Michael Woolfson facts for kids

Michael Mark Woolfson (born January 9, 1927 – died December 23, 2019) was a smart British scientist. He was a physicist and studied planets. He loved learning about how stars and planets are made. He also researched x-ray crystallography, biophysics, and how we see colours.

Michael Woolfson's Education and Teaching Career

Michael Woolfson went to Jesus College, Oxford for his studies. He earned his PhD (a high-level degree) from UMIST. There, a scientist named Henry Lipson guided his work.

Early Research Roles

After his studies, he worked as a research assistant. He was at UMIST from 1950 to 1952. Then, he moved to the famous Cavendish Laboratory at the University of Cambridge from 1952 to 1954. He also held a special fellowship at Cambridge for a year.

Teaching and Leadership

Woolfson returned to UMIST as a lecturer in 1955. He became a Reader (a senior academic position) in 1961. For a year, he also worked as a consultant at IBM.

In 1965, he became a Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of York. He led the Department of Physics from 1982 to 1987. He was also the first leader of Goodricke College at the university. Even after retiring, he was known as a professor emeritus.

Helping Create the DIAMOND Light Source

In 1991, a science group called SERC asked Woolfson to lead a team. Their job was to look at special science facilities in the UK. These facilities use powerful X-rays.

The Woolfson Report

In 1993, Woolfson's team published their findings. This was known as the "Woolfson Report." One big idea in the report was to build a new, stronger X-ray source. This new source would replace an older one.

Building a New Science Facility

The new X-ray source was named the Diamond Light Source. After much discussion, it was decided to build it at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL). This lab is in Oxfordshire, UK. The Diamond Light Source helps scientists study tiny things.

Awards and Recognitions

Michael Woolfson received many important awards for his work. He was also a member of several respected scientific groups.

Fellowships and Memberships

In 1999, he became an Honorary Fellow of Jesus College. This means the college recognized his achievements. He was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1984. This is a very high honor for scientists in the UK.

He was also a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. This group focuses on space and stars. He was also a fellow of the Institute of Physics. He served as president of the Yorkshire Philosophical Society.

Major Awards

• In 1986, he won the Royal Society Hughes Medal.
• He received the Patterson Award in 1990. This was from the American Crystallographic Association.
• In 1992, he won the Gregori Aminoff Prize. This award came from the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
• The British Crystallographic Association gave him the Dorothy Hodgkin Prize in 1997.
• He received the Ewald Prize in 2002. This was from the International Union of Crystallography.