Sandy Dobbie: Scots chemists, past and present, have much to be proud of

Next year heralds the International Year of Chemistry, which will be launched with a lavish opening ceremony in Paris at Unesco's world headquarters.

Although it promises to be a global celebration of chemistry's role in improving our lives, Scots can take much pride in our contribution to that process.

The ingenuity of Scottish chemists has played a key role in making the world a better place. Such men include Joseph Black, who discovered carbon dioxide in 1753 and was such an influence on Joseph Watt – famous for his work on steam engines.

Likewise, Joseph Lister pioneered the use of antiseptic surgery while working at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary in the 19th century.

In fact, the chances are that most everyday items you use today will have their origins in the chemical sciences industry, whether it be plastics, manmade fibres, pharmaceuticals, paints or dyes.

Today, the chemical sciences sector is powering the Scottish economy. Global giants such as Ineos, DSM, BASF, GSK, DuPont, Syngenta and Dow are among 150 chemical companies located here.

The sector consistently contributes about 2.8 billion to our economy every year in manufacturing exports. It directly employs 14,000 people and generates annual revenue of 9.3bn.

Scotland can still expect to produce its fair share of inventors and innovators, as four out of the top ten chemistry departments in the UK are found north of the Border.

Many companies in the sector are now leading the fight against global warming. For example, in Grangemouth, Polimeri Europa is developing advanced synthetic rubber for fuel-efficient tyres.

As the world celebrates the positive impact of chemistry next year, Scotland can be as proud as any nation of the pioneers who came from these shores. The good news is that their good work goes on today.

We should be as excited by the future as we should be of our past.

• Dr Sandy Dobbie is the chairman of Chemical Sciences Scotland.