John Charles Burkill facts for kids
John Charles Burkill (born February 1, 1900, in Holt, England – died April 6, 1993, in Sheffield, England) was an important English mathematician. He is known for his work in a field of math called analysis, and he even created something called the Burkill integral.
Early Life and Education
John Burkill went to school at St Paul's School before attending Trinity College, Cambridge, one of the most famous universities in England. He was a very bright student who loved mathematics.
A Life in Mathematics
Burkill became a highly respected mathematician. In 1953, he was chosen as a fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very special honor given to top scientists and mathematicians in the UK. It means he was recognized for his excellent contributions to science.
He also won the Adams Prize in 1948. This is another important award given to mathematicians at the University of Cambridge for their outstanding research.
Later in his career, John Burkill became the Master of Peterhouse, which is a leader of one of the colleges at Cambridge University. He held this important position until 1973. He also taught many students, and some of them, like Frederick Gehring, became famous mathematicians themselves.
Family Life
John Burkill was married to Margareta Burkill. She was born in Germany but also studied at Newnham College, Cambridge. Her father was German and her mother was Russian.
John and Margareta had three children of their own. But Margareta also did something amazing during a difficult time: she helped hundreds of refugee children come to Britain to find safety. Some of these children even lived in their home. Two of the children who joined their household later became well-known academics, meaning they became university professors or researchers.
His Books
John Burkill wrote several important math books. These books helped students and other mathematicians learn more about different areas of mathematics, like how to solve equations and understand complex numbers. While the titles might sound complicated, they were very helpful for people studying advanced math.
