Emeritus Fellow Prof Frank Close receives the 2013 Michael Faraday Prize

Congratulations to Professor Frank Close, Emeritus Fellow of Physics, who has been awarded the 2013 Michael Faraday Prize by the Royal Society for excellence in communicating science to UK audiences.

Professor Close helped to popularise physics through radio, newspaper and magazine articles, several popular books, and through lectures that he has given across the world. His most recent book, The Infinity Puzzle, tells the history of the 50-year quest for the Higgs Boson, from its inception by Peter Higgs and others, to its discovery “beyond reasonable doubt” at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (known as CERN) last  year.

The Royal Society described Professor Close as “the popular authoritative voice of particle physics for three decades,” and praised him for championing physics at a time when “hard science” fought for media attention.

Professor Close responded “I am pleased that after many years of trying to convince gate-keepers in the media that ‘hard science’, when well presented, can be widely accessible, today science is at last becoming recognised as part of culture, and its excitement is being enjoyed by millions.”

The Michael Faraday Prize, first awarded in 1986 and named after the 19th-century scientist whose discoveries included electromagnetic induction, diamagnetism and electrolysis, is accompanied by a gift of £2,500. The winner of the prize is invited to give a lecture at the Royal Society. Previous winners have included Professor Brian Cox, Sir David Attenborough and Richard Dawkins.