Walter Metcalf (chemist)

{{Short description|New Zealand physical chemist}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}

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{{Infobox scientist

| name = Walter Metcalf

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| birth_name = Walter Sidney Metcalf

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1918|05|18|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Kaitangata, New Zealand

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2008|07|25|1918|05|18|df=yes}}

| death_place = New Zealand

| fields = Physical chemistry

| workplaces = Victoria University College
University of Canterbury

| alma_mater = University of Oxford

| doctoral_advisor = E. J. Bowen{{cite web |url=http://www.ndsu.edu/chemistry/files/genealogy-web.pdf |title=Academic Genealogy of the NDSU Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | publisher=North Dakota State University | location=USA | accessdate=March 16, 2012}}

| doctoral_students =

| known_for = Photochemistry

| awards = T. K. Sidey Medal (1966)

}}

Walter Sidney Metcalf (18 May 1918 – 25 July 2008) was a New Zealand physical chemist.{{cite journal | url=http://nzic.org.nz/CiNZ/articles/obit_metcalf.pdf | title=Obituary: Walter Sidney Metcalf (1928–2008) | last1=Phillips | first1=Leon | last2=Robinson | first2=Ward | journal=Chemistry in New Zealand | date=October 2008 | page=143 | publisher=New Zealand Institute of Chemistry |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180127123925/http://nzic.org.nz/CiNZ/articles/obit_metcalf.pdf |archive-date=27 January 2018}}

Metcalf was born in Kaitangata on 18 May 1918, the son of George Metcalf, and was educated at Napier Boys' High School.{{cite book |editor-last=Traue |editor-first=J. E. |editor-link=Jim Traue |title=Who's Who in New Zealand |edition=11th |year=1978 |publisher=Reed |location=Wellington |isbn=0-589-01113-8 |page=195}} He earned a bachelor's degree in music in parallel with his first science degree at the University of Otago,{{cite web |url=https://otago150years.wordpress.com/2014/11/03/the-gift-of-music/ |title=The gift of music |date=2 November 2014 |publisher=University of Otago 1869-2019 |access-date=27 September 2021}} and completed a DPhil degree with E. J. Bowen at England's Oxford University.

Metcalf married Mary Glen Simmers, and the couple went on to have two children.

Metcalf initially worked at Victoria University College, then moved to Canterbury University College (now the University of Canterbury) in 1954. He retired as a reader in 1975. He worked mainly on photochemistry and was awarded the T. K. Sidey Medal by the Royal Society of New Zealand for his research in 1966.{{cite web |url=http://www.royalsociety.org.nz/programmes/awards/sidey-medal/recipients/ | title=T. K. Sidey Medal: Recipients | work=T. K. Sidey Medal | publisher=Royal Society of New Zealand | accessdate=19 March 2012}} Towards the end of his career, he worked on calcium metabolism.