Professor Phil Prewett BSc(Wales), DPhil(Oxon), CPhys, FInstP, FIoN, FRSA
Curriculum Vitae

Phil Prewett obtained a BSc with first class honours in Physics from the University of Wales Swansea in 1969.  He was awarded his doctorate in Plasma Physics from Oxford University (DPhil) in 1975 for his work on the dynamics of plasma boundaries. He is Emeritus Professor of Nanotechnology in the School of Mechanical Engineering at Birmingham University after holding the Lucas Chair of MicroEngineering and Nanotechnology from 1998 until 2011.  He is  Visiting Professor of Nanotechnology at the University of New South Wales Australia, Visiting Professor of Physics at the Open University and is a former Visiting Professor in the Physics Department at King’s College, London.  He is founder (1987) and CEO of Oxford Scientific Consultants Ltd and of Oxford MicroMedical Ltd (2012)   In Birmingham’s School of Mechanical Engineering, he was Joint Head of School and set up and chaired the Mathematics Working Group and the Smart Working Group.  He formed the first inter-school Nanotechnology Forum at Birmingham University and played a leading role in developing links with India in conjunction with the International Office and the British Council. He has been an external examiner at Masters level for Cranfield University and has acted as PhD examiner for many universities including Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College, Warwick, York, Bristol and King’s College London.

Phil Prewett formed the MicroEngineering and Nanotechnology Group in Birmingham University’s Mechanical Engineering School in 1998 and led the group until 2011, when he took Emeritus status to concentrate on OSC Ltd.  Before that, he was for 11 years Head of R&D in the Central Microstructure Facility at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory.  Among his other appointments were Technical Director of Ion Beam Systems where he received the 1986 Finniston Award for new scientific product development from Sir Monty Finniston. He has also worked for AEA Technology, Wilkinson Sword and 3M Company.

He has played a leadership role in several international projects including the EU framework nanotechnology project “NANCAR” and has taken part in several overseas science and technology missions, notably to India.

He is the co-author with Graeme Mair of the pioneering book “Focused Ion Beams from Liquid Metal Ion Sources”.