| Administrative history | Born in Hull, Sheppard attended Hymer's College before obtaining first class honours in Chemistry at St Catherine's College, Cambridge. Undertook wartime research on natural and synthetic rubbers and obtained a research studentship from the Dunlop Rubber Company. Sheppard completed his thesis in 1947 and remained at Cambridge in the Department of Colloid Science (1948-1955) before moving to the University Chemical Laboratory (1955-1964), becoming Assistant Director of Research in Spectroscopy, and obtaining a teaching fellowship from Trinity College.
From 1964-1986 Sheppard was based at the University of East Anglia as Dean of the School of Chemical Sciences and Professor of Chemical Sciences, Head of Chemical Physics Sector. His research work mainly related to the analysis of the vibrational spectroscopies of molecules for the use of, or as background to, the application of these techniques to determine chemical structures. Sheppard was very active within the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1967. Shortly before retirement he developed an interest in the history of science, leading to a corresponding interest in the philosophy of science. |