Earlier this month, Dr Peter Ford, who retired from the Department of Physics at the University of Bath last year, was presented with an MBE by the Queen.
The award was made in recognition of Dr Ford's services to higher education and to science.
As well as being Chief Technician in the Department of Physics, Dr Ford has had close involvement with the Institute of Physics and with the University’s outreach to schools.
He said: “It is delight and a great honour to receive this award. Having retired in May, it is a nice way to mark the end my formal career at the University of Bath.”
Dr Ford was one of the founders of the annual Bath taps into science fair which takes place during National Science & Engineering Week.
Amongst local schoolchildren he is most famous for his liquid nitrogen shows in which he freezes everyday objects, such as bananas and balloons, to demonstrate experiments in low temperature physics.
Dr Ford is chair of the southwest branch of the Institute of Physics and also chairs its history of physics committee. He worked at the University from 1989-2007.