kids encyclopedia robot

Lucy Carpenter facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Lucy Carpenter

Born
Lucy Jane Carpenter

(1969-10-21) 21 October 1969 (age 55)
Alma mater
Awards
Scientific career
Fields
Institutions University of York
Thesis Measurements of peroxy radicals in clean and polluted atmospheres (1996)
Doctoral advisor Stuart Penkett

Lucy Jane Carpenter was born on October 21, 1969. She is a British chemist and a professor at the University of York. She also helps lead the Cape Verde Atmospheric Observatory, which studies the air.

Her Education Journey

Lucy Carpenter studied chemistry at the University of Bristol and earned her first degree in 1991. Later, she got her PhD in atmospheric chemistry from the University of East Anglia in 1996. Her PhD research was guided by Stuart Penkett.

What She Studies

Professor Carpenter's team studies how the oceans and the air interact. They especially look at chemicals called halogens, as well as organic carbon and reactive nitrogen. Her work has shown that these chemicals are very important for how tropospheric ozone (a gas in the lower atmosphere) behaves. She uses special tools like gas chromatography–mass spectrometry to do her research.

She also helped set up the Cape Verde Atmospheric Observatory. This is one of many stations around the world that watch climate and air quality over long periods. These stations are part of the World Meteorological Organization's (WMO) Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) program. Lucy Carpenter was also a main author for a big scientific report in 2014 about how the ozone layer is changing.

Amazing Awards and Honors

Lucy Carpenter has received many awards for her important scientific work.

Major Awards

  • In 2006, she won the Philip Leverhulme Prize for her work in 'Earth Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences'.
  • The Royal Society gave her the Rosalind Franklin Award in 2015. This award recognized her scientific achievements and her role as a great example for others. She also proposed a project to encourage more women in STEM fields.
  • She received the Tilden Prize in 2017.
  • In 2019, she became a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). This is a very high honor for scientists in the UK.
  • In 2024, she was awarded the Vilhelm Bjerknes Medal. This was for showing a key connection between gases from the oceans, air chemistry, and changes in our climate.

Other Honors

In 2022, Lucy Carpenter was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). This honor was given to her for her great contributions to atmospheric chemistry.

kids search engine
Lucy Carpenter Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.