Walter Eric Spear facts for kids

Walter Eric Spear (born January 20, 1921 – died February 21, 2008) was a German physicist. He was famous for his important work on electronics and flat screens. He helped create technologies like flat-screen TVs.

Walter was born in Frankfurt, Germany. His father was Jewish, and his mother was Lutheran. By 1938, life for Jewish people in Germany became very hard. With help from friends and family in Britain, his family moved to London. Walter arrived in 1938 with a small suitcase and his large cello.

Walter's Education and Early Life

Walter wanted to work in science. He took evening classes to prepare for the University of London entrance exam. He passed the exam. Soon after, his family was held on the Isle of Man. This happened because they were thought to be supporters of Germany during the war.

They were released quickly. In 1940, Walter joined the British Army. He first served in the Royal Pioneer Corps. Later, he moved to the Royal Artillery. He became a Bombardier, which is a type of soldier. He left the army in 1946.

Studying Physics

After the war, Walter returned to London. He studied physics at Regent Street Polytechnic. He earned his degree from the University of London. After graduating, he started working on his PhD. A PhD is a high-level university degree.

He studied at Birkbeck College London. His supervisor was Werner Ehrenberg. They did not have much money for equipment. So, they had to build their own tools. They also used some equipment that had been captured from Germany.

Walter's Career in Science

Walter finished his PhD in 1950. He received a special scholarship that let him continue his research. In 1953, he moved to University College, Leicester. There, he studied thin films made from a material called amorphous selenium.

One of his students at Leicester was Alf Adams. Alf Adams later became a famous British physicist. He invented a special type of laser. In 1968, Walter Spear moved to the University of Dundee. He became a professor there.

Working with Peter LeComber

At Leicester, Walter met a student named Peter LeComber. They worked together for many years. Peter LeComber also moved to Dundee with Walter. Together, they became well-known for their research. They studied a material called amorphous silicon.

Their work on amorphous silicon was very important. It led to the invention of the amorphous film silicon transistor. This invention directly helped create LCD technology. LCDs are used in flat-screen TVs and solar panels.

At Dundee, Walter and Peter also started a research group. This group studied non-crystalline solids. These are materials that do not have a regular, repeating structure.

Walter Spear retired in 1988. Peter LeComber took over his position. Sadly, Peter LeComber died suddenly in 1992. After this, Walter Spear stopped most of his active research.

Awards and Special Honours

Walter Spear received many awards for his scientific work. In 1972, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. This is a group that honors top scientists in Scotland.

In 1976, he won the Europhysics Prize. This prize is given by the European Physical Society. The next year, in 1977, he received the Max Born Medal. This award came from the Institute of Physics.

In 1980, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society of London. This is one of the oldest and most respected science groups in the world. He also won the Makdougall Brisbane Prize that year.

In 1988, he received the Rank Prize. He also gave a special talk called the Royal Society Bakerian Lecture. In 1990, he was given the Rumford Medal. He retired from his work soon after.

Walter Spear's old papers and notes are kept at the University of Dundee. These include his scientific writings and notes for his talks. They also have a file called 'Scientific Curiosities and Absurdities'. This file contains some funny or unusual letters he received.

Walter's Family Life

Walter's mother was Eva Reineck. She was the daughter of a pastor. She became a well-known professional violinist and teacher in Frankfurt. Walter himself received a very old Italian cello when he was a boy. He started cello lessons at age 8. He loved playing the cello his whole life, even though it was just a hobby.

His father, David Spear, was an artist. He later became a pioneer in photography.

Walter Spear married Hilda D. King in 1952. They had two daughters. He also had grandchildren. Walter was survived by his wife, daughters, and grandchildren when he passed away.