Erasmus Smith's Professor of Natural and Experimental Philosophy at Trinity College Dublin
Erasmus Smith's Professor of Natural and Experimental Philosophy at Trinity College Dublin[1] is a chair in physics founded in 1724 and funded by the Erasmus Smith Trust, which was established by Erasmus Smith, who lived 1611–1691.[2] Originally, the holder was to be elected from the members of the college by an examination to determine the person best qualified for the professorship.[3] Since 1851, the professorship has been supported by Trinity college.
From 1724 to 1847 the chair had a mathematical and theoretical orientation, with many holders being also mathematicians, and several such as Bartholomew Lloyd (1822) and James MacCullagh (1843) having previously held the Erasmus Smith's Professor of Mathematics chair. Then in 1847 the University Chair of Natural Philosophy (1847) was founded and took on the applied mathematics and theoretical physics role, while Erasmus Smith's Professorship became the chair of experimental physics.[4]
List of the professors[]
- 1724–1738: Richard Helsham (1683–1738)
- 1738–1743: Caleb Cartwright (1696?–1763)
- 1743–1745: (vacant)
- 1745–1759: William Clement (1707-1782)
- 1759–1769: Hugh Hamilton (1729–1805)
- 1769–1786: Thomas Wilson (1726–1799)
- 1786–1799: Matthew Young (1750–1800)
- 1799–1807: Thomas Elrington (1760–1835)
- 1807–1822: William Davenport (1772-1823)
- 1822–1831: Bartholomew Lloyd (1772–1837)
- 1831–1843: Humphrey Lloyd (1800–1881)
- 1843–1848: James MacCullagh (1809–1847)
- 1848–1854: Robert Dixon (1812–1885)
- 1854–1870: Joseph Galbraith (1818-1890)
- 1870–1881: John Leslie (1830-1881)
- 1881-1901: George FitzGerald (1851-1901)
- 1901–1929: William Thrift (1870–1942)
- 1929–1946: Robert Ditchburn (1903–1987)
- 1946–1974: Ernest Walton (1903–1995)
- 1974–1984: Brian Henderson (1936–2017)
- 1984–2007: Denis Weaire (born 1942)
- 2007–2012: Michael Coey (born 1945)
See also[]
References[]
- ^ This chair should not be confused with Erasmus Smith's Professor of Mathematics at Trinity College Dublin
- ^ Erasmus Smith's professors of Natural and Experimental Philosophy Mathematics at TCD 1592–1992
- ^ Webb, D.A. (1992). J.R., Barlett (ed.). Trinity College Dublin Record Volume 1991. Dublin: Trinity College Dublin Press. p. 100. ISBN 1-871408-07-5.
- ^ Spearman, T.D. (1992). "400 years of mathematics: The eighteenth century". Trinity College Dublin. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
- 1724 establishments in Ireland
- Professorships at Trinity College Dublin
- Professorships in physics