Professor Sir John Enderby is an expert on neutrons. He realised early on that these tiny particles, when generated in beams from nuclear reactors, can be used as a clean probe to explore the structure of matter in its various condensed states.

Honorary fellowship is conferred by the IOP on distinguished individuals for exceptional service to physics or a closely related discipline. The fellowship can also recognise an important service to the Institute or someone whose relationship with the Institute has been of tremendous benefit. The honour has been given to only 38 other people during the IOP’s history. Professor Sir John Enderby is one of five eminent scientists to have received the honour this year. He received an honorary degree from the University of Bristol in 2006.

Professor Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell, President of IOP, said: ‘The IOP honorary fellowships are a wonderful way of honouring the achievements of physicists across a range of fields as well as underlining the important role physicists have in communicating science to the wider public.’