Diarmuid Downs

Sir Diarmuid Downs CBE, KSG,^[1] FRS, FREng,^[2] FIMechE (23 April 1922 - 12 February 2014^[3]) was a British automotive engineer.

Early life

He was born in 1922 in London where his father ran a small engineering business manufacturing equipment for the oil industry. Downs was educated at Gunnersbury Catholic Grammar School and the Regent Street Polytechnic, London.^[4] He then studied at Northampton Engineering College, London, where he graduated with First Class honours in 1942. He won a postgraduate bursary for further research and study, which he took up with Ricardo and Co.

Career

For his first 15 years with Ricardo & Co., first as student, then as a member of staff, and from 1947 as Head of the Petrol Engine Department, Downs pursued a study of fundamental study of abnormal combustion phenomena in the petrol engine, resulting in a clearer understanding of the problems of knock and pre-ignition.

Downs was made a Director of Ricardo in 1957. He was made Managing Director ten years later, remaining in this position until 1984. He was Chairman of the company from 1976 to 1987.^[5]

Downs served as President of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in 1978 and as President of FISITA, the International Federation of Automotive Engineering Societies, from 1978 to 1980.^[6] He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1985.^[7] He was elected a Fellow^[8] for the Royal Academy of Engineering^[9]

References

1. ↑ Association Members -Website of the Association of Papal Orders in Great Britain
2. ↑ "List of Fellows". 
3. ↑ "Sir Diarmuid Cbe Frs Downs". The Argus. 18 February 2012. Retrieved 19 February 2014. 
4. ↑ http://heritage.imeche.org/historyimeche/pastpresidents/president/SirDiarmuidDowns.htm
5. ↑ Ricardo Consulting Engineers
6. ↑ International Federation of Automotive Engineering Societies
7. ↑ "Fellows". Royal Society. Retrieved 28 November 2010. 
8. ↑ "List of Fellows". 
9. ↑ "List of Fellows".