Eric Ash facts for kids

Sir Eric Albert Ash (born Ulrich Asch, 31 January 1928 – 22 August 2021) was a brilliant British electrical engineer. He was known for his amazing work in electronics and for leading important universities. Sir Eric was also the past leader (Rector) of Imperial College London. He was recognized around the world for his new ideas in optics and acoustics.

Early Life and Education

Eric Ash was born Ulrich Asch in Berlin, Germany. His father was a lawyer. In 1938, when Eric was 10, his family moved to England. They left Germany to escape Nazism.

Eric went to University College School. At 17, he won a special scholarship. This allowed him to study at Imperial College London. He studied electrical engineering there.

After finishing his first degree, he continued his studies. He worked on his PhD with Dennis Gabor. Gabor was a famous physicist who later won a Nobel Prize. Eric's PhD paper was called Electron Interaction Effects. He finished it in 1952.

Eric then spent two years at Stanford University in the United States. He was a Fulbright scholar. He worked on special tubes used for microwaves. Later, he returned to England. He continued this work at a lab in London.

Career and Discoveries

In 1963, Eric Ash joined University College London. He became a full professor in 1967. In 1980, he became the Head of the Electronic and Electrical Engineering Department.

He was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1977. This is a very high honor for scientists. He also became a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 1978.

Seeing with Sound

Eric Ash worked on exciting problems in electronics. He also studied how sound waves could be used to see tiny things. This led to his work on acoustic microscopy. This special microscope uses sound waves instead of light. It helps scientists see things that are too small for regular microscopes.

In 1986, he won the Royal Medal from the Royal Society. He received it for his "outstanding researches on acoustic microscopy". His work created new ways to use acoustic microscopes. It also made them much clearer.

Innovations in Communication

Eric Ash also contributed to optical fiber communications. This is how information travels through tiny glass fibers using light. In 1984, he won the Marconi Prize. This award recognized his leadership in electronic technology. It included his work on optical fiber communications. He also won the Institution of Electrical Engineers' Faraday Medal.

He was a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. This is a large organization for engineers.

Leadership Roles

In 1985, Eric Ash became the Rector of Imperial College. This means he was the main leader of the university. He also served on the board of British Telecom from 1987 to 1993. In 1988, he was the president of the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE).

After leaving Imperial College in 1993, he continued his work. He was a professor at University College, focusing on educational technology. From 1994 to 1996, he was the CEO of the Student Loans Company.

Sir Eric was also a leader at the Royal Society. He was treasurer and vice-president from 1997 to 2002. He helped many other organizations too. These included the Royal Institution and the London Science Museum.

In 2017, he was made an Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Physics in the UK.

Death

Sir Eric Ash passed away peacefully at home on 22 August 2021. He was 93 years old.