Terence Quinn facts for kids
Terence John Quinn is a British physicist. A physicist is a scientist who studies how the world works, focusing on things like energy, forces, and matter. He used to be the director of an important place called the International Bureau of Weights and Measures. He led this organization from 1988 until 2003. This bureau helps make sure that measurements, like how long a meter is or how much a kilogram weighs, are the same all over the world.
Early Life and Studies
Terence Quinn was born in Britain. He went to the University of Southampton and earned a degree in physics in 1959. Later, he continued his studies at the University of Oxford, where he earned a higher degree in 1963.
Working with Science
After his studies, Terence Quinn worked at the National Physical Laboratory until 1977. This laboratory is a very important place in the United Kingdom where scientists work on making sure measurements are accurate and reliable. He worked there with another scientist named John Martin.
Later, he became the director of the International Bureau of Weights and Measures. This organization is in France and is responsible for keeping the world's measurement standards. For example, they keep the official kilogram and meter. Dr. Quinn helped make sure these standards were precise and used by countries everywhere. He was also made a Fellow of the Royal Society, which is a group of very important scientists in the UK.
Awards and Recognition
In 2003, Terence Quinn received the Richard Glazebrook Medal and Prize. This award is given to people who have done great work in the field of physics, especially in areas related to measurements and standards.