Philip Withers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Philip Withers
FRS FREng
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Withers in 2016
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| Born | May 1963 (age 62) |
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| Thesis | The development of the Eshelby model and its application to metal matrix composites (1988) |
Philip John Withers, born in May 1963, is a very important professor at the University of Manchester. He studies materials and is also a top scientist at the Henry Royce Institute. He helps us understand how different materials work.
Education and Early Career
Philip Withers went to the University of Cambridge. He studied science, focusing on physics. In 1985, he earned his first degree. Then, in 1988, he got his PhD. His PhD research was about how metals and other materials can be combined to make new, stronger materials. These are called Metal Matrix Composites.
After finishing his PhD, Professor Withers became a lecturer at Cambridge. A lecturer is like a teacher at a university. Later, in 1998, he became a full professor at the University of Manchester.
Studying Materials with X-rays
Professor Withers's research looks at how engineering materials and natural materials behave. He uses special advanced techniques to see inside materials. This helps him understand what happens to them in real time and in 3D.
In 2008, he started the Henry Moseley Manchester X-ray Imaging Facility (MXIF). This facility has many advanced 3D X-ray machines. These machines are like super powerful X-ray scanners. They can create detailed 3D pictures of objects. This helps scientists study materials without breaking them.
In 2012, Professor Withers became the first director of the BP International Centre for Advanced Materials (ICAM). This center works on understanding and developing materials for the energy industry. ICAM is a team effort. It includes BP, the University of Manchester, the University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, and the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign.
Professor Withers also wrote a textbook. It is called An Introduction to Metal Matrix Composites. He wrote it with Bill Clyne. His research has received funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
Awards and Recognitions
Professor Withers has received many important awards. In 2005, he became a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering (FREng). This is a big honor for engineers. In 2016, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). This is one of the highest honors for scientists in the United Kingdom.
In 2014, the University of Manchester received the Queen's Anniversary Prize. This award recognized Professor Withers's important work at the Manchester X-ray Imaging Facility. It showed how his research helps society.
