Richard Andrew Pike FRSC (2 April 1950 – 23 July 2011) was the Chief Executive of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) from 2006 to 2011.
His PhD research work investigated experimental and theoretical aspects of vapour bubble dynamics in boiling, focusing on the thermal and fluid characteristics of water and organic liquids in various gravitational fields, including Earth and zero gravity.
He later moved to become Senior Associate at Gaffney, Cline & Associates, advising on corporate strategy within the oil and gas industry, and leading international technical, commercial and organisational assignments throughout the energy supply chain, from reservoir management to processing facilities, petrochemicals and power.
He authored numerous papers in the fields of science, education and training, engineering, and energy and climate change.
[5] A keen linguist and sportsman, Pike was President of the Cambridge University Anglo-Japanese Society, and in 1980 was the first person to swim between the most northerly islands of the British Isles, in Shetland, raising funds for medical research.