Douglas Ross (physicist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Douglas Ross
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Douglas Alan Ross
9 May 1948 |
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| Thesis | Higher order corrections in muon decay (1972) |
| Doctoral advisor | John Clayton Taylor |
Douglas Alan Ross (born on May 9, 1948) is a British physicist. He is known for his important work in understanding the tiny particles that make up our universe. As of 2025, he is a retired professor of physics at the University of Southampton.
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Douglas Ross's Education
Douglas Ross went to New College, Oxford University. He earned his first degree, a Bachelor of Arts, in 1969. Later, in 1972, he completed his Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) degree. A DPhil is a very advanced degree, like a PhD, that shows you are an expert in your field. His research for this degree was about something called muon decay. His professor, John Clayton Taylor, guided him during this important work.
Discoveries in Particle Physics
Professor Ross is famous for helping to develop and use gauge theories. These theories help us understand the fundamental forces of nature. His work is important both within and beyond the Standard Model of particle physics. The Standard Model is like the main rulebook for how the smallest particles in the universe behave.
Understanding Forces and Particles
His research helped scientists understand how certain theories, where symmetry is "broken" (called spontaneously broken theories), work. He also studied how to make very accurate predictions using perturbation theory in complex theories. These are theories that describe how particles interact.
Professor Ross did some of the first calculations that helped establish quantum chromodynamics. This is the theory that explains the strong nuclear force. The strong nuclear force is what holds the tiny parts of an atom's nucleus together.
Beyond the Standard Model
He also contributed to ideas about physics beyond the Standard Model. This means exploring new theories that go beyond what we currently know about particles. For example, he showed that because we haven't seen proton decay, it rules out the simplest version of a theory called the Grand Unified Theory. This theory tries to combine all the fundamental forces into one.
Awards and Recognition
In 2005, Douglas Ross was honored for his scientific achievements. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). Being a Fellow of the Royal Society is a very high honor for scientists in the United Kingdom.
