Arthur Roderick Collar facts for kids

Arthur Roderick Collar was a talented British scientist and engineer. He was born on February 22, 1908, and passed away on February 12, 1986. He made important discoveries in how aircraft parts behave when air pushes on them. This field is called aeroelasticity. He also used a special kind of math, called matrix theory, to solve problems in how things move and work in engineering.

Early Life and School

Arthur Roderick Collar was born in West Ealing, England, in 1908. His father owned a business that sold iron goods and building supplies. Arthur grew up in West Ealing and later in Whitstable.

He went to a local school and then to Simon Langton School. He was a very good student there, winning the school's top award. He was great at math, science, music, and sports. Sadly, he lost sight in his right eye after an accident during a school football game.

After high school, he went to Emmanuel College, Cambridge in 1926. He studied both mathematics and physics there.

His Work as an Engineer

After finishing college, Collar started working at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL). This place helps with scientific research. At NPL, he worked on things like airplane propellers and how airships move. He also helped design wind-tunnels, which are used to test how air flows around objects.

Working with Matrices

Arthur Collar became well-known for his research on using matrices in engineering. Matrices are like grids of numbers that help solve complex math problems. He used them to understand how things move and change.

He worked closely with two other scientists, Robert Alexander Frazer and William Jolly Duncan. They worked so well together that it was hard to tell who came up with which ideas!

Helping During World War II

From 1936 to 1980, Collar was an active member of the Aeronautical Research Committee. This group helped guide airplane research. During World War II, he led a team at the Royal Aircraft Establishment. His team worked to stop aircraft parts from bending too much or vibrating badly when flying fast. This was very important for making planes safe.

Life at Bristol University

After the war, Collar visited German scientists to share ideas about new airplane technology. In 1946, he became a professor at the University of Bristol. He taught aeronautical engineering, which is about designing and building aircraft.

At Bristol, he also served as the Dean of the Engineering Faculty. From 1968 to 1969, he was even the acting Vice-Chancellor of the university. People said he was a very good leader and enjoyed working with others to solve problems. He retired in 1973.

Other Important Roles

Arthur Collar was involved in many other important groups. He was the Chairman of the Council for Rolls-Royce Technical College for many years. He also advised the Royal Military College of Science. He was part of the Council of the Royal Society, a famous group of scientists. He helped guide several other educational and hospital boards.

Books and Papers

Collar wrote several important books and papers. His book, Elementary Matrices and Some Applications to Dynamics and Differential Equations, was published in 1938. He wrote it with his colleagues Robert Alexander Frazer and William Jolly Duncan. This book quickly became a classic and was used by many students and engineers. It was even translated into other languages.

He also wrote about how to stop parts of airplanes from vibrating too much. Another book, Matrices and Engineering Dynamics, was published after he passed away. He wrote many research papers that helped others in the field of aeroelasticity.

Awards and Recognition

Arthur Collar received many awards for his work.

• In 1932, he won the R38 Memorial Prize from the Royal Aeronautical Society. He was only 24 years old!
• He won the George Taylor Gold Medal in 1947.
• He received the Orville Wright Prize in 1958.
• He won the J. E. Hodgson Prize in 1960.

He became a fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society in 1944 and was its president from 1963 to 1964. He was the first professor to be president while still teaching. He also won the society's Gold Medal in 1966.

In 1964, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). In 1965, he was chosen to be a Fellow of the Royal Society, which is a very high honor for scientists. He was also given honorary fellowships by aeronautical societies in Canada and the United States. In 1971, he received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from the University of Bath.

Personal Life

Arthur Collar married Winifred Margaret Charlotte Moorman, also known as Bobbie, in 1934. They had two sons, Martin and Nigel. Bobbie passed away in 1986, the same year as Arthur.

People who knew Arthur Collar described him as a kind but strong person. He was a member of the Church of England. He was also a great storyteller and had a good sense of humor. He loved games, puzzles, reading, poetry, and music. He also enjoyed watching sports like tennis, football, and cricket. His colleagues said he was very good at helping them write clearly.