David Tabor (né Tabrisky), FRS (23 October 1913 – 26 November 2005) was a British

physicist A physicist is a scientist who specializes in the field of physics, which encompasses the interactions of matter and energy at all length and time scales in the physical universe. Physicists generally are interested in the root or ultimate cau ...

who was an early pioneer of

tribology Tribology is the science and engineering of interacting surfaces in relative motion. It includes the study and application of the principles of friction, lubrication and wear. Tribology is highly interdisciplinary, drawing on many academic fi ...

, the study of frictional interaction between surfaces, and well known for his influential undergraduate textbook "Gases, Liquids and Solids".

Early life and education

David Tabrisky was the sixth of seven children of Russian Jewish parents Charles (born "Ezekiel") Tabrisky and Rebecca (née Weinstein), who had emigrated to the United Kingdom and lived at

Notting Hill Gate Notting Hill Gate is one of the main thoroughfares of Notting Hill, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Historically the street was a location for toll gates, from which it derives its modern name. Location At Ossington Street/Ke ...

. His father had been a

non-commissioned officer A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is a military officer who has not pursued a commission. Non-commissioned officers usually earn their position of authority by promotion through the enlisted ranks. (Non-officers, which includes most or all enli ...

in, and armourer to, the Russian Imperial Army, and had run a business as a gunsmith and metalworker. On coming to England, he established a small metalworking business specialising in customised fittings and designs. Charles Tabrisky changed the family's surname to "Tabor" in the early 1920s. Tabor was educated at the

Portobello Road Portobello Road is a street in the Notting Hill district of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in west London. It runs almost the length of Notting Hill from south to north, roughly parallel with Ladbroke Grove. On Saturdays it is ...

Primary School,

Regent Street Polytechnic The University of Westminster is a public university based in London, United Kingdom. Founded in 1838 as the Royal Polytechnic Institution, it was the first polytechnic to open in London. The Polytechnic formally received a Royal charter in Aug ...

Secondary School, and

Imperial College London Imperial College London (legally Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine) is a public research university in London, United Kingdom. Its history began with Prince Albert, consort of Queen Victoria, who developed his vision for a cu ...

(to which he won a scholarship), then went to Cambridge to undertake research in the Department of Chemistry.

Academic career

In 1957, Tabor was elected a

Fellow A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context. In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements. Within the context of higher education ...

Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge Gonville and Caius College, often referred to simply as Caius ( ), is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1348, it is the fourth-oldest of the University of Cambridge's 31 colleges and one of t ...

. In 1964, the

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

appointed him

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in Physics. From 1969 to 1981, he served as Head of Physics and Chemistry of Solids at the

Cavendish Laboratory The Cavendish Laboratory is the Department of Physics at the University of Cambridge, and is part of the School of Physical Sciences. The laboratory was opened in 1874 on the New Museums Site as a laboratory for experimental physics and is named ...

. In 1973, he was promoted to

Professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an academic rank at universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who professes". Professo ...

of Physics. He was made

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when he retired in 1981. Much of Tabor's

research was performed alongside

Frank Philip Bowden Frank Philip Bowden CBE FRS (2 May 1903 – 3 September 1968) was an Australian physicist. Early life He was born in Hobart, Tasmania, the son of telegraph engineer Frank Prosser Bowden. Bowden received his Bachelor of Science degree fro ...

, with whom he published his popular book The Friction and Lubrication of Solids'''.

Honours

He was elected a Fellow of the

Royal Society The Royal Society, formally The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, is a learned society and the United Kingdom's national academy of sciences. The society fulfils a number of roles: promoting science and its benefits, re ...

in 1963. He was awarded the

Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers The Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers (STLE) is an American non-profit technical society for the tribology and lubrication engineering sectors worldwide. Its offices are in Park Ridge, Illinois. Established in 1944 as the Americ ...

International Award in 1965. In 1968 he was awarded the

A. A. Griffith Medal and Prize The A. A. Griffith Medal and Prize is awarded annually by the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining in commemoration of Alan Arnold Griffith. History The award was established by the Materials Science Club of Great Britain in 1965, two year ...

. He was the first recipient of the Tribology Gold Medal, which is awarded by the Tribology Trust and administered by the

Institution of Mechanical Engineers The Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) is an independent professional association and learned society headquartered in London, United Kingdom, that represents mechanical engineers and the engineering profession. With over 120,000 member ...

, in 1972. He was awarded the Mayo D. Hersey award from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers in 1974. He also received the Guthrie Medal of the

Institute of Physics The Institute of Physics (IOP) is a UK-based learned society and professional body that works to advance physics education, research and application. It was founded in 1874 and has a worldwide membership of over 20,000. The IOP is the Physic ...

, 1975 and the Royal Society's Royal Medal, one of their three highest awards, 1992. The David Tabor Medal and Prize from the

was named in his honour.

Personal life

In 1943, Tabor married Hanna Stillschweig, who survived him with their two sons.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tabor, David 1913 births 2005 deaths English Jews 20th-century British physicists 20th-century British engineers British mechanical engineers Tribologists Fellows of the Royal Society Jewish scientists Royal Medal winners