Robert K Thomas (Oxford)
Among his achievements, Prof. Thomas established X-ray reflectivity and – more importantly – neutron reflectivity as major methods for the investigation of surfactants and macromolecules at surfaces and interfaces. Dr Thomas work also includes rigorous model not only of experimental data, but also of the interfacial process, e.g. adsorption, as such. His painstaking work on deuteration of surfactants and his generosity of making deuterated compounds available to many other scientists, allowed the generation of a very large body of valuable, high-quality data on many systems. A detailed, clear knowledge thus emerged for the layer structures and composition of surfactant molecules at interfaces. This is work that already has a strong impact on interfacial chemistry and surfactant science and will undoubtedly continue to make an impact for a long time.