Ian Shanks
Ian Alexander Shanks
Early life
Shanks attended Dumbarton Academy and then gained a BSc from the University of Glasgow. He obtained a PhD.
Career
Glucose meter
In May 1982 Shanks moved to
In 1984 Shanks became the youngest person, at 35, to receive an FRS, based on his LCD development work. He also won the Clifford Paterson Medal and Prize in 1994.
Shanks became Head of Physical and Engineering Sciences at CRL before leaving in October 1986.
Shanks sued Unilever in 2006 for employee-inventor patent compensation under section 40 of the 1977 Patents Act — initially unsuccessfully.[3][4] However, in a landmark decision on 23 October 2019, the Supreme Court awarded him £2 million on the basis that Unilever had received an “outstanding benefit” from the glucose testing patents.[5]
Shanks founded the Optoelectronics College.
Personal life
He was awarded the OBE in the 2012 Birthday Honours. He lives in Broughty Ferry.
References
- ^ University of Glasgow
- ^ Barkham, Patrick (2 December 2010). "Professor Ian Shanks: 'It's nice to have been able to help tens of millions of people around the world in controlling their diabetes'". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
- ^ a b "Shanks v Unilever Plc & Others". AA Thornton. July 2014. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
- ^ Lee, Catherine. "No compensation, no consolation". IP Kitten. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
- ^ Kiona N. Smith. "Inventor of Digital Blood Glucose Meter Wins $2.57 Million From Unilever in UK Court". Forbes. Retrieved 26 October, 2019