Judith Howard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Judith Howard
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| Born |
Judith Ann Kathleen Duckworth
21 October 1945 Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, England, United Kingdom
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| Nationality | British |
| Alma mater | University of Bristol (BSc) University of Oxford (DPhil) |
| Spouse(s) | John Wright |
| Awards | Royal Society of Chemistry Prize for Structural Chemistry (1999) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Chemistry Crystallography |
| Institutions | Durham University University of Oxford |
| Thesis | The study of some organic crystal structures by neutron diffraction |
| Doctoral advisor | Dorothy Hodgkin |
| Doctoral students | Jacqui Cole |
Judith Ann Kathleen Howard is a famous British chemist and crystallographer. This means she studies how atoms are arranged in crystals. She was born on October 21, 1945, in Cleethorpes, England. She is a Professor of Chemistry at Durham University.
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Early Life and Education
Judith Howard went to Salisbury Grammar School for girls. In 1963, she started studying chemistry at the University of Bristol.
During her last year of university, Judith worked on a special compound. This work became her very first published scientific paper.
She earned her first degree, a Bachelor of Science, from the University of Bristol. Later, she went to the University of Oxford for her advanced degree, a Doctor of Philosophy. There, she studied the structure of insulin with her supervisor, Dorothy Hodgkin.
Career and Research in Chemistry
In 1991, Professor Howard became a Professor of Crystallography at Durham University. She has written over 1,500 scientific papers. This shows how much she has contributed to science.
What is X-ray Crystallography?
Professor Howard's main research area is X-ray crystallography. This is a method scientists use to find out how atoms are arranged in solids. It helps them understand the shape and structure of molecules.
Her research interests include:
- Studying how liquids turn into crystals right where they are.
- Looking at crystals at very, very cold temperatures.
- Studying crystals under very high pressure.
- Analyzing how electrons are shared in materials.
- Studying how solid materials react with each other.
- Researching materials used in special optics and magnets.
Advancing Scientific Tools
Professor Howard has also created special instruments. These tools help other scientists prove their theories in X-ray crystallography. She is also the leader of the Olexsys group. This group develops computer software for analyzing crystal data.
Judith Howard has made many important contributions to science. She actively takes part in committees and conferences all over the world. She was the first woman to lead a top-rated chemistry department, which was at the University of Durham. She also helped start the British Crystallographic Association. She served as its Secretary from 1985 to 1987 and later as its President from 1992 to 1996.
Awards and Honors
Professor Howard has received many awards and honors for her work.
- In 1986, she received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from the University of Bristol.
- In 2005, she received an honorary degree from the University of Bath.
- In 2016, she received another honorary Doctor of Science degree from the University of East Anglia.
Other important awards include:
- 1996: She was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).
- 1999: She won the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) Prize for Structural Chemistry.
- 2002: She was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). This is a very high honor for scientists in the UK.
