Wilson Sibbett
About Optica
In Memoriam: Wilson Sibbett, 1948-2024
15 October 2024
Wilson Sibbett, Optica Fellow and recipient of the Charles Hard Townes Medal, has passed away at the age of 76. He was known for his work on ultrashort pulse laser science and technology. Sibbett's work on streak cameras was the first to demonstrate the technique of subpicosecond chronoscropy, achieved by synchronouse scanning of streak cameras such that they function as oscilloscopes.
Sibbett studied physics at Queen’s University Belfast, graduating in 1970, and earned a PhD in laser physics in 1973. After serving as a research fellow and lecturer at Imperial College London, he achieved readership status before joining the University of St Andrews in 1985 as Professor of Natural Philosophy and head of the physics department. From 1988 to 1994, he led the School of Physics and Astronomy and later became director of research and Wardlaw Professor of Physics in 1997.
In 2001, Sibbett was appointed chair of the Scottish Science Advisory Committee, which made him Scotland’s first chief adviser on science. He was made a fellow of the Royal Society in 1997, awarded the Rumford Medal in 2000, and the Rank Prize for Optoelectronics in 2007. In 2001, Her Majesty the Queen made him a Commander of the British Empire for services to science and research. Sibbett was awarded Optica's Charles Hard Townes Medal in 2011 "for pioneering breakthroughs in the science and technology of ultrashort optical pulses, including generation, measurement, and the development of practical sources for applications in photophysics, photochemistry, photomedicine, engineering, and communications." He served on several awards committees for Optica.
In addition to his scientific achievements, Sibbett was well-known for his community activities, such as St Andrews Rotarian, elder in the Church of Scotland, and chairman of St Andrews’ New Picture House cinema.
Sibbett is survived by his wife Barbara, daughters, sons-in-law, and many grandchildren. We join the science community in mourning his death.
