Emeritus Professor Oliver Penrose
Honorary Doctorate of Science (Hon. DSc)
Graduation Ceremony: Wednesday, 8 December, 2021
Emeritus Professor Oliver Penrose for recognition of his long service to the University and to his subject, and of his worldwide renown as a versatile, original, and creative mathematical scientist and Mr Tocher in recognition of his contributions to entrepreneurship, product design and engineering.
Emeritus Prof Oliver Penrose was a Professor of Mathematics at Heriot-Watt University from 1986 until his retirement in 1994. Before that he spent 17 years at the Open University. He is still active in research and now holds the title Professor Emeritus.
His principal research interest is in Statistical Mechanics, both equilibrium and non-equilibrium, and in related topics such as the kinetics of phase transitions in metals and the physical chemistry of surfactants; he makes occasional forays into more metaphysical areas such as the direction of time and the interpretation of quantum mechanics.