Arthur Geoffrey Walker facts for kids

Arthur Geoffrey Walker (born July 17, 1909, died March 31, 2001) was a smart British mathematician. He was born in Watford, England. He helped us understand a lot about physics and how the universe works.

He was very good at a type of math called geometry. This math helps describe shapes and spaces. He is famous for two big ideas in a field called general relativity. This is a theory about gravity and how it affects space and time.

One of his big achievements was creating the Robertson–Walker metric. He worked on this with another scientist, H. P. Robertson. This metric is a special math tool. It helps scientists understand how the universe is expanding. It is used in models that describe the universe's shape and growth.

He also worked with Enrico Fermi, a famous physicist. Together, they came up with something called Fermi–Walker differentiation. This is another math idea. It helps describe how things move in curved spaces.

Early Life

Arthur Geoffrey Walker was born in Watford, England. His birthday was July 17, 1909. His father, Arthur John Walker, built coaches. His mother was Eleanor Joanna Gosling.

Arthur went to Watford Grammar School for Boys. He was a very good student. He won a special scholarship. This allowed him to study at Balliol College, Oxford. There, he earned top grades in Mathematics.

After Oxford, he continued his studies. He went to Merton College, Oxford. Later, he moved to the University of Edinburgh. He studied there for his first doctorate degree (PhD). His teacher was Professor Arthur Eddington, a famous astronomer.

Academic Career

In 1935, Walker started working. He became a lecturer at Imperial College in London. A lecturer is like a teacher at a university. The next year, he moved to the University of Liverpool. He became a lecturer in Pure Mathematics. He stayed there for many years, until 1947.

After Liverpool, he moved to the University of Sheffield. There, he became a Professor of Pure Mathematics. This is a very important job.

In 1946, he was chosen for a special group. He became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. This is a big honor for scientists in Scotland. He won an award from this society. It was called the Keith Medal. He received it for his work between 1947 and 1949.

In 1952, he went back to Liverpool University. In 1962, he became the Dean of the Faculty of Science. This means he was in charge of all the science departments.

He was also elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1955. This is one of the oldest and most respected science groups in the world. He was even on the council of this group from 1961 to 1962. From 1962 to 1963, he was the president of the London Mathematical Society. He retired from Liverpool University in 1974.

Awards and Honours

• Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, 1934
• Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, 1946
• Berwick Prize, 1947
• Keith Medal, 1947-9
• Fellow of the Royal Society, 1955

Personal Life

Arthur Geoffrey Walker married Phyllis Ashcroft Freeman in 1939. They both loved ballroom dancing. He passed away in Chichester on March 31, 2001. He was 91 years old.