Richard Wilson

Richard Wilson is Mallinckrodt Professor of Physics Emeritus at Harvard University.Born in London, England in 1926 (in the middle of a general strike).  He studied at St Paul’s school London and Christ Church , Oxford University earning an MA and D Phil in physics.  Arriving in Harvard University in 1955 he quickly became expert in nuclear physics and elementary particle physics branching out in 1970 into topics of interest in public policy.   In 1993 to 1977 he was Chairman of the Department of Physics and in 1979 he was the first  Director of the University’s Regional Center for Global Environmental Change (NIGEC).  In the 1970s he helped ensure the medical use of the Harvard Cyclotron for treating cancerous and other tumors and was  Chairman of the Harvard Cyclotron Operating Committee.   He became Chairman of the visiting Committee of the Radiation medicine Department at Massachussetts General Hospital in 1982 and is still a member. He enthusiastically encouraged the transfer of the patient treatment from Harvard to a new, superior, cyclotron at MGH.  In the 1970s he helped to found the Society for Risk Analysis and is a pioneer in the field of risk analysis.   Professor Wilson’s contributions to this field include radiation physics, chemical carcinogens, air pollution. He is deeply concerned about human rights and was deeply influenced by Andrei Sakharov whom he met in Moscow in 1979. He has been a consultant to the United States government and the governments of numerous foreign countries on matters of nuclear safety, toxicology, epidemiology, public health and safety, and risk assessment. Professor Wilson is the author or co-author of more than 935 published books and papers and the recipient of numerous awards, including the “Chernobyl Liquidator” medal of the USSR in 1987, the Forum Award of The American Physical Society in 1990,  the Distinguished Service award of the Society of Risk Analysis in 1993,  the Dixy Lee Ray award of the American society for Mechanical Engineers in  2007 "For significant contributions to the science and engineering of environmental protection,  particularly methodology of risk assessments, risk assessment of specific pollutants, risk assessment of nuclear power including nuclear waste, and ethics in environmental science and engineering," and the Presidential Citation of the American Nuclear Society in 2008 for "Mentoring students for over 50 years in nuclear science, engineering and technology and his tireless efforts promoting peaceful application of nuclear power.” He was awarded the 2005 "Erice" prize for Science and Peace of the Ettore Majorana Institute of Scientific Culture in Erice, Italy, and received the 2012 Andrei Sakharov Prize from The American Physical Society for “tireless efforts in defense of human rights and freedom of expression and education anywhere in the world, and for inspiring students, colleagues and others to do the same.” Professor Wilson serves on the Board of Directors of the Andrei Sakharov Foundation, which endeavors to continue the work of Nobel Peace Prize Winner Andrei Sakharov in human rights and human progress. He is the President of the Arsenic Foundation, which is dedicated to helping to avoid arsenic poisoning from drinking contaminated water supplies in South Asia.  Professor Wilson used his leadership and stature in the scientific and academic communities,  to help Atlantic Legal Foundation, a prominent public interest law foundation in advocating for the admissibility of sound expert testimony in toxic tort, product liability and related litigation. With the help of scores of noted scientists, including 16 Nobel laureates, the Professor Wilson and the Foundation has successfully challenged bogus theories of causation in numerous federal and state cases over the last eighteen years. The Atlantic Legal Foundation at its meeting on October 30^th 2012 will award Professor Wilson its’ “Lifetime Achievement” award. In 1952 Professor Wilson married Andree Desiree Dumond and between them have 6 children.