Duncan Dowson

Dowson's father, Wilfrid Dowson, was an ornamental blacksmith, and as a child his son helped him in his work.{{cite news |title=Like father, like son - two generations of ingenuity |url=https://www.gazetteherald.co.uk/news/6669104.like-father-like-son-two-generations-of-ingenuity |access-date=12 February 2021 |work=Gazette and Herald |date=9 March 2001}}

Dowson was educated at Lady Lumley's Grammar School in Pickering and then read Mechanical Engineering at the University of Leeds, from which he received the degrees of BSc, PhD and DSc.{{cite journal |last1=Taylor |first1=Christopher M |title=In Memoriam: Professor Duncan Dowson (1928–2020) |journal=Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part J: Journal of Engineering Tribology |date=15 April 2020 |volume=234 |issue=6 |pages=986–988 |doi=10.1177/1350650120917261 |s2cid=218616793 |doi-access=free }}

After completing his PhD in 1952, Dowson worked as a research engineer at Sir W G Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft Company. He returned to the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Leeds as a lecturer in 1954,[https://archives.imeche.org/archive/institution-history/president-gallery/593797-1992-professor-duncan-dowson Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Duncan Dowson] ultimately becoming professor of engineering fluid mechanics and tribology there.[https://royalsociety.org/people/duncan-dowson-11359/ Royal Society, biography of Duncan Dowson]

Dowson was best known for his work on elastohydrodynamic lubrication.{{Cite journal|last1=Hamrock|first1=B. J.|last2=Dowson|first2=D.|date=1977-04-01|title=Isothermal Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication of Point Contacts: Part III—Fully Flooded Results|url=https://asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/tribology/article/99/2/264/420202/Isothermal-Elastohydrodynamic-Lubrication-of-Point|journal=Journal of Lubrication Technology|language=en|volume=99|issue=2|pages=264–275|doi=10.1115/1.3453074|issn=0022-2305|url-access=subscription}} In 1974, he received the International Award from the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers.{{Cite web|title=International Award {{!}} STLE|url=https://www.stle.org/files/Awards/International.aspx|access-date=2021-01-20|website=www.stle.org}} In 1979, he was awarded the Tribology Gold Medal by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers{{Cite web|title=IMechE Tribology Gold Medal Laureates {{!}} Institution of Mechanical Engineers|url=https://www.imeche.org/careers-education/scholarships-and-awards/DGs/tribology/tribology-gold-medal/gold-medal-laureates|access-date=2021-01-20|website=www.imeche.org}} and the Mayo D. Hersey Award from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.{{Cite web|title=Mayo D. Hersey Award|url=https://www.asme.org/about-asme/honors-awards/achievement-awards/mayo-d-hersey-award|access-date=2021-01-20|website=www.asme.org|language=en}}

Dowson was Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Leeds from 1987 to 1992 and director of the Institute of Tribology there from 1967 to 1986.{{Cite web |url=https://eps.leeds.ac.uk/mechanical-engineering/staff/142/professor-duncan-dowson |title=University of Leeds, staff profile |access-date=16 January 2020 |archive-date=16 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200116093953/https://eps.leeds.ac.uk/mechanical-engineering/staff/142/professor-duncan-dowson |url-status=dead }} He was also pro-vice-chancellor at Leeds from 1983 to 1985. He retired in 1993 with the title Emeritus Professor.[http://www.leeds.ac.uk/calendar/emeritus.htm University of Leeds, List of Emeritus Professors] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120926134723/http://www.leeds.ac.uk/calendar/emeritus.htm |date=26 September 2012 }}

Dowson was President of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in 1992.{{Cite web|url=http://heritage.imeche.org/Biographies/DuncanDowson|title=Engineering Heritage Awards - IMechE}}

The Duncan Dowson prize is named in his honour.http://www.imeche.org/knowledge/industries/medicine-and-health/prizes/dowson-prize

In 2016, he presented the Higginson Lecture in Durham University.

Dowson was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 1987.[https://royalsociety.org/people/duncan-dowson-11359/ Duncan Dowson], Royal Society Fellow page, last accessed 2015-10-28. He was made a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1989.{{Cite web |url=http://reporter.leeds.ac.uk/press_releases/current/centenary_honorary_graduations.htm |title=University of Leeds, Details of honorary graduates |access-date=4 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120218075551/http://reporter.leeds.ac.uk/press_releases/current/centenary_honorary_graduations.htm |archive-date=18 February 2012 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }} He was elected a Fellow{{cite web|title=List of Fellows|url=http://www.raeng.org.uk/about-us/people-council-committees/the-fellowship/list-of-fellows|access-date=16 October 2014|archive-date=8 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160608094405/http://www.raeng.org.uk/about-us/people-council-committees/the-fellowship/list-of-fellows|url-status=dead}} for the Royal Academy of Engineering{{cite web|title=List of Fellows|url=http://www.raeng.org.uk/about-us/people-council-committees/the-fellowship/list-of-fellows|access-date=16 October 2014|archive-date=8 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160608094405/http://www.raeng.org.uk/about-us/people-council-committees/the-fellowship/list-of-fellows|url-status=dead}} (FREng) in 1982.

Dowson received the following honorary degrees:{{Cite web |url=https://eps.leeds.ac.uk/mechanical-engineering/staff/142/professor-duncan-dowson |title=University of Leeds, staff profile, Professor Duncan Dowson |access-date=16 January 2020 |archive-date=16 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200116093953/https://eps.leeds.ac.uk/mechanical-engineering/staff/142/professor-duncan-dowson |url-status=dead }}

• DSc - Chalmers University of Technology - 1979
• Docteur - INSA Lyon - 1991
• DSc - University of Liège - 1995
• DEng - University of Waterloo - 2001
• DEng - University of Bradford - 2002
• DEng - University of Leeds - 2003
• DSc - Loughborough University - 2005

In 1951 Dowson married Mabel Strickland from Cropton in North Yorkshire, who had attended the same school. Mabel became a primary school headmistress. They had two sons and a daughter.

Dowson died on 6 January 2020 in Leeds at the age of 91. His wife died a few months later on 11 October 2020.

• Duncan Dowson, Gordon Robert Higginson, Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication J. F. Archand, 1966; 2 edn, 1977
• History of Tribology Longman, 1979, {{ISBN|978-0-582-44766-0}}; Wiley, 1998, {{ISBN|978-1-86058-070-3}}
• Biomechanics of Joints and Joint Replacements (1981)
• Ball Bearing Lubrication (1981)
• Advances in medical tribology, Mechanical Engineering Publications, 1998, {{ISBN|978-1-86058-069-7}}

{{reflist}}

• http://www.engin.cf.ac.uk/whoswho/profile.asp?RecordNo=526
• http://www.biotribologyconference.com/bio_dowson.asp
• http://frettingwear.com/2010/duncan-dowson/
• {{History of Modern Biomedicine Research Group ID}}

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Category:1928 births

Category:2020 deaths

Category:20th-century British engineers

Category:British mechanical engineers

Category:Tribologists

Category:Alumni of the University of Leeds

Category:Academics of the University of Leeds

Category:Fellows of the Royal Academy of Engineering

Category:Fellows of the Royal Society

Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire