Jacksonian Professor of Natural Philosophy

Jacksonian Professor of Natural Philosophy. The Jacksonian Professorship of Natural Philosophy is a senior academic chair at the University of Cambridge, founded in 1782. It is one of the university's oldest and most prestigious professorships in the physical sciences, traditionally associated with experimental philosophy and now housed within the Cavendish Laboratory. The position has been held by a succession of eminent scientists who have made profound contributions to fields including chemistry, physics, and materials science.

History and establishment

The professorship was established in 1782 through a bequest from the Reverend Richard Jackson, a fellow of Peterhouse. His will endowed a chair for the teaching of natural philosophy, a term which historically encompassed what are now the separate disciplines of physics and chemistry. The original endowment stipulated that the professor should lecture on the "three great branches" of natural philosophy: mechanics, hydrostatics, and optics, with an emphasis on practical, experimental demonstration. For much of its early history, the professorship was closely linked to the teaching of chemistry at Cambridge, preceding the establishment of dedicated chairs in that field. The role evolved significantly with the founding of the Cavendish Laboratory in 1874, after which the Jacksonian Professor became integrally associated with this world-renowned physics department.

List of Jacksonian Professors

Since its inception, the chair has been held by a distinguished line of scientists. The first holder was Isaac Milner, a mathematician and inventor. Notable nineteenth-century professors included William Farish, known for his work on isometric projection, and James Cumming, an early researcher in electromagnetism. The twentieth century saw the appointment of several pivotal figures in modern physics, including John Henry Poynting, discoverer of the Poynting vector, and Nevill Francis Mott, a Nobel laureate in Physics for his work on the electronic structure of magnetic and disordered systems. The current holder, appointed in 1995, is Richard H. Friend, a pioneer in organic semiconductor research and a fellow of the Royal Society.

Role and responsibilities

The primary duty of the Jacksonian Professor is to deliver lectures and conduct advanced research in the physical sciences, a scope now interpreted broadly within modern physics and materials science. The professor is typically a senior member of the Cavendish Laboratory and plays a key role in guiding its research direction and mentoring postgraduate students. The position carries significant academic leadership responsibilities, contributing to the strategic development of the University of Cambridge's scientific enterprise. Furthermore, the professor often engages in high-level advisory roles for institutions like the Royal Society and various UK research councils.

Notable contributions and research

Holders of the chair have been responsible for numerous landmark scientific advances. John Henry Poynting's formulation of the Poynting vector fundamentally described the directional energy flux in electromagnetic fields. Nevill Francis Mott's research on metal–insulator transitions and amorphous solids earned him the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1977 and underpinned modern condensed matter physics. More recently, Richard H. Friend's work on poly(p-phenylene vinylene) and other organic semiconductors has been instrumental in the development of organic light-emitting diodes and plastic electronics, leading to commercial technologies in displays and photovoltaics. Their collective work has been published in premier journals like *Nature* and *Science*.

Relationship with the University of Cambridge

The Jacksonian Professorship is a cornerstone of the scientific prestige of the University of Cambridge. It is intrinsically linked to the Cavendish Laboratory, a department that has produced over 30 Nobel Prize laureates. The professor contributes to the governance of the university through membership in bodies like the Regent House and the Council of the University of Cambridge. The existence of such historic chairs, alongside others like the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics and the Plumian Professor of Astronomy and Experimental Philosophy, exemplifies Cambridge's long-standing commitment to endowing and supporting frontier scientific research, attracting top talent from institutions worldwide including MIT and Stanford University.

Category:University of Cambridge professors Category:Natural philosophy Category:Chairs at the University of Cambridge