George Pickett (physicist) facts for kids

George Richard Pickett (10 April 1939 – 21 July 2024) was a British scientist. He was a physicist, which means he studied how the universe works. Professor Pickett was known for his work in Low Temperature Physics at Lancaster University. This field explores what happens to materials when they get super, super cold.

A Scientist's Journey

George Richard Pickett was born on 10 April 1939. He went to school at Bedford Modern School. Later, he studied at Magdalen College, Oxford university. He earned his first degree there in 1962. He also completed his advanced research degree, called a DPhil.

Working at Lancaster University

After his studies, Pickett joined Lancaster University. He started as a lecturer, teaching students about physics. Over the years, he became a Senior Lecturer and then a Reader. Eventually, he became the Head of the Physics Department. This meant he was in charge of all the physics research and teaching at the university.

Nobel Prize Connection

Professor Pickett and his research team did very important work on something called ³He. This is a special, very light type of helium. Their discoveries were so important that they were mentioned in the Nobel Prize award in 1996. The Nobel Prize was given to another physicist, David Lee, for his work with super-cold helium. Pickett's team helped make those discoveries possible.

Awards and Recognition

Many important science groups recognized Professor Pickett's work. In 1988, he became a member of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters. This is a group of top scientists in Finland.

In 1997, he was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very high honor for scientists in the United Kingdom. It means he was one of the best scientists in the country.

Later, in 2006, he became a foreign member of the Russian Academy of Sciences. This showed that his work was recognized worldwide. In 1998, he received the Simon Memorial Prize for his achievements in low temperature physics.

In 2023, he was given an honorary degree by the Slovak Academy of Sciences. This was another special award to celebrate his long and successful career. George Richard Pickett passed away in Lancaster, Lancashire on 21 July 2024, at the age of 85.