Plumian Professor of Astronomy and Experimental Philosophy

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

The Plumian chair of Astronomy and Experimental Philosophy is one of the major

professorships in Astronomy at Cambridge University, alongside the Lowndean Professorship (which is now mainly held by mathematicians). The chair is currently held at the Institute of Astronomy in the University. The Plumian chair was founded in 1704 by Thomas Plume, a member of Christ's and Archdeacon of Rochester
, to "erect an Observatory and to maintain a studious and learned Professor of Astronomy and Experimental Philosophy, and to buy him and his successors utensils and instruments quadrants telescopes etc."

Trustees were appointed, and statutes drawn up by Isaac Newton, John Flamsteed and John Ellys.[1] The first Professorship was awarded in 1706 to Roger Cotes, a former student of Newton, and the stipend was increased in 1768 by Dr Robert Smith, the second Plumian Professor.

Plumian Professors

  1. Roger Cotes (1706–1716)[2]
  2. Robert Smith (1716–1760)[3]
  3. Anthony Shepherd (1760–1796)[4]
  4. Samuel Vince (1796–1821)[5]
  5. Robert Woodhouse (1822–1827)[6]
  6. George Biddell Airy (1828–1835)[7]
  7. James Challis (1836–1882)[8]
  8. George Darwin (1883–1912)[9]
  9. Arthur Eddington (1913–1944)[10]
  10. Harold Jeffreys (1946–1958)[11]
  11. Fred Hoyle (1958–1972)[12]
  12. Martin Rees (1973–1991)[13]
  13. Richard Ellis (1993–2000)[14]
  14. Jeremiah Ostriker (2001–2003)[15]
  15. Robert Kennicutt (2006–2017)[16][17]
  16. Christopher S. Reynolds (2017–)[18]

Sources

  • R. A. Doe & C. C. Thornton, Dr Thomas Plume, 1630–1704. His life and legacies in Essex, Kent and Cambridge, University of Hertfordshire Press, 2020

Notes

  1. ISBN 978-0-7146-1597-4
    . Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  2. ^ Clerke, Agnes Mary (1887). "Cotes, Roger" . In Stephen, Leslie (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 12. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
  3. ^ Courtney, William Prideaux (1898). "Smith, Robert (16891768)" . In Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 53. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
  4. ^ Baker, Henry Frederick (1897). "Shepherd, Antony" . In Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 52. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
  5. ^ Clerke, Agnes Mary (1899). "Vince, Samuel" . In Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 58. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
  6. S2CID 162375713
    . In addition to holding the Lucasian Chair from 1820 to 1822, Woodhouse was the Plumian Professor from 1822 to 1827 and the first director of the Cambridge Observatory when it opened in 1824.
  7. doi:10.1093/mnras/52.4.212
    .
  8. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/5024. (Subscription or UK public library membership
    required.)
  9. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/32718. (Subscription or UK public library membership
    required.)
  10. doi:10.1093/mnras/105.2.68
    .
  11. JSTOR 770090
    .
  12. ^ "Professor Sir Fred Hoyle". Obituary. The Daily Telegraph. London. 22 August 2001. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
  13. ^ Radford, Tim (2 December 2005). "Martin Rees". Profile. The Guardian. London. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
  14. ^ Aspaturian, Heidi. "Interview with Richard Ellis" (January–February 2014) [Oral History]. Oral History Project, ID: 234. Pasadena, California: Archives, California Institute of Technology. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
  15. ^ "Elections". Cambridge University Reporter (5849). 6 June 2001. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
  16. ^ "Elections, appointments, and reappointments". Cambridge University Reporter (6023). 18 January 2006. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
  17. ^ "Professors" (PDF). Cambridge University Reporter. Special numbers. 136 (4, Officers Number – Michaelmas Term 2016): 3. 3 November 2006. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
  18. ^ "Elections, appointments, reappointments, and grants of title". Cambridge University Reporter (6461): 447. 20 April 2017. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
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