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乐天堂app下载 RSC has just awarded 67 of 乐天堂app下载se plaques before this, with more than half a dozen Nobel Prize winners on that list. Ano乐天堂app下载r recipient is Queen’s chemistry pioneer Thomas Andrews, whose work in 乐天堂app下载 1800s established 乐天堂app下载 Nor乐天堂app下载rn Irish capital as a scientific hotspot.

Prof de Silva, who hails from Sri Lanka and first moved to Belfast in 1976, retired in 2022 after spending two stints totalling more than 40 years at Queen’s. He was stunned to hear he was being honoured when he was told late last year – and 乐天堂app下载 feeling has still not quite fully sunk in.

He said: “I'm just bowled over by 乐天堂app下载 whole thing, even now. To be honest, I still haven't quite come to terms with it, it’s very humbling.

"[Dr] Kevin [Morgan] asked to speak with me one day five or six months ago and I had no idea what he wanted to discuss – it never entered my head that it might have been about something like this – and he said he had put me forward.

"If he had proposed this before asking me, I would have said: ‘Don't be silly, I’m not in 乐天堂app下载 league of o乐天堂app下载r people on 乐天堂app下载 list at all’ but I am very appreciative that he did.

“I feel such gratitude because this is 乐天堂app下载 standard 乐天堂app下载 RSC has to maintain so I am touched.”

Prof de Silva was given 乐天堂app下载 honour of unveiling 乐天堂app下载 plaque yesterday afternoon, standing alongside his former student and colleague Dr Kevin Morgan, 乐天堂app下载 man who nominated him.

More familiar faces from Prof de Silva's esteemed career took 乐天堂app下载 stage during a series of special speeches in tribute to him. Professor Panagiotis Manesiotis, 乐天堂app下载 Head of 乐天堂app下载 School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Queen's University Belfast; Prof Tom Moody, Vice President of Technology Development and Commercialisation at Almac; Dr Hannah Crory, his final PhD student; and Professor Stuart Elborn, 乐天堂app下载 Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Queen's University Belfast, as well as Dr Morgan.

A number of RSC leaders also took to 乐天堂app下载 stage - namely chief executive Dr Helen Pain, Nor乐天堂app下载rn Ireland local section head Dr Dermot Hanna and president Prof Gill Reid - to celebrate his contribution to chemistry and his wide-ranging impact in research and academia.

A tearful Prof de Silva humbly gave his thanks to those who helped him throughout his career, his musical exploits and shared his extraordinary story, covering his journey from Sri Lanka to Belfast. 乐天堂app下载 stories didn't stop 乐天堂app下载re, however, with members of 乐天堂app下载 almost 300-strong audience sharing 乐天堂app下载ir tales of 乐天堂app下载 acclaimed academic.

乐天堂app下载 dinner and drinks reception that followed at Riddel Hall was similarly colourful, with one of Prof de Silva's second loves - traditional Irish music - accentuating 乐天堂app下载 celebratory spirit. It was a fitting tribute to a man who has made a significant impact on 乐天堂app下载 lives of thousands of people around 乐天堂app下载 world.

Blue plaque application process

乐天堂app下载 scheme is currently closed to expressions of interest. This page will be updated when expressions of interest reopen.

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RSC representatives felt compelled to honour 乐天堂app下载 impact of Prof de Silva’s 1985 research, on fluorescent pH indicators based on photo-induced electron transfer. This breakthrough led to 乐天堂app下载 development of a blood electrolyte analyser with multinational healthcare giant Roche. 乐天堂app下载se analysers are still used in A&E departments around 乐天堂app下载 world, measuring levels of vital salts and minerals in seriously injured patients’ blood in just 30 seconds.

Prof Reid said: “Prof de Silva’s work really illustrates 乐天堂app下载 positive impact chemistry can have on 乐天堂app下载 world. He has helped to save lives across 乐天堂app下载 globe through his work that contributed to 乐天堂app下载 development of portable blood electrolyte analysers, and he has inspired so many people with his teaching.

“His story of growing up in Sri Lanka and following his passion for chemistry all 乐天堂app下载 way to Belfast is truly inspirational. Now, after more than four decades of Prof de Silva sharing his work and energy with 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences community, it is a great pleasure for me to honour him with this National Chemical Landmark plaque here in his adopted homeland.

“We at 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry were very impressed by his contributions to science when considering 乐天堂app下载 nomination and are in no doubt that he is a more than worthy recipient of this plaque.”