Duncan Dowson

Duncan Dowson CBE FRS FREng[1] (31 August 1928 - 6 January 2020)[2] was a British engineer and professor emeritus at the University of Leeds.

Biography

Dowson was educated at Lady Lumley's School and studied mechanical engineering at the University of Leeds, from which he held the degrees of BSc, PhD and DSc.

Academic career

After completing his PhD in 1952, Dowson worked as a Research Engineer at Sir W G Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft Company. He returned to the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Leeds as a Lecturer in 1954,[3] ultimately becoming Professor of Engineering Fluid Mechanics and Tribology there.[4]

He was best known for his work on elastohydrodynamic lubrication.[5] In 1974, he received the International Award from the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers.[6] In 1979, he was awarded the Tribology Gold Medal by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers[7] and the Mayo D. Hersey Award from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.[8]

Dowson was Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Leeds from 1987 to 1992 and director of the Institute of Tribology there from 1967 to 1986.[9] He was also Pro-Vice-Chancellor at Leeds from 1983 to 1985. He retired in 1993 with the title Emeritus Professor.[10]

Dowson was President of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in 1992.[11] The Duncan Dowson prize is named in his honour.[12]

In 2016, he presented the Higginson Lecture in Durham University.

Honours

Dowson was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 1987.[13] He was made a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1989.[14] He was elected a Fellow[15] for the Royal Academy of Engineering[16] (FREng) in 1982.

Dowson received the following honorary degrees:[17]

Works
  • Duncan Dowson, Gordon Robert Higginson, Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication J. F. Archand, 1966; 2 edn, 1977
  • History of Tribology Longman, 1979, ISBN 978-0-582-44766-0; Wiley, 1998, ISBN 978-1-86058-070-3
  • Biomechanics of Joints and Joint Replacements (1981)
  • Ball Bearing Lubrication (1981)
  • Advances in medical tribology, Mechanical Engineering Publications, 1998, ISBN 978-1-86058-069-7

References
  1. "List of Fellows".
  2. University of Leeds, obituary notice, published 9 January 2020
  3. Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Duncan Dowson
  4. Royal Society, biography of Duncan Dowson
  5. Hamrock, B. J.; Dowson, D. (1 April 1977). "Isothermal Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication of Point Contacts: Part III—Fully Flooded Results". Journal of Lubrication Technology. 99 (2): 264–275. doi:10.1115/1.3453074. ISSN 0022-2305.
  6. "International Award | STLE". www.stle.org. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  7. "IMechE Tribology Gold Medal Laureates | Institution of Mechanical Engineers". www.imeche.org. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  8. "Mayo D. Hersey Award". www.asme.org. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  9. University of Leeds, staff profile
  10. University of Leeds, List of Emeritus Professors Archived 26 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  11. http://heritage.imeche.org/Biographies/DuncanDowson
  12. http://www.imeche.org/knowledge/industries/medicine-and-health/prizes/dowson-prize
  13. Duncan Dowson, Royal Society Fellow page, last accessed 2015-10-28.
  14. "University of Leeds, Details of honorary graduates". Archived from the original on 18 February 2012. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
  15. "List of Fellows".
  16. "List of Fellows".
  17. University of Leeds, staff profile, Professor Duncan Dowson
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