Leonard Ross Fisher (born 1942) is an

Australian Australian(s) may refer to: Australia * Australia, a country * Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia ** European Australians ** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists ** Aboriginal A ...

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 visiting senior research fellow at the

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 ...

, UK. He is known for his research into everyday topics, such as the optimal way to dunk a biscuit, and the optimum use of cheese in a

cheese sandwich A cheese sandwich is a sandwich made with cheese on bread. Typically semi-hard cheeses are used for the filling, such as Cheddar, Red Leicester, or Double Gloucester. A ''Guardian'' article called the cheese sandwich a " British lunchtime s ...

Education

Fisher received a BSc in chemistry and pure mathematics, and an MSc in radiation chemistry from the

University of Sydney The University of Sydney (USYD), also known as Sydney University, or informally Sydney Uni, is a public research university located in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and is one of the country's ...

. He has a PhD in physics of surfaces from the

University of New South Wales The University of New South Wales (UNSW), also known as UNSW Sydney, is a public research university based in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is one of the founding members of Group of Eight, a coalition of Australian research-intensiv ...

Career

Fisher has been a visiting senior research fellow in the school of physics at the University of Bristol since 1992.

Research

In 1998, Fisher published a study on the optimal way to dunk a biscuit. The study concluded that 10 times more flavour is released from a biscuit if it has first been dunked in a hot drink. This research was funded by McVities. In 2000, Fisher studied the absorption of

gravy Gravy is a sauce often made from the juices of meats that run naturally during cooking and often thickened with wheat flour or corn starch for added texture. The gravy may be further coloured and flavoured with gravy salt (a simple mix of salt ...

by a

roast dinner A Sunday roast or roast dinner is a traditional meal of British and Irish origin. Although it can be consumed throughout the week, it is traditionally consumed on Sunday. It consists of roasted meat, roasted potatoes and accompaniments s ...

. He found that 700,000 litres of gravy is wasted every week in the UK when it is poured on food and not consumed. He also calculated a gravy absorption index, and published a set of rules to maximise the absorption of gravy by food. Following on from this work, in 2001, he researched the best bread to absorb gravy with, concluding that

ciabatta Ciabatta (, ; literally " slipper") is an Italian white bread made from wheat flour, water, salt, yeast and olive oil, created in 1982 by a baker in Adria, province of Rovigo, Veneto, Italy, in response to the popularity of French baguettes. Cia ...

soaks up the most. In 2003, Fisher produced a report for the British Cheese Board, titled "Optimum Use of Cheese in a Cheese Sandwich". He found that the optimum thickness for the filling in a cheese sandwich is dependent on the type of cheese used, and that the sandwich should be made with a light spread of butter or margarine to enhance the flavour of the cheese. This research has drawn criticism for being 'frivolous'.

Publications

* ''How to Dunk a Doughnut: The Science of Everyday Life'' (2002) * ''Weighing the Soul: The Evolution of Scientific Ideas'' (2004) * ''Rock, Paper, Scissors: Game Theory in Everyday Life'' (2008) * ''The Perfect Swarm: The Science of Complexity in Everyday Life'' (2009) * ''Crashes, Crises and Calamities: How We Can Use Science to Read the Early-Warning Signs'' (2011)

Awards

Fisher was presented with the

Ig Nobel Prize The Ig Nobel Prize ( ) is a satiric prize awarded annually since 1991 to celebrate ten unusual or trivial achievements in scientific research. Its aim is to "honor achievements that first make people laugh, and then make them think." The name o ...

for Physics, in 1999, for calculating the optimal way to dunk a biscuit. In 2004, Fisher was named Science Writer of the Year by the

American Institute of Physics The American Institute of Physics (AIP) promotes science and the profession of physics, publishes physics journals, and produces publications for scientific and engineering societies. The AIP is made up of various member societies. Its corpora ...

for ''How to Dunk a Doughnut: The Science of Everyday Life''. In 2019, Fisher was awarded the

Medal of the Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian Gove ...

for his contribution to science.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fisher, Len 1942 births Living people Academics of the University of Bristol Australian physicists Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia University of New South Wales alumni University of Sydney alumni