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John Bryce McLeod
John Bryce McLeod.jpg
Born (1929-12-23)December 23, 1929
Died August 20, 2014(2014-08-20) (aged 84)
Education
Awards
Scientific career
Fields Differential equations
Institutions
Thesis Some Problems in the Theory of Eigenfunction Expansions (1959)
Doctoral students Gillian Slater

John Bryce McLeod (born December 23, 1929 – died August 20, 2014) was a smart British mathematician. He studied a special kind of math called differential equations. These equations help us understand how things change over time.

Early Life and School

John Bryce McLeod was born in Aberdeen, Scotland. This was on December 23, 1929. He went to Aberdeen Grammar School when he was younger.

He then went to the University of Aberdeen. There, he earned a top degree in Math and Natural Philosophy in 1950. After that, he studied more math at Christ Church, Oxford, getting another top degree in 1952.

Becoming a Mathematician

John McLeod continued his studies at Merton College, Oxford. He was a special scholar there from 1955 to 1956. In 1959, he earned his PhD from the University of Oxford. A PhD is a very high degree you get for doing original research.

He started teaching math at the University of Oxford in 1956. Then, he taught at the University of Edinburgh from 1958 to 1960. He returned to Oxford to teach at Wadham College.

He stayed at Oxford until 1988. During this time, he became a university teacher and a senior research fellow. In 1988, he became a professor at the University of Pittsburgh in the United States. He worked there until he retired in 2007.

Family Life

John McLeod married Eunice Third in 1956. They had three sons and one daughter together. He passed away in England on August 20, 2014, when he was 84 years old.

Awards and Special Honors

John McLeod received many important awards for his work in mathematics.

  • In 1965, he won the Sir Edmund Whittaker Memorial Prize. This was a special award for his math achievements.
  • He became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1974. This means he was recognized as a top scientist in Scotland.
  • In 1987, he received the Keith Medal from the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
  • He was also chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 1992. This is a very high honor for scientists in the UK.
  • In 2011, he was given the Naylor Prize and Lectureship. This award celebrates excellent work in applied mathematics.
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