Mark Welland facts for kids

Sir Mark Edward Welland, FRS, FREng (born 18 October 1955) is a British scientist who studies tiny things called nanoscience. He is a professor at the University of Cambridge and leads the Nanoscience Centre there.

Sir Mark has been a special member (called a fellow) of St John's College, Cambridge since 1986. He started working with nanotechnology at IBM Research. There, he helped create one of the first scanning tunnelling microscopes, which are tools used to see extremely small things. He also served as the head (Master) of St Catharine's College, Cambridge from 2016 to 2023.

Early Life and Education

Mark Welland was born on October 18, 1955. He went to the University of Leeds and earned a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in physics in 1979. Later, he studied at the University of Bristol. In 1984, he completed his Master of Science (MSc) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees in physics. His PhD research looked at how different parts of metals, called grain boundaries, behave.

Amazing Career in Science

Sir Mark Welland moved to Cambridge in 1987. There, he started the first group in the UK to use a special tool called a tunnelling microscope. He worked with another scientist, John Pethica, on this project.

Today, at the Nanoscience Centre in Cambridge, Sir Mark studies many areas of nanotechnology. This includes making tiny sensors for medical uses. He also works on understanding and controlling the features of very small structures and devices.

Leading Big Research Projects

Sir Mark led a major research project in nanotechnology. This project received a large investment of $28 million. It helped create a special building for nanotechnology research at Cambridge.

Until 2008, he was the main editor of a science magazine called Nanotechnology. This magazine is published by the Institute of Physics. He also helps lead a research project between the UK and Japan called CORINT.

Working with the Government

In April 2008, Sir Mark was chosen for an important job. He became the Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA) for the Ministry of Defence (MoD). In this role, he gave scientific advice to the UK government on defense matters.

His research has received money from important groups like the BBSRC and the EPSRC.

Leading a College

In September 2016, Sir Mark was appointed Master of St Catharine's College, Cambridge. He led this college until October 2023.

Family Life

Sir Mark Welland is married to Esme Lynora Otun. They have four children together: two sons and two daughters.

Awards and Special Honours

Sir Mark Welland has received many important awards for his work.

Becoming a Knight

In 2011, he was made a Knight Bachelor by the Queen. This means he can use the title "Sir" before his name.

Recognized by Top Science Groups

In 2002, Sir Mark was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very high honor for scientists in the UK. He also became a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in the same year. These awards recognized his important contributions to nanotechnology research.

His nomination for the Royal Society said he is a world leader in nanotechnology. It mentioned his work in developing new tools to study tiny things. It also highlighted his research on the properties of single molecules and very thin films. He also studied how light and magnetism behave in tiny structures. His work has helped create new materials and sensors.

In 2014, the University of Bristol gave him an honorary Doctor of Science degree. This was another way to recognize his amazing achievements.