News

Bede directors gain international recognition

(4 March 2005)

Dr Keith Bowen and Professor Brian Tanner of Durham-based Bede plc, have become the first British recipients of a major international scientific award.

They will receive the coveted Charles S. Barrett Award for exceptional contribution to the field of powder diffraction at an international gathering of scientists in Denver later this year.

Since spinning out as a stand-alone business from the University of Durham in 1978, with the aim of supplying customer-made scientific instruments to universities, Bede has gone on to achieve international recognition as a global supplier of X-ray metrology tools to the semiconductor industry.

The company is also at the forefront of technological innovations in the field of non-destructive X-ray metrology and recently announced it had booked new orders of £10.7 million for the full year 2004.

Professor Tanner, co-founder & non-executive director at Bede and Professor of Physics at the University of Durham, has worked with Dr Bowen, director of technology at Bede and a Visiting Professor at Durham, since the company was set up.

In addition to their roles within the company, they have collectively published more than 400 scientific articles and co-authored a book entitled, ‘High Resolution X-ray Diffraction and Topography’.

Professor Tanner said: "I am thrilled to receive the Barrett award along with my colleague, Dr. Bowen. This award is indicative of the superior technology implemented in each Bede X-ray metrology tool in order to satisfy the needs of today's advanced semiconductor technology.

“We have come a long way since creating this company from its original base as project within the University in 1978. The award is therefore testimony to how such partnerships, combined with academic excellence, can benefit the regional and national economy.”

Professor Tanner is also director of the North East Centre for Scientific Enterprise, leading an initiative to spread entrepreneurial culture among the academic community.

Dr Bowen added: "It is truly an honour to receive such a coveted award. Professor Tanner and I have dedicated the past thirty years to the advancement of non-destructive X-ray metrology techniques, such as high-resolution X-ray diffraction."

Bede plc also has sales and service offices in Denver, Colorado (USA) and Shanghai, China, as well as a global network of distributors and a Prague-based subsidiary, which provides specialized X-ray technology to the Bede Group.

Issued on behalf of the University of Durham by Bradley O’Mahoney Public Relations. For press enquiries, contact Clare Maxwell or Sarah Cuthbertson on 0191 281 8833

Notes to editors: The award was named in honour of the late Charles S. Barrett, a well-recognized pioneer in the application of X-ray diffraction to materials structure. It was established in 1986 by the Denver X-ray Conference Advisory Committee and is bestowed to individuals who provide outstanding research, analysis, and development on the subject of powder diffraction. It is presented every other calendar year. The selection committee for the Barrett Award consists solely of past recipients.