Ruth Lynden-Bell facts for kids

Ruth Marion Lynden-Bell (born 7 December 1937) is a British chemist. She is a very respected scientist, known as a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). She used to be a professor at Queen's University Belfast and the University of Cambridge. She also served as the acting President of Murray Edwards College, Cambridge for a couple of years.

Ruth Lynden-Bell's Education

Ruth Lynden-Bell started her schooling at King Edward VI High School for Girls in Birmingham. After that, she went to Newnham College, Cambridge. She earned her first degree in 1959 and her PhD in 1962. During her studies, she learned from a scientist named Norman Sheppard.

In 1961, she briefly studied at the California Institute of Technology. There, she worked with another scientist, Harden M. McConnell. Later, in 1965, she became a chemistry lecturer at the University of Sussex. She then returned to Cambridge in 1972.

In 1995, she moved to Queen's University Belfast. She helped start a new group there called the Atomistic Simulation Group. This group studied tiny particles. In 2006, she was chosen to be a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very high honor for scientists.

Her Scientific Research

Ruth Lynden-Bell's research focuses on something called atomistic simulation. This is like using computers to create models of tiny particles. She uses these models to understand how liquids behave.

She is an Emerita Fellow at Murray Edwards College, Cambridge. She also helped with several important science magazines. These included the Journal of Chemical Physics and Chemical Physics Letters. From 1998 to 2003, she was an editor for Molecular Physics. She also helped choose professors for universities in different countries. Even now, she still works on research with Queen's University Belfast.

Ruth Lynden-Bell's Personal Life

Ruth Lynden-Bell's parents were David and Priscilla Truscott. In 1961, she married an astronomer named Donald Lynden-Bell. At that time, he was working in California. She joined him there, and they later moved to Cambridge in 1962. They also lived in Sussex for a while before moving back to Cambridge in 1972. They have one son and one daughter.

Ruth Lynden-Bell had her first child while working at the University of Sussex. She was working part-time as a lecturer. She found that her job as an experimental chemist helped her balance work and being a mom. She has some great advice for other women in science:

• Don't be afraid to ask for things you need, like part-time work. She said she got most of her jobs by simply asking for them.
• When new chances come up, take them! It's always worth trying new things. She never thought she would go to Belfast, but she did, and it was a good experience.

Her story about balancing her career and family life is shared in a book. The book is called Parent Carer Scientist and was published by the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Awards and Honors

Ruth Lynden-Bell has received several important awards for her work.

• In 2009, she received an honorary doctorate from Queen's University Belfast. This means the university recognized her great achievements.
• In 2006, she was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is one of the highest honors a scientist can receive in the United Kingdom.