Gerhard Materlik facts for kids

Gerhard Theodor Materlik (born January 16, 1945) is a German scientist who studies physics. He is also a manager in the world of science. He has done very important work with X-rays and helped make synchrotron radiation much more useful in real life. Since 2013, he has been a professor at University College London.

Early Life and Learning

Gerhard Materlik finished his first university studies in physics in 1970. He studied in Münster and Munich, Germany. In 1975, he earned his advanced degree (doctorate) from the University of Dortmund.

After his studies, he worked at Cornell University and Bell Laboratories. Later, he took a job at the German Electron Synchrotron (DESY) in Hamburg.

His Scientific Work

From 2001 to 2013, Materlik was the Chief Executive of the Diamond Light Source. This is a very important synchrotron facility in the United Kingdom.

He led the team that built the accelerators there. These machines speed up tiny electrons to almost the speed of light. He also helped set up the special tools used to study the light from these fast electrons. This light ranges from infrared radiation to X-rays.

His discoveries have led to many new ways of doing experiments. He has written over 200 scientific papers. He also helped develop synchrotron facilities around the world.

Awards and Special Honours

In 2007, Materlik received a special award called Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. He also became a Fellow of the Institute of Physics.

In 2011, he was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). This is a very high honour for scientists. His election certificate said that he made important discoveries in how synchrotron radiation works. It also noted that he led the team that built and runs the world-leading Diamond Light Source.

In 2014, he was given the Glazebrook Medal by the Institute of Physics. He received this award for his leadership in creating the amazing laboratory at the Diamond Light Source.