Philip J. Wyatt

Philip J. Wyatt is an American scientist and businessman who is the founder and Chairman of Wyatt Technology, located in Santa Barbara, California. He is known for contributions to laser light scattering, more specifically the physics of the inverse scattering problem and for commercializing analytical methods and instruments involving laser light scattering, which are widely used in academia, industry, and government.

Early life and education Wyatt did undergraduate work at the University of Chicago, (B.A., 1952; B.Sc., 1954), and Christ's College, Cambridge. He received his M.S. from the University of Illinois in 1956

Wyatt then founded Wyatt Technology Corporation to develop and sell laser‑based scientific instruments for light scattering and particle size measurement. His instruments are used worldwide by universities, government agencies, the biotech industry and pharmaceutical companies.

Wyatt's instruments are used in a wide variety of fields. Laser particle analysis has been applied to wine and to cleaning products.

Wyatt served as the 2012-2013 Chair of the American Physical Society's Forum on Industrial and Applied Physics.

Wyatt also served on the board of directors of the Santa Barbara City College.

Awards and honors 2022, American Physical Society’s George E. Pake Prize, “For pioneering accomplishments and entrepreneurial leadership exemplified by successful global commercialization of laser-based light scattering measurements with multiple applications in biotechnology, analytical chemistry, and nanoparticle characterization.” 2009, Inaugural Prize for Industrial Applications of Physics from the American Physical Society “for pioneering developments in the physics of the inverse scattering problem: new application of laser light scattering and the successful sustained commercialization of new related analytical methods and instrumentation.” 2003, "Graduate of Distinction", college of arts and sciences, Florida State University. Fellow, American Physical Society Fellow, Optical Society of America Member, American Chemical Society Member, American Society for Microbiology Member, American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)