Cicely Ridley facts for kids
Elizabeth Cicely Ridley (born September 26, 1927 – died December 23, 2008) was a brilliant British-American mathematician. She was known for her important work in two main areas:
- Using computers to study tiny particles, which is part of something called numerical quantum chemistry.
- Creating computer programs to understand and predict Earth's weather and climate, known as climate modeling.
She also helped develop a special computer program called the Roble–Dickinson–Ridley code. This program was the first to create a full model of the thermosphere, a very high layer of Earth's atmosphere. She worked on this at the National Center for Atmospheric Research.
Her Life and Discoveries
Elizabeth Ridley was born in Leicester, England, on September 26, 1927. She was a very bright student and earned a scholarship to Newnham College, Cambridge in 1947.
Becoming a Scientist
In 1951, she earned her master's degree in physics with top honors. She then continued her studies at Cambridge, earning her Ph.D. in 1955. Her special project for her Ph.D. was about "Some Studies of Atomic Structure." This means she was looking closely at how atoms are built.
After finishing her Ph.D., Elizabeth Ridley became a researcher at the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority. Here, she used computers to figure out how electrons are arranged in uranium atoms. This work was very important and showed her as a leader in using computers for chemistry.
Moving to America and Climate Work
In 1964, Elizabeth Ridley and her family moved to Colorado in the United States. In 1968, she started working at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). At NCAR, she created computer programs to model the climate of both Earth and the planet Venus.
Her most famous work at NCAR was creating the Roble–Dickinson–Ridley code. This special program helped scientists understand how the thermosphere works. The thermosphere is a very high layer of Earth's atmosphere, and understanding it helps us learn more about our planet's climate.
Elizabeth Ridley retired in 1995. She passed away on December 23, 2008. Her work helped us better understand both tiny particles and the vast atmosphere of our planet.
