In Memoriam: Professor Tom McLeish FRS
It is with great sadness that the College heard of the death of Professor Tom McLeish. Tom was for many years a great friend to the College and long time co-investigator on our Equipping Christian Leadership in an Age of Science (ECLAS) project. Tom founded the project with the Principal and contributed wisdom, boundless energy and a passion which celebrated both science and Christian faith.
An internationally renowned scientist in the properties of soft matter, he was Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research at Durham between 2008 and 2014. It was during this time that he and David Wilkinson conceived the initial idea of ECLAS, wanting to change the culture of how senior Christian leaders saw science, moving from fear to joy.
In 2018, Tom was awarded the Lanfranc Award for Education and Scholarship by the Archbishop of Canterbury “for his record as one of the most outstanding scientists of his generation, and the leading contemporary lay Anglican voice in the dialogue of science and faith”.
The Principal, David Wilkinson writes, ‘there are few people who have influenced my life as much as Tom McLeish. I owe him a huge debt as a friend, mentor and inspiration. I am so thankful for the privilege of his friendship and for all the insights that shaped my own thinking about science and theology. Our love, sympathy and prayer go out to his wife Julie and all of the family at this time’.
