Kenneth Mather facts for kids
Sir Kenneth Mather (born June 22, 1911 – died March 20, 1990) was a famous British scientist. He studied genetics (how traits are passed down) and botany (the study of plants). He became a top scientist, joining the Royal Society in 1949. He also won the Darwin Medal in 1964 for his important work. From 1965 to 1971, he was the leader (called a vice-chancellor) of the University of Southampton. He helped start a new medical school there.
Early Life and Education
Kenneth Mather was born in Nantwich, Cheshire, England. His father, Richard Mather, made furniture.
Kenneth went to an elementary school in Nantwich starting in 1915. In 1922, he won a special scholarship. This allowed him to attend Nantwich and Acton Grammar School.
In 1928, he won another scholarship. This one helped him study botany at Manchester University. He earned a top degree (BSc) in 1931. After that, he received a research scholarship. He studied how chromosomes behave at the John Innes Horticultural Institution. In 1933, he earned his PhD from London University.
His Scientific Career
In 1933, Kenneth Mather worked in Sweden for a short time. He returned to University College London in 1934. There, he worked with Ronald Fisher. Fisher taught him a lot about using statistics in science.
From 1937 to 1938, Mather went to the United States. He had a special scholarship from the Rockefeller Foundation. When he came back, he became the head of genetics at the John Innes Institute.
In 1948, he became a professor of genetics at Birmingham University. Later, in 1965, he became the vice-chancellor of the University of Southampton. During this time, he faced some student protests. However, he successfully helped create a new medical school for the university.
He later returned to Birmingham University. He continued his research on biometrical genetics until he passed away.
Awards and Personal Life
In 1937, Kenneth Mather married Mona Rhodes. She was also a botanist. They had one son together.
He received many honors for his work. He was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1956. In 1979, he was knighted, which means he became "Sir Kenneth Mather."
He also received honorary degrees from several universities. These included Southampton University (1972), the University of Bath (1975), Manchester University (1980), and the University of Wales (1980).
He became a fellow of the Royal Society in 1949. This is a very high honor for a scientist. He also won the Weldon medal in 1962 and the famous Darwin Medal in 1964. From 1949 to 1952, he was the president of the Genetical Society of Great Britain.
Sir Kenneth Mather passed away in 1990 from a heart attack.
See also
- List of University of Southampton people
