John Pendry
Early Life and Education
John Brian Pendry was born on 4 July 1944 in England. He attended Downing College, University of Cambridge, where he studied physics. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1965, followed by his PhD in 1969. His doctoral thesis focused on the electronic properties of surfaces.
Career and Research
After completing his studies, Pendry began his career at the Daresbury Laboratory, where he worked on the theory of electron spectroscopy. In 1975, he moved to the Bell Laboratories in New Jersey, USA, where he worked on surface science. His work at Bell Labs led to significant contributions in the field of surface physics.
In 1981, Pendry returned to England to take up a position at the Imperial College, where he became the head of the Condensed Matter Theory Group. During his tenure at Imperial College, Pendry made significant contributions to the field of condensed matter physics.
Pendry's research has been primarily focused on the electronic properties of surfaces and interfaces, and he has made significant contributions to the understanding of these properties. His work has had a profound impact on the field of surface science and has led to the development of new techniques for studying surfaces and interfaces.
Metamaterials and Invisibility Cloaking
In the late 1990s, Pendry's research took a new direction when he began working on metamaterials. These are materials engineered to have properties not found in naturally occurring materials. Pendry's work on metamaterials has led to the development of new concepts and designs, including the idea of an invisibility cloak.
In 2006, Pendry, along with his colleagues David Smith and David Schurig, published a paper in the journal Science, presenting the concept of an invisibility cloak. This concept, based on the properties of metamaterials, has sparked a great deal of interest and research in the scientific community.
Awards and Honors
Pendry's contributions to the field of physics have been recognized with numerous awards and honors. In 1996, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, one of the highest honors in the field of science. In 2004, he was awarded the Dirac Medal by the Institute of Physics for his contributions to theoretical physics. In 2013, he was awarded the Isaac Newton Medal, the highest honor of the Institute of Physics.
Personal Life
Pendry is married and has two children. He enjoys sailing and music in his spare time.