Douglas Northcott facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Douglas Geoffrey Northcott
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|---|---|
| Born |
Douglas Geoffrey Robertson
31 December 1916 Kensington, London
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| Died | 8 April 2005 (aged 88) Sheffield, Yorkshire
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| Alma mater | University of Cambridge |
| Known for | Ideal theory |
| Spouse(s) |
Rose Hilda Austin (m. 1949–1992)
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| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | |
| Thesis | Tauberian theorems for functions taking values in Banach spaces (1949) |
| Doctoral advisor | Frank Smithies |
| Influences | |
Douglas Geoffrey Northcott (born December 31, 1916, in London – died April 8, 2005) was an important British mathematician. He was known for his work in a special area of mathematics called ideal theory. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society, which is a big honor for scientists.
Contents
Douglas Northcott's Early Life and Studies
Douglas Northcott was born in Kensington, London. His birth name was Douglas Geoffrey Robertson. In 1935, he changed his last name to Northcott. This was his stepfather's name.
He went to school in London. Later, he studied at St John's College, Cambridge. There, he began his research in mathematics. He worked with a famous mathematician named G.H. Hardy.
His Time During World War II
Douglas Northcott's studies were stopped by World War II. He served in the war. He was captured in Singapore. He became a prisoner of war in Japan. He survived this difficult time. After the war ended, he returned to Cambridge.
Returning to Mathematics
Back at Cambridge, he finished his research. He wrote a paper about complex math ideas. Then, he became interested in a different part of math called algebra. He met another important mathematician, Emil Artin. Artin's ideas influenced Northcott's work. In 1948, he became a Research Fellow at St John's College. This meant he could continue his advanced studies.
In 1952, Douglas Northcott moved to Sheffield University. He became a professor of Pure Mathematics there. He stayed at Sheffield until he retired in 1982. He also led the math department and was a dean.
Important Math Discoveries
In 1954, Douglas Northcott worked with David Rees. They created a new theory together. It was called the Northcott-Rees theory. This theory was very important for a field called commutative algebra. It helped other mathematicians understand complex math problems.
Awards and Honors
Douglas Northcott received several awards for his work. In 1953, he won the Junior Berwick Prize. This award is given by the London Mathematical Society. He also served as the Vice-President of the London Mathematical Society from 1968 to 1969.
In 1961, he was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is one of the highest honors for scientists in the United Kingdom.
Family Life
In 1949, Douglas Northcott married Rose Hilda Austin in Cambridge. They had two daughters. Their names were Anne Patricia and Pamela Rose.
