Brian Scarlett (11 July 1938–2 September 2004) was a

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academic noted for his contributions to

particle technology Particle technology is the "science and technology related to the handling and processing of particles and powders." This applies to the production, handling, modification, and use of a wide variety of particulate materials, both wet or dry, in size ...

Life

Scarlett was born 11 July 1938 in Biddulph, Staffordshire, England.Davies, R,. (2004) Particles & Particle Systems Characterization 21 177-8 In Memoriam – Brian ScarlettDavies, R., (2004) Particle Technology Forum Newsletter 10, 1,3-4 Brian Scarlett remembered He attended Wolstanton Grammar School and the

University of Durham Durham University (legally the University of Durham) is a collegiate university, collegiate public university, public research university in Durham, England, Durham, England, founded by an Act of Parliament in 1832 and incorporated by royal charte ...

, gaining a BSc in Physics in 1959. By 1964 Scarlett had earned a PhD from the same institution, having also migrated from Hatfield College to

University College In a number of countries, a university college is a college institution that provides tertiary education but does not have full or independent university status. A university college is often part of a larger university. The precise usage varies ...

for his doctoral studies. He died 2 September 2004 in Gainesville, Florida, being survived by his wife Joan, son Ian, and daughters Diane and Judy.

Career

In 1964 he joined the

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. In 1966 he obtained a research assistant post at the Nottingham and District Technical College where he began his research on particle technology. In 1969 he moved to the

chemical engineering Chemical engineering is an engineering field which deals with the study of operation and design of chemical plants as well as methods of improving production. Chemical engineers develop economical commercial processes to convert raw materials int ...

department of

Loughborough University of Technology Loughborough University (abbreviated as ''Lough'' or ''Lboro'' for post-nominals) is a public research university in the market town of Loughborough, Leicestershire, England. It has been a university since 1966, but it dates back to 1909, when ...

. He stayed there until 1983 when he moved to

Delft University of Technology Delft University of Technology ( nl, Technische Universiteit Delft), also known as TU Delft, is the oldest and largest Dutch public technical university, located in Delft, Netherlands. As of 2022 it is ranked by QS World University Rankings among ...

as a full professor, of chemical technology in the Departments of chemical engineering, mechanical engineering and mining. In 2000 he moved to the

University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida, traces its origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its ...

as full professor in the

National Science Foundation The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent agency of the United States government that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National ...

Engineering Research Centre, in particle science and technology, forming the largest academic group in powder mechanics in the US. He continued there until his death.

Other activities

Politics

While at Loughborough, Scarlett served as a

local councillor A councillor is an elected representative for a local government council in some countries. Canada Due to the control that the provinces have over their municipal governments, terms that councillors serve vary from province to province. Unl ...

for Charnwood District Council and was appointed to represent

Leicestershire County Council Leicestershire County Council is the county council for the English non-metropolitan county of Leicestershire. It was originally formed in 1889 by the Local Government Act 1888. The county is divided into 52 electoral divisions, which return a to ...

on the

Trent River Authority The Trent River Authority was one of 27 river authorities created by the Water Resources Act 1963 (1963 C. 38). It took over the powers of the existing Trent River Board and was given additional duties to monitor water quality and protect wate ...

, where he rose to the position of Chairman of Water Management. He contemplated a full-time career in politics, but decided to stay as an academic.

Committees

Scarlett served on several committees, including as the Chairman of the

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Committee TC/24- “Methods of Particle Sizing other than Sieving”, Chairman of the Particle Size group of the

Royal Society of Chemistry The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) is a learned society (professional association) in the United Kingdom with the goal of "advancing the chemical sciences". It was formed in 1980 from the amalgamation of the Chemical Society, the Royal Instit ...

, and Secretary of the Particle Technology Subject group of the Institution of Chemical Engineers. He was a member of the

AIChE The American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) is a professional organization for chemical engineers. AIChE was actually established in 1908 to distinguish chemical engineers as a profession independent of chemists and mechanical engineer ...

Particle Technology Forum and of the Working Party on Particle Characterization and Agglomeration for the

European Federation of Chemical Engineering The European Federation of Chemical Engineering (EFCE), also known as Fédération Européenne du Génie Chimique and Europäische Föderation für Chemie-Ingenieur-Wesen, is an association of professional societies in Europe concerned with chemic ...

Quote

"A particle size measurement does not have a meaning unless the objective of the measurement is also specified. Thus, the techniques which should be used depend entirely on the accuracy required and the circumstances of the place and time in which the measurements must be made. There is no such thing as the “best” particle size technique unless the circumstances are also specified."Quoted by Andrew Turley
in Chemistry World, 2011

Honours and legacy

Scarlett was a

Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering Fellowship of the Royal Academy of Engineering (FREng) is an award and fellowship for engineers who are recognised by the Royal Academy of Engineering as being the best and brightest engineers, inventors and technologists in the UK and from aroun ...

, a Fellow 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 ...

, and a Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers. He was awarded honorary doctorates (DSc) by the

University of Coimbra The University of Coimbra (UC; pt, Universidade de Coimbra, ) is a public research university in Coimbra, Portugal. First established in Lisbon in 1290, it went through a number of relocations until moving permanently to Coimbra in 1537. The u ...

(1997)University of Coimbra
Doutoramento Honoris Causa de Álvaro Siza e Brian Scarlett : Universidade de Coimbra 23 de Novembro de 1997 and Loughborough University (1999). In 2000, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers gave him their Award for Lifetime Achievement in Particle Technology.www.aiche.org
Particle Technology Forum Award In 2006 the Fifth World Congress on Particle Technology had a Brian Scarlett Memorial Session of invited papers, Fifth World Congress on Particle Technology
Brian Scarlett Memorial Session with another at the Seventh in 2014.www.malvern.com
/ref> In 2010 a Brian Scarlett Scholarship Fund was set up by the

to support student travel to particle technology events. RSC PCIG Newsletter
January 2010

References

External links

Prof Brian Scarlett
World Congress in Particle Technology 2006 Profile including many photographs
Royal Society of Chemistry
Brian Scarlett Scholarship Fund {{DEFAULTSORT:Scarlett, Brian English physicists Particle technology People from Biddulph Fellows of the Royal Academy of Engineering People educated at Wolstanton Grammar School 1938 births 2004 deaths Alumni of Hatfield College, Durham Alumni of University College, Durham