Cyril Offord facts for kids
Albert Cyril Offord (born June 9, 1906 – died June 4, 2000) was a very smart British mathematician. He was so good at math that he became a special member of the Royal Society (FRS) and the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE). He was also the very first professor of mathematics at the famous London School of Economics.
Life Story
Albert Cyril Offord was born in London on June 9, 1906. He was the oldest child in his family. His father, Albert Edwin Offord, was a master printer, and his mother, Hester Louise, used to be an opera singer.
Cyril went to Hackney Downs Grammar School. After that, he studied Mathematics at University College, London. He then continued his studies at St John's College, Cambridge.
He earned two special degrees called Ph.D.s in mathematics. A Ph.D. is a very high university degree that shows you are an expert in your field. He got his first Ph.D. from the University of London in 1932. His second Ph.D. came from Cambridge in 1936.
In 1940, Cyril Offord started teaching at University College, Bangor. In 1942, he moved to King's College in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. This college later became the University of Newcastle. In 1945, he became a full Professor of Mathematics there. This means he was a top teacher and researcher in math.
In 1946, he was chosen to be a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. This is a very important group for smart people in Scotland. Then, in 1952, he was also chosen to be a Fellow of the Royal Society of London. This is one of the oldest and most respected science groups in the world. Being a Fellow means you are recognized as a leading expert in your field.
In 1948, he moved back to London. He became a Professor of Mathematics at Birkbeck College. He stayed there until 1966. Then, he took on a new important job at the London School of Economics. He retired in 1973. After retiring, he continued his research at Imperial College, London.
Cyril Offord passed away in Oxford on June 4, 2000.
His Family
In 1945, Cyril Offord married Margaret Yvonne Pickard. She was an English teacher and was usually called Rita. They had one daughter together, named Margaret Offord, who was born in 1949.
See also
- Littlewood–Offord problem
