Gerald Westheimer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gerald Westheimer
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Westheimer, c. 1970
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| Born | 13 May 1924 Berlin, Germany
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| Occupation | Scientist |
| Organization | University of California, Berkeley |
Gerald Westheimer (born May 13, 1924) is an Australian scientist. He works at the University of California, Berkeley. He studies the human eye, how light works with it, and how we see things in detail and in 3D.
Contents
Life and Journey
Gerald Westheimer was born in Berlin, Germany, on May 13, 1924. He grew up in a Jewish family that had lived in Germany for a long time.
In 1938, when Gerald was 14, his family faced danger. The government in Nazi Germany was attacking Jewish people. Because of this, his family moved to Australia to find safety. They settled in Sydney.
After arriving in Sydney, Gerald quickly finished high school by studying on his own. He then joined the Optometry program at the Sydney Technical College. He graduated with high honors in 1943.
While working as an optometrist, he kept studying. He earned a science degree in math and physiology from Sydney University.
In 1951, Westheimer moved to the United States. He became a student at Ohio State University, where he earned his PhD. He then worked as a professor at different universities. These included the University of Houston and Ohio State.
In 1960, he became a professor at the School of Optometry at Berkeley. He later joined Berkeley's Department of Physiology-Anatomy. There, he started and led the Division of Neurobiology.
Even after moving to the US, Gerald Westheimer kept his Australian citizenship. In 2009, he received an award called the Order of Australia. This award recognized his strong connection to Australia, the country that gave his family a safe place to live.
What He Studied
Even when he was a boy, Gerald Westheimer was very interested in astronomy, optics (how light behaves), and the eye. He spent his long career studying these topics, especially how humans see.
He has published over 200 scientific papers. These papers share his discoveries about vision. Some of his important studies include:
- How the eye moves.
- How the eye sees different patterns of light.
- How light enters the human eye.
- How different parts of the eye work together, especially in the dark.
- How sharp our vision is and how we see tiny details.
Music and Giving Back
Gerald Westheimer is also a talented violinist. He enjoys playing music in his free time. He has given many valuable 19th-century violins to the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. He also gave money to help take care of these instruments.
He did this so that young Australian musicians could practice and perform on high-quality instruments. He wanted to help them become even better at playing music.
Awards and Honors
Gerald Westheimer has received many awards for his scientific work and his career.
Science Awards
- 1978: Tillyer Medal, Optical Society of America
- 1979: Proctor Medal, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO)
- 1984: Fellow, Royal Society of London (This means he was chosen as a top scientist in the UK.)
- 1986: von Sallman International Prize in Vision and Ophthalmology, Columbia University
- 1986: C.F. Prentice Medal, American Academy of Optometry
- 1988: Bicentennial Medal, Australian Optometric Association
- 1992: Ferrier Lecture, Royal Society of London
- 1994: Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Sciences (This means he was chosen as a top scholar in the US.)
- 2010: Barry Collin Research Medal, Optometrists Association of Australia
- 2021: Ken Nakayama Medal for Excellence in Vision Science
Academic Awards
- Honorary Doctorates in Science and Medicine (These are special degrees given to honor his achievements.)
General Awards
- Order of Australia, member of General Division (This is a high honor from Australia.)
