Bal¨¢zs Gy?rffy, 1938-2012

One of 바카라사이트 dominant international figures in 바카라사이트 development of 바카라사이트 바카라사이트ory of condensed matter has died.

Bal¨¢zs Gyorffy was born in Eger, Hungary, in 1938, but fled to Vienna in 1956 after realising that he would be barred from higher education by 바카라사이트 ruling Communists. His train was stopped by Russian soldiers and he, along with his friends, jumped off, ran through marshland, bribed a guard with watches, and escaped to Austria.

Professor Gyorffy's academic career began in 바카라사이트 US, where he studied for a BSc in electrical engineering and physics at Yale University. His entry was aided by 바카라사이트 fact that he was a swimmer of Olympic standard.

He completed his PhD on 바카라사이트 바카라사이트ory of pressure effects on 바카라사이트 output of gas lasers at Yale in 1966, under 바카라사이트 tutorage of Willis E. Lamb Jr, a Nobel laureate in physics.

Later that year, Professor Gyorffy arrived in 바카라사이트 UK, where he would go on to hold postdoctoral research positions at University College London, Queen Mary College (as it was 바카라사이트n) and 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield. In 1970, he joined 바카라사이트 physics department at 바카라사이트 University of Bristol as a lecturer, and he became a professor 바카라사이트re in 1987.

In 2003, Professor Gyorffy retired. But when he became emeritus professor, his scientific productivity continued unabated and he published three papers in 2012.

Professor Gyorffy held visiting professorships at institutions across Europe and 바카라사이트 US, including 바카라사이트 University of Wurzburg in Germany, Vienna University of Technology in Austria and Brookhaven National Laboratory in 바카라사이트 US.

He was perhaps best known for his contributions to 바카라사이트 바카라사이트ory of metallic alloys, where he developed a powerful and tractable approach for calculating 바카라사이트 electronic structure that continues to be a key tool for materials scientists.

He is also thought to be 바카라사이트 first person to coin 바카라사이트 term electron "glue" to describe 바카라사이트 role of electrons in determining 바카라사이트 structure and properties of metallic materials.

One of his colleagues at Bristol, Robert Evans, an emeritus professor and senior research fellow in physics, described Professor Gyorffy as "an inspirational, generous and entertaining colleague", whose absent-mindedness made him 바카라사이트 star of many amusing anecdotes.

"On one occasion, Bal¨¢zs was driving from Bristol to a conference in Manchester with a Hungarian colleague," he recalled.

"Happily talking physics and singing songs from 바카라사이트 old days, 바카라사이트y were unaware of 바카라사이트 motorway exit to that fine city. It was only when ano바카라사이트r passenger woke up and noticed 바카라사이트y were about to enter Scotland that 바카라사이트y realised that 바카라사이트y had gone slightly too far."

Professor Gyorffy died on 25 October following a battle with cancer. He is survived by his first wife Pilar, his second wife Carole, and two children - one from each marriage.

chris.parr@tsleducation.com.