Raymond Smallman | |
---|---|
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Born | Raymond Edward Smallman 4 August 1929
Wolverhampton, England |
Died | 25 February 2015 | (aged 85)
Alma mater | University of Birmingham |
Spouse |
Doreen Faulkner (
m. 1952) |
Awards | |
Scientific career | |
Thesis | An investigation into the crystal structure of cold worked metals (1953) |
Doctoral advisor | Alan Cottrell [2] |
Raymond Edward Smallman CBE FRS FREng [1] (4 August 1929 – 25 February 2015) was a British metallurgist and academic known for his research into alloys and the causes of metal fatigue. [2] Smallman was also a significant figure at the University of Birmingham, serving as its vice-principal between 1987 and 1992 and helping to establish its reputation as a leading modern research university. [3] [4]
Smallman was born in Wolverhampton, West Midlands, the third of five children of a working-class couple. [3] Smallman spent much of his childhood near Cannock, Staffordshire, working at his father's fish and chips shop while his father served with the Royal Air Force during World War II. [3] Between 1939 and 1947, Smallman attended a grammar school in Rugeley, Staffordshire, on a scholarship. [3] He then obtained a first-class honours degree in metallurgy at the University of Birmingham, supervised by Alan Cottrell. [2] Smallman completed his PhD on the structure of cold worked metals, again under Cottrell's supervision, in 1953. [3]
After completing his doctorate, Smallman went to work as a metallurgical researcher at the Atomic Energy Research Establishment (AERE) in Harwell, Oxfordshire. [2] At AERE, Smallman and his colleagues were among the first to study the structure of metals using electron microscopy, discovering previously unknown microstructures and defects including dislocation "loops". [2] In 1958, in collaboration with scientists from Cambridge's Cavendish Laboratory, Smallman published a groundbreaking paper on these dislocations, which provided key evidence for an emerging theory of metal fatigue with important implications for metallurgy and engineering. [2]
Thereafter, Smallman returned to the University of Birmingham as a lecturer in physical metallurgy, and oversaw the development of a highly successful metallurgical research team. [3] In 1964, he was appointed Chair of Birmingham's Department of Physical Metallurgy, becoming the Head of the Department of Metallurgy and Materials in 1980. [2] In 1985, Smallman oversaw the founding of an independent, research-focused Faculty of Engineering at Birmingham, and subsequently became the new faculty's Dean. [2] ISmallman was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 1986, [1] and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 1991. [2]
In 1987, Smallman became the Vice-Principal of the university, a position he held until 1992. [3] As Vice-Principal, he implemented numerous university-wide administrative and academic reforms, and helped to strengthen the university's links to industry and commerce. [2] Smallman's reforms were credited with helping to raise Birmingham's national and international profile as a major research university. [2] In his later years, Smallman was a visiting lecturer at numerous universities and scientific societies worldwide. [3]
Smallman married Doreen Faulkner in September 1952. [3] They remained married for the rest of Smallman's life; she survived him, as did their two children. [2]
Raymond Smallman | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Born | Raymond Edward Smallman 4 August 1929
Wolverhampton, England |
Died | 25 February 2015 | (aged 85)
Alma mater | University of Birmingham |
Spouse |
Doreen Faulkner (
m. 1952) |
Awards | |
Scientific career | |
Thesis | An investigation into the crystal structure of cold worked metals (1953) |
Doctoral advisor | Alan Cottrell [2] |
Raymond Edward Smallman CBE FRS FREng [1] (4 August 1929 – 25 February 2015) was a British metallurgist and academic known for his research into alloys and the causes of metal fatigue. [2] Smallman was also a significant figure at the University of Birmingham, serving as its vice-principal between 1987 and 1992 and helping to establish its reputation as a leading modern research university. [3] [4]
Smallman was born in Wolverhampton, West Midlands, the third of five children of a working-class couple. [3] Smallman spent much of his childhood near Cannock, Staffordshire, working at his father's fish and chips shop while his father served with the Royal Air Force during World War II. [3] Between 1939 and 1947, Smallman attended a grammar school in Rugeley, Staffordshire, on a scholarship. [3] He then obtained a first-class honours degree in metallurgy at the University of Birmingham, supervised by Alan Cottrell. [2] Smallman completed his PhD on the structure of cold worked metals, again under Cottrell's supervision, in 1953. [3]
After completing his doctorate, Smallman went to work as a metallurgical researcher at the Atomic Energy Research Establishment (AERE) in Harwell, Oxfordshire. [2] At AERE, Smallman and his colleagues were among the first to study the structure of metals using electron microscopy, discovering previously unknown microstructures and defects including dislocation "loops". [2] In 1958, in collaboration with scientists from Cambridge's Cavendish Laboratory, Smallman published a groundbreaking paper on these dislocations, which provided key evidence for an emerging theory of metal fatigue with important implications for metallurgy and engineering. [2]
Thereafter, Smallman returned to the University of Birmingham as a lecturer in physical metallurgy, and oversaw the development of a highly successful metallurgical research team. [3] In 1964, he was appointed Chair of Birmingham's Department of Physical Metallurgy, becoming the Head of the Department of Metallurgy and Materials in 1980. [2] In 1985, Smallman oversaw the founding of an independent, research-focused Faculty of Engineering at Birmingham, and subsequently became the new faculty's Dean. [2] ISmallman was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 1986, [1] and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 1991. [2]
In 1987, Smallman became the Vice-Principal of the university, a position he held until 1992. [3] As Vice-Principal, he implemented numerous university-wide administrative and academic reforms, and helped to strengthen the university's links to industry and commerce. [2] Smallman's reforms were credited with helping to raise Birmingham's national and international profile as a major research university. [2] In his later years, Smallman was a visiting lecturer at numerous universities and scientific societies worldwide. [3]
Smallman married Doreen Faulkner in September 1952. [3] They remained married for the rest of Smallman's life; she survived him, as did their two children. [2]