Brian Flowers, Baron Flowers facts for kids

Brian Hilton Flowers, Baron Flowers (born September 13, 1924 – died June 25, 2010) was a smart British scientist and public servant. He was a physicist, which means he studied how the world works at a very basic level, like energy and matter. He also held many important jobs in universities and government.

Early Life and School

Brian Hilton Flowers was born in Blackburn, England. His dad was a reverend, which is a type of church leader. Brian went to Bishop Gore School in Swansea. A teacher there, Mr. Foukes, really helped him get interested in physics. After school, he went to Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge and earned a Master of Arts degree. Later, he studied at the University of Birmingham and got a Doctor of Science degree.

His Career and Important Jobs

Brian Flowers worked on some very important projects during his career.

• Working with Atomic Energy: From 1944 to 1946, he was part of the Anglo-Canadian Atomic Energy Project, called Tube Alloys. This project was about understanding and using atomic energy. He continued to research nuclear physics and atomic energy at the Atomic Energy Research Establishment (AERE) from 1946 to 1950.
• Leading Science Teams: In 1952, he became the head of the theoretical physics division at AERE. This meant he led a team of scientists who thought about the big ideas in physics. He stayed in this role until 1958.
• University Professor and Leader:

* He became a professor of theoretical physics at the Victoria University of Manchester in 1958. * From 1961 to 1972, he was the Langworthy Professor of physics there, which is a very important teaching position. * He also led the Science Research Council from 1967 to 1973. This group helped decide what science projects got funding. * At the University of London, he was the Rector of Imperial College London from 1973 to 1985. A Rector is like the head of a college. * Then, he became the Vice-Chancellor of the whole University of London from 1985 to 1990. This is a very high leadership role for a university. * Later, from 1994 to 2001, he was the Chancellor of the Victoria University of Manchester.

• Helping with Public Issues: Brian Flowers also worked on many committees that helped the government and public.

* He was involved with the Atomic Energy Authority from 1971 to 1981. * He led the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution from 1973 to 1976. This group looked at how to protect our environment. * He was also president of the European Science Foundation and the National Society for Clean Air. * He helped set up the Nuffield Council on Bioethics in 1991. This group discusses important ethical questions in science and medicine.

Awards and Special Recognitions

Brian Flowers received many honors for his work:

• 1961: He was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a big honor for scientists in the UK.
• 1968: He won the Institute of Physics Ernest Rutherford Medal and Prize.
• 1969: He was made a Knight, so people could call him "Sir Brian Flowers."
• 1979: He became a life peer, which meant he could sit in the House of Lords (part of the UK Parliament). His title was Baron Flowers.
• 1981: He was made an Officer of the French Légion d'honneur, a special award from France.
• 1987: He received the Glazebrook Medal from the Institute of Physics.

Family Life

Brian Flowers was married to Mary Frances Behrens from 1951 until he passed away. They had two stepsons, Peter and Michael. Lady Flowers, his wife, died in 2016 when she was 94 years old.

Books He Wrote

Brian Flowers also wrote some books:

• 1970: Properties of Matter (with Eric Mendoza)
• 1995: An Introduction to Numerical Methods in C++

See also

• List of Vice-Chancellors of the University of London

Sources