Duncan Dowson

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Duncan Dowson

Duncan Dowson

CBE FRS FREng[1][2] (31 August 1928 – 6 January 2020)[3] was a British engineer who was Professor of Engineering Fluid Mechanics and Tribology at the University of Leeds
.

Early life and education

Dowson's father, Wilfrid Dowson, was an ornamental blacksmith, and as a child his son helped him in his work.[4]

Dowson was educated at

Mechanical Engineering at the University of Leeds, from which he received the degrees of BSc, PhD and DSc.[5]

Academic career

After completing his PhD in 1952, Dowson worked as a Research Engineer at

Mechanical Engineering at Leeds as a Lecturer in 1954,[6] ultimately becoming Professor of Engineering Fluid Mechanics and Tribology there.[7]

Dowson was best known for his work on elastohydrodynamic lubrication.[8] In 1974, he received the International Award from the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers.[9] In 1979, he was awarded the Tribology Gold Medal by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers[10] and the Mayo D. Hersey Award from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.[11]

Dowson was Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Leeds from 1987 to 1992 and director of the Institute of Tribology there from 1967 to 1986.

Pro-Vice-Chancellor at Leeds from 1983 to 1985. He retired in 1993 with the title Emeritus Professor.[13]

Dowson was President of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in 1992.[14] The Duncan Dowson prize is named in his honour.[15]

In 2016, he presented the Higginson Lecture in Durham University.

Honours

Dowson was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 1987.[16] He was made a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1989.[17] He was elected a Fellow[18] for the Royal Academy of Engineering[19] (FREng) in 1982.

Dowson received the following honorary degrees:[20]

Marriage

In 1951 Dowson married Mabel Strickland from Cropton in North Yorkshire, who had attended the same school. Mabel became a primary school headmistress. They had two sons and a daughter.

Death

Dowson died on 6 January 2020 in Leeds at the age of 91. His wife died a few months later on 11 October 2020.

Selected publications

  • Duncan Dowson, Gordon Robert Higginson, Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication J. F. Archand, 1966; 2 edn, 1977
  • History of Tribology Longman, 1979,
    ISBN 978-1-86058-070-3
  • Biomechanics of Joints and Joint Replacements (1981)
  • Ball Bearing Lubrication (1981)
  • Advances in medical tribology, Mechanical Engineering Publications, 1998,
    ISBN 978-1-86058-069-7

References

  1. ^ "List of Fellows". Archived from the original on 8 June 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  2. S2CID 250093342
    .
  3. ^ "University of Leeds, obituary notice, published 9 January 2020". Archived from the original on 13 January 2020. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
  4. ^ "Like father, like son - two generations of ingenuity". Gazette and Herald. 9 March 2001. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  5. S2CID 218616793
    .
  6. ^ Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Duncan Dowson
  7. ^ Royal Society, biography of Duncan Dowson
  8. ISSN 0022-2305
    .
  9. ^ "International Award | STLE". www.stle.org. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  10. ^ "IMechE Tribology Gold Medal Laureates | Institution of Mechanical Engineers". www.imeche.org. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  11. ^ "Mayo D. Hersey Award". www.asme.org. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  12. ^ "University of Leeds, staff profile". Archived from the original on 16 January 2020. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  13. ^ University of Leeds, List of Emeritus Professors Archived 26 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ "Engineering Heritage Awards - IMechE".
  15. ^ http://www.imeche.org/knowledge/industries/medicine-and-health/prizes/dowson-prize
  16. ^ Duncan Dowson, Royal Society Fellow page, last accessed 2015-10-28.
  17. ^ "University of Leeds, Details of honorary graduates". Archived from the original on 18 February 2012. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
  18. ^ "List of Fellows". Archived from the original on 8 June 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  19. ^ "List of Fellows". Archived from the original on 8 June 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  20. ^ "University of Leeds, staff profile, Professor Duncan Dowson". Archived from the original on 16 January 2020. Retrieved 16 January 2020.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Duncan_Dowson&oldid=1208084043"