George Series facts for kids
George William Series (born February 22, 1920 – died January 2, 1995) was a British physicist. He was well-known for his studies on light and atoms, especially hydrogen atoms. This type of study is called spectroscopy, which helps us understand what things are made of by looking at the light they give off.
Early Life and School
George Series was born in Bushey Heath, Hertfordshire, England. His parents were William and Alice Series. When he was ten years old, he won a special scholarship to attend Queen Mary's Grammar School in Basingstoke. Later, he also went to Reading School.
In 1938, George won another scholarship. This allowed him to go to St John's College at Oxford University. His studies were paused because of the Second World War. During the war, George chose not to fight. Instead, he served with the Friends' Ambulance Unit. He helped people in places like Egypt, Italy, and Yugoslavia. After the war, he finished his degree in 1947 with top honors. He earned his higher degrees (MA and DPhil) from Oxford in 1950.
His Work as a Physicist
George Series became a university lecturer in 1951. He also became a fellow at St Edmund Hall in 1954. During this time, he focused on studying the structure of the hydrogen atom. He became a leading expert on this topic around the world.
In the 1950s and 1960s, he used new methods developed by a research team in Paris. He showed that light coming from atoms in a special excited state could create interesting patterns. These patterns are known as 'quantum beats'. His important papers on this subject brought him international fame.
In 1968, George Series became a professor at Reading University. He worked there until he retired in 1982. He also visited other universities. In 1972, he was a visiting professor at the University of Otago in New Zealand. In 1982, the Indian Academy of Sciences gave him a special visiting professorship. They also made him an Honorary Fellow in 1984.
George Series was chosen as a fellow of the Royal Society in 1971. This is a very high honor for scientists in the UK. He also became a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1972. In 1982, he received the William F. Meggers award and a medal from the Optical Society of America.
George Series passed away in Oxford in 1995.
His Family
George Series met his wife, Annette, at Oxford University. She studied modern languages at St Hilda's College. They got married on December 21, 1948. They had four children: three sons named Robert, John, and Hugh, and a daughter named Caroline. Caroline also became a famous mathematician and a fellow of the Royal Society, just like her father. His grandson, Bertie Baigent, is a conductor and composer.
Books He Wrote
- Spectrum of Atomic Hydrogen, 1957
- Laser Spectroscopy and other topics, 1985
- Spectrum of Atomic Hydrogen: advances, 1988
