Sir Sam Edwards. 1 February 1928 — 7 July 2015

Abstract

Sam Edwards was one of the leading physicists of the second half of the twentieth century. He was Cavendish Professor at the University of Cambridge, a Vice President of the Royal Society, a member of the Académie des Sciences and of the US National Academy, and a senior figure in the university and his college. He played a major role in public life, most notably as chairman of the Science Research Council (SRC), responsible for research funding in the UK. He was chairman of the British Association, chief government scientist to the Department of Energy, and chairman of the Defence Scientific Advisory Council. He was equally in demand to lead or to help set up bodies abroad, particularly the Max Planck Institute for Polymers in Mainz, Germany. Remarkably, Sam made some of his most celebrated scientific discoveries, for instance the theory of spin glasses and the rheology of high polymer melts, while serving as the full-time head of the SRC. Conversely, his scientific insights informed his leadership in advising the government. His later science was in highly applicable areas: he was an active advisor to Unilever, Dow, Lucas and many other companies that rely on research.