Sir John Edwin Enderby One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from the royalsociety.org website where: (16 January 1931 – 3 August 2021) 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 ...

, and was Professor of Physics at

University of Bristol , mottoeng = earningpromotes one's innate power (from Horace, ''Ode 4.4'') , established = 1595 – Merchant Venturers School1876 – University College, Bristol1909 – received royal charter , type ...

from 1976 to 1996. He developed innovative ways of using neutrons to study matter at the microscopic level. His research has particularly advanced our understanding of the structure of multicomponent liquids— those made up of two or more types of atoms – including commonly used liquid alloys and glasses.

Education

Enderby was educated at Chester Grammar School and the

University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree ...

where he was awarded Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees.

Career and research

Enderby’s techniques mean that the relative positions of the various types of atomic nuclei can be deduced from diffraction patterns arising from the quantum wavelike scattering of the neutrons. His work includes the surprise discovery that aqueous solutions — important in biology as the environment for an organism’s chemical reactions — have a quasi-lattice structure. He was the H.O. Wills Professor of Physics and Head of Department, from 1981 to 1994 and Deputy Director (Directeur-adjoint) of the

Institut Laue–Langevin The Institut Laue–Langevin (ILL) is an internationally financed scientific facility, situated on the Polygone Scientifique in Grenoble, France. It is one of the world centres for research using neutrons. Founded in 1967 and honouring the ph ...

from 1985 to 1988.

Personal life

Enderby died on 3 August 2021, at the age of 90.

Awards and honours

Enderby was awarded 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 ...

, an institution he later served as President. Enderby was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 1985 and was Physical Secretary and Vice-President of the society from 1999 to 2004 and was Chair of the Royal Society's Publishing Board ''ex officio''. He was President of the

from 2004 to 2006. Enderby's contributions have been recognised by the award of a

CBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

in 1997 and a

Knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...

hood for services to Science and Technology in 2004.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Enderby, John 1931 births 2021 deaths Knights Bachelor British physicists Fellows of the Royal Society Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Academics of the University of Bristol People educated at Chester City Grammar School Presidents of the Institute of Physics Alumni of the University of London