Recent Press Releases
Remembering the accomplishments of Lord Kelvin
IOP
PR44(07)
Thu, 22 November 2007
Physicists, MPs and dignitaries attended a commemorative event on Wednesday, November 21, at the House of Commons to remember the late, great Lord Kelvin. Born William Thomson in Belfast, 1824, the commemoration was held to mark the century which has passed since his death in December 1907.
Lord Kelvin was a giant of nineteenth century science, not only making major contributions to fundamental physics research, but also pioneering the practical application of many innovations, in particular the first undersea telegraph cable to connect Europe and North America. He was professor of natural philosophy at the University of Glasgow for over fifty years, and President of the Institute of Physics (IOP) from 1880 to 1882.
Arranged by IOP and Glasgow University, the commemorative event was hosted by Ann McKechin, MP for Glasgow North, the constituency which harbours Lord Kelvin’s alma mater, Glasgow University. Speeches were also given by Ian Pearson, the current Minister of State for Science and Innovation, Phil Willis, Liberal Democrat MP and Chair of the House of Commons’ Committee on Innovation, Universities and Skills, and Professor Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell, world-renowned astrophysicist and IOP’s president-elect.
Speaking at the event, Professor Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell said, “Lord Kelvin’s greatness is reflected in the range of academic disciplines that claim Kelvin as a forefather and the range of nations that claim him as a citizen. Whether he be considered a mathematician, a physicist or an engineer, or Irish, Scottish or British, we are all certainly right to remember, honour and revere him.”
Ian Pearson, Minister for Science and Innovation, said, “This commemoration serves as a timely reminder of the successful changes that applied sciences can herald and the need to make the right investments in skills to meet future environmental and social challenges.”
Phil Willis, Liberal Democrat MP, used the event as an opportunity to remind the audience of the need to attract more young people into studying STEM subjects. He said, “Lord Kelvin reminds us of the glory of physics and how the successful application of physics’ theories changes the world around us.”
The event also included a speech from Claire Patterson, a researcher from GlasgowUniversity who has just completed a physics PhD specialising in portable gas sensors to detect ethane for medical diagnosis.
Notes to editors:
1. For further information, contact:
Joe Winters, Press Officer,
Institute of Physics, 76 Portland Place, London. W1B 1NT
Telephone +44 (0)20 7470 4815.
E-mail: joseph.winters@iop.org
2. The Institute of Physics is a scientific membership organisation devoted to increasing the understanding and application of physics. It has an extensive worldwide membership (currently around 34 000) and is a leading communicator of physics with all audiences from specialists through government to the general public. Its publishing company, IOP Publishing, is a world leader in scientific publishing and the electronic dissemination of physics.
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