John Mason (meteorologist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir John Mason
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Basil John Mason
18 August 1923 Docking, Norfolk, England
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| Died | 6 January 2015 (aged 91) |
| Alma mater | University College, Nottingham |
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Sir Basil John Mason CB FRS (18 August 1923 – 6 January 2015) was a very important British scientist. He was an expert in cloud physics, which is the study of how clouds form and behave. He was also the head of the Met Office, which is the UK's national weather service, from 1965 to 1983. Later, he was in charge of a university called the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST) from 1994 to 1996.
Early Life and Learning
John Mason was born in a place called Docking, Norfolk in England. He went to Fakenham Grammar School and then studied at University College, Nottingham.
During the Second World War, he worked in the Radar branch of the RAF, which is the Royal Air Force. He was a Flight-lieutenant. After the war, he earned a top degree in physics from the University of London. In 1948, he became a teacher at Imperial College in London, where he taught about meteorology (the study of weather). He was married to Doreen Jones and they had two sons.
A Career in Cloud Science
John Mason worked at Imperial College from 1948 to 1965. In 1961, he became a Professor of Cloud Physics. This meant he was a leading expert in how clouds are made and how they release rain, snow, or hail. His research even led to something called the Mason Equation. This equation helps scientists understand how tiny water droplets in clouds grow or shrink.
In the 1960s, he helped to make the World Meteorological Organization more modern. This organization helps countries around the world share weather information.
From 1965 to 1983, he was the Director of the UK Meteorological Office. This is where he also developed ideas about how electric charges build up in thunderclouds, which eventually causes lightning. In 1974, he became a Fellow at Imperial College. One of his students, John Latham, also became a famous physicist.
John Mason passed away in 2015. After he died, his family created the Sir John Mason Academic Trust. His son, Professor Nigel Mason, who is also a scientist, leads this trust.
Awards and Special Recognitions
John Mason received many awards for his important work. In 1965, he was given the Chree Medal, and in 1974, the Glazebrook Medal from the Institute of Physics. He was also the President of the Institute of Physics from 1976 to 1978.
He was also the President of the Royal Meteorological Society from 1968 to 1970. This society is for people who study weather. They gave him the Symons Gold Medal in 1975.
In 1965, John Mason was chosen to be a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). This is a very high honor for scientists in the UK. The Royal Society gave him the Rumford Medal in 1972 and the Royal Medal in 1991. He was also the Treasurer of the Society for many years.
In 1973, he was made a companion of the Order of the Bath. In 1979, he was made a knight, which means he was given the title "Sir" for his great work in meteorology. He was also in charge of the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology as its Chancellor from 1965 to 1996.
Legacy
There is a portrait of Sir John Mason in the National Portrait Gallery. In 2004, a special center for studying environmental flows at the University of Manchester was named the Mason Centre in his honor. In 2006, thanks to a gift from Sir John Mason, the Royal Meteorological Society created the Mason Gold Medal. This medal is given to other scientists who do great work in meteorology.
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