Cyril Hilsum, former GEC research boss and Institute of Physics president, dies aged 101

Cyril Hilsum, a former president of the Institute of Physics and a highly regarded research leader, passed away on September 23rd at the remarkable age of 101. In the 1970s, Hilsum made groundbreaking discoveries in the field of liquid crystals, which laid the groundwork for the development of liquid-crystal displays used in modern television and computer screens.

Born on May 17th, 1925, Hilsum earned his degree in physics from University College London in 1945. He began his professional career at the Admiralty Research Laboratory in Teddington, later moving to the Services Electronics Research Laboratory in Baldock. Throughout his illustrious career, Hilsum dedicated himself to commercializing his research, leading to the creation of the United Kingdom's first semiconductor laser.

In his later years, Hilsum continued to innovate, building a laboratory in his Pinner home where he developed an ink with embedded sensors that conduct electricity. At the age of 97, this invention earned him his 70th patent. In 1964, Hilsum joined the Royal Radar Research Establishment in Malvern, Worcestershire, where he developed the first microwave oscillator based on the negative resistance effect in semiconductor gallium arsenide.

This work led to the creation of Claribel, a device capable of detecting bullet trajectories and locating snipers. Additionally, Hilsum led a team responsible for developing the first stable liquid crystals, which subsequently found use in flat panel displays and generated £100 million in royalties for the British government.

Hilsum served as the chief scientist of GEC Hirst Research Centre from 1983 to 1985, and later became the research director. He retired in 1995 at the age of 70 but remained actively involved in science, working part-time as the chief science officer for Infi-tex Ltd, a company specializing in force sensors for textile applications.

Throughout his career, Hilsum received numerous accolades, including the Max Born Prize, the Faraday Medal, and the Richard Glazebrook Medal and Prize. In 2007, he was awarded the Royal Society's Royal Medal for his numerous outstanding contributions and his continued dedication to industry, government, and academia. His commitment to promoting female scientists is also noteworthy, as he sponsored the Karen Burt Award at the Women’s Engineering Society in honor of his late daughter, a prominent engineer who passed away in 1997 at the age of 42.

Cyril Hilsum was celebrated on his 100th birthday at a special event held at the Royal Society of Chemistry.