Graeme Davies

Graeme (John) Davies
File:Sir Graeme J Davies.jpg Sir Graeme J Davies
Born	7 April 1937 New Zealand
Residence	United Kingdom
Nationality	New Zealand
Fields	Materials engineering, Metallurgy
Institutions	University of Liverpool, University of Glasgow, University of London
Alma mater	University of Auckland St Catharine's College, Cambridge
Known for	his pioneering work merging the polytechnic and university sectors in the United Kingdom and establishing the Higher Education Funding Council for England, and for his leadership of the leading universities of Liverpool, Glasgow and London.

Sir Graeme (John) Davies, FREng, FRSNZ, FRSE (born 7 April 1937) is a New Zealand engineer, academic and administrator. He is a former Vice-Chancellor of three universities: the University of Liverpool, the University of Glasgow and the University of London.

Early life

He is the son of Harry John Davies and Gladys Edna Davies (née Pratt). He was born in New Zealand and attended Mount Albert Grammar School in Auckland. He later attended the University of Auckland when he obtained a BE in Aeronautical Engineering and PhD in Materials Science. He then attended St Catharine's College, Cambridge obtaining an MA and ScD.

Career

Davies has taught metallurgy at the University of Auckland (1964–66), the University of Cambridge (1966-77) and the University of Sheffield (1978–86) where he was Professor of Metallurgy.

He has served as Chief Executive of the Universities Funding Council (UFC), and also of the Polytechnic and Colleges Funding Council (PCFC), and then of their successor, the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE).

He is also a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand.

He became an Honorary Fellow of St Catharine's College, Cambridge in 1989. Davies also served as the Chairman of Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS), Ltd.

He is currently the Emeritus Vice Chancellor of the University of London. He is also the Chairman of the British University of Vietnam, the Foundation for Liver Research, and the NZ-UK Link Foundation, Governor of the University of Lincoln, the University of Hertfordshire, the University of Seychelles, Taylor's University, the British Institute of Technology & E-Commerice, and the Public Interest Body of Pricewaterhouse Coopers.

Personal life

In 1959, he married Florence Isabelle Martin (who died in June 2014) and they had one son, Michael Allan Martin Davies, and one daughter, Helena Anne Davies. He was knighted in 1996.

He is a World Class New Zealander, unusually along with his son.

Publications

• Solidification and Casting (1973)
• Texture and the Properties of Materials (co-ed, 1976)
• Solidificacao e Fundicao das Metals e Suas Ligas (jtly, 1978)
• Hot Working and Forming Processes (co-ed, 1980)
• Superplasticity (jtly, 1981)
• Essential Metallurgy for Engineers (jtly, 1985)
• Herding Cats (jtly, 2010)

See also

• UK Centre for Materials Education: Interview with Professor Sir Graeme Davies
• List of Vice-Chancellors of the University of London

External links

• Profile of Sir Graeme Davies at the University of London

Academic offices
Preceded by Professor Robert Whelan	Vice-Chancellor of the University of Liverpool 1986–1991	Succeeded by Professor Philip Love
Preceded by Sir William Kerr Fraser	Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Glasgow 1995–2003	Succeeded by Sir Muir Russell
Preceded by Professor Graham J Zellick CBE	Vice-Chancellor of the University of London 2003 – 2010	Succeeded by Professor Geoffrey Crossick