Alan Fowler (physicist) facts for kids
Alan Bicksler Fowler (born October 15, 1928) is an American physicist. A physicist is a scientist who studies how the universe works, from tiny atoms to giant galaxies.
Early Life and Education
Alan Fowler was born in Denver, Colorado, on October 15, 1928. He spent some time serving in the U.S. Army in the 1940s and 1950s.
He loved learning and went to college to study science. He earned his first degree, a Bachelor of Science (BS), in 1951. Then, he got his Master of Science (MS) degree in 1952 from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. Later, in 1958, he earned his highest degree, a PhD, from Harvard University.
Alan Fowler was married to Kathleen Devlin for 65 years. They had two sons and two daughters together. He is also a member of the National Academy of Sciences, which is a very important group of top scientists in the United States.
What Did Alan Fowler Do?
Alan Fowler had a long and successful career as a researcher. He worked for Raytheon Technologies, a big company that makes electronics and defense systems, from 1953 to 1956.
After that, he joined the IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center in 1958. IBM is a famous technology and computer company. He worked there for many years, until 1993. At IBM, he was part of a special group that researched how materials behave at a very small scale, especially in computer chips.
He is now an IBM Fellow Emeritus, which is a special title given to retired IBM employees who made very important contributions.
Inventions and Awards
Alan Fowler helped invent many things. His name is on nine different U.S. Patents. A patent is like a legal document that protects an invention, meaning others can't copy it without permission.
In 1988, Alan Fowler received a major award called the Oliver E. Buckley Condensed Matter Prize. This award is given by the American Physical Society to scientists who do amazing work in studying how matter behaves, especially in solid materials.
