William (Bill) James Leslie Buyers Condensed Matter Physics, crystals, magnets, superconductors, semiconductors

Researched magnetic excitations and structures of solids and liquids; first to observe the "Haldane Gap", thereby confirming a previously controversial theory in quantum magnetism.

The Story

Buyers was born and educated in Aberdeen, Scotland. He received the Rutherford Medal from the Royal Society of Canada in December 1986, for his work in magnetic excitations and lattice vibrations in ordered and disordered materials, and for his determination of the structures of solids and liquids. Buyers was manager of Neutron and Solid State Physics Branch, AECL Chalk River until 1991. In 2001 he received the CAP Medal of Achievement in Physics for his development of neutron scattering techniques to show the magnetic properties of metals and insulators, and for his leadership role in the Canadian neutron scattering community. Buyers is one of the leaders of the proposal for the new Canadian Neutron Facility. He is also one of the organizers of the 2003 National Symposium on Energy, Environment and Society.

Sources: Canadian Who’s Who 1993; Canadian Association of Physicists (CAP); Photo: CAP website.

Career ideas:

  • research scientist, physics
  • research scientist, electronics
  • research scientist, communications
  • research scientist, aerospace
  • research scientist, remote sensing
  • nuclear physicist
  • optics physicist
  • plasma physicist
  • solid state physicist
  • astrophysicist
  • cosmologist
  • experimental physicist

The Person

Birthdate
April 10, 1937
Birthplace
Aboyne, Scotland
Residence
Chalk River, ON
Title
Principal Research Officer, National Research Council
Office
Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories
Status
Working
Degrees
  • PhD Aberdeen, Scotland, 1963
Awards
  • Rutherford Medal, Royal Society of Canada, 1986
  • Fellow, Royal Society of Canada, 1988
  • Outstanding Achievement Award, National Research Council, 1997
  • Canadian Association of Physicists Medal of Achievement, 2001
  • Queen's Golden Jubilee Commemorative Gold Medal 2002
Last Updated
June 16, 2015
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