George F. R. Ellis

{{Infobox scientist

| name = George F R Ellis

| image = George Ellis 0040.jpg

| birth_name = George Francis Rayner Ellis

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1939|8|11}}

| birth_place = Johannesburg, South Africa

| nationality = South African

| field = Cosmology

| education = Michaelhouse

| work_institution = {{plainlist|

| alma_mater = {{plainlist|

}}

| doctoral_advisor = Dennis W. Sciama{{MathGenealogy|id=82681}}

| doctoral_students =

| known_for = Theoretical physical cosmology

| prizes = Templeton Prize 2004
Prix Georges Lemaître 2019{{cite web|title=George Ellis awarded Georges Lemaître Prize|date=May 29, 2019|website=UCLouvain|url=https://uclouvain.be/en/research/news/george-ellis-awarded-georges-lemaitre-prize.html}}

}}

George Francis Rayner Ellis, FRS, Hon. FRSSAf (born 11 August 1939), is the emeritus distinguished professor of complex systems in the Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. He co-authored The Large Scale Structure of Space-Time with University of Cambridge physicist Stephen Hawking, published in 1973, and is considered one of the world's leading theorists in cosmology.{{cite journal|last=Gibbs|first= W. W. |date=1995|title=Profile: George F. R. Ellis – Thinking Globally Acting Universally|journal= Scientific American |volume=273|issue=4|pages= 50–55|doi=10.1038/scientificamerican1095-50}} From 1989 to 1992 he served as president of the International Society on General Relativity and Gravitation. He is a past president of the International Society for Science and Religion. He is an A-rated researcher with the NRF.

Ellis, an active Quaker,{{cite interview

|last=Ellis

|first=George F. R.

|interviewer=John Horgan

|title=Physicist George Ellis Knocks Physicists for Knocking Philosophy, Falsification, Free Will

|work=Cross-Check

|date=July 22, 2014

|publisher=Scientific American

|url=https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/cross-check/physicist-george-ellis-knocks-physicists-for-knocking-philosophy-falsification-free-will/

|access-date=October 13, 2021

|subject-link=George F. R. Ellis

}}{{cite web

|url=https://counterbalance.org/ctns-vo/ellis4-body.html

|title=The Theology of the Anthropic Principle

|website=Counterbalance Foundation

|publisher=Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences

|access-date=October 13, 2021

}}{{cite book

|last=Ellis

|first=George F. R.

|date=1993

|title=Quantum Cosmology and the Laws of Nature: Scientific Perspectives on Divine Action

|chapter=The Theology of the Anthropic Principle

|url=https://www.ctns.org/publications/books/quantum-cosmology-and-laws-nature-scientific-perspectives-divine-action

|location=Vatican City State

|publisher=Vatican Observatory

|pages=367–405

|isbn=978-0-268-03976-9

|editor-last1=Russell

|editor-first1=Robert John

|editor-last2=Murphy

|editor-first2=Nancey

|editor-last3=Isham

|editor-first3=Christopher J.

|author-link=George F. R. Ellis

}} was a vocal opponent of apartheid during the National Party reign in the 1970s and 1980s,{{cite web |last1=Merali |first1=Zeeya |title=Is the Future Already Written? |url=https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/is-the-future-already-written |website=Discover |access-date=19 November 2023}} and it is during this period that Ellis's research focused on the more philosophical aspects of cosmology, for which he won the Templeton Prize in 2004.{{Cite web|url=http://www.templetonprize.org/news_templetonprize_2004.html|title=Templeton Prize for Progress Toward Research or Discoveries about Spiritual Realities|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080224104019/http://www.templetonprize.org/news_templetonprize_2004.html|archive-date=24 February 2008|access-date=16 May 2007}} He was also awarded the Order of the Star of South Africa by Nelson Mandela in 1999.{{Citation needed|date=August 2023}} On 18 May 2007, he was elected a fellow of the British Royal Society.{{Citation needed|date=August 2023}}

Life

Born in 1939 to George Rayner Ellis, a newspaper editor, and Gwendoline Hilda MacRobert Ellis in Johannesburg, George Francis Rayner Ellis attended the University of Cape Town, where he graduated with honours in 1960 with a Bachelor of Science degree in physics with distinction.{{Citation needed|date=August 2023}} He represented the university in fencing, rowing and flying.{{Citation needed|date=August 2023}}

While a student at St John's College, Cambridge, where he received a PhD in applied maths and theoretical physics in 1964, he was on college rowing teams.{{Citation needed|date=August 2023}}

At Cambridge, Ellis served as a research fellow from 1965 to 1967, was assistant lecturer in the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics until 1970, and was then appointed university lecturer, serving until 1974.{{Citation needed|date=August 2023}}

Ellis became a visiting professor at the Enrico Fermi Institute at the University of Chicago in 1970, a lecturer at the Cargese Summer School in Corsica in 1971 and the Erice Summer School in Sicily in 1972, and a visiting H3 professor at the University of Hamburg, also in 1972.

The following year, Ellis co-wrote The Large Scale Structure of Space-Time with Stephen Hawking, debuting at a strategic moment in the development of General Relativity Theory.

In the following year, Ellis returned to South Africa to accept an appointment as professor of applied mathematics at the University of Cape Town, a position he held until his retirement in 2005.

In 2005 Ellis appeared as a guest speaker at the Nobel Conference in St. Peter, Minnesota.

Work

George Ellis has worked for many decades on anisotropic cosmologies (Bianchi models) and inhomogeneous universes, and on the philosophy of cosmology.{{sfn|Ellis|2006|pp=1183-1285}} He is currently writing on the emergence of complexity, and the way this is enabled by top-down causation in the hierarchy of complexity.{{sfn|Ellis|Maartens|MacCallum|2012|pp=126–140}} Recently Ellis has also collaborated with Teppo Felin, Denis Noble, and Jan Koenderink on a set of articles published in the journal Genome Biology.{{Cite journal|last1=Felin|first1=Teppo|last2=Koenderink|first2=Jan|last3=Krueger|first3=Joachim I.|last4=Noble|first4=Denis|last5=Ellis|first5=George F.R.|date=2021-02-10|title=The data-hypothesis relationship|journal=Genome Biology|volume=22|issue=1|pages=57|doi=10.1186/s13059-021-02276-4|issn=1474-760X|pmc=7874637|pmid=33568195 |doi-access=free }}{{Cite journal|last1=Felin|first1=Teppo|last2=Koenderink|first2=Jan|last3=Krueger|first3=Joachim I.|last4=Noble|first4=Denis|last5=Ellis|first5=George F. R.|date=2021-02-10|title=Data bias|journal=Genome Biology|volume=22|issue=1|pages=59|doi=10.1186/s13059-021-02278-2|issn=1474-760X|pmc=7874446|pmid=33568166 |doi-access=free }} In terms of philosophy of science, Ellis is a Platonist.{{sfn|Ellis|2004a|pp=607–636}}

Publications

=Books=

{{cite book| date=1973 |last2=Hawking|first2= S.W. |last1=Ellis|first1= G.F.R. | title=The Large Scale Structure of Space-Time | location=Cambridge | publisher=University Press | isbn=978-0-521-20016-5|title-link=The Large Scale Structure of Space-Time |author-mask=2}}{{cite journal|last1=Markus|first1=Lawrence|title=Book Review: The large scale structure of space-time|journal=Bulletin of the American Mathematical Society|volume=82|issue=6|year=1976|pages=805–818|issn=0002-9904|doi=10.1090/S0002-9904-1976-14169-9|doi-access=free}}
{{cite book|date=1979|last1=Ellis|first1= G.F.R.|first2=David|last2= Dewar|author-link1=David Dewar|title=Low Income Housing Policy in South Africa|publisher= Urban Problems Research Unit, UCT|author-mask=2}}
{{cite book| date=1988|first2= Ruth |last2=Williams|last1=Ellis|first1= G.F.R.|title=Flat and Curved Space Times| url=https://archive.org/details/flatcurvedspacet0000elli| url-access=registration|publisher=Oxford University Press|edition= 2000 revised |author-mask=2}}
{{cite book| date=1993 |last1=Ellis|first1= G.F.R. | title=Before the Beginning: Cosmology Explained|publisher= Bowerdean/Marion Boyars|author-mask=2}}
{{cite book| date=1993|first2=A.|last2= Lanza |first3=J. |last3=Miller |last1=Ellis|first1= G.F.R. | title=The Renaissance of General Relativity and Cosmology|publisher= University Press|location= Cambridge|edition= 2005 paperback|author-mask=2}}
{{cite book| date=1994 |last1=Ellis|first1= G.F.R. | title=Science Research Policy in South Africa|publisher=Royal Society of South Africa|author-mask=2}}
{{cite book|date=1996|last1=Ellis|first1= G.F.R.|first2=Nancey |last2=Murphy|author-link2=Nancey Murphy|title=On The Moral Nature of the universe: Cosmology, Theology, and Ethics|publisher=Fortress Press|author-mask=2}}
{{cite book|date=1997|editor-last1=Ellis|editor-first1= G.F.R.|editor-first2=John |editor-last2=Wainwright| title=Dynamical Systems in Cosmology | location=Cambridge | publisher=Cambridge University Press | isbn=978-0-521-55457-2|editor-mask=2}}
{{cite book|date=1997|last1=Ellis|first1= G.F.R.|first2=Peter |last2=Coles|author2-link=Peter Coles|title=Is The Universe Open or Closed? The Density of Matter in the Universe|location= Cambridge|publisher= University Press|author-mask=2|series=Cambridge Lecture Notes in Physics, vol. 7 | isbn=978-0-521-56689-6 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RU7glFG-jX0C }}
{{cite book|date=2002|editor-last1=Ellis|editor-first1= G.F.R.|title=The Far Future Universe: Eschatology from a Cosmic Perspective|publisher=Templeton Foundation Press|editor-mask=2|isbn=978-1-890151-90-4 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WN8L3pwfpW8C}}
{{cite book| date=2004|last1=Ellis|first1= G.F.R. | title=Science in Faith and Hope: an interaction|publisher=Quaker Books|author-mask=2}}
{{cite book|date=2004a|last=Ellis|first=George|title=Science and Ultimate Reality: Quantum Theory, Cosmology and Complexity|publisher=University Press|location=Cambridge|isbn=978-0-521-83113-0|author-mask=2}}
{{cite book|date=2006|last=Ellis|first=George|title=Handbook in Philosophy of Physics |publisher=Elsevier |isbn=978-0-444-53002-8|author-mask=2}}
{{cite book|date=2012|last1=Ellis|first1= G.F.R.|first2=Roy |last2=Maartens|first3=Malcolm A. H. |last3=MacCallum|title=Relativistic Cosmology|location= Cambridge|publisher= University Press|author-mask=2}}
{{cite book| date=2016|last1=Ellis|first1= G.F.R. | title=How Can Physics Underlie the Mind? Top-Down Causation in the Human Context|publisher= Springer|author-mask=2}}

=Papers=

Ellis has over 500 published articles; including 17 in Nature. Notable papers include:

{{cite journal|year=1978|last1=Ellis|first1=G. F. R.|title=Is the universe expanding?|journal=General Relativity and Gravitation|volume=9|issue=2|pages=87–94|issn=0001-7701|doi=10.1007/BF00760145|bibcode=1978GReGr...9...87E |s2cid=122166325|author-mask=2}}
{{cite journal|year=1989|last1=Ellis|first1=G. F. R.|last2=Bruni|first2=M.|title=Covariant and gauge-invariant approach to cosmological density fluctuations|journal=Physical Review D|volume=40|issue=6|pages=1804–1818|issn=0556-2821|doi=10.1103/PhysRevD.40.1804|pmid=10012011|bibcode=1989PhRvD..40.1804E |author-mask=2}}
{{cite journal|year=1992|last2=Bruni|first2=Marco|last3=Dunsby|first3=Peter K. S.|last1=Ellis|first1=George F. R.|title=Cosmological perturbations and the physical meaning of gauge-invariant variables|journal=The Astrophysical Journal|volume=395|pages=34|issn=0004-637X|doi=10.1086/171629|bibcode=1992ApJ...395...34B |author-mask=2}}
{{cite journal|year=1994|last2=Coles|first2=Peter|last1=Ellis|first1=George|title=The case for an open Universe|journal=Nature|volume=370|issue=6491|pages=609–615|issn=0028-0836|doi=10.1038/370609a0|bibcode=1994Natur.370..609C |s2cid=4282835|author-mask=2}}
{{cite journal|year=1999|first1=George F R |last1=Ellis|first2= Henk |last2=van Elst |arxiv=gr-qc/9812046v5|title= Cosmological models (Cargèse Lectures 1998)|journal=Natoadv.studyinst.ser.c.math.phys.sci. |volume=541 |pages=1–116 |bibcode=1999ASIC..541....1E |author-mask=2}}
{{cite journal|year=2000|last2=Virbhadra|first2=K. S.|last1=Ellis|first1=George F. R.|title=Schwarzschild black hole lensing|journal=Physical Review D|volume=62|issue=8|page=084003 |issn=0556-2821|doi=10.1103/PhysRevD.62.084003|author-mask=2|arxiv=astro-ph/9904193|bibcode=2000PhRvD..62h4003V |s2cid=15956589}}
{{cite journal|year=2002|last2=Virbhadra|first2=K. S.|last1=Ellis|first1=G. F. R.|title=Gravitational lensing by naked singularities|journal=Physical Review D|volume=65|issue=10|page=103004 |issn=0556-2821|doi=10.1103/PhysRevD.65.103004|bibcode=2002PhRvD..65j3004V |author-mask=2}}
{{cite journal|year=2005|last1=Ellis|first1=George F. R.|title=Physics, complexity and causality|journal = Nature|volume =435|issue=7043|pages=743|issn=0028-0836|doi=10.1038/435743a|pmid=15944681|bibcode=2005Natur.435..743E |s2cid=35850757|author-mask=2|doi-access=free}}
{{cite journal|year=2012a|last=Ellis |first=George |title=Top down causation and emergence: some comments on mechanisms |journal= Interface Focus|volume=2|issue=2|pages=126–140|doi=10.1098/rsfs.2011.0062 |pmid=23386967 |pmc=3262299 |author-mask=2}}

Honours

In 2019 Rhodes University in Grahamstown announced it would award Ellis an honorary doctorate in laws (LLD, hc){{Cite web |title=Rhodes University honours five of Africa's best |work=grocotts.co.za |date=7 March 2019 |access-date=7 March 2019 |url= https://www.grocotts.co.za/2019/03/07/rhodes-university-honours-five-of-africas-best/ }}

Notes and references

External links

[http://inspirehep.net/search?ln=en&ln=en&p=find+a+G+F+R+Ellis&of=hb&action_search=Search&sf=&so=d&rm=citation&rg=25&sc=0 Partial list of Ellis' published papers]
[http://www.math.uct.ac.za/mam/staff/ellis George Ellis's web page] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190203151641/http://www.math.uct.ac.za/mam/staff/ellis |date=3 February 2019 }}
[http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/sa-scientist-wins-r10m-prize-1.208381#.UCY3X6HibVo Professor George Ellis: a man of many parts], Cape Argus, 18 March 2004
[http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?AUTHOR=G+F+R+Ellis&TITLE=&C=&REPORT-NUM=&AFFILIATION=&cn=&k=&cc=&eprint=&eprint=&topcit=&url=&J=&*=&ps=&DATE=&*=&FORMAT=WWW&SEQUENCE= George Ellis's scientific work as listed at SPIRES]{{dead link|date=October 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
{{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130401093526/http://www.onbeing.org/program/science-and-hope/172|date=1 April 2013|title=Interview with George Ellis (Recorded June 2004)}} on [https://web.archive.org/web/20170226025525/http://speakingoffaith.org/ Speaking of Faith] with Krista Tippett ([http://www.onbeing.org/program/science-and-hope/transcript/1158#main_content transcript] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161230231355/http://www.onbeing.org/program/science-and-hope/transcript/1158#main_content |date=30 December 2016 }})
[https://www.whyarewehere.tv/people/george-ellis/ George Ellis extended interview with transcript for the 'Why Are We Here?' documentary series].