David Crighton facts for kids

David George Crighton, a FRS, was a very smart British mathematician and physicist. He was born on November 15, 1942, and passed away on April 12, 2000. He made big contributions to how we understand waves and the movement of fluids.

David Crighton's Early Life and Education

Crighton was born in Llandudno, North Wales. His mother had moved there because of the bombing in London during the Second World War. He didn't really get into mathematics until his last two years at Watford Grammar School for Boys.

In 1961, he went to St John's College, Cambridge. He started teaching at Woolwich Polytechnic (now called the University of Greenwich) in 1964. This was even before he finished his first university degree.

How David Crighton Became a Doctor

A few years later, David Crighton met John Ffowcs Williams. He began working for him at Imperial College London. At the same time, he was studying for his advanced degree, called a doctorate. He earned his doctorate in 1969.

In 1974, he was offered a job as a research fellow at the Department of Engineering at the University of Cambridge. But he decided not to take that job. Instead, he accepted a top position in applied mathematics at the University of Leeds. He stayed there until 1986.

After that, he returned to Cambridge. He became a Professor of Applied Mathematics, taking over from George Batchelor.

David Crighton's Leadership Roles

Later in his career, Crighton became a much-loved Master of Jesus College. He held this role from 1997 to 2000. He was also the head of the Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics Department (DAMTP) in Cambridge. He led this department from 1991 to 2000. Everyone there, both teachers and students, thought very highly of him.

David Crighton's Hobbies

Outside of his amazing math work, Crighton loved music. He was a big fan of the composer Richard Wagner. He also enjoyed music played on the piano.

David Crighton's Scientific Work

David Crighton's main scientific interests were in the study of waves and aeroacoustics. Aeroacoustics is about how sound is made by things moving through the air. He also studied some areas of fluid mechanics, which is about how liquids and gases move.

He wrote more than 120 scientific papers and one book. These publications shared his discoveries with other scientists.

What David Crighton Studied

In his very first paper, Crighton looked at the sound waves made by "turbulent flow." This is when a fluid, like air or water, moves in a messy, swirling way. He studied this over a special kind of surface.

Over the years, he worked a lot on acoustics, which is the science of sound. He also studied equations and systems that involved waves, including special waves called solitons. His work included studies on the Burgers' equation and inverse scattering theory. These are complex math tools used to understand waves and other physical phenomena.

Awards and Recognition for David Crighton

David Crighton's important work was recognized with several awards. He received the Rayleigh Medal from the Institute of Acoustics. He also got the Per Bruel Gold Medal from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Another award he earned was the Otto Laporte Award from the American Physical Society. These awards show how much his work was valued by other scientists.

The David Crighton Medal

After David Crighton passed away, two important groups decided to honor him. The Institute of Mathematics and its Applications and the London Mathematical Society created the David Crighton Medal in 2002.

This special medal is given out every two years. The first one was presented in 2003. Many famous mathematicians have received this medal. Some of them include Frank Kelly, Peter Neumann, Keith Moffatt, Christopher Zeeman, John Ball, and David Abrahams.