Thomas David Spearman

Last updated

T. David Spearman
TrinityMonday1994.jpg
David Spearman, acting as vice provost, to the left of Provost Tom Mitchel announcing new scholars and fellows on Trinity Monday 1994 in Trinity College Dublin.
Born1937
Dublin, Ireland
NationalityIrish
Alma materUniversity of Cambridge, Trinity College Dublin
Scientific career
FieldsMathematical Physics
InstitutionsTrinity College Dublin, University of Durham, University of Illinois, University College London
Academic advisors Jim Hamilton

Thomas David Spearman (born 1937, known as David Spearman) is an Irish mathematical physicist who is Fellow Emeritus of Trinity College Dublin (TCD), where he spent his career and at various times served as head of the department of pure and applied mathematics, bursar, vice provost and pro-chancellor. He was Professor of Natural Philosophy at TCD from 1966 to 1997. He is the author of 400 years of Mathematics at TCD (1592–1992). [1]

Contents

Life and career

Born Thomas David Spearman in Dublin in 1937, was educated at Greenlanes School and Mountjoy School. [2] He then attended TCD, where he was a Scholar in Mathematics in 1956 and was awarded a BA in mathematics and natural philosophy in 1959. He did his PhD on "Problems in Pion Physics", (awarded by Cambridge in 1961) under fellow Irishman Jim Hamilton, [3] over a period in which the latter moved from Cambridge to the University of London. He was at University College London 1961–1962, the University of Illinois 1962–1964 and the University of Durham 1964–1966. [4] In 1966 he was appointed to the chair of natural philosophy back at his alma mater, TCD, and in 1969 was elected a Fellow of TCD, [5] and subsequently became a Senior Fellow. [6]

In 1970 Spearman published the book Elementary Particle Theory (North Holland), co-written with A. D. Martin. [7] In time, he served in numerous administrative roles, including head of the department of pure and applied mathematics (1966–1991), bursar (1974–1977), and vice provost (1991–1997). He was Vice President of the European Science Foundation (1983–1989). He supervised three PhDs, authored of 400 years of Mathematics at TCD (1592–1992), and retired in 1997. [5]

He has remained active in college and other affairs, being TCD pro-chancellor and President of the Royal Irish Academy (1999–2002). He was chairman of the European Academy's Science Advisory Council (EASAC) (2004–2007). [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Dublin</span> University in Dublin, Ireland, founded 1592

The University of Dublin, corporately designated the Chancellor, Doctors and Masters of the University of Dublin, is a university located in Dublin, Ireland. It is the degree-awarding body for Trinity College Dublin. It was founded in 1592 when Queen Elizabeth I issued a charter for Trinity College as "the mother of a university", thereby making it Ireland's oldest operating university. It was modelled after the collegiate universities of Oxford and of Cambridge, but unlike these other ancient universities, only one college was established; as such, the designations "Trinity College" and "University of Dublin" are usually synonymous for practical purposes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Francis FitzGerald</span> Irish physicist

Prof George Francis FitzGeraldFTCD was an Irish academic and physicist who served as Erasmus Smith's Professor of Natural and Experimental Philosophy at Trinity College Dublin (TCD) from 1881 to 1901.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dublin Philosophical Society</span>

The Dublin Philosophical Society was founded in 1683 by William Molyneux with the assistance of his brother Sir Thomas Molyneux and the future Provost and Bishop St George Ashe. It was intended to be the equivalent of the Royal Society in London as well as the Philosophical Society at the University of Oxford. Whilst it had a sometimes close connection with the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, its closest institutional connection was with Trinity College Dublin.

William Edward Thrift was an Irish academic and politician who served as the 37th Provost of Trinity College Dublin and a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin University constituency from 1921 to 1937.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bartholomew Lloyd</span>

Bartholomew Lloyd was an Irish mathematician and academic who served as the 27th Provost of Trinity College Dublin from 1731 to 1737. His entire career was spent at Trinity College Dublin. As Erasmus Smith's Professor of Mathematics there, he promoted significant curricular reforms, including the introduction of the teaching of calculus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Helsham</span>

Richard Helsham was an Irish physician and natural philosopher at Trinity College Dublin. He was the inaugural Erasmus Smith's Professor of Natural and Experimental Philosophy from 1724 and Regius Professor of Physic from 1733.

Albert Joseph McConnell was an Irish mathematician and mathematical physicist who served as the 39th Provost of Trinity College Dublin from 1952 to 1974 and a member of the Council of State from January 1973 to June 1973. He spent his entire academic career at Trinity College Dublin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erasmus Smith's Professor of Natural and Experimental Philosophy</span>

Erasmus Smith's Professor of Natural and Experimental Philosophy at Trinity College Dublin is a chair in physics founded in 1724 and funded by the Erasmus Smith Trust, which was established by Erasmus Smith, a wealthy London merchant, who lived from 1611 to 1691. It is one of the oldest dedicated chairs of physics in Britain and Ireland. 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. Since 1851, the professorship has been supported by Trinity College. Of the 22 holders of this chair, seven were Fellows of the Royal Society while one, Ernest Walton, won the Nobel Prize for Physics.

The University Chair of Natural Philosophy is a professorship in the School of Mathematics at Trinity College Dublin. It was established in 1847.

Matthew Wyatt Joseph Fry was an Irish mathematician and academic who served as Professor of Natural Philosophy at Trinity College Dublin (TCD) from 1910 to 1925.

Francis Alexander Tarleton (1841–1920) was an Irish mathematician and author who was Professor of Natural Philosophy at Trinity College Dublin (TCD) from 1890 to 1902.

James Wilson was an Irish mathematician whose career was spent at Trinity College Dublin (TCD). He was born in Dublin, his father being William, and was brought up there. He studied at TCD, graduating BA (1794), MA (1800) and later BD & DD (1811).

Caleb Cartwright was an Irish academic and clergyman, who was the second Erasmus Smith's Professor of Natural and Experimental Philosophy at Trinity College Dublin (TCD), serving from 1738–1743.

William Davenport (1772–1823) was an Irish academic. He was the eighth Erasmus Smith's Professor of Natural and Experimental Philosophy at Trinity College Dublin (TCD), serving in that role from 1807 to 1822.

Thomas Wilson was an Irish academic and clergyman most of whose career was spent at Trinity College Dublin (TCD), where he served as the fifth Erasmus Smith's Professor of Natural and Experimental Philosophy (1769–1786).

Joseph Allen Galbraith was an Irish mathematician, academic and prolific textbook author, who spent his entire career at Trinity College Dublin (TCD). He was Erasmus Smith's Professor of Natural and Experimental Philosophy there from 1854 to 1870. He has been credited with coining the term "Home Rule".

William Clement was an Irish academic who spent his whole career at Trinity College Dublin (TCD), teaching botany, natural philosophy, mathematics and medicine there. He was the third Erasmus Smith's Professor of Natural and Experimental Philosophy at TCD (1745-1759).

Edward Joseph McParland is an Irish architectural historian and author. He was elected as Pro-Chancellor of University of Dublin, Trinity College in 2013, and continues to give lectures after his retirement in 2008. McParland is the co-founder of the Irish Architectural Archive which was established in 1976, and he has contributed extensively to architectural conservation in Ireland.

References

  1. ↑ Mathematics at TCD 1592–1992 by T. D. Spearman, TCD School of Mathematics
  2. 1 2 Thomas David Spearman CURRICULUM VITAE
  3. ↑ Thomas David Spearman at the Mathematics Genealogy Project
  4. ↑ Spearman, David (2012). "An Interview with David Spearman". Trinity College, Dublin, Collection (Interview). Interviewed by Maurice O’Keeff. Ireland: Irish Life and Lore. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  5. 1 2 Dr David Spearman is Inaugurated as New Pro-Chancellor Trinity College website, 25 March 2009
  6. ↑ The University of Dublin Calenda 1994-95. 1994.
  7. ↑ Elementary Particle Theory Review By Michael J. Moravcsik, Science, 18 Dec 1970
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.