Ronald E. Mickens facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ronald Elbert Mickens
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| Born | February 7, 1943 Petersburg, Virginia, United States
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| Nationality | American |
| Education | Fisk University, Vanderbilt University |
| Alma mater | Fisk University |
| Known for | Scattering theory, Nonlinear oscillations, Difference equations, NSFD Schemes, Generalized trigonometric functions, History of science, Mathematical biology |
| Children | James Mickens |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Physics Applied mathematics |
| Institutions | Clark Atlanta University, Fisk University |
| Thesis | Branch Points in the Complex Angular Momentum Plane |
| Doctoral advisor | Wendell G. Holladay |
Ronald Elbert Mickens (born February 7, 1943) is an American scientist. He is a physicist and a mathematician. He teaches physics at Clark Atlanta University. Professor Mickens studies how things move and change in complex ways. He also uses math to understand how diseases spread. He loves learning about the history of science, especially the stories of Black scientists.
Contents
Becoming a Scientist
Ronald Elbert Mickens was born in Petersburg, Virginia, on February 7, 1943. His father, Joseph P. Mickens, worked in construction. His mother, Daisy Brown Williamson Mickens, worked part-time at homes. Ronald was the oldest of three children. His grandparents mostly raised him.
Early Inspiration
When Ronald was just six years old, he talked a lot with his grandfather, James Williamson. These talks made him want to become a scientist. He often says his grandfather helped him get interested in science early on.
College and Beyond
Ronald Mickens went to Fisk University for his college studies. He earned degrees in both math and physics in 1964. Later, he got his Ph.D. in theoretical physics from Vanderbilt University in 1968. After that, he did more research at MIT.
His Work as a Professor
Professor Mickens started teaching at Fisk University in 1970. In 1981, he moved to Atlanta University, which is now Clark Atlanta University. He became a special professor there in 1986. In 1999, he was honored by the American Physical Society. They recognized him for helping the physics community and for his new ideas using math to study physical systems.
Sharing History
Ronald Mickens is African-American. He has always been interested in the history of science, especially the history of Black scientists. He has worked as the historian for the National Society of Black Physicists. He has written books about Black physicists, including Edward Bouchet. Edward Bouchet was the first African-American to earn a Ph.D. in the United States. Professor Mickens has also written about Black women in science.
Helping Students
He helped start the National Conference of Black Physics Students. He also helped create the Edward Bouchet Abdus Salam Institute in 1988. This group helps physicists from Africa and America work together. Professor Mickens is still a member of this group. In 2017, he was honored by Mathematically Gifted & Black for Black History Month.
Awards and Honors
- Fellow of the American Physical Society
- Mathematically Gifted & Black Honoree, Black History Month 2017
