(Edwin) Roland Dobbs (2 December 1924 – 24 October 2016) was a British physicist, best known for his work in physical acoustics.
Education
He was educated at
Ilford County High School
Ilford County High School (often abbreviated to ICHS) is a selective secondary grammar school for boys located in the town of Barkingside of the London Borough of Redbridge. The school was formerly called ''Park High Grade School'' and as a res ...
,
Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet
Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet is a boys' grammar school in Barnet, northern Greater London, which was founded in 1573 by Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, and others, in the name of Queen Elizabeth I.
It is consistently ranked as one o ...
and
University College London
, mottoeng = Let all come who by merit deserve the most reward
, established =
, type = Public research university
, endowment = £143 million (2020)
, budget = ...
. After gaining First Class Honours in Physics, he was called up for
radar
Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance (''ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, w ...
research for the
Admiralty
Admiralty most often refers to:
*Admiralty, Hong Kong
*Admiralty (United Kingdom), military department in command of the Royal Navy from 1707 to 1964
*The rank of admiral
*Admiralty law
Admiralty can also refer to:
Buildings
* Admiralty, Traf ...
working there from 1943 to 1946. He returned to University College in 1946, completing a PhD: 'The Viscosity of Liquid Alkali Metals' in 1949. In 1977 he was awarded a D.Sc.
Career
He was lecturer in Physics at
Queen Mary and Westfield College
, mottoeng = With united powers
, established = 1785 – The London Hospital Medical College1843 – St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College1882 – Westfield College1887 – East London College/Queen Mary College
, type = Public researc ...
(1949–1958),
Fulbright Scholar
The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States Cultural Exchange Programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people of ...
in
applied mathematics
Applied mathematics is the application of mathematical methods by different fields such as physics, engineering, medicine, biology, finance, business, computer science, and industry. Thus, applied mathematics is a combination of mathematical s ...
(1958–1959) and Associate Professor of Physics (1959–1960) at
Brown University
Brown University is a private research university in Providence, Rhode Island. Brown is the seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, founded in 1764 as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providenc ...
, AEI Fellow 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 ...
,
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 ...
(1960–1964), Professor and Head of Department of Physics,
University of Lancaster
, mottoeng = Truth lies open to all
, established =
, endowment = £13.9 million
, budget = £317.9 million
, type = Public
, city = Bailrigg, City of Lancaster
, country = England
, coor =
, campus = Bailrigg
, faculty = 1 ...
(1964–1973), Head of Department of Physics at
Bedford College, University of London (1973–1985) and
Hildred Carlile
Sir Edward Hildred Carlile, 1st Baronet, (10 July 1852 – 26 September 1942) was an English businessman and Conservative Party politician.
Early life
Born in Richmond, Surrey, in 1852, Carlile was educated at St Albans School and abroad. He ...
Professor (1973–1990). Following the merger of Bedford and
Royal Holloway College
Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL), formally incorporated as Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, is a public research university and a constituent college of the federal University of London. It has six schools, 21 academic departm ...
, he was Head of Department of Physics,
Royal Holloway and Bedford New College
Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL), formally incorporated as Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, is a public research university and a constituent college of the federal University of London. It has six schools, 21 academic departm ...
, 1985-90. On his retirement, he became Emeritus Professor.
He held several visiting Professorships at Brown University, Rhode Island. U.S.A, Wayne State University, Michigan, U.S.A., University of Tokyo, Japan, University of Delhi, India and Cornell University, N.Y., U.S.A.
He was a member of the Physics Committee of the
Science Research Council
The Science and Engineering Research Council (SERC) and its predecessor the Science Research Council (SRC) were the UK agencies in charge of publicly funded scientific and engineering research activities, including astronomy, biotechnology and bi ...
and of its
Nuclear Physics
Nuclear physics is the field of physics that studies atomic nuclei and their constituents and interactions, in addition to the study of other forms of nuclear matter.
Nuclear physics should not be confused with atomic physics, which studies the ...
Board, and a member of the Physics Committee of the
Science and Engineering Research Council
The Science and Engineering Research Council (SERC) and its predecessor the Science Research Council (SRC) were the UK agencies in charge of publicly funded scientific and engineering research activities, including astronomy, biotechnology and bi ...
. He was Convener, Standing Conference of Professors of Physics of
Great Britain
Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It is ...
, 1985–1988.
His research interests were in various areas of condensed matter physics: metals, superconductors, condensed inert gases, and latterly Helium 3 as a Fermi liquid and superfluid. He was noted for his research on the physics of
helium-3
Helium-3 (3He see also helion) is a light, stable isotope of helium with two protons and one neutron (the most common isotope, helium-4, having two protons and two neutrons in contrast). Other than protium (ordinary hydrogen), helium-3 is the ...
, including its behavior as a
superfluid
Superfluidity is the characteristic property of a fluid with zero viscosity which therefore flows without any loss of kinetic energy. When stirred, a superfluid forms vortices that continue to rotate indefinitely. Superfluidity occurs in two ...
, and published what was regarded as the definitive monograph 'Helium 3' in its various states in 2000 (Oxford University Press). Other publications include: Solid Helium Three (Oxford University Press): 1993, Electricity and Magnetism (Routledge & Kegan Paul):1984 and Basic Electromagnetism (Chapman & Hall): 1993.
At Lancaster University he was the Foundation Principal of
the County College
The County College, also known as County College or County, is a constituent college of the University of Lancaster. The establishment of the college was financed through the benefaction of Lancashire County Council and it is named after it. T ...
for two years before the building of the College was completed.
He died on 24 October 2016 at the age of 91.
Telegraph announcement
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References
1924 births
2016 deaths
British physicists
Academics of Queen Mary University of London
Academics of Royal Holloway, University of London
People educated at Ilford County High School
Alumni of University College London
Fellows of the Institute of Physics
Academics of Lancaster University
People educated at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School for Boys
{{UK-physicist-stub