Bert Whittington

Herbert William Whittington (21 September 1945 – 11 March 2002) was a Scottish electrical power engineer and energy expert who was a professor at the University of Edinburgh. Born in Glasgow, he graduated with his Bachelor's and PhD degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Strathclyde in 1967 and 1970.

Career On graduation, he joined the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) as a research officer. In 1973, he joined the University of Edinburgh as a lecturer and was promoted to a Personal Chair in electrical power engineering in 1994. He later concentrated on energy policy in the UK, including a sabbatical with the Scottish Executive. He was appointed as a special adviser on energy policy to the House of Commons Select Committee on Trade and Industry

Following his death in 2002, the University of Edinburgh formally renamed the Established Chair in Electrical Engineering, held by Ewart Farvis and John Mavor, as the Bert Whittington Chair of Electrical Power Engineering. The first holder of the post was Professor Janusz Bialek (2003–2009), and the incumbent is Professor Gareth Harrison (2011-present).