Basil John Mason
Encyclopedia
Sir John Mason, CB
, FRCP
, FRCPEd, FRFPS, FRS (born 18 August 1923) is an expert on cloud physics
and former Director of the UK Meteorological Office.
His work includes the Mason Equation
, giving the growth or evaporation of small water droplets. He worked at Imperial College London
from 1948 to 1965, where he was appointed as a lecturer in meteorology
in 1948, and was made professor of cloud physics in 1961.
In the 1960s, he helped to modernise the World Meteorological Organization
.
In 1965, he was awarded the Chree Medal by the Institute of Physics
and elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. He was Director of the UK Meteorological Office from 1965 to 1983, and was President of the Royal Meteorological Society
from 1968 to 1970, and is an honorary member of that society. In 1972 he received the Rumford Medal
from the Royal Society
.
In 1973, he was made a companion of the Order of the Bath
. From 1974 he has been a Fellow at Imperial College. He was Treasurer for the Royal Society from 1976 to 1986. In 1979, he was knighted for his services to meteorology. He gave the Royal Society's 1990 Rutherford Memorial Lecture in Canada. In 1991 he received the Royal Medal
of the Royal Society
. He was Chancellor of the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology until 1996, when he was succeeded by Sir Roland Smith. In 1998 he received an honorary Doctor of Science
degree from the University of Reading
.
The National Portrait Gallery contains a portrait of Mason. In 2004, Mason opened the Mason Centre for Environmental Flows at the University of Manchester
. In 2006, an endowment from Mason enabled the Royal Meteorological Society to establish the Mason Gold Medal. Mason is also Chairman of the British Physics Olympiad Committee.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, FRCP
Royal College of Physicians
The Royal College of Physicians of London was founded in 1518 as the College of Physicians by royal charter of King Henry VIII in 1518 - the first medical institution in England to receive a royal charter...
, FRCPEd, FRFPS, FRS (born 18 August 1923) is an expert on cloud physics
Cloud physics
Cloud physics is the study of the physical processes that lead to the formation, growth and precipitation of clouds. Cloud formations are composed of microscopic droplets of liquid water , tiny crystals of ice , or both...
and former Director of the UK Meteorological Office.
His work includes the Mason Equation
Mason equation
The Mason equation is an approximate analytical expression for the growth or evaporation of a water droplet—it is due to the meteorologist B. J. Mason...
, giving the growth or evaporation of small water droplets. He worked at Imperial College London
Imperial College London
Imperial College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom, specialising in science, engineering, business and medicine...
from 1948 to 1965, where he was appointed as a lecturer in meteorology
Meteorology
Meteorology is the interdisciplinary scientific study of the atmosphere. Studies in the field stretch back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did not occur until the 18th century. The 19th century saw breakthroughs occur after observing networks developed across several countries...
in 1948, and was made professor of cloud physics in 1961.
In the 1960s, he helped to modernise the World Meteorological Organization
World Meteorological Organization
The World Meteorological Organization is an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 189 Member States and Territories. It originated from the International Meteorological Organization , which was founded in 1873...
.
In 1965, he was awarded the Chree Medal by the Institute of Physics
Institute of Physics
The Institute of Physics is a scientific charity devoted to increasing the practice, understanding and application of physics. It has a worldwide membership of around 40,000....
and elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. He was Director of the UK Meteorological Office from 1965 to 1983, and was President of the Royal Meteorological Society
Royal Meteorological Society
The Royal Meteorological Society traces its origins back to 3 April 1850 when the British Meteorological Society was formed as a society the objects of which should be the advancement and extension of meteorological science by determining the laws of climate and of meteorological phenomena in general...
from 1968 to 1970, and is an honorary member of that society. In 1972 he received the Rumford Medal
Rumford Medal
The Rumford Medal is awarded by the Royal Society every alternating year for "an outstandingly important recent discovery in the field of thermal or optical properties of matter made by a scientist working in Europe". First awarded in 1800, it was created after a 1796 donation of $5000 by the...
from the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
.
In 1973, he was made a companion of the Order of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
. From 1974 he has been a Fellow at Imperial College. He was Treasurer for the Royal Society from 1976 to 1986. In 1979, he was knighted for his services to meteorology. He gave the Royal Society's 1990 Rutherford Memorial Lecture in Canada. In 1991 he received the Royal Medal
Royal Medal
The Royal Medal, also known as The Queen's Medal, is a silver-gilt medal awarded each year by the Royal Society, two for "the most important contributions to the advancement of natural knowledge" and one for "distinguished contributions in the applied sciences" made within the Commonwealth of...
of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
. He was Chancellor of the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology until 1996, when he was succeeded by Sir Roland Smith. In 1998 he received an honorary Doctor of Science
Doctor of Science
Doctor of Science , usually abbreviated Sc.D., D.Sc., S.D. or Dr.Sc., is an academic research degree awarded in a number of countries throughout the world. In some countries Doctor of Science is the name used for the standard doctorate in the sciences, elsewhere the Sc.D...
degree from the University of Reading
University of Reading
The University of Reading is a university in the English town of Reading, Berkshire. The University was established in 1892 as University College, Reading and received its Royal Charter in 1926. It is based on several campuses in, and around, the town of Reading.The University has a long tradition...
.
The National Portrait Gallery contains a portrait of Mason. In 2004, Mason opened the Mason Centre for Environmental Flows at the University of Manchester
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
. In 2006, an endowment from Mason enabled the Royal Meteorological Society to establish the Mason Gold Medal. Mason is also Chairman of the British Physics Olympiad Committee.