12 Jan Honorary Doctrate nod for Dr John C Taylor OBE
Dr John C Taylor OBE has today been awarded an honorary doctorate (DSci) by Durham University, at which he has been a Visiting Professor of Physics for a number of years.
Prolific inventor and engineer Dr Taylor, whose name may not be familiar to all but whose inventions are used by tens of millions of people across the globe every day, has been recognised by the highly prestigious Durham University for his contributions to science and business.
Dr Taylor made his name creating bi-metal components that are vital to many items in our cars and homes we couldn’t live without.
Early electric kettles would not turn off when the water was boiling, meaning that they needed constant supervision and were in danger of melting and starting fires if they were not properly attended. Dr Taylor created the solution to this problem: a small, bi-metallic thermostat which would break the kettle’s circuit when the water started to boil.
On receiving the honorary doctorate, Dr Taylor said, “Being awarded an honorary doctorate in science from such a distinguished university as Durham is a surprise and a source of great pride.
“What makes it particularly special for me is that this is where my son Neil graduated with a First in Engineering in 1991.
“I’m looking forward to continuing to lecture at Durham, in particular offering the sort of practical advice that can help young engineers and inventors to turn a good idea into a viable business.
“The United Kingdom is known around the world for its innovation and I think it’s important to support the innovators of the future, who will help the community by creating jobs, money and opportunities for others.”
Dr Taylor now has over 400 patents to his name, and his retirement has not slowed him down. He is one of the UK’s leading experts on early English clocks and his most recent inventions reflect his love of horology. In 2008 the Corpus Chronophage was unveiled in an exterior wall of the Taylor Library at Corpus College, Cambridge
