Christopher Snowden facts for kids

Sir Christopher Maxwell Snowden, born in 1956, is a British electronic engineer. He is also an academic, which means he works in universities. He used to be the leader, called the Vice-Chancellor, of Surrey University from 2005 to 2015. After that, he led the University of Southampton from 2015 to 2019. He was also the president of a group called Universities UK for two years. Today, he is the chairman of the ERA Foundation.

About Sir Christopher Snowden

His Early Career and Studies

Sir Christopher Snowden studied electronic and electrical engineering. He went to the University of Leeds and earned his first degree in 1977. He continued his studies there, getting his master's and PhD degrees in 1982. His PhD research focused on special electronic parts called microwave oscillators. These are used in radar systems. He also studied how to create computer models for tiny electronic devices.

After his studies, Snowden worked as an engineer for a company called Mullard. From 1982 to 1983, he taught at the University of York. Then, he returned to the University of Leeds in 1983. He became a professor of microwave engineering in 1992. He also helped start the Institute of Microwave and Photonics. During his time at Leeds, he guided 50 students through their PhD studies.

He also worked in the United States for a company called M/A-COM. This was from 1989 to 1991. In 1998, he joined the board of Filtronic plc. He became a chief executive officer there in 1999. He also taught as a visiting professor at Durham University and was a visiting scientist in the Netherlands.

Leading the University of Surrey

Sir Christopher Snowden became the President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Surrey in 2005. He held this important leadership role until 2015.

During his time, the university faced some challenges. There were discussions about job changes and how to measure staff performance. However, under his leadership, the University of Surrey achieved great success. It climbed to 4th place in Guardian University League Table in 2016. It was also named University of the Year in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2016. The university was recognized for its excellent teaching and student experience.

Leading Universities UK

From 2013 to 2015, Sir Christopher Snowden was the president of Universities UK. This is a large group that represents 134 universities across the UK. He helped lead this organization, which works to support and improve universities. Before becoming president, he was a vice-president for England and Northern Ireland. He also led a committee focused on helping students find jobs.

Leading the University of Southampton

In October 2015, Sir Christopher Snowden became the new Vice-Chancellor of the University of Southampton. He retired from this position in spring 2019.

In 2017, he started a huge plan to invest over £600 million into the university. This was the biggest investment in the university's 155-year history. The university raised £300 million to help fund these improvements.

The University of Southampton received a "Bronze" rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework in 2017. Sir Christopher said this rating was "flawed" and not helpful. However, in 2018, the university earned a "Silver" rating. He thanked everyone who helped achieve this. He said the rating showed students would get a great experience. It also meant they would have excellent job opportunities after graduating.

Discussion About His Salary

In 2017, Sir Christopher Snowden's salary became part of a public discussion. This was about how much university leaders in the UK were paid. His salary of £433,000 was one of the higher salaries in the university sector. Some people, including government officials, criticized this. They compared his salary to other public service leaders in Southampton.

There was also some confusion about a large pay increase. This was later explained as the difference between his first 10 months of pay and his first full year's salary. The university's council defended his pay. They said it reflected his experience and skills.

Sir Christopher's Research Work

Sir Christopher Snowden's research focuses on tiny electronic devices. He studies how they work with microwaves and light. He was a pioneer in using computer models to understand how electrons move in transistors. Transistors are tiny switches used in almost all electronic devices. His work helped make these devices much better.

He developed new ways to model transistors. These models could predict how devices would perform. They were also much faster than older methods. This made it easier for engineers to design new, high-performance microwave transistors. These improved transistors are now used in many products. This includes mobile phones, radar, and satellite receivers.

He also worked on combining different types of electronic circuits. He explored how to embed light guides into microwave circuits. This helped create faster communication systems.

Sir Christopher has written eight books about electronic device modeling. He also created one of the first computer programs for circuit analysis. He has been an editor for several scientific journals. He has also led major international conferences.

His Fellowships and Memberships

Sir Christopher Snowden has held many important roles. He was the president of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) from 2009 to 2010. He was also a vice-president of the Royal Academy of Engineering. He helped lead their engineering policy committee. In 2014, he was asked to be a judge for the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering. He is now the chair of this judging panel.

He was appointed by the Prime Minister to the Council for Science and Technology (CST) in 2011. He also advises the UK Government on future technologies. He was a member of Innovate UK, which supports new ideas and businesses. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering. These are very high honors for scientists and engineers.

He has also been involved with many other groups. These include the Daphne Jackson Trust, which helps scientists return to research. He has also served on the boards of several companies.

Awards and Recognition

Sir Christopher Snowden has received many awards for his work. In 1999, he won the IEEE Microwave Prize. This was for his research on microwave power transistors. These are important for communication devices. In 2009, he received the IEEE Distinguished Educator Award. This award recognized his excellent work as a teacher and mentor.

The Royal Academy of Engineering gave him their Silver Medal in 2004. This was for his outstanding contributions to the UK microwave industry.

In 2012, he was knighted by the Queen. This means he received the title "Sir." It was for his important services to engineering and higher education.