T. G. Phillips – short bio

 

Thomas G. Phillips was educated at Oxford, England, where he received B.A., M.A., and D. Phil. degrees.  His graduate studies were in low temperature physics.  After one year at Stanford University, he returned to Oxford for two years and then moved to Bell Telephone Laboratories Physics Research Laboratory at Murray Hill, N.J.  There he developed techniques for millimeter and submillimeter detection for astronomy.  In 1975 he spent one year at London University as University Reader in Physics.  In 1980 he joined the faculty of Caltech as Professor of Physics.  At Caltech he took on the task of construction of the Owens Valley Radio Observatory millimeterwave interferometer, as Associate Director of the Observatory.  In 1982 he became Director Designate  for the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory, to be constructed in Hawaii, and in 1986, on successful completion of the construction, became Director.  His current research interests are in molecular and atomic spectroscopy of the interstellar medium and in the development of superconducting devices for submillimeter wave detection.