoctoral and research fellows. Led by Professor Malcolm Clark and Professor Tom Waddington, the school embraced an interdisciplinary approach spanning chemistry, biochemistry and emerging molecular research.

The early team included John Cornforth FRS, who later became Sir John Cornforth following his knighthood in 1977. He served as Associate Professor in Molecular Sciences at the University of Warwick between 1965 and 1971. In 1975, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, shared with Vladimir Prelog, for his work on the stereochemistry of enzyme‑catalysed reactions. His scientific legacy continues to be recognised through the RSC Horizon Prize Sir John Warcup Cornforth, named in honour of Rita and John Cornforth, which celebrates excellence and innovation in chemical research.

Its first cohort of 30 undergraduates formed part of Warwick’s initial intake of just 450 students. By the late 1960s, the school had launched MSc programmes in Molecular Enzymology and Radio Frequency Spectroscopy, both recognised by the Science Research Council. Support from the SRC and a number of industry partners helped fund early research, while a major donation of scientific journals from Courtaulds Ltd enabled the formation of the Courtaulds Library in Molecular Sciences.

1970s

The 1970s: Consolidation, Reflection and Laying the Groundwork

During the 1970s, the Department of 'Molecular Sciences' continued to build on the interdisciplinary ambitions established at the University’s founding, retaining a strong commitment to understanding chemical, physical and biological systems at the molecular level, supported by a broad undergraduate curriculum and an active research culture.

As the decade progressed, however, challenges began to emerge around disciplinary identity and student recruitment. These coincided with a wider national decline in uptake of science subjects in schools. Whilst intellectually coherent, the title “Molecular Sciences” was not always easily recognised by prospective students accustomed to traditional subject divisions, prompting growing awareness that greater clarity would be needed in future.

In response, the department increased its engagement with schools and teachers, using outreach activities and practical demonstrations to raise awareness of molecular science and its relevance to real‑world problems. Teaching remained broad in the early years, reflecting continued confidence in interdisciplinary scientific training.

Despite uncertainties in public perception, the department maintained strong external confidence in its research. Significant funding from national research bodies and expanding collaboration with industry, particularly in the pharmaceutical sector, underpinned research activity and contributed to teaching and postgraduate training.

By the late 1970s, the department had begun to recognise the need for clearer structural and naming alignment. The decade therefore stands as a period of consolidation and strategic reflection, laying the foundations for the organisational changes and clearer disciplinary identity that followed in the 1980s.

1980s

Department of Chemistry

The reflections and strategic groundwork of the 1970s highlighted the need for clearer disciplinary definition. In the 1980s, this recognition translated into concrete changes to the department’s structure and identity, as it adapted to the evolving landscape of teaching, research and student expectations.

The department was initially known as the Department of Molecular Sciences. Later, under the chairmanship of Professor Jennings, this evolved into the Department of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, reflecting a growing emphasis on core chemistry alongside molecular research.

In the early 1980s, biochemistry moved to Gibbet Hill and by 1984, the department’s name was streamlined to the Department of Chemistry, aligning with international norms and reinforcing Warwick’s reputation within the discipline. The change also brought greater clarity for prospective students, who had previously found it difficult to relate the degree title to the subjects studied at school.

1990s

Building Excellence Through Collaboration

In the early 1990s, the department expanded significantly following the closure of City University’s Chemistry Department. The transfer of academic staff, including Bill Pritchard and Bill Errington, brought additional expertise and enabled a substantial increase in student numbers through the transfer of undergraduate student allocations.

The mid-to-late 1990s was a period of reflection and renewal for the department. Following the 1994 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), the department undertook a programme of restructuring and strategic development led by Professors Pat Unwin, Paul Taylor, Dave Haddleton and Andy Clark. This resulted in a series of successful appointments, including Professors Alison Rodger, Martin Wills, Tim Bugg, Julie MacPherson, Greg Challis, Mark Rodger, Mike Shipman and Andrew Marsh, strengthening the department's research base across a range of emerging areas. During this period, Professor David Crout founded the Chemistry with Medicinal Chemistry degree, which continues to run successfully today, and the department's international reputation continued to grow.

In the mid-1990s, Professors Keith Jennings and Peter Derrick successfully led Warwick's bid for a new mass spectrometer, securing £761k for state-of-the-art equipment in competition with seven other institutions, including Oxford and Cambridge. The award reflected the strength of the department's research activities and contributed to Warwick being chosen to host a new national mass spectrometry facility.

In addition to early links with ICI and Albright & Wilson, Warwick Chemistry had special links with Analytichem, Associated Octel, Glaxo Wellcome, SmithKline, ADAS, Severn Trent and Zeneca (later AstraZeneca). These partnerships delivered tangible outcomes that shaped research, drove innovation and enabled pioneering work, leading in later decades to patents and spin-out companies such as Warwick Effect Polymers and Medherant, which continue to impact healthcare and materials science.

Collaboration with Severn Trent drove sustainable technology, including wastewater-to-hydrogen systems that remove pollutants while producing clean energy. Links with pharmaceutical leaders such as AstraZeneca provided placement opportunities that launched careers and strengthened our role in drug development. These examples show how strategic partnerships advanced scientific excellence while contributing to industrial progress and global innovation.

Other notable partnerships established during this period, and in the years that followed, also made lasting contributions to the department's development. Unilever supported the creation of the Unilever Lectureship, which led to the appointment of Professor Stefan Bon. Strong research links were established with Syngenta through the work of Professors Pat Unwin and Dave Haddleton, while collaboration between Professor Peter Scott and Infineum contributed to the creation of Interface Polymers Ltd. Internationally, the Warwick–Monash Polymer Centre became a flagship partnership, leading to the joint appointments of Professors Sebastien Perrier, Thomas Davis and Neil Cameron and strengthening Warwick's global profile in polymer science.

2000s

Growth and Interdisciplinary Development

By the end of the 1990s, the department comprised 26 academic staff and was entering a period of sustained growth. Over the following decade, both staff and student numbers increased significantly, with undergraduate recruitment rising from around 100 students per year to 120 and then 150 while the academic community expanded to support a broader range of teaching and research activities.

A notable development during this period was the recruitment of Professor Peter Sadler FRS from Edinburgh as Head of Department, reflecting a conscious decision to appoint an external leader for the department. Other notable appointments included Professor Tim Jones (from Imperial) in Materials Chemistry, alongside several junior academic colleagues who broadened the department’s expertise.

The department also strengthened its interdisciplinary provision. Between 2002 and 2014, Chemistry and Biological Sciences jointly offered undergraduate degree programmes in Chemical Biology and Biomedical Chemistry. These programmes reflected a growing commitment to interdisciplinary education and research across the life and physical sciences and together recruited 20-25 students each year.

In 2003, under the leadership of Professor Alison Rodger, Warwick launched the MOAC (Molecular Organisation and Assembly in Cells) Doctoral Training Centre, one of the UK’s first EPSRC‑funded interdisciplinary hubs. Designed to bring physical sciences approaches into biological research, MOAC united chemists, physicists, mathematicians, engineers and computer scientists to train researchers fluent across disciplines. Its base on the top floor of Senate House became a lively space for cross‑disciplinary seminars, shared projects and cohort‑driven collaboration. Following the success of its first five student cohorts, EPSRC awarded further funding to support another five intakes from 2008, with a final recruitment in 2013—11 cohorts in total.

In the late 2000s, Warwick and the University of Birmingham joined forces through the Birmingham Science City Research Alliance (SCRA), investing in state‑of‑the‑art analytical and advanced materials equipment and significantly expanding the scientific capability across both universities.

2010s

International Collaboration, Innovation and a New Generation of Analytical Scientists

The 2010s were marked by major investment in infrastructure, sustainability and international collaboration. In 2011 a £24 million Materials and Analytical Sciences (MAS) Building, designed to showcase cutting-edge research and interdisciplinary collaboration was opened, bringing together researchers in Chemistry and Physics. This provided accommodation for major equipment including an expanded X-ray diffraction facility and electron microscopy facility, later to become the founding Research Technology Platforms at Warwick.

In 2012, the suite of chemistry teaching labs were completely redeveloped with advanced ventilation and energy-saving systems, reducing carbon emissions by 370 tonnes annually ensuring Warwick has one of the best facilities for 'undergraduate chemistry' in the UK.

Throughout the decade, Warwick Chemistry continued to look outward, strengthening global partnerships and industrial links. A landmark example was the Monash Warwick Alliance, launched in 2012, which established joint professorships in polymer and sustainable chemistry and enabled more than 100 collaborative research projects. The partnership also led to over 1,150 co‑authored publications, reinforcing Warwick’s standing within the international research community.

The department also developed and expanded partnerships with institutions worldwide, including Fudan University in China, Washington University in St. Louis in the United States, Stellenbosch University in South Africa, and through the EUTOPIA European University Alliance. Together, these collaborations reflected a decade in which Warwick Chemistry combined analytical excellence with global engagement and innovation.

2020 and Beyond

Transforming Warwick’s Scientific Future

During the 2020s, Warwick Chemistry has continued to strengthen its research profile and student community, supported by major institutional investment and sustained research excellence. The department’s five research clusters, spanning chemical biology, materials chemistry, physical and computational chemistry, and synthetic chemistry, address global challenges including sustainable synthesis, energy materials and drug discovery.

This trajectory of growth is also reflected in the size of the department’s student community. When the department began as Molecular Sciences in the 1960s, undergraduate numbers were around 30 students. Today, Warwick Chemistry welcomes around 190 new undergraduates each year, with a total undergraduate population of over 500 students. At postgraduate level, the department now recruits approximately 20–30 taught MSc students and around 40 doctoral researchers annually, reflecting the expansion and diversification of its programmes.

The department’s standing is reflected in the consistent recognition of its researchers through national and international honours, with regular awards from bodies such as the Royal Society of Chemistry and other leading scientific organisations, acknowledging contributions across fundamental and applied chemical science.

Innovation and impact have also been evident through the continued progress of chemistry‑led spin‑out companies. These include Medherant, advancing its TEPI Patch® transdermal drug delivery platform, and Interface Polymers, commercialising Polarfin® compatibiliser technology following successful scale‑up, both underpinned by Warwick research.

Alongside research excellence, the department has placed renewed emphasis on student experience and wellbeing, particularly in the post‑pandemic period. The We Are Chemistry initiative, developed collaboratively by staff and students, has strengthened community, engagement and support through a programme centred on wellbeing, confidence and belonging.

Looking ahead, Warwick’s ambitious STEM Connect Programme represents a major investment in the future of science on campus. By 2033, new and refurbished facilities, including a flagship Science and Engineering Building, will transform teaching, research and collaboration spaces for Chemistry and its partner disciplines.

As the 2020s unfold, Warwick Chemistry is driving forward with a dual focus on pioneering research and an outstanding student experience. By nurturing a community where innovation, curiosity and collaboration thrive, the department is positioning its students, and the future of its science, to make an enduring impact in the years ahead.

Warwick 60th Anniversary

Despite the wet and windy November weather, the Chemistry Department was buzzing with energy on Saturday 22nd November 2025 as alumni and department staff came together for a memorable afternoon marking 60 years of Warwick.

Our Alumni guests explored Warwick Chemistry’s rich heritage through the Memory Walk and photo displays, then fast-forwarded to the future with immersive VR experiences showcasing the upcoming STEM Connect build. Hands-on demonstrations and the opportunity to engage with our vibrant student society representatives added to the excitement, with our ChemSoc students proudly representing Chemistry and sharing their passion for the subject today.

A highlight of the afternoon was the guided department tours. Alumni revisited familiar labs and lecture theatres, sparking conversations and fond memories. For many, it was a trip down memory lane, not just for Chemistry graduates, but for alumni from across the University who recalled the legendary Cinema Club in L3, famous for its all-night movie and chocolate marathons!

Guests also enjoyed hearing about the evolution of the department from Professor Nikola Chmel, Head of Department, and Warwick alumna Dr Tania Read, who shared inspiring insights into the cutting-edge teaching and research shaping Chemistry today. Meeting everyone and listening to stories from their time in Chemistry, or Molecular Sciences as it was originally known, reminded us of the strong sense of community that continues to define Warwick Chemistry.

As we celebrate six decades of achievement, we look forward to the next chapter, continuing to innovate, inspire, and strengthen our Warwick Chemistry community for the next generation of scientists.

Warwick 60th Anniversary_ Chemistry Department Alumni Event Pictures

A collection of interviews and articles from the Warwick Archives

Hear from Peter Rayner, the department’s first Administrator, as he shares memories of the early days of Molecular Sciences:

https://wdc.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/warwick/id/406Link opens in a new window

An interview with Keith Jennings, reflecting on his early years in the department after joining in 1972 and becoming Chairman in 1974:

https://www.asms.org/docs/oral-histories/jennings-oral-historyLink opens in a new window

An interview with Terence Kemp about the department’s formative years:

https://wdc.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/warwick/id/160/Link opens in a new window

Hear about in the ‘Warwick electronic nose’ from 1990's engineering research: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/eng/research/impact/electronicnose/Link opens in a new window , which started its' life in Chemistry/Molecular Sciences with this paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/299352a0Link opens in a new window

Heads of Department of Chemistry

Leadership History

Since the foundation of the Chemistry discipline at the University, the department has been led by a succession of distinguished academics. In its early years, the role now known as Head of Department was titled Chairman of the Department.

Prof. Malcolm Clark (1965-1974)

First Chair of the Department and Founding Professor of Chemistry. Professor Clark was a key champion of Molecular Sciences and played a central role in establishing Chemistry as a major discipline within the University. He retired from the University in 1984.

Prof. Keith Jennings (1974–1995, multiple terms)

Professor Jennings joined the department in 1972 and served several terms as Chairman over more than two decades, during a period of significant transition and growth.

His leadership roles included:

Chairman of the Department: 1974–1980
Chairman, Board of Science: 1983–1985
Chairman of the Department: 1983–1986
Chairman of the Department: 1989–1995

During his tenure, he oversaw the departmental transition from the Department of Chemistry & Molecular Sciences to the Department of Chemistry in 1983/84.

Prof. Malcolm Wallbridge (1980–1983)

Prof. Peter Derrick (1995–2007)

Prof. Peter Sadler (2007–2010)

Prof. Mike Shipman (2010–2014)

Prof. Alison Rodger (2014–2017)

Prof. Martin Wills (2017, Interim – six months)

Prof. Mike Ward (2017–2023)

Prof. Pat Unwin (2023–2025)

Prof. Nikola Chmel (2025–present)

Early Lectures

Founding Professors

NMR equipment in Chemistry

Outreach

Work Experience

University Glassblower

When the University of Warwick was founded in 1965, it was built on a bold vision: to be modern, interdisciplinary, and forward-thinking. Science was placed at the heart of this vision.

Department Timeline

Early Years: Department of Molecular Sciences