David Harrison, English chemist and academic
Sir David Harrison (born 3 May 1930) is a chemist and academic. He was Vice Chancellor of the University of Keele from 1979 to 1984, Vice Chancellor of the University of Exeter from 1984 to 1994, Master of Selwyn College, Cambridge from 1994 to 2000, and Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Cambridge in 1997.
Harrison was educated at Bede School, Sunderland, Clacton County High School and Selwyn College, Cambridge, reading Natural Sciences (Chemistry), before receiving a PhD in Physical Chemistry. He taught at Cambridge University until 1979 becoming a Fellow of Selwyn and its Senior Tutor.
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 1987.
Outside academia, he was Chairman of the Government's Advisory Committee on the safety of nuclear installations.
Harrison was knighted in 1997. In 1962 he married Sheila Rachel Debes and they had a son and daughter and one son deceased.Harrison House in Homerton College, University of Cambridge is named after Harrison.