Tom Kibble
Sir Thomas Walter Bannerman Kibble CBE FRS MAE[1] (/ˈkɪbəl/; 23 December 1932 – 2 June 2016) was a British theoretical physicist, senior research investigator at the Blackett Laboratory and Emeritus Professor of Theoretical Physics at Imperial College London.[4] His research interests were in quantum field theory, especially the interface between high-energy particle physics and cosmology. He is best known as one of the first to describe the Higgs mechanism, and for his research on topological defects. From the 1950s he was concerned about the nuclear arms race and from 1970 took leading roles in promoting the social responsibility of the scientist.[5]
For the rugby player, see Tom Kibble (rugby union).
Tom Kibble
2 June 2016 (aged 83)
- FRS (1980)[1]
- Hughes Medal (1981)
- Rutherford Medal and Prize (1984)
- Guthrie Medal and Prize (1993)
- Sakurai Prize (2010)
- Dirac Medal (2013)
- Albert Einstein Medal (2014)
- Isaac Newton Medal (2016)
Early life and education[edit]
Kibble was born in Madras, in the Madras Presidency of British India, on 23 December 1932.[6][7] He was the son of the statistician Walter F. Kibble, and the grandson of William Bannerman, an officer in the Indian Medical Service, and the author Helen Bannerman. His father was a mathematics professor at Madras Christian College, and Kibble grew up playing on the grounds of the college and solving mathematics puzzles his father gave him.[8] He was educated at Doveton Corrie School in Madras and then in Edinburgh, Scotland, at Melville College and at the University of Edinburgh.[4] He graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a BSc in 1955, MA in 1956 and a PhD in 1958.[6][9]
Publications[edit]
In 1966 Kibble authored a textbook, Classical Mechanics,[33] from the 3rd edition onwards with Frank H. Berkshire. which as of 2016 is still in print and is now in its 5th edition.[34]
Personal life and voluntary roles[edit]
Kibble was married to Anne Allan from 1957 until her death in 2005. Kibble had three children.[35][36][37][38][39]
In the 1950s and 1960s, Kibble became concerned about the nuclear arms race[40] and from 1970 he took leading roles in several organisations promoting scientists' social responsibility.[9] In the period 1970–1977, he was a national committee member, then treasurer, then chair of the British Society for Social Responsibility in Science; from 1976 he was a trustee of the Science and Society Trust; from 1981 to 1991 he was a national coordinating committee member, then vice-chair, then chair of Scientists against Nuclear Arms; he was a sponsor of Scientists for Global Responsibility; and from 1988 he was chair, and later a trustee, of the Martin Ryle Trust.[40] He was chair of the organising committee of the Second International Scientists' Congress, held at Imperial College in 1988, and was a co-editor of the proceedings.[41]
In retirement, Kibble chaired the Richmond branch of the Ramblers Association.[42]
He died in London on 2 June 2016 at the age of 83.[43][8]