Jan 22 2014
Graham Machin, an NPL Fellow and one of the world's top temperature measurement scientists, has been elected Chair of the EURAMET Technical Committee of Thermometry.
Graham Machin
EURAMET is the European Association of National Metrology Institutes and its technical committees act as a forum for scientific cooperation within their respective fields across Europe. This can include collaborative research, consultation, comparison of measurement standards and traceability.
The Technical Committee of Thermometry is concerned with all issues surrounding the measurement of temperature, humidity and the thermophysical properties of materials. Following his election, Graham will hold the position of Chair of the committee initially from June 2014 to May 2016, with the potential for an extension of a further two years.
Temperature is one of the most frequently measured physical quantities in science and industry. This means that a precise knowledge of temperature is fundamentally important for the development of new and more efficient production techniques, which can save energy, reduce waste and increase safety and security. Temperature measurements are also vital for environment and climate change studies.
Graham was recently involved in NPL work to make the most accurate measurement yet of the Boltzmann constant, which states how much energy at the individual particle level corresponds to each degree of temperature. This measurement could revolutionise the way we define temperature, replacing the standard method that has been used for over 50 years.