A SCIENTIFIC pioneer from Malvern has been awarded a prestigious qualification from a top university in recognition of his life's work.

Professor Ramsay Shearman has collected a higher doctorate from Imperial College London, 58 years after graduating from the same institution.

It was awarded in recognition of 51 scientific papers published between 1951 and 1998, mostly on radar, radio-communications and radio propagation.

During that time Prof Shearman, of Abbey Road, was involved in developing techniques for detecting rocket launches and atomic tests in the atmosphere.

His work in the field started as peaceful investigation into the ionosphere and improving short-wave radio communication, but changed with the advent of the Cold War.

In later years he focused his expertise back onto non-military subjects, using it to track ocean weather patterns, waves and currents to help protect ships and offshore oil rigs.

His efforts have seen him awarded the Faraday Medal from the Institute of Engineers and fellowship of the Royal Academy of Engineering.

He was also involved in the development of Alouette I, the first Canadian satellite launched into space.

He was actively associated with QinetiQ and its predecessor RSRE from the 1950s, moving to Malvern in 1985. Today, at the age of 78, he still works there one day a week.

He said receiving the doctorate gave him "some satisfaction" but binding the papers together for submission to the university had also given him pleasure.

"Instead of having other papers lying around all over the place, I now have a published volume which represents my life's work," he explained.