Dr Richard Brown, Head of Metrology at NPL, has received the 2020 Theophilius Redwood Award* for excellence in theoretical and practical aspects of chemical measurement leading to the recent redefinition of the mole, and the communication of these changes.
In 2019, Dr Brown oversaw NPL’s contribution to the revision of the SI. The revision resulted in a new set of SI base unit definitions, formulated in a way that allows us to turn future advances in technology directly into improvements in the accuracy of measurements.
Dr Richard Brown said: “I am delighted and greatly honoured to receive the RSC’s 2020 Theophilius Redwood Award. I am also very pleased that the work of metrology, the science of measurement, in assuring the stability, comparability and accuracy of chemical measurements has been recognised in this way. The revision of the International System of Units and the redefinition of the mole is one of the greatest stories of scientific progress and international collaboration in recent times – with chemistry making key contributions in a number of areas. This award and the associated series of lectures is a great opportunity for me to help that story reach a wider audience.”
Alexander Shard, Head of Science for Chemical and Biological Science, has received the Industrial Analytical Science Award** for his pioneering work on accurate surface chemical analysis.
Surface analysis is essential to the understanding and development of innovative materials used in advanced technology within industries such as aerospace, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, health and electronics.
Industry relies on the ability to analyse surfaces, identifying atoms and molecules in the uppermost layers and measuring the important properties of these layers. Such measurements help in the development of new, better products and to prevent infringement of intellectual property.
The accuracy of these measurements is underpinned by the procedures, reference data and methods provided by Alex and his colleagues in the Surface Technology group at NPL.
Alex Shard said: “As a lifelong member of the Royal Society of Chemistry, I am extremely proud to receive the Industrial Analytical Science award. I am also very pleased that the hard and painstaking work carried out by scientists at NPL, which is intended to help industry, has been recognised in this fashion. Most of all, I am grateful to the many friends and colleagues around the world who are able to share their measurement problems with me and support my efforts to solve them.”
https://www.rsc.org/awards-funding/awards/2020-winners/
*2020 Theophilius Redwood Award is given to a leading analytical scientist who is also an outstanding communicator.
** Industrial Analytical Science Award recognises the work of industrial scientists and is given for outstanding contribution to analytical technology or methodology in industry.
24 Jun 2020