OBITUARY Chris Beling, 1955-2010

This short tribute to Chris Beling, who died in July 2010 at the age of 54, is written on behalf of all members of the positron research community, by whom he was much loved and admired.

Obituary Picture 1

Chris Beling, a much respected and admired member of the positron research community who was a familiar face at SLOPOS and other positron conferences over the past three decades, suffered heart failure as he swam out to rescue his younger brother Jeremy while holidaying in his home town of Paignton, in the southwest of England, on June 18 2010.

Chris gained a first-class honours degree in physics at Keble College, Oxford, in 1977, and his PhD in Radiation Physics from the University of London in 1981. His postdoctoral research, performed with Alan Smith at St Bart's Medical College in London, focussed on positron studies of liquids [1]. His appointment as a lecturer at University College London in 1983 marked the beginning of his research involving positron beams [2] which was to continue for the rest of his life. In 1987 he moved to the University of Hong Kong (HKU), where he became professor of physics in 2007, working with Professor Steve Fung (with whom he studied at Oxford) and later with Francis Ling. During his 23 years in Hong Kong Chris developed his research interests, concentrating principally on positron beam studies of semiconductors [3]. His brother Jeremy commented that 'moving to Hong Kong was the making of Chris; he found love and happiness'.

Chris's research interests reflected the deep intellectual interest he had in his work. He maintained a strong interest in developing the capabilities of positron beam systems - initially by proposing models for field-assisted moderators to increase slow positron yields [4] and later by constructing a hybrid magnetic/electrostatic beam [5] and scanning annihilation spectroscopy [6], among other imaginative advances. His interests in semiconductor physics led him to develop a positron technique analogous to deep-level transient spectroscopy [7]. Chris was characteristically interested in all aspects of the research in which he was engaged, and invested much effort in developing theoretical models and data handling [8]. Chris published over 200 journal papers and 75 conference contributions; almost two-thirds of his publications deal with investigations and complex characterisation of semiconductors, mostly combining the results of many different techniques. 15% of his papers were concerned with the building, development and use of a mono-energetic positron beam and other spectroscopies at HKU, and almost 20% involved numerical modelling of experimental data and theoretical studies.

A fruitful collaboration involving positron research of semiconductors was promoted by Chris during ICPA-10 in Beijing in 1994, between the HKU positron group and that of Gerhard Brauer at FZ Dresden-Rossendorf. In recent years this has primarily involved Chris's former student Francis Ling, now an associate professor at HKU. Gerhard comments that 'it has always been a great pleasure to meet Chris at Hong Kong for a scientific discussion, or privately with him and members of his family. I shall miss him as a colleague and friend.'

Professor Fuchun Zhang, Head of Physics at HKU, writes that, together with Prof. Steve Fung, Chris educated several dozen graduate students, and that his supervision was characterized by his kindness and willingness to help those most in need. The fondness with which Chris was regarded by all who knew him was embodied in the substantial contributions from students, colleagues, friends and family to establish the C.D. Beling Memorial Prize in Physics, which will be awarded annually to three full-time Physics students at HKU.

Chris was the son of retired Paignton vicar David Beling and his wife Anne. Chris's brother Jeremy told mourners at St Paul's Church, Paignton: 'When I called for help, he gave not a second thought in helping me. How I wish he had not been on the beach that day.' His brother paid tribute to a man devoted to his religion with a spirit of adventure and an insatiable appetite for understanding. 'His religion and church life gave him strength and purpose in life. Chris had a brilliant mind but a frail body. It is such a tragedy that his body gave in before his life work was completed.' Chris leaves a widow Evelyn, daughter Cathy and son John.

Everyone who had dealings with Chris was impressed by his intellect and by his charm. He will be greatly missed by the scientific community.

Obituary Picture 1