John S. Holman

Sir John Stranger Holman is emeritus professor of chemistry at the University of York, a senior advisor in education at the Wellcome Trust and the Gatsby Foundation, founding director of the National Science Learning Centre,[1] and president-elect of the Royal Society of Chemistry.[2]

He was Headteacher of Watford Grammar School for Boys between 1994 and 2000,[3] and was the British government's National STEM Director from 2006 to 2010[4][5] (STEM referring to the academic disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). He is on the council and a trustee of the Royal Society of Chemistry,[6] and is a trustee of the Natural History Museum.[7] He was made a Knight Bachelor in the 2010 New Year's honours.[5] In 2014 the Royal Society of Chemistry awarded him the Lord Lewis Prize "in recognition of his extensive influence over chemistry education policy".[8] He is Chair of the Salters' Institute board,[9] was the founding director of Salters' Advanced Chemistry programme,[9] and is the author of numerous chemistry textbooks.

He was named in 2014 by the Science Council as one of the UK's 100 leading practising scientists,[10] and was the 2014 recipient of the Royal Society's biennial Kavli Education Medal, "in recognition of his significant impact on science education within the UK".[11]