Dr Brian Easlea, who died on 24 November, was first appointed to the Sussex faculty as a Lecturer in Theoretical Physics in 1963, by when he had already taught in Denmark and the USA.

He had a great a talent for theoretical physics, but his life and intellectual agenda were transformed by a visit to physics colleagues in Brazil. While there Brian was irredeemably shocked by the grotesque social and economic inequalities that he witnessed and by the brutal repressiveness of the Brazilian military regime. While the regime was enthusiastic about promoting science and technology, Brian was profoundly troubled by the ways in which science and technology were being deployed by powerful incumbent interest.

Before he even returned to Sussex his intellectual focus had shifted to a concern with the ways in which science and technology were being directed and deployed. He transferred from the Physics into the History and Social Studies of Science subject group (in the School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences). His transformation from a scholar in physics to a scholar of the social studies of science was encouraged and supported by Professor Chris Freeman and colleagues in the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU).

Brian was a consummate scholar and a brilliant lecturer. He devoured vast quantities of literature in the history, philosophy, sociology and politics of science and technology.

He distilled many of his insights into a course entitled ‘Principles and Perspectives of Science’ for undergraduates in the science schools.

He encapsulated his analysis into a ground-breaking book, Liberation and the Aims of Science, which was published by the University of Sussex Press in 1973. Subtitled An essay on obstacles to the building of a beautiful world, it displayed not only his ethical agenda and scholarly rigour but also his ability to combine cynicism with optimism.

His contributions to the history and sociology of science included a highly influential book, Witch Hunting, Magic and the New Philosophy: An introduction to debates of the scientific revolution 1450-1750. Published in 1980, this was closely followed in 1981 by Science and Sexual Oppression: Patriarchy's confrontation with woman and nature. He then applied his analytical critique to developments in the 20th century in his seminal work Fathering the Unthinkable: Masculinity, scientists and the nuclear arms race (1983).

Brian retired in 1987, but his unquenchable appetite for learning remained with him through his life. It was tempered by his growing enthusiasm for ornithology, a characteristic that was also shared with Chris Freeman. In 2008 Pen Press published his most recent book, Birdwatching at the Seaside.

He is remembered with enormous affection and respect by the many students, colleagues and friends whose lives he enriched.

Erik Millstone, Professor in Science and Technology Policy