Dr Norman Slark FIET, June 1934 – December 2021
Published: Mon 31 Jan 2022
Norman Slark, member and Fellow of the IET, passed away on 19 December 2021.
Norman attended the Imperial College of Science and Technology, where he completed a degree in Physics and later his postgraduate research within the Instrumental Technology Department.
His research focused on special types of television camera tubes for scientific applications, in particular astronomy. During this time, he received training in the technology of manufacture of image intensifiers and television camera tubes.
Examples of the techniques in which he received training were metal glass sealing, vacuus evaporation of storage, targets, processing of photoemissive, photocathodes, electron optics, activation of electron guns and electronic techniques use in television systems.
From university, Norman began working for the English Valve Company Limited in Chelmsford, Essex as a Project Leader in the Camera Tube Research Department. Here he was responsible for leading a small group developing a high gain image intensifier and methods of tube assembly.
Norman stayed within the company until 1967 climbing the ranks to Assistant Manager of the Photoemissive Devices Department.
After 11 years within the military and civil imaging systems, Norman joined the Scientific and Technical Branch of the Department of Health in 1970 and was responsible for physics-based medical equipment research and development. Later he took responsibility for radiology equipment services and evaluation.
He retired from the Department of Health in 1994 but continued his imaging interests on a part-time basis at the Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine.
He became a member of the IET in 1969 and was later elected a Fellow.
His family are all very proud of the work he had done throughout his life and will miss him greatly.