P.A. Sheppard facts for kids

Professor Percival Albert "Peter" Sheppard was a very important Meteorologist (a scientist who studies weather and the atmosphere). He worked at Imperial College, London for many years, from 1952 to 1974. After that, he became an emeritus professor, which means he was still connected to the university even after retiring.

He was honored with the CBE and was a FRS, which are big awards for scientists in the UK. He was born on May 12, 1907, and passed away on December 22, 1977.

Early Life and Education

Percival Sheppard was born in a place called Box, in Wiltshire, England. He went to school at the City of Bath Boys School.

Later, he studied at the University of Bristol. He was a brilliant student and graduated in 1927 with top honors in science. He even stayed at the university for a while to do more research. He studied how tiny particles in the air, called gaseous ions, interacted with water molecules.

Working with the Weather

In 1929, Peter Sheppard started working for the Meteorological Office. This is the UK's national weather service. He worked at Kew Observatory, where he studied how electricity in the atmosphere behaved in both good and bad weather.

Expedition to Canada

In 1932, he joined a special British trip to Fort Rae in Northwest Canada. He was one of six men on this expedition. There, he continued his observations of atmospheric electricity, learning more about the air in a very different climate.

Studying Air Movement

After his trip, in 1933, he was sent to the Chemical Warfare Experimental Station at Porton Down. He spent five years there studying how air moves close to the ground. This area, just a few hundred meters above the Earth's surface, is called the "boundary layer." Understanding this movement is very important for predicting weather and how things spread in the air.

Imperial College and Teaching

In 1939, Peter Sheppard became a reader (a type of professor) in Meteorology at Imperial College. But soon after, World War II started. He was asked to help the Air Ministry set up a special school. This school was in London and trained people to become weather forecasters for the war effort.

After the War

After the war ended, he returned to Imperial College. He worked with Professor David Brunt to create new teaching programs. These programs helped students earn important degrees in meteorology. In 1952, Peter Sheppard took over from Professor Brunt and became a full professor himself.

He continued his research on how air moves in the boundary layer. Over time, he also became more involved in leading committees and giving lectures.

Awards and Recognition

Peter Sheppard was highly respected in the world of meteorology. In 1939, he was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society. This is a big honor for weather scientists.

He was very active in the society. He served on its council, helped edit its main scientific journal, and was even its President from 1957 to 1959.

Major Honors

In 1963, he received the Symons Gold Medal. This medal is one of the highest awards given by the Royal Meteorological Society for a lifetime of important work. In the same year, he was also awarded the CBE by the Queen.

In 1964, he received another very high honor: he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. This means he was recognized as one of the most outstanding scientists in the United Kingdom.

Personal Life

Peter Sheppard passed away in 1977. He was married to Phyllis, and they had two sons.