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Last modified: 2013/08/01
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Books by Johan Prins
The Physics Delusion The Physics Delusion     Superconduction at room temperature without Cooper pairs Superconduction at room temperature without Cooper pairs  
Dr. Johan Frans Prins
    1978-2002: Funded by De Beers Industrial Diamonds (Pty) Ltd. to investigate the applications of ion implantation into diamond and the possibility of utilizing diamond for electronic purposes.
    1983 - 1996: Honorary Senior Research Associate at University of the Witwatersrand.
    1997 - 1999: Honorary Professor at the University of the Witwatersrand.
    2000 - Honorary Professor at the University of Pretoria.
Johan Frans Prins was born in Springs, South Africa on the 21st of January 1942.

He studied physics and mathematics at the University of Pretoria where he graduated with a BSc (1961) and an MSc (1964); both cum laude. Immediately after graduating, he went to the University of Virginia in the USA and completed a DSc in materials science. On returning to South Africa, he taught physics at the University of Port Elizabeth before joining De Beers Industrial Diamond Division in 1968, where he became involved in the manufacture and applications of synthetic diamonds grown under high pressures and temperatures.

He returned to teaching physics from 1972 until 1977, this time at the University of Pretoria. During these years he became politically involved in opposition to the apartheid government. As such he was a founder member of the now defunct New Republic Party and stood for parliament in 1977, fortunately unsuccessfully. At that time, his political views and activities were not welcome at the University of Pretoria, and this led to a parting of the ways at the end in 1977.

The rest of his working life he was sponsored to do research at the University of the Witwatersrand (in Johannesburg) on various aspects of diamond physics. One major area of his interests concerned ion implantation and defect structures in diamonds.

He has authored over 90 papers (including 60 solo papers) and filed 20 patents. This is all in addition to a large body of proprietary reports in the areas of diamond synthesis, diamond physics, and high pressure engineering.

He retired in 2002 and is an honorary professor at the University of Pretoria. He is married to Lorette. They have eight children (inclusive of three daughters-in-law and a son-in-law) and five grandchildren. Johan and Lorette presently reside in Johannesburg where he enjoys attacking the frontiers of science with an almost missionary zeal.