Francis James Macdonald Farley. 13 October 1920—16 July 2018

Abstract

Francis Farley was a British experimental physicist who worked for much of his career at CERN. He was a clever designer and builder of particle beams, and a team leader and player who inspired, advised, amused and regaled others. In the middle of his career he worked on the first four experiments to measure g  − 2, one of the most important numbers in particle physics. Three of these were conducted while he was at CERN, and one at Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York. Later he studied the problem of extracting energy from water waves, attempting to build proof of concept models as well as to study the problems that might stand in the way of commercial application. Farley had the rare ability to synthesize both theoretical and experimental knowledge of a subject, to collaborate in solving problems and to pass on what he knew to others. He was also articulate about the wonder and awe that he found in science.