THE funeral of an eminent scientist who won numerous awards for his work will take place today.

Tributes have been paid to Professor David 'Dai' Games who was originally from Ynysddu and lived in High Cross for a number of years.

His eldest son Gwilym Games said: "My father was a wonderful man, with a down to earth nature and a great sense of humour which really allowed him to generate enthusiasm in his students who were deeply inspired by him.

"He always wanted to put people first. It is why so many of the Mass Spectrometer facilities in the UK and beyond feature students he taught developing new cutting edge science.

The family have been overwhelmed by the lovely messages we have received from former students and colleagues of his from all over the world. He leaves behind him a great legacy as a father and a scientist."

Prof Games attended the Lewis School, Pengam and went to study chemistry in Kings College, University of London.

His abilities on the rugby field helped ensure a warm welcome for him there and he went onto captain the college rugby team.

He also met his future wife at university, a fellow chemist Marguerite.

After completing a Ph.D in Chemistry at Kings he did postdoctoral work at McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada. He then won an appointment as a lecturer in the department of chemistry at Cardiff University where he helped develop its work in organic chemistry, becoming responsible for running its mass spectrometry section.

In 1989 he became Director of the Mass Spectrometry Research Unit at University of Wales, Swansea, successfully expanding and developing its work up till his retirement in 2003, also becoming head of the chemistry department

He was universally recognised in the mass spectrometry and chromatography communities; renowned for his work in pioneering, in Europe, liquid chromatography, and coupling it to a mass spectrometer. Mass spectrometers are machines which analyse chemical substances in a wide variety of applications. A Mass Spectrometer works by ionizing chemical substances and then measuring the masses of these ionized molecules inside a vacuum chamber. The addition of a liquid chromatography machine to a mass spectrometer allowed them to separate and analyse more complex organic compounds, this could be used in analysing samples for harmful substances and help in producing pharmaceuticals, environmental science, food safety and in many other areas.

Gavin O'Connor, chair of the British Mass Spectrometry Society, said: "Dai played a pivotal role in the development and use of mass spectrometry in the UK. His scientific accolades, including the Aston and Thomson medals were testament to the leading role Dai played.

"He not only loved the science of mass spectrometry, but his naturally inclusive and engaging manner resulted in many collaborations that opened up new areas of application."

He added: "Many of us were enriched by his presence and the world is much the poorer on his passing."

His numerous awards for contributions to science include the J. J. Thomson Medal (International Mass Spectrometry Society); Aston Medal (British Mass Spectrometry Society), A. G. Evans Medal (Cardiff University), the Gold Medal of the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Analytical division, and the Martin Medal (Chromatographic Society).

Prof Games' funeral will be held on Friday at 2.30pm at the Swansea Crematorium in Morriston.