Congratulations to Professor Bob Cywinski
Wed, 03 Jun 2015 02:20:00 BST
Professor Bob Cywinski, Dean of the Graduate School and Special Advisor (Research) to the Vice Chancellor, has just been awarded the degree of Doctor of Science by the University. This is only the fourth DSc awarded by the University, and the very first in Physics.
When asked about this achievement he commented: “I am deeply honoured and grateful to receive this award from the University, particularly as Huddersfield is the town in which I was born. A DSc is rather like a life time achievement award for which independent experts have assessed my research and publications over my forty-year career to evaluate my personal contribution to scientific knowledge and my international impact.”
Science, Facilities and Facilitating Science
His DSc thesis is entitled Science, Facilities and Facilitating Science to reflect the three main strands of his research career which has led to over 250 papers, books, policy documents, patents and even movies. The ‘Science’ covers Professor Cywinski’s research into the fundamental aspects of the origins of magnetism and superconductivity and their relationship to the structure of matter, explored using intense beams of sub-atomic particles such a neutrons and muons at international facilities. It also includes his more recent research into the applications of particle accelerators in medicine and novel nuclear energy production. ‘Facilities’ describes his significant contributions to designing, building, developing and exploiting major large scale science facilities such as ISIS in Oxfordshire, which until recently was the world’s most powerful spallation neutron source, and the new £1.5 billion European Spallation Source, for which Bob attended the foundation stone ceremony in Lund in Sweden last October.
“One of the most interesting aspects of my career has been that of facilitating science,” says Professor Cywinski, referring to his roles as Chair or member of scientific advisory boards in the UK, France, Russia, Canada, Japan and the USA, as president of international science associations, and as a member of international science prize committees. He has also facilitated science through public engagement, for example by writing and producing movies for Lord Robert Winston and our own Chancellor Sir Patrick Stewart, in addition to his own movie appearance as the Quantum Cowboy.
From the House of Lords to Glastonbury
His public engagement activities have included many appearances on radio and television and in the press, lectures to All Party Parliamentary Groups in the House of Lords and the Commons, public lectures across the UK, and even a performance at the Glastonbury Festival in 2014.
“My research career has been very challenging, but always very rewarding,” he says, “but perhaps the greatest reward is the recognition by one’s peers that one’s research really has been worthwhile. My DSc is tangible evidence of that recognition.”
Professor Cywinski will be presented with his DSc on Tuesday 14 July at the University’s Awards Ceremony, when he will also be made an Emeritus Professor of the University.
