Abstract
Thomson Gold Medal Awarded to Marcus du Sautoy
The Institute’s premier award, the Sir George Thomson Gold Medal, was presented to Professor Marcus du Sautoy at its 2014 Learned Awards Evening.
The Medal commemorates eminent physicist and Nobel laureate in physics, Sir George Paget Thomson, who was the first President of the Institute 1944–1948. It is awarded every 5 years for significant contributions to measurement science that lead to fundamental improvements in the understanding of the nature of the physical world. Recipients so far this century have been Sir Harold Kroto, FRS and Lord Oxburgh, KBE, FRS.
The award of the Medal to Professor du Sautoy, OBE, Simonyi Professor for the Public Understanding of Science and a Professor of Mathematics at Oxford University, recognises his considerable efforts to promote a positive public perception of mathematics and to explain the mathematician’s role in helping our understanding of our world. Prof du Sautoy also delivered the Institute’s Thomson Lecture – From Measurement to Mathematics – explaining how our desire to measure the world was the catalyst for the development of his own subject of mathematics.
Thomson Gold Medal awarded to Marcus du Sautoy
During the Evening, Emeritus Professor Derek Atherton, an Honorary Fellow of the Institute, was presented with the Tallantire Award for his many years’ exceptional service to the Institute and to the fulfilment of its aims and objectives.
Other Awards made were as follows:
Sir Harold Hartley Medal – Professor Xiangqian (Jane) Jiang
The Callendar Medal – Robert Morton
Honeywell International Medal – Geoff Selley
Alex Hough-Grassby Memorial Award – Professor Alistair Forbes
The Ludwik Finkelstein Medal – Dr Seton Bennett, CBE
Honeywell Prize – Eric Emmerson
LB Lambert Diploma – Professor Geoff Roberts
Honorary Fellowship – Ken Lambert; David Pitney
Emeritus Professor Derek Atherton, is presented with the Tallantire Award
