James Hough facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir James Hough
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| Born | 6 August 1945 |
| Alma mater | University of Glasgow |
| Awards | Gunning Victoria Jubilee Prize |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | University of Glasgow University of Strathclyde |
| Thesis | An investigation of some techniques for the localisation of ionizing radiation (1970) |
| Doctoral advisor | Ronald Drever |
| Doctoral students | Sheila Rowan |
Sir James Hough (born 6 August 1945) is a famous British physicist. He is known worldwide for his important work. He leads the search for gravitational waves. These are like tiny ripples in space and time. They are caused by huge events in the universe.
Sir James Hough's Amazing Career
Sir James Hough has had a very impressive career. He has held many important jobs. Most of his work focused on understanding gravity. He also helped build special tools to find gravitational waves.
His Main Roles
- He was a Professor of experimental physics at the University of Glasgow.
- He also directed the Institute of Gravitational Research there.
- He was part of the LISA International Science Team. This team works on a space mission.
- He was also a delegate to the LIGO Council. LIGO is a big project that looks for gravitational waves.
Awards and Special Recognitions
Sir James Hough has received many awards for his science. These awards show how important his work is. They also show how much he has contributed to physics.
Becoming a Fellow of the Royal Society
In 2003, Sir James Hough became a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very high honor for scientists in the UK. It means he is one of the best scientists.
The Duddell Medal and Prize
He received the Duddell Medal and Prize in 2004. This award is given for amazing contributions to physics. It recognizes people who invent or design scientific tools.
Gunning Victoria Jubilee Prize
In 2008, he won the Gunning Victoria Jubilee Prize. This award from the Royal Society of Edinburgh recognized his work. It celebrated his efforts in the field of gravitational waves.
Officer of the Order of the British Empire
Sir James Hough was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2013. This award is given by the King or Queen. It recognized his great service to science.
Phillips Award and Gold Medal
He received the Institute of Physics Phillips Award in 2015. Then, in 2018, he was awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society. This was for his work in astronomy.
Becoming a Knight
In 2019, Sir James Hough was knighted. This means he became "Sir James Hough." The Duke of Cambridge gave him this honor. It was for his leadership in finding gravitational waves. These waves are like "ripples" in the fabric of space-time.
Bakerian Medal and Liveryman
In 2020, he received the Royal Society's Bakerian Medal. In 2021, he became an Honorary Liveryman. This was for the Worshipful Company of Scientific Instrument Makers.
Sir James Hough in the News
Sir James Hough has also been in the news. People were interested in his work and his views.
A Bet on Gravitational Waves
In 2004, Sir James Hough made a famous bet. He bet that scientists would detect gravitational waves before 2010. The original odds were very high. But many people became interested. The betting company had to change the odds. This showed how much excitement his work created.
Views on Scottish Independence
In 2007, Sir James Hough signed an open letter. Many other Scottish scientists also signed it. They shared their thoughts about Scottish independence. They believed that staying united with England was better. They thought it would help Scottish science and the economy.
