Christopher Llewellyn Smith facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chris Llewellyn Smith
FRS HonFInstP
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Llewellyn Smith in 1996
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| Provost of University College, London |
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| In office 1999–2002 |
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| Preceded by | Derek Roberts |
| Succeeded by | Derek Roberts |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Christopher Hubert Llewellyn Smith
19 November 1942 |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | University of Oxford (BA, DPhil) |
| Profession | Physicist |
| Awards | Richard Glazebrook Medal and Prize Royal Medal |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | CERN University of Oxford University College London SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory Lebedev Physical Institute |
| Thesis | Some problems in elementary particle physics (1967) |
| Doctoral advisor | Richard Dalitz |
| Doctoral students | John Wheater Ash Carter Ian Hinchliffe Nikolas Mavromatos |
Sir Christopher Hubert Llewellyn Smith (born 19 November 1942) is a very important British physicist. He is known for his work in particle physics, which is the study of the tiniest parts that make up everything around us. He is now a retired professor at the University of Oxford.
Contents
Studying Physics
Sir Chris Llewellyn Smith went to the University of Oxford to study. He earned his first degree there. Later, in 1967, he finished his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree. His PhD was in theoretical physics, which means he used math and ideas to understand how the universe works. He did this at New College, Oxford.
A Career in Science
After getting his PhD, Sir Chris worked at several big science places. He spent time at the Lebedev Physical Institute in Moscow, Russia. He also worked at CERN, a huge science lab in Switzerland. Then he went to the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in the United States.
In 1974, he came back to Oxford. In 1984, he became a special member of the Royal Society. This is a very old and important group for scientists in the UK.
Leading Science Teams
From 1987 to 1992, Sir Chris was the leader of the physics department at Oxford. He helped bring five different science groups together. They all became one big Physics Department.
From 1994 to 1998, he was the main boss, or Director General, of CERN. CERN is famous for having the Large Hadron Collider. This is the world's biggest and most powerful particle accelerator. It helps scientists learn about the universe.
After CERN, he became the head of University College London. This is a large university in London, and he led it from 1999 to 2002.
Awards and Special Honours
Sir Chris Llewellyn Smith has received many important awards for his work.
- In 1979, he won the James Clerk Maxwell Medal and Prize.
- In 1999, he received the Glazebrook Medal and Prize.
- In 2001, he was knighted, which means he was given the title "Sir" by the Queen.
- In 2015, he was given the Royal Medal by the Royal Society.
He also helped with important energy projects. In 2004, he became the chairman of a group that advises on fusion energy in Europe. Fusion energy is a way to create power, like the sun does. Until 2009, he was in charge of the UK's fusion program. This included running the Joint European Torus (JET). JET is a big machine that tries to create fusion energy.
In 2013, he became a very respected professor at the National Institute of Science Education and Research in India. He is also part of a group that helps promote science and engineering.
Personal Life
Sir Chris Llewellyn Smith got married in 1966. He has two children, a son and a daughter.
