Louis Rosenhead facts for kids
Louis Rosenhead (born January 1, 1906 – died November 10, 1984) was a brilliant British mathematician. He was famous for his important work on fluid mechanics. This is the study of how liquids and gases move. He also led the Department of Applied Mathematics at Liverpool University for many years, from 1933 to 1973.
About Louis Rosenhead
Louis Rosenhead was born in Mabgate, Leeds, England. His birthday was January 1, 1906. He was the first of three children. His parents came from Poland. Their names were Abram Rozenkopf and Chaja Nagacz. They got married in Leeds in 1905. They changed their names to Abraham and Ellen Rosenhead. Abraham was a tailor. He came to England in 1903. Ellen arrived in 1902. Louis and his family were Jewish.
In 1932, Louis Rosenhead married Esther Brostoff in Leeds. They had two sons together. Their sons were named Martin and Jonathan. Louis Rosenhead passed away on November 10, 1984.
His School Days and Learning
Louis Rosenhead went to Leeds High School. After that, he started studying medicine at the University of Leeds. But after just four weeks, he changed his mind. He decided to study mathematics instead. A professor named Selig Brodetsky helped him make this choice.
Louis was a very good student. He graduated with top honors in 1926. He continued his studies and earned a Ph.D. in 1928. Professor Brodetsky was his teacher for this degree. Later, he earned another Ph.D. at Cambridge University. There, he studied with Harold Jeffreys.
After Cambridge, Louis spent a year in Göttingen, Germany. This was from 1930 to 1931. A famous scientist named Ludwig Prandtl worked there. Louis worked on theoretical fluid mechanics. He worked with other smart scientists like Sydney Goldstein and H. B. Squire.
What He Did in His Career
In 1931, Louis Rosenhead became a teacher. He taught applied mathematics at University College, Swansea. Applied mathematics uses math to solve real-world problems. In 1933, he moved to Liverpool. He took over from Joseph Proudman as a professor. He became the head of applied mathematics at Liverpool University.
During World War II, Louis Rosenhead helped with the war effort. He was in charge of ballistics at a place called the Projectile Development Establishment. Ballistics is the science of how projectiles, like rockets, fly. He gathered a team of mathematicians. They worked on designing rocket weapons.
In 1946, Louis Rosenhead was given a great honor. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very important group for top scientists in the UK.
In 1947, he played a key role in developing the study of statistics. Statistics is about collecting and analyzing data. He helped appoint Robin Plackett to a position. His colleagues also included other important mathematicians. These were Maurice Bartlett, P. A. P. Moran, and D. G. Kendall.