Emeritus Professor T W Davies: Tom has been an academic engineer since being appointed to the teaching staff at the University of Sheffield on graduation and was later appointed to a lectureship in chemical engineering at the University of Exeter at a time when the University was developing new departments. He remained until early retirement, having published almost 200 scientific papers and edited 2 books. During his career he has taught and worked in many countries around the world whilst remaining based at Middle Hollacombe, Crediton, at one point being seconded to Sharjah in the UAE for 3 years as Dean of Engineering during the creation of the University of Sharjah. Closer to home he worked as a consultant to the china clay industry for several years and helped to develop the new process of flash calcination which involved working at MIT in the USA and eventually led to a production plant in Cornwall. In retirement he developed a high efficiency refrigeration system in a barn at Middle Hollacombe, aspects of which will hopefully lead to reduced carbon emissions in years to come.