A WORLD-RENOWNED physicist known for his work on light and quantum optics has died aged 88.
Rodney Loudon, 88, was described as an intelligent, caring, and kind gentleman.
Throughout his life, he gained multiple physics-related diplomas and helped found the Physics Department at the University of Essex.
He also received multiple international and national awards for his outstanding and groundbreaking work.
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Prof Loudon's book, with Bill Hayes, Light Scattering by Crystals, still provides great information on research workers’ desks today.
He met his wife, Mary Loudon, during his studies at Berkeley, University of California.
The University of Essex recruited Mr Loudon in 1966 to set up the theoretical side of the Physics Department.
Although he started as a reader, he was promoted to Professor after a year, a post he held for the rest of his life.
He was born in 1934 in Prestwich, Lancashire, and passed away on Christmas Day 2022 in Ipswich Hospital.
He leaves behind his wife, Mary, and two children, Ann and Peter.
Essex Professors and ex-students of Prof Loudon have left messages to pay final tributes.
Professor Emeritus Mike Adams and Dr Nick Zakhleniuk who worked with him at Essex University, said he was "one of the friendliest and most helpful people we have known."
In a statement they said: "We had the honour and privilege to work with Rodney at Essex for some years.
"We were amongst the last people at Essex to collaborate on research with Rodney, but the long list of his collaborators and former students extends around the globe, including the world’s top universities.
"In addition to being a very distinguished scientist, he was one of the friendliest and most helpful people we have known, very kind and generous with his time.
"We were always impressed by the combination of Rodney’s towering standing as a scientist and his characteristic modesty (the latter was perfected almost to the level of a martial art)."
Other tributes can be found on the University of Essex website at bit.ly/3IjkMqR.
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