David Milne (technologist)
{{Short description|Scottish technologist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2017}}
{{Infobox scientist
| name = David Milne
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|OBE|FREng|FRSE|FIET}}
| birth_name = Alastair David Milne
| image =
| caption =
| birth_date = 1942
| birth_place = Edinburgh, Scotland
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality = Scottish
| field = Microelectronics
| work_institution = Wolfson Microelectronics
University of Edinburgh
| alma_mater = Bristol University
Heriot-Watt University
| doctoral_advisor =
| prizes =
| religion =
| footnotes =
}}
Alastair David Milne is a Scottish technologist and founder and former CEO of the Wolfson Microelectronics company.
Early life and education
Milne was born in Edinburgh and attended George Watson's College.{{cite web | url=https://www.bristol.ac.uk/alumni/our-alumni/honorary-degrees/honorary-graduates/2007/milne.html | title=Honorary Graduate Professor David Milne | publisher=University of Bristol | date=13 July 2007 | access-date=20 September 2024}} He pursued higher education in physics, earning a Bachelors from Heriot-Watt University in 1966 and an MSc and then PhD from the University of Bristol in 1968.
Career
In 1970, Milne joined the newly created Wolfson Industrial Liaison Unit at the University of Edinburgh. In 1973 he was promoted to director, renamed the unit as the Wolfson Microelectronics Institute and changed its focus to the design of semiconductor devices. In 1984, he co-founded the spinout company Wolfson Microelectronics which developed audio processing products for consumer electronics made by major manufacturers including Apple Inc and Samsung. The company became the first successful spin-out from a Scottish university and the second to be listed on the London Stock Exchange.{{cite web | url=https://engineeringhalloffame.org/profile/dr-david-milne | title=Scottish Engineering – Hall of Fame – Dr David Milne | website=Institution of Engineers in Scotland | date=4 October 2024 | access-date=7 October 2024}} Milne served as chief executive officer of Wolfson Microelectronics until 2007 and as non-executive director until 2012.
Milne has been active in the promotion of science and technology. He served as chairman of the Edinburgh International Science Festival{{cite journal | url= https://doi.org/10.1108/mi.2007.21825aab.006 | title=New appointments at the Edinburgh International Science Festival | journal=Microelectronics International | date=28 December 2007 | volume=25 | doi=10.1108/mi.2007.21825aab.006 | access-date=20 September 2024| url-access=subscription }} between 2007 and 2022, and as trustee and chair of the James Clerk Maxwell Foundation.{{cite web | url= https://clerkmaxwellfoundation.org/html/the_foundation.html | title=About the James Clerk Maxwell Foundation | website=James Clerk Maxwell Foundation | date=8 July 2024 |access-date=20 September 2024}}
Awards and recognition
In recognition of his contributions to technology and business he was awarded an OBE{{cite web | url= https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/49768/supplement/11 | title=Queen's Birthday Honours List | website=The London Gazette | date=16 June 1984 | access-date=20 September 2024}} in 1984, Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh{{cite web | url=https://rse.org.uk/fellowship/fellow/dr-david-milne-30855/ | title=Dr David Milne| website=Royal Society of Edinburgh | date=20 September 2024 | access-date=20 September 2024}} in 1991, Fellowship of the Institution of Engineering and Technology in 1992, and Fellowship of the Royal Academy of Engineering{{cite web | url=https://raeng.org.uk/fellows-directory | title=Fellows Directory | website=Royal Academy of Engineering | date=20 September 2024 | access-date=20 September 2024}} in 2002.
He was awarded the Royal Society of Edinburgh's Royal Medal{{cite web | url=https://rse.org.uk/award/rse-royal-medal/ | title=RSE Royal Medal|website=Royal Society of Edinburgh | date=24 August 2024 | access-date=20 September 2024}} in 2012 and honorary degrees from the University of Bristol and Heriot-Watt University{{cite web | url=https://www.hw.ac.uk/uk/services/docs/secretariat/honorary-graduates-1966-present.pdf | title=Honorary Graduates | website=Heriot-Watt University| date=20 September 2024 | access-date=20 September 2024}} in 2007, and the University of Edinburgh{{cite web | url=https://www.ed.ac.uk/about/people/honorary-degrees/2007-08 | title=University of Edinburgh - Honorary graduates 2007/08 | website=University of Edinburgh | date=25 May 2015 | access-date=20 September 2024}} in 2008.
He has received several business awards including Scotland's Entrepreneur of the Year in 2003.{{cite web | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3247030.stm | title=Leading entrepreneur named | website=BBC | date=28 November 2003 | access-date=20 September 2024}} He was inducted into the Scottish Engineering Hall of Fame in 2024.
References
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Category:Scottish Engineering Hall of Fame inductees
Category:Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
{{DEFAULTSORT:Milne, David}}
Category:Alumni of Heriot-Watt University
Category:People educated at George Watson's College
Category:Alumni of the University of Bristol
Category:People associated with the University of Edinburgh
Category:Fellows of the Institution of Engineering and Technology