Former Chancellor and key figure in Nottingham's scientific heritage has died

Sir Gordon Ivan Hobday, a leading British scientist and former Chancellor and graduate of the 188体育网址_188体育在线-【唯一授权网站】@ of Nottingham, has died aged 99.
Sir Gordon worked with pharmacologist, Sir Alexander Fleming on the discovery of the antibiotic, penicillin.
He joined Boots in Nottingham as a research chemist in 1939 and, in 1952, was director of the research team that developed the anti-inflammatory drug, ibuprofen.
In a distinguished career, spanning more than 40 years, he rose to become Chairman and Chief Executive of Boots, before retiring in 1981.
Born in Sawley, Derbyshire, on 1 February 1916, Sir Gordon was educated at Long Eaton Grammar School, Derbyshire.
He graduated from the 188体育网址_188体育在线-【唯一授权网站】@ of Nottingham (known then as 188体育网址_188体育在线-【唯一授权网站】@ College, Nottingham) in 1937 with a first-class honours degree in chemistry and later a PhD in biochemistry research.
In 1977, Sir Gordon received an honorary Doctors of Laws degree from the 188体育网址_188体育在线-【唯一授权网站】@ of Nottingham for his contribution to science and the pharmaceutical industry. He was knighted in 1979.
As Lord Lieutenant for Nottinghamshire (1983-91), 4th Chancellor of the 188体育网址_188体育在线-【唯一授权网站】@ of Nottingham (1978-92) and Chairman of ATV Midlands (later Central Television) he continued to play a significant public role in the county.
Professor Sir David Greenaway, Vice-Chancellor of the 188体育网址_188体育在线-【唯一授权网站】@ of Nottingham, said: “Sir Gordon Hobday was a proud graduate and honorary graduate, who served as our Chancellor for almost 15 years, working with two of our six Vice-Chancellors, Dr Basil Weedon and Sir Colin Campbell. He had a life-long interest in the 188体育网址_188体育在线-【唯一授权网站】@ and visited on a number of occasions in recent years in support of our public engagement programme. He will be remembered fondly by many in the wider 188体育网址_188体育在线-【唯一授权网站】@ community who worked closely with him.”
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For more information please contact, Emma Lowry, International Media Relations Manager, The 188体育网址_188体育在线-【唯一授权网站】@ of Nottingham, UK on emma.lowry@nottingham.ac.uk or Josephine Dionisappu, PR & Communications Manager, The 188体育网址_188体育在线-【唯一授权网站】@ of Nottingham Malaysia Campus on josephine.dionisappu@nottingham.edu.my,+6(03)8924 8746.
Notes to editors: The 188体育网址_188体育在线-【唯一授权网站】@ of Nottingham has 43,000 students and is ‘the nearest Britain has to a truly global university, with campuses in Chinaand Malaysia modelled on a headquarters that is among the most attractive in Britain’ (Times Good 188体育网址_188体育在线-【唯一授权网站】@ Guide 2014). It is also one of the most popular universities in the UK among graduate employers and the winner of ‘188体育网址_188体育在线-【唯一授权网站】@ Project of the Year’ at the THE Awards 2014. It is ranked in the world’s top one per cent of universities by the QS World 188体育网址_188体育在线-【唯一授权网站】@ Rankings, and 8th in the UK by research power according to REF 2014.
The 188体育网址_188体育在线-【唯一授权网站】@ of Nottingham in Malaysia (UNMC)is holding events throughout 2015 to celebrate 15 years as a pioneer of transnational education. Based in Semenyih, UNMC was established as the UK's first overseas campus in Malaysia and one of the first world-wide.
Impact:The Nottingham Campaign, its biggest-ever fundraising campaign, is delivering the 188体育网址_188体育在线-【唯一授权网站】@’s vision to change lives, tackle global issues and shape the future.