Russell E. Morris
A materials chemist who designs porous molecular sieves with vast potential, from storing gases to delivering drugs, while also excelling on the cricket pitch.
Born 1967 (age 59)·British chemist·Birthday: June 8·Generation X
Biography
Russell Morris operates at the fascinating intersection of chemistry and architecture, constructing microscopic frameworks with monumental applications. As a professor at the University of St Andrews, his work focuses on porous materials, particularly metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and zeolites—essentially designing sponge-like structures at the molecular level. These materials can trap, store, and release specific molecules, with potential uses ranging from capturing carbon dioxide and storing hydrogen fuel to delivering pharmaceuticals within the human body. His research is characterized by a drive to solve practical, global challenges through fundamental chemical innovation. Remarkably, Morris also led a parallel life in elite sport, playing first-class cricket for Oxford University while completing his doctorate, a testament to a disciplined and multifaceted intellect.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Russell was born in 1967, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Russell Was Born
The biggest hits of 1967
#1 Movie
The Jungle Book
Best Picture
In the Heat of the Night
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Russell's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1967Born
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1972Started school
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1980Became a teenager
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Could drive
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1985Could vote
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Turned 21
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1997Turned 30
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 40
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 50
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 59 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Appointed Bishop Wardlaw Professor of Chemistry at the University of St Andrews in 2016.
- Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 2016 for his contributions to porous materials chemistry.
- Published pioneering research on the synthesis and applications of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs).
- Played first-class cricket for Oxford University while a student, including matches in the prestigious University Match.
Did You Know?
He played first-class cricket for Oxford University against Cambridge, taking wickets against their team.
He also represented Oxford University in association football, playing in Varsity matches at stadiums like Wembley and Highbury.
His research group often gives their synthesized materials whimsical names based on the university's Scottish location, like 'STA' for St Andrews.
“We build materials with purpose, atom by atom.”
