Alan Herries Wilson

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This article is about the British mathematician. For other uses, see Alan Wilson (disambiguation).

Alan Herries Wilson
Cambridge University

Sir Alan Herries Wilson FRS (2 July 1906 – 30 September 1995), was a British mathematical physicist and industrialist. He developed the electronic band structure theory of solids to distinguish between conductors, insulator and semiconductors. After World War II, he left academic research to pursue a career in industry.

Life

Early life

Alan Herries Wilson was born in 1906 in Wallasey, Cheshire, England, from a Scottish family.[1]

He was educated at Wallasey Grammar School and at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, obtaining a BA degree in mathematics in 1926. His graduate work was under the supervision of R. H. Fowler working on problems in quantum mechanics.

Band theory

He studied with

energy bands of electrons can make a material a conductor, a semiconductor, or an insulator. In 1932 he was awarded the Adams Prize; the essay he wrote for this prize became the basis for his book The Theory of Metals published in 1936. His book Semi-conductors and Metals was published in 1939.[2]
Wilson supervised four graduate students in the study of solid-state physics during the 1930s, but Wilson perceived that interest in the field was small at Cambridge and so switched to the study of nuclear physics and cosmic rays.

Wilson was elected a Fellow of the

atomic bomb
.

Private sector

After the war he left academic research and became an industrialist, joining British textile company

Glaxo, a pharmacy company, becoming chairman in 1963 until his retirement in 1973. During Wilson's time at Glaxo the company was successful in greatly expanding its business. Wilson was knighted in 1961.[5][6]

Private life

He was married in 1934 to Margaret Monks (Constance) (1908 – 8 June 1961), with two sons.[7][8]

Coat of arms of Alan Herries Wilson
Motto
Esse Quam Videri [9]

Honors

There is now an Alan Wilson Research Fellowship at Emmanuel College.[1]

References

  1. ^
    ISSN 0080-4606
    .
  2. ISBN 978-0-521-17859-4; Pbk edition of 1939 original{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link
    )
  3. ISSN 0031-9228
    .
  4. ^ Encyclopedia.com, 'Wilson, Alan Herries'
  5. ISBN 3540745580
    pages 5–6
  6. ISBN 0470404035
    , page 262
  7. ^ New Scientist, 24 Dec 1959 page 1316
  8. ^ [1] Alan Herries Wilson retrieved 2012 Oct 25
  9. ^ "Goldsmiths Hall, 66 Wilson AH". Baz Manning. Retrieved 18 December 2020.


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