Keith Stewartson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Keith Stewartson
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| Born | 20 September 1925 Barnsley, Yorkshire, England
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| Died | 7 May 1983 (aged 57) London, England
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| Alma mater | University of Cambridge |
| Known for | Davey–Stewartson equation Ginzburg–Landau equation Triple-deck theory Stewartson layer Stewartson–Illingworth transformation Hocking–Stewartson pulse |
| Spouse(s) | Jean Forrester |
| Children | 3 |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Mathematics Fluid Dynamics |
| Institutions | Bristol University Caltech University of Durham University College, London |
| Thesis | (1949) |
| Doctoral advisor | Leslie Howarth |
| Influences | Selig Brodetsky |
Keith Stewartson (born September 20, 1925 – died May 7, 1983) was an English mathematician. He was also a respected member of the Royal Society.
Contents
Early Life of Keith Stewartson
Keith Stewartson was the youngest of three children. He was born in 1925 to a baker in England. He grew up in Billingham, County Durham. There, he attended Stockton Secondary School. In 1942, he went to St Catharine's College, Cambridge. He showed great talent in mathematics early on. In 1943, he won the Drury Prize for his work in Mathematical Tripos.
Keith Stewartson's Amazing Career
After finishing college, Keith Stewartson started working for the Ministry of Aircraft Production. This was during the Second World War. He studied how fluid flows behave when they are compressed. This is a field called compressible fluid flow.
Returning to Cambridge
After the war ended, he went back to Cambridge. In 1946, he won the Mayhew Prize. He continued his research under the guidance of Leslie Howarth. His work focused on something called boundary layer theory. This theory helps explain how fluids behave near surfaces.
First Publications and Doctorate
His research led to his first published paper. It was called "Correlated incompressible and compressible boundary layers." The Royal Society published it in 1949. He earned his doctorate degree in the same year.
University Roles
In 1950, he became a lecturer at Bristol University. Three years later, in 1953, he traveled to the United States. He taught at the California Institute of Technology for one year. Then, he returned to Bristol University. In 1958, he was given a special teaching position, called a chair, at the University of Durham.
Moving to London
He found Durham University to be a bit old-fashioned. So, in 1964, he moved to University College, London. During his time there, he explored many exciting areas of fluid dynamics. He studied how fluids move when they are spinning, known as rotating fluid flows. He also looked at shear layers, which are areas where fluids move at different speeds.
Key Contributions
Keith Stewartson also worked on magnetohydrodynamics. This is the study of how magnetic fields affect electrically conducting fluids. He made important contributions to triple-deck theory. This theory helps understand how fluids behave in thin layers. He also studied Reynolds number, which helps predict fluid flow patterns.
Founding the Institute of Mathematics
He played a big part in starting the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications. He worked with James Lighthill on this important project. Throughout his career, he wrote an impressive 186 scientific papers. In 1958, he was the first to explain natural convection boundary-layers along a horizontal plate. This is also known as indirect convection.
Beyond Work: Keith Stewartson's Personal Life
Outside of his scientific work, Keith Stewartson had many hobbies. He was very passionate about rowing. He also loved going to the theatre and opera.
Family Life
In 1950, he married Jean Forrester. They had three children together. In 1965, he became a member of the Royal Society. This is a very high honor for scientists.
Later Years
In 1974, he had a heart attack. He recovered from it. However, in 1983, he suffered another heart attack. This one sent him to the hospital. Two weeks later, he had a third heart attack, which was sadly fatal.
