Sir Alan Cottrell
FRS
Born17 July 1919
Birmingham, Warwickshire (now West Midlands)
Died15 February 2012(2012-02-15) (aged 92)
Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
NationalityEnglish
CitizenshipBritish
Alma materUniversity of Birmingham
Known forCottrell atmosphere
Lomer–Cottrell junction
Crack tip opening displacement
AwardsFellow of the Royal Society[1]
Hughes Medal (1961)
Harvey Prize (1974)
Rumford Medal (1974)
Copley Medal (1996)
Scientific career
FieldsMetallurgist, Physicist
Solvay Conference on Physics in Brussels 1951. Left to right, sitting: Crussaro, N.P. Allen, Cauchois, Borelius, Bragg, Moller, Sietz, Hollomon, Frank; middle row: Rathenau,(nl) Koster, Rudberg,(sv), Flamache, Goche, Groven, Orowan, Burgers, Shockley, Guinier, C.S. Smith, Dehlinger, Laval, Henriot; top row: Gaspart, Lomer, Cottrell, Homes, Curien

Sir Alan Howard Cottrell, FRS[1] (17 July 1919 – 15 February 2012) was an English metallurgist and physicist. He was also former Chief Scientific Advisor to the UK Government and vice-chancellor of Cambridge University 1977–1979.

Early life

Cottrell was educated at Moseley Grammar School and the University of Birmingham, where he gained a Bachelor of Science degree in 1939 and a PhD for research on welding in 1942.[2]

Career

Cottrell joined the staff as a lecturer at Birmingham, being made professor in 1949, and transforming the teaching of the department by emphasising modern concepts of solid state physics.[3] In 1955 he moved to A.E.R.E. Harwell, to become Deputy Head of Metallurgy under Monty Finniston.[3]

From 1958 to 1965 Cottrell was Goldsmiths' Professor of Metallurgy at Cambridge University, and a fellow of Christ's College. He later worked for the government in various capacities, ultimately as Chief Scientific Adviser from 1971 to 1974,[4] before becoming Master of Jesus College, Cambridge, from 1973 to 1986,[5] and Vice-Chancellor of the university in 1977–1979.[6]

Death

Cottrell died on 15 February 2012 after a brief illness.[7]

Awards and honours

He was a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.[15]

Selected books

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Smallman, R. E.; Knott, J. F. (2013). "Sir Alan Cottrell FRS FREng. 17 July 1919 – 15 February 2012". Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society. 59: 93–124. doi:10.1098/rsbm.2012.0042.
  2. ^ Charles, J A (February 2012). "Sir Alan Howard Cottrell ScD, FRS, FREng, LLD (Hon)" (PDF). Academia Europaea. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  3. ^ a b History of Metallurgy at Birmingham Engineering at Birmingham University
  4. ^ Scientists in Whitehall by Philip Gummett p49, available at Google books
  5. ^ a b Masters of Jesus College Archived 5 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ a b c Kaiser Danner (24 July 2017). "Alan Cottrell". Academia Europaea. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  7. ^ "Sir Alan Cottrell FRS – Christs College Cambridge". Archived from the original on 27 May 2012. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
  8. ^ Knott, John (18 March 2012). "Sir Alan Cottrell obituary". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  9. ^ Hughes archive winners 1989 – 1902 Royal Society
  10. ^ The International Who's Who 2004
  11. ^ "Corporate Information". Archived from the original on 25 May 2016. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
  12. ^ "Sir Alan Howard Cottrell". American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers. Archived from the original on 22 September 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  13. ^ Copley recent winners: 1990 – present day Royal Society
  14. ^ Holders of the Copley medal (1731–2005) Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press 2004
  15. ^ "The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences: Alan Cottrell". Archived from the original on 14 August 2017. Retrieved 1 May 2009.

External links

Government offices Preceded bySir Solly Zuckerman Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK Government 1971–1974 Succeeded byRobert Press Academic offices Preceded bySir Denys Page Master of Jesus College, Cambridge 1973–1986 Succeeded byColin Renfrew Preceded byDame Rosemary Murray Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge 1977–1979 Succeeded bySir Peter Swinnerton-Dyer
Copley Medallists (1951–2000)
Masters of Jesus College, Cambridge
Authority control databases
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