Sydney Goldstein
Encyclopedia
Sydney Goldstein FRS (3 December 1903, Kingston upon Hull
– 22 January 1989, Harvard) was a British
mathematician noted for his contribution to fluid dynamics
. He is described as:
He was especially known for his work on steady-flow laminar boundary-layer equations and on the turbulent resistance to rotation of a disk in a fluid. Goldstein was extremely knowledgeable on aerodynamics
and his work had a significant impact in that area
Goldstein went to school at Bede Collegiate School in Sunderland and went on to the University of Leeds
in 1921 where he studied mathematics but was to move to St John's College, Cambridge
graduating from the Mathematical Tripos, 1925 and gaining the Smith's Prize
in 1927. He was awarded an Isaac Newton Studentship to continue research in applied mathematics under Harold Jeffreys
. His PhD thesis was entitled The Theory And Application Of Mathieu Functions
in 1928.
He was awarded Rockefeller Research Fellow and spent a year working in University of Göttingen. In 1929 he became a fellow of St John's College but later the same year was appointed to a Lectureship in Mathematics at the University of Manchester
. At Manchester the influence of Osborne Reynolds
and Horace Lamb
in fluid dynamics was still felt there and had a strong effect on Goldstein. Moving to Cambridge in 1931 he took over the editorship of Modern Developments in Fluid Dynamics on Lamb's death.
During World War II
Goldstein worked on boundary layer theory at the National Physical Laboratory and at the end of the war he was appointed to the Beyer Chair of Applied Mathematics
in Manchester.
Goldstein strongly supported the State of Israel and in 1950 he accepted the chairmanship of the department of mathematics at Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. having made a major contribution to the establishment of the Technion he found the administrative load too heavy moved again accepted Gordon McKay Professor of Applied Mathematics at Harvard University
in 1954. He retired in 1968 but continued as an emeritus professor at Harvard.
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
– 22 January 1989, Harvard) was a British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
mathematician noted for his contribution to fluid dynamics
Fluid dynamics
In physics, fluid dynamics is a sub-discipline of fluid mechanics that deals with fluid flow—the natural science of fluids in motion. It has several subdisciplines itself, including aerodynamics and hydrodynamics...
. He is described as:
- "... one of those who most influenced progress in fluid dynamics during the 20th century."
He was especially known for his work on steady-flow laminar boundary-layer equations and on the turbulent resistance to rotation of a disk in a fluid. Goldstein was extremely knowledgeable on aerodynamics
Aerodynamics
Aerodynamics is a branch of dynamics concerned with studying the motion of air, particularly when it interacts with a moving object. Aerodynamics is a subfield of fluid dynamics and gas dynamics, with much theory shared between them. Aerodynamics is often used synonymously with gas dynamics, with...
and his work had a significant impact in that area
Goldstein went to school at Bede Collegiate School in Sunderland and went on to the University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
in 1921 where he studied mathematics but was to move to St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's alumni include nine Nobel Prize winners, six Prime Ministers, three archbishops, at least two princes, and three Saints....
graduating from the Mathematical Tripos, 1925 and gaining the Smith's Prize
Smith's Prize
The Smith's Prize was the name of each of two prizes awarded annually to two research students in theoretical Physics, mathematics and applied mathematics at the University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England.- History :...
in 1927. He was awarded an Isaac Newton Studentship to continue research in applied mathematics under Harold Jeffreys
Harold Jeffreys
Sir Harold Jeffreys, FRS was a mathematician, statistician, geophysicist, and astronomer. His seminal book Theory of Probability, which first appeared in 1939, played an important role in the revival of the Bayesian view of probability.-Biography:Jeffreys was born in Fatfield, Washington, County...
. His PhD thesis was entitled The Theory And Application Of Mathieu Functions
Mathieu function
In mathematics, the Mathieu functions are certain special functions useful for treating a variety of problems in applied mathematics, including*vibrating elliptical drumheads,*quadrupoles mass filters and quadrupole ion traps for mass spectrometry...
in 1928.
He was awarded Rockefeller Research Fellow and spent a year working in University of Göttingen. In 1929 he became a fellow of St John's College but later the same year was appointed to a Lectureship in Mathematics at the University of Manchester
School of Mathematics, University of Manchester
The School of Mathematics at the University of Manchester is one of the largest mathematics departments in the United Kingdom, with around 80 academic staff and an undergraduate intake of roughly 400 a year and another 200 postgraduate students...
. At Manchester the influence of Osborne Reynolds
Osborne Reynolds
Osborne Reynolds FRS was a prominent innovator in the understanding of fluid dynamics. Separately, his studies of heat transfer between solids and fluids brought improvements in boiler and condenser design.-Life:...
and Horace Lamb
Horace Lamb
Sir Horace Lamb FRS was a British applied mathematician and author of several influential texts on classical physics, among them Hydrodynamics and Dynamical Theory of Sound...
in fluid dynamics was still felt there and had a strong effect on Goldstein. Moving to Cambridge in 1931 he took over the editorship of Modern Developments in Fluid Dynamics on Lamb's death.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Goldstein worked on boundary layer theory at the National Physical Laboratory and at the end of the war he was appointed to the Beyer Chair of Applied Mathematics
Beyer Chair of Applied Mathematics
The Beyer Chair of Applied Mathematics is an endowed professorial position in the School of Mathematics, University of Manchester, England. The endowment came from the engineer Charles Frederick Beyer, a generous supporter of the University....
in Manchester.
Goldstein strongly supported the State of Israel and in 1950 he accepted the chairmanship of the department of mathematics at Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. having made a major contribution to the establishment of the Technion he found the administrative load too heavy moved again accepted Gordon McKay Professor of Applied Mathematics at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1954. He retired in 1968 but continued as an emeritus professor at Harvard.
Honours
- Adams PrizeAdams PrizeThe Adams Prize is awarded each year by the Faculty of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge and St John's College to a young, UK based mathematician for first-class international research in the Mathematical Sciences....
, 1935 - Fellow of the Royal Society, 1937
- Worked at the Aerodynamics Division, National Physical LaboratoryNational Physical Laboratory, UKThe National Physical Laboratory is the national measurement standards laboratory for the United Kingdom, based at Bushy Park in Teddington, London, England. It is the largest applied physics organisation in the UK.-Description:...
, 1939–45 - Chairman, Aeronautical Research Council, 1946–49
- Foreign Member, Royal Netherlands Academy of Sciences and Letters (Section for Sciences), 1950
- Foreign Member, Finnish Scientific Society (Section for maths and physics), 1975
Publications
- (ed) Modern Developments in Fluid Dynamics, 1938
- Lectures on Fluid Mechanics, 1960