Bryan Webber

Bryan Ronald Webber, FRS, FInstP (born 25 July 1943) is a British physicist and academic. He was a Fellow of Emmanuel College, Cambridge from 1973 to 2010, and Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of Cambridge from 1999 to 2010. He has been awarded the Dirac Medal by the Institute of Physics, the Sakurai Prize by the American Physical Society and the High Energy and Particle Physics Prize by the European Physical Society.

Bryan Webber
Born
Bryan Ronald Webber

(1943-07-25) 25 July 1943
Other namesB. R. Webber
EducationColston's School
Alma materThe Queen's College, Oxford
University of California, Berkeley
AwardsFellow of the Institute of Physics (1987)
Fellow of the Royal Society (2001)
IOP Dirac Medal (2008)
Sakurai Prize (2012)
High Energy and Particle Physics Prize (2021)
Scientific career
FieldsParticle physics
Theoretical physics
InstitutionsLawrence Radiation Laboratory
Cavendish Laboratory
ThesisA test of the ΔS=ΔQ rule in leptonic decays of neutral K mesons (1969)

Early life and education

Webber was born on 25 July 1943 to Frederick Ronald Webber and Iris Evelyn Webber (née Hutchings). He was educated at Colston's School, a private school in Bristol.[1] He studied at The Queen's College, Oxford and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1964.[1][2] He then moved to California, United States, to undertake postgraduate research within the research group of Luis Walter Alvarez at the University of California, Berkeley. He completed his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in experimental particle physics in 1969 with a thesis titled A test of the ΔS=ΔQ rule in leptonic decays of neutral K mesons.[2][3]

Research and career

Webber began his academic career as a postdoctoral researcher at the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory, California. There, he researched strong interaction under Geoffrey Chew from 1969 to 1971.[1][2][4] He then returned to England, where he joined the University of Cambridge as a research assistant.[1] By 1973, he was the only member of staff researching particle physics theory,[2] and was appointed head of the Theoretical High Energy Physics Group at the Cavendish Laboratory.[4]

At university level, he was a demonstrator from 1973 to 1978. He was a lecturer from 1978 to 1994. He was promoted to reader in 1994. He was appointed Professor of Theoretical Physics in 1999.[1] He retired in September 2010,[5] and was appointed Professor Emeritus.[1]

He was elected a Fellow of Emmanuel College, Cambridge in 1973.[2] He was later made a professorial fellow.[6] At various times, he was a tutor in physics and was a director of studies at Emmanuel College.[2] On retirement in 2010, he was elected a Life Fellow.[7]

Honours and awards

In 1987, Webber was elected a Fellow of the Institute of Physics (FInstP).[4] In 2001, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS).[8]

In 2008, he was awarded the Dirac Medal by the Institute of Physics. The citation reads:[9]

For his pioneering work in understanding and applying quantum chromodynamics (QCD), the theory of the strong interaction which is one of the three fundamental forces of Nature.

In 2012, he was awarded the J. J. Sakurai Prize for Theoretical Particle Physics by the American Physical Society. The citation reads:[4]

For key ideas leading to the detailed confirmation of the Standard Model of particle physics, enabling high energy experiments to extract precise information about Quantum Chromodynamics, electroweak interactions and possible new physics.

In 2021, he was awarded the High Energy and Particle Physics Prize of the European Physical Society. He received the award together with Torbjörn Sjöstrand, who was also a co-recipient of the Sakurai Prize.[10]

Selected works
  • Ellis, R. K.; Stirling, W. J.; Webber, B. R. (1996). QCD and collider physics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0521581899.

References
  1. "WEBBER, Prof. Bryan Ronald". Who's Who 2015. Oxford University Press. November 2014. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
  2. "Brief research biography" (PDF). Department of Physics. University of Cambridge. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
  3. Webber, Bryan Ronald (1969). A test of the [Delta]S=[Delta]Q rule in leptonic decays of neutral K mesons. OskiCat (Thesis). University of California, Berkeley. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  4. "2012 J.J. Sakurai Prize for Theoretical Particle Physics Recipient". Prizes, Awards and Fellowships. American Physical Society. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
  5. "QCD in the LHC Era – A meeting in honour of Bryan Webber". Department of Physics. University of Cambridge. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
  6. "Professor Bryan Webber". Department of Physics. University of Cambridge. 31 July 2013. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
  7. "Professor Bryan Webber". Emmanuel College. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
  8. "Fellows". Royal Society. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
  9. "2008 Dirac medal". Institute of Physics awards. Institute of Physics. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
  10. "2021 EPS High Energy and Particle Physics Prize" (PDF). European Physical Society. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
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