Professor Abdus Salam (1926-1996) joined the Theoretical Physics group at Imperial College London in 1957 after persuasion from the Head of Physics, Lord Patrick Blackett, and remained until his death in 1996. A Nobel Prize-winning physicist, Professor Salam co-authored works on topics including spontaneous symmetry breaking, unitary symmetries and electroweak unification (winning the 1979 Nobel Prize for the latter).
The Senate of Imperial College London was created in 1998 when the College received its new Charter. At this time the Board of Studies was replaced by a Senate. The Senate meets at least three times each year and comprises about 58 members representing the staff and students of College. The Senate appoints committees to help in the management of specific functions of the college.