Harry Hindmarsh Atkinson was educated at Nelson College and Christchurch University, New Zealand, where he studied Physics. From 1954 to 1955 he was research assistant at Cornell University (US). He completed a PhD in Physics at Cambridge University from 1956 to 1958; from there he took up the position of Senior Research Fellow on Controlled Fusion at Harwell. In 1961, Atkinson was appointed head of the General Physics Group, Rutherford Laboratory. In 1969, he was seconded to Harold Wilson’s Cabinet Office in the staff of Solly Zuckerman, Chief Scientific Advisor. In this position he assisted in the development of a government approach to the environment and collaborated with Victor Rothschild on a report on government policy on R&D. In 1972 he joined the British Science Research Council (Chairman, Brian Flowers), as head of the Astronomy and Space Division where he was closely concerned with British science collaboration with NASA. From 1979 he was Under Secretary and Director of Science and International Affairs at SERC (Science and Engineering Research Council). He participated in the development of ground-based astronomy with observatories such as La Palma and Hawaii. Atkinson also played an important role in ESRO and ESA, as UK delegate to the ESA Council from 1972, Vice Chairman (1981-1984) and Chairman (1984-1987).