Graham Sutton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Graham Sutton
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| Born | 4 February 1903  Cwmcarn |
| Died | 26 May 1977 (aged 74) Swansea |
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Sir Oliver Graham Sutton (born 1903, died 1977) was a brilliant Welsh scientist. He was a mathematician and a meteorologist. He is famous for his important work on how air moves and spreads things, like gases. He also led the UK Meteorological Office, which studies the weather.
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About Graham Sutton
Graham Sutton was born in a place called Cwmcarn in Wales. He went to school at Pontywaun Grammar School. Later, he studied at the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth. He also attended Jesus College, Oxford, which is a very old and respected university. In 1958, Jesus College made him an Honorary Fellow. This is a special title given to people who have achieved great things.
Early Career and Research
From 1926 to 1928, Graham Sutton taught at the University College of Wales. After that, he joined the UK Meteorological Office. This is the UK's national weather service.
He was sent to Shoeburyness to study how weather affects gunfire. Then, he moved to Porton Down. Here, he worked on a big project about how air moves and spreads things. His research helped to understand how gases spread at ground level. These findings were very important, but they could not be shared with the public until after World War II.
During his time at Porton Down, he was involved in a scientific study in 1942. This project looked at how certain materials spread in the air. It involved releasing spores over Gruinard Island as part of a scientific defense project.
Leading Scientific Institutions
After the war ended, Graham Sutton became the Chief Superintendent. He worked at the Radar Research and Development Establishment in Malvern. He held this important position until 1947.
Then, he became a Professor of Mathematics. He taught at the Royal Military College of Science in Shrivenham, Wiltshire. From 1953 to 1965, he was the Director-General of the UK Met Office. This meant he was in charge of all weather forecasting and research for the UK. He was also the Vice-President of the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth starting in 1967.
Awards and Recognition
Graham Sutton received many honors for his scientific work. In March 1949, he was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very high honor for scientists in the UK.
In 1950, he was awarded the CBE. This award recognized his excellent scientific contributions to the government.
He was the president of the Royal Meteorological Society from 1953 to 1955. This society focuses on weather and climate. In 1959, he received their Symons Gold Medal. This medal is given for outstanding work in meteorology. He was also knighted in 1955, which means he was given the title "Sir."
In 1958, Sir Graham Sutton was invited to give the famous Royal Institution Christmas Lectures. These lectures are designed to make science exciting for young people. In 1968, he received the important International Meteorological Organization Prize. This award came from the World Meteorological Organization, which is a global group that studies weather and climate.
