Martin Milton
Martin J.T. Milton | |
|---|---|
 Milton in 2025 | |
| Born | Eastbourne, UK |
| Education | University of Southampton (PhD 1990) London Business School (MBA 1991) |
| Awards | Finkelstein Award (2016) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Laser physics |
| Workplaces | National Physical Laboratory International Bureau of Weights and Measures |
Martin Milton is a British physicist who was director of the International Bureau of Weights and Measures from 2013 to 2025.
Education
[edit]Milton was born in 1961 in the town of Eastbourne, East Sussex, and attended the Eastbourne Grammar School.[1] Milton received a BA (Hons) in physics from Merton College (Oxford University) in 1981.
Career
[edit]Milton joined the U.K. National Physical Laboratory Division of Quantum Metrology in Teddington[2] where he worked on building tunable laser-like light sources with applications to atmospheric remote sensing. This work led to a PhD from University of Southampton in 1990 which he completed as an external student.[3]
In 1998, Milton was elevated to NPL Fellow status within the Analytical Science Division[4] and his research mandate broadened to wider issues of atmospheric pollution measurements and methods to ascertain greenhouse gas emission inventories. These efforts led to the developed of methods for high-accuracy measurements of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere which contributed to the global atmospheric models used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).[5]
After the resignation of BIPM Director Michael Kühne in 2012, Milton was elected as the BIPM Director-designate on 7 June 2012, during the 101st meeting of the International Committee for Weights and Measures (CIPM).[6] Milton oversaw several major transformations of the BIPM. The historic redefinition of the kilogram, ampere, kelvin, and the mole that took place in 2018.[7] Dr. Milton managed the final institutional and scientific preparations required to transition the International System of Units away from physical artifacts.[8][9]
Milton worked to expand the global reach of the BIPM through international science diplomacy. He spearheaded the initiative on universal adherence to the Metre Convention which was adopted in 2022.[10] For these lasting contributions to international measurement infrastructure and global standardization, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2025.[11]
References
[edit]- ↑ "Eastbourne Grammar and High School 1977–78" (PDF). Eastbourne Grammar and High School Magazine. Old Grammarians Association. 1978. Retrieved 11 September 2026.
- ↑ "Authors' Photographs and Biographies" (PDF). The Review of Laser Engineering. 23 (2): 110–114. February 1995. Retrieved 10 September 2026.
- ↑ Milton, Martin John Terry (1990). Investigations of high-efficiency mixing and parametric amplification in nonlinear crystals (Doctoral thesis). University of Southampton. EPrints: 458342. Retrieved 11 September 2026.
- ↑ "Martin Milton". National Physical Laboratory. Retrieved 10 September 2026.
- ↑ "Merton alumnus Dr Martin Milton awarded OBE for services to measurement science". Merton College - Oxford. 18 June 2025. Retrieved 10 September 2026.
- ↑ 101st meeting of the CIPM (Session I) (Report). International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM). 8 June 2012. Retrieved 11 September 2026.
- ↑ Lim, XiaoZhi (16 November 2018). "The Kilogram Is Dead. Long Live the Kilogram!". The New York Times. Retrieved 11 September 2026.
- ↑ "Redefining the SI". United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS). 16 November 2018. Retrieved 11 September 2026.
- ↑ "It's official — a kilogram isn't what it used to be". CBC News. The Associated Press. 16 November 2018. Retrieved 11 September 2026.
- ↑ "Keynote Speaker - Martin Milton". IEEE MetroXRAINE 2023. 1 October 2023. Retrieved 11 September 2026.
- ↑ "Order of the British Empire". The London Gazette. No. 64759. 13 June 2025. Notice ID: 4906813. Retrieved 11 September 2026.
| Authority control databases: Academics |
|---|
