Peter M. A. Sherwood

Sherwood is an emeritus faculty member at two universities, a University Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Chemistry at Kansas State University and a Regents Professor Emeritus of Physics and Dean Emeritus at Oklahoma State University. His research program is concerned with surface analysis (especially X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) of materials with particular interest in electrode surfaces, corrosion systems, and carbon fiber and composite surfaces. The work is an example of how basic chemistry can be applied to analyze and understand important practical problems, many of which have a direct relevance to industry. He has authored or coauthored more than 220 publications.  He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, a Fellow of the Institute of Physics, and a Fellow of AVS. His contributions were acknowledged by the award of a Regents Professorship at Oklahoma State University in 2007, a University Distinguished Professorship at Kansas State University in 1997 and the conferring of the degree of Sc.D. by the University of Cambridge in the U.K. in 1995. He joined the faculty at Cambridge as a Fellow of Downing College and Salters Company Fellow in 1970. Peter left Cambridge to start work on surface science at Newcastle University in 1972. He left Newcastle University as a Senior Lecturer in 1985 to join the faculty at Kansas State University, where he served until 2004 as a Faculty Member. He was Head of the Chemistry Department from 1997 to 2004. Sherwood was Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Oklahoma State University from 2004 to 2012 retiring at the end of July. Peter served as a Visiting Associate Professor at the University of California at Berkeley in 1976, a Visiting Professor at the University of Bari, Italy in 1984, a Visiting Scientist at Kodak in 1986 and at the CSIRO National Measurement Laboratory, Sydney, Australia, in 1987. In 1990-1991, he served as Program Officer for Analytical and Surface Chemistry at the National Science Foundation (NSF). He received an Outstanding Performance Award for his service to NSF during this time. He received the Presidential Award for Outstanding Department Head from Kansas State University in 2003. Peter is on the Editorial Board of Surface Science Spectra, and is Head of the U.S. Delegation for the International Standards Organization Technical Committee TC 201 on Surface Chemical Analysis.