Francis Bretherton facts for kids

Francis Patton Bretherton (born July 6, 1935 – died June 27, 2021) was a brilliant scientist. He was an expert in applied mathematics, which uses math to solve real-world problems. He also taught about weather and oceans at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Early Life and Studies

Francis Bretherton was born in Oxford, England. He went to Cambridge University and earned his Ph.D. in 1961. After finishing his studies, he worked at Cambridge University in a department that focused on applied mathematics and theoretical physics. He stayed there from 1962 to 1969.

The Bretherton Equation

In 1964, Francis Bretherton created something important called the Bretherton equation. This equation is used in applied mathematics to help understand how fluids (like water or air) move and behave.

Moving to Johns Hopkins

From 1969 to 1974, he worked at the Johns Hopkins University. First, he was a professor teaching about Earth and planetary sciences. Later, he became the chief scientist at the Chesapeake Bay Institute, where he studied the Chesapeake Bay.

Leading Atmospheric Research

From 1973 to 1980, Dr. Bretherton became the president of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) in Boulder, Colorado. This organization helps lead and manage research about Earth's atmosphere.

Directing NCAR

Almost at the same time, from 1974 to 1980, he was also the director of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). NCAR is a big center where scientists study weather, climate, and the atmosphere. After these leadership roles, he decided to go back to doing more scientific research himself. He stayed at NCAR as a senior scientist and wrote over 60 scientific papers.

Space Science and Engineering

From 1988 to 1999, Dr. Bretherton was the director of the Space Science and Engineering Center (SSEC) at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. During his time there, the center grew a lot. It started to include studies on how our planet's climate is changing and how to manage important climate data.

Awards and Special Honors

Francis Bretherton received many awards and honors for his important work.

• In 1960, he won the Smiths Prize from Cambridge University.
• He was a Research Fellow at Trinity College, Cambridge, from 1960 to 1962.
• In 1962, he became a Fellow at King's College in Cambridge.
• In 1970, he received the Buchan Prize from the Royal Meteorological Society.
• The World Meteorological Organization gave him a Research Award in 1971.
• The American Meteorological Society honored him with the Clarence Leroy Meisinger Award in 1972 and the Jule G. Charney Award in 1982.