TERCENTENARY OF THE CHAIR OF CHEMISTRY AT CAMBRIDGE

That this House congratulates the University of Cambridge on the occasion of the tercentenary of the foundation of the first ever Professorship in Chemistry in 1702; notes that this has been the longest continuously occupied Chair of Chemistry in the country from Professor John Francis Vigani of Verona in 1702 to Professor Steve Ley in 2002, notes the special event entitled Chem>300 which was held on 6th to 7th December at the Department of Chemistry of the University of Cambridge to mark this unique anniversary; further notes the excellent contributions made on that occasion which was supported by the Royal Society of Chemistry; and notes the unrivalled contribution that the study of chemistry and the chemical sciences has made and continues to make to our understanding of nature, to the quality of life, and to the knowledge economy of the 21st century.