The career and scientific work of Ronald J. Gillespie: an appreciation andoverview

An account is given of Ronald Gillespie's career and his scientific contrib utions to research and to chemical education from the perspective of the au thor, an accomplice who for more than 40 years has profited enormously from countless long hours of scientific discussion and beneficial comradeship. His career is charted from his early fascination with chemistry, through hi s university experience at University College, London, where he benefited g reatly from the influence of Sir Christopher Ingold, to his long associatio n with McMaster University, and his continuing unremitting activity in reti rement. A personal account is given of some of his major contributions, inc luding his pioneering work on superacids, his seminal work in furthering ou r understanding of the factors that influence molecular structure and bondi ng through his valence shell electron repulsion (VSEPR) and ligand close-pa cking (LCP), models, and his contributions to chemical education. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. AU rights reserved.