Terahertz Pioneer: Thomas G. Phillips "The Sky Above, the Mountain Below"

Abstract

It is perhaps surprising that the son of a Public House owner in post-war London would set his sights on understanding the structure and evolution of the stars, but Thomas Gould Phillips1 did just that. Maybe there was a suggestion of a scientific bend in the family. His father had studied mechanical engineering before being forced to give up his formal education to assist his widowed mother at the Public House. However, Professor Phillips cannot recall ever having had a serious scientific discussion with either of his parents. His early interest in physics was thrust upon him by his primary school teachers, who recognized his talents from his marks on standardized tests he took at the conclusion of his grammar school years. His course being set, he did not disappoint. Tom worked hard in secondary school, rapidly catching up with colleagues who had a more supportive career start. Ultimately he earned a place at St. Edmund Hall, Oxford University, Oxford, U.K., where he enrolled in 1958 as one of the few students in his college who was not there under a sports fellowship.

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