Obituary: John Wilson 1951-2013

John Wilson (born 13/02/1951) has died of pancreatic cancer. The academic who has been described as “the father of rail human factors” is survived by his brother Roger and extended family in Rochdale. John died on 1 July and was laid to rest on 15 July at Loughborough Crematorium.

John was born in Bury and came from a long line of Rochdale descendants. Born to parents Ken and Emmeline, John was their first born son who would later go on to become an older brother to Roger.

John attended Lowerplace Primary School and Rochdale Grammar School. In 1969, he went on to study for a BTech in Industrial engineering and management and in 1973 went to Loughborough University to study for an MSc in ergonomics. John would later complete his studies for a PHD in work design and human factors at the University of Birmingham.

His work life continued into academia when he became a senior research officer and part time lecturer at Loughborough University as well as a lecturer in work design and ergonomics at the University of Birmingham. John then moved onto the University of Nottingham where he served as a lecturer in ergonomics, reader in human factors and a professor of human factors.

Professor Wilson also spent time visiting the University of California, Berkeley and the University of New South Wales.

When he wasn’t working in academia, John worked with Network Rail as a strategic adviser on human factors and finished his role with Network Rail alongside his academic role at the University of Nottingham.

With his discipline being so important to him, John was also editor-in-chief of Applied Ergonomics and co-editor of a core text in the field, Evaluation of Human Work (with Nigel Corlett; third edition, 2005).

John was also largely involved in the creation of Nottingham’s institute for Occupational Ergonomics, its virtual reality applications research team and its Centre for Rail Human Factors; all now part of the Human Factors Research Group.

John will be remembered for his work with Network Rail and for him passion and enthusiasm for ergonomics and human factors. He has been described as a much loved friend and colleague by those who surrounded him.