Zbigniew Stanislaw Basinski, O.C. 28 April 1928 – 12 August 1999

Abstract

Zbigniew Basinski, widely known as Bas, was exposed early in life to turbulent events in Poland, Russia and Palestine. He studied chemistry at Oxford, then performed research in metal physics with Jack Christian (F.R.S. 1975). There he met Sylvia Pugh, his wife and lifelong partner, in an enduring and passionate study of crystal plasticity pursued largely in Canada. Over most of the period since the dislocation concept transformed the problem of explaining crystal weakness into one of explaining crystal strength, Basinski's experimental investigations of the obstacles to dislocation motion surpassed in quality and variety those of any other worker.