New Pro-Vice-Chancellor appointed

Jeremy Sanders was educated at Wandsworth School - a comprehensive in London - and then studied for a BSc in Chemistry at Imperial College, before moving to Cambridge for his PhD.

Following a year of postdoctoral work at Stanford University, he joined the academic staff of the Chemistry Department in Cambridge in 1973.

Rising through the ranks, he became Professor in 1996 and was Head of Chemistry from 2000 to 2006.

He took up his present role as Head of the School of Physical Sciences in 2009.

A Fellow of Selwyn College, Professor Sanders’ research into fundamental aspects of molecular behaviour has been recognised by his election as Fellow of the Royal Society in 1995, and by numerous awards, most notably the Davy Medal of the Royal Society in 2009.

His broader University interests, particularly in people and in music, led to him becoming the Chair of the 800th Anniversary Steering Committee, leading and overseeing the very successful year of celebrations in 2009.

The opening and closing light shows were the highlights of a year-long festival illustrating why Cambridge matters, while the picnic for 9000 people in the Botanic Gardens thanked all the staff for their crucial contributions to Cambridge’s continuing success.

Professor Sanders said: “I see my new role as providing leadership in developing an environment within which the whole University community can thrive.

“My responsibilities will include developing human resources policy and strategy for our 9000 employees, and the University’s key relationships with the City and local region. Engagement with the local community will be a key component. It will be challenging, but also exciting”.

Professor Sanders will succeed Professor Ian White who is standing down at the end of September to become the new Master of Jesus College.

At this morning’s University Council meeting Professor John Rallison was reappointed as Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education for a further three years.