Frank Philip Bowden facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Professor Frank Bowden
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|---|---|
| Born |
Frank Philip Bowden
2 May 1903 |
| Died | 3 September 1968 (aged 65) |
| Alma mater | University of Tasmania (B.S., 1925)(M.S., 1927) University of Cambridge (Ph.D., 1929) |
| Awards | Elliott Cresson Medal (1955) Rumford Medal (1956) Fellow of the Royal Society |
| Scientific career | |
| Thesis | The mechanism of electrode reactions (1929) |
Frank Philip Bowden (born May 2, 1903 – died September 3, 1968) was an important Australian scientist. He was a physicist who made big discoveries about how surfaces interact. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society, which is a very high honor for scientists.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Frank Bowden was born in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. His father, Frank Prosser Bowden, was an engineer who worked with telegraphs.
Frank Bowden loved learning about science. He earned his first science degree, a Bachelor of Science, from the University of Tasmania in 1925. He continued his studies there and received a Master of Science degree in 1927.
Later, he moved to England to study at the famous University of Cambridge. He earned his PhD from Cambridge in 1929. By 1933, he also received a Doctor of Science degree from the University of Tasmania.
A Career in Science
Frank Bowden spent many years teaching and researching. From 1931 to 1939, he was a lecturer in physical chemistry at the University of Cambridge. This means he taught students about how chemicals behave and change.
In 1939, he returned to Australia to work at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). This is a major science agency in Australia. After World War II, in 1946, he went back to Britain. He became a reader in physical chemistry at Cambridge.
Focus on Surface Physics
In 1957, Bowden became a Reader of Physics at Cambridge. This role meant he led important research. In 1966, he became a full Professor of Surface Physics. This was a big achievement, showing how much he had contributed to the field.
Professor Bowden made huge contributions to a field called tribology. This is the science of how surfaces rub against each other. It includes studying friction, wear, and lubrication. Imagine how car tires grip the road or how oil makes engine parts move smoothly. That's what tribology is all about!
He worked closely with another scientist named David Tabor. Together, they wrote a very famous book called The Friction and Lubrication of Solids. This book helped many other scientists understand how surfaces interact. Because of his important work, Bowden received the International Award from the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers in 1955. He was also named one of the top 23 "Men of Tribology" by another expert, Duncan Dowson.
Family Life
In 1931, Frank Bowden married Margot Hutchison in London. Margot was also from Tasmania. They had a happy family with three sons and one daughter.
Awards and Recognition
Frank Bowden received many awards for his scientific discoveries. These awards showed how much his work was valued around the world:
- 1938: Awarded the Beilby Medal and Prize by the Royal Society of Chemistry.
- 1948: Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very prestigious honor for scientists in the UK.
- 1955: Awarded the Elliott Cresson Medal from the Franklin Institute in the USA.
- 1955: Received the International Award from the STLE.
- 1956: Awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) by the Queen.
- 1956: Received the Rumford Medal from the Royal Society. This award was given "In recognition of his distinguished work on the nature of friction."
- 1968: Awarded the Glazebrook Medal of the Institute of Physics.
- 1968: Awarded the Bernard Lewis Gold Medal of the Combustion Institute.
Frank Bowden passed away on September 3, 1968, leaving behind a great legacy in the world of science.
