Cyril Hilsum
Encyclopedia
Cyril Hilsum CBE
FRS
FREng HonFInstP
(born 17 May 1925) is a British physicist and academic.
in 1936 as the middle of three brothers, leaving in 1943 after being accepted into University College London
, where he did his Bsc. In 1945 he joined the Royal Naval Scientific Service, moving in 1947 to the Admiralty Research Laboratory
. In 1950 he transferred again to the Services Electronics Research Laboratory (SERL) where he remained until 1964 before again moving, this time to the Royal Radar Establishment
. He won the Welker Award in 1978, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1979 and an honorary member of the American National Academy of Engineering
. In 1983 he was appointed Director of Research at GEC Hirst Research Centre
. He was awarded the Max Born prize
in 1987, the 1988 Faraday Medal
, and from then until 1990 served as President of the Institute of Physics
. In the 1990 Queen's Birthday Honours
he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for "services to the Electrical and Electronics Industry". He was the subject of a photograph by Nick Sinclair
in 1993 that is currently held by the National Portrait Gallery. In 1997 he was awarded the Glazebrook Medal and Prize from the Institute of Physics, and is notable as the only scientist to hold both this and the Faraday Medal together. He has served as a corporate research advisor for various entities, including Cambridge Display Technology, the European Commission
and Unilever
. In 2007 he was awarded the Royal Society
's Royal Medal
'for his many outstanding contributions and for continuing to use his prodigious talents on behalf of industry, government and academe to this day'.
He currently serves as Chairman of the Scientific Board for Peratech and is a Visiting Professor of Physics at UCL, as well as sitting on the Defence Scientific Advisory Council. He also endorses the Karen Burt Memorial Award, named after his daughter, which is awarded yearly by the Women's Engineering Society 'to a woman engineer of high calibre who has newly attained full corporate membership and Chartered Engineer status through her relevant professional Institution and who has contributed to the promotion of the engineering profession'. In 2006 he was made a Fellow of the ESSCIRC, and in 2007 wrote an obituary for Gareth Roberts for The Guardian
and the Royal Society.
Hilsum helped develop commercial applications for gallium arsenide, and was responsible for creating the UK's first semiconductor laser. He was one of the developers of the
Ridley-Watkins-Hilsum theory
that provided the theoretical basis of the Gunn diode
, and his research helped form the basis of modern LCD technology, bringing in over £100m to the UK government. The British Liquid Crystal Society
awards a Cyril Hilsum Medal each year "to British candidates for overall contributions to liquid-crystal science and technology. The award is made to mid-career scientists who have made notable contributions to the subject over a number of years."
, a correspondent for Channel 4
and Karen, an engineer, who died and has a memorial award named after her.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
FRS
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
FREng HonFInstP
Institute of Physics
The Institute of Physics is a scientific charity devoted to increasing the practice, understanding and application of physics. It has a worldwide membership of around 40,000....
(born 17 May 1925) is a British physicist and academic.
Life
He entered Raine's Foundation SchoolRaine's Foundation School
Raine's Foundation School is a Church of England Voluntary Aided school in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.Henry Raine, a very rich man who lived in Wapping, decided to create a school where poor children could get an education for free, so that they could go into skilled labour when they left....
in 1936 as the middle of three brothers, leaving in 1943 after being accepted into University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
, where he did his Bsc. In 1945 he joined the Royal Naval Scientific Service, moving in 1947 to the Admiralty Research Laboratory
Admiralty Research Laboratory
The Admiralty Research Laboratory, or ARL, was a research laboratory that supported the work of the UK Admiralty in Teddington, London, England....
. In 1950 he transferred again to the Services Electronics Research Laboratory (SERL) where he remained until 1964 before again moving, this time to the Royal Radar Establishment
Royal Radar Establishment
The name Royal Radar Establishment was given to the existing Radar Research Establishment following a visit by Queen Elizabeth II in 1957. Both names were abbreviated to RRE. The establishment had been formed, under its first name, in 1953 by merging the Telecommunications Research Establishment ...
. He won the Welker Award in 1978, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1979 and an honorary member of the American National Academy of Engineering
National Academy of Engineering
The National Academy of Engineering is a government-created non-profit institution in the United States, that was founded in 1964 under the same congressional act that led to the founding of the National Academy of Sciences...
. In 1983 he was appointed Director of Research at GEC Hirst Research Centre
Hirst Research Centre
GEC Hirst Research Centre was one of the first specialised industrial research laboratories to be built in Britain, and was part of the General Electric Company plc empire...
. He was awarded the Max Born prize
Max Born prize
The Max Born Prize is a scientific prize awarded yearly by the German Physical Society and the British Institute of Physics in memory of the German physicist Max Born. The terms of the award are that it is "to be presented for outstanding contributions to physics"...
in 1987, the 1988 Faraday Medal
Faraday Medal
The Faraday Medal is a medal awarded by the Institution of Electrical Engineers The bronze medal is awarded without restriction as regards nationality, country of...
, and from then until 1990 served as President of the Institute of Physics
Institute of Physics
The Institute of Physics is a scientific charity devoted to increasing the practice, understanding and application of physics. It has a worldwide membership of around 40,000....
. In the 1990 Queen's Birthday Honours
Queen's Birthday Honours
The Queen's Birthday Honours is a part of the British honours system, being a civic occasion on the celebration of the Queen's Official Birthday in which new members of most Commonwealth Realms honours are named. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, currently Queen...
he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for "services to the Electrical and Electronics Industry". He was the subject of a photograph by Nick Sinclair
Nick Sinclair
Nick Sinclair is a photographer from the United Kingdom. The National Portrait Gallery in London holds 148 of his portrait photographs in its collection....
in 1993 that is currently held by the National Portrait Gallery. In 1997 he was awarded the Glazebrook Medal and Prize from the Institute of Physics, and is notable as the only scientist to hold both this and the Faraday Medal together. He has served as a corporate research advisor for various entities, including Cambridge Display Technology, the European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
and Unilever
Unilever
Unilever is a British-Dutch multinational corporation that owns many of the world's consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products....
. In 2007 he was awarded the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
's Royal Medal
Royal Medal
The Royal Medal, also known as The Queen's Medal, is a silver-gilt medal awarded each year by the Royal Society, two for "the most important contributions to the advancement of natural knowledge" and one for "distinguished contributions in the applied sciences" made within the Commonwealth of...
'for his many outstanding contributions and for continuing to use his prodigious talents on behalf of industry, government and academe to this day'.
He currently serves as Chairman of the Scientific Board for Peratech and is a Visiting Professor of Physics at UCL, as well as sitting on the Defence Scientific Advisory Council. He also endorses the Karen Burt Memorial Award, named after his daughter, which is awarded yearly by the Women's Engineering Society 'to a woman engineer of high calibre who has newly attained full corporate membership and Chartered Engineer status through her relevant professional Institution and who has contributed to the promotion of the engineering profession'. In 2006 he was made a Fellow of the ESSCIRC, and in 2007 wrote an obituary for Gareth Roberts for The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
and the Royal Society.
Research
While working for the Ministry of DefenceMinistry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
Hilsum helped develop commercial applications for gallium arsenide, and was responsible for creating the UK's first semiconductor laser. He was one of the developers of the
Ridley-Watkins-Hilsum theory
Ridley Watkins Hilsum theory
The Ridley–Watkins–Hilsum Theory explains the mechanism by which differential negative resistance is developed in a bulk solid state device when a voltage is applied to the terminals of the sample....
that provided the theoretical basis of the Gunn diode
Gunn diode
A Gunn diode, also known as a transferred electron device , is a form of diode used in high-frequency electronics. It is somewhat unusual in that it consists only of N-doped semiconductor material, whereas most diodes consist of both P and N-doped regions...
, and his research helped form the basis of modern LCD technology, bringing in over £100m to the UK government. The British Liquid Crystal Society
British Liquid Crystal Society
The British Liquid Crystal Society is a charitable trust established to promote education and research on liquid crystals in the United Kingdom. The object of the Society is to advance education in the science of liquid crystals throughout Great Britain and Northern Ireland...
awards a Cyril Hilsum Medal each year "to British candidates for overall contributions to liquid-crystal science and technology. The award is made to mid-career scientists who have made notable contributions to the subject over a number of years."
Personal life
He married Betty Hilsum, with whom he had two daughters, LindseyLindsey Hilsum
Lindsey Hilsum is an English television journalist. She is the International Editor for Channel 4 News, and a regular contributor to the Sunday Times, The Observer, The Guardian, The New Statesman, and Granta....
, a correspondent for Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
and Karen, an engineer, who died and has a memorial award named after her.
Works
- Semiconducting III-V Compounds (Monographs on Semiconductors), C. Hilsum, 239 pages, Publ. Elsevier (1961), ISBN 0-08-009499-6
- Liquid Crystals, C. Hilsum, Cambridge Univ Press (1985), ISBN 0-521-30465-2
- Device Physics (Vol 4 of Handbook on Semiconductors), C. Hilsum and T.S. Moss (Editors), 1244 pages, Publ. JAI Press (1993) ISBN 0-444-88813-6
- Communications After AD2000, C. Hilsum, D.E.N. Davies, A.W. Rudge (Editors), Chapman & Hall, (1993), ISBN 0-412-49550-3