July 2013,
2006
Leading
scientist appointed
to chair in Engineering
One of the UK’s leading scientists has joined the
University of Aberdeen. Professor JMT
Thompson FRS has taken up a part-time chair in Engineering under the institution’s
highly successful international recruitment campaign.
Michael Thompson has been appointed as part of the
Sixth Century academic recruitment programme and will be strengthening the
research base within the School of Engineering, part of the College of Physical
Sciences.
He is currently Emeritus Professor of Nonlinear
Dynamics at University College London and an Honorary Fellow at the Department
of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics (DAMTP) of Cambridge
University. His scientific interests
include nonlinear dynamics and their applications.
Speaking on his new appointment, Professor Thompson
said: “I am absolutely delighted to be joining the new Centre for Applied
Dynamics Research at the University of Aberdeen, which is thrusting forward
into exciting new fields of application. It is no surprise that I read today
that Aberdeen has topped the Guardian's
'University Guide' for the field of general engineering.
“The University of Aberdeen, with its world-class research
in nonlinear dynamics is going to be a perfect research base for me. I am looking forward to a productive two–way
relationship on joining this dynamic and forward-looking College.”
Professor Thompson, who was awarded an honorary
doctorate from Aberdeen in 2004, has made outstanding contributions to several
areas of applied mathematics, including the theory of elastic stability and
nonlinear dynamics. His work on the resonance of off–shore structures, and the
capsize of ships in ocean waves has been particularly important for marine
engineering. He has been heavily
involved in building the international recognition and strength of UK nonlinear
mechanics for over four decades.
Professor Marian Wiercigroch, Head of the Department
of Engineering, is delighted at Professor Thompson’s appointment to the
University of Aberdeen. He said: "This appointment continues to
show that the University is attracting exceptional staff of the highest
quality. Professor Thompson will be a great asset to the Engineering team and
will strengthen the research base within the Department.
“His connections with the University of Cambridge and
the
University College London will bring collaborative partnerships
and will help to build bridges between the three institutions. I am looking forward to
continuing a fruitful collaboration with Professor Thompson, which I am certain
will have enormous benefits to us.”
"As Editor of the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal
Society he has encouraged young scientists to give their visions of the future
in a continuing series of special issues and books. He has also increased the public awareness of catastrophe and
chaos theory on radio and television."
Born in Cottingham, Yorks, Michael Thompson studied
at Cambridge where he graduated with first class honours in Mechanical Sciences
in 1958, and obtained his PhD in 1962. He was a Fulbright researcher in
aeronautics and
astronautics at Stanford University, and joined University College London
in 1964. He has published four books on stabilitybifurcation
theory and was appointed Professor at UCL in 1977. MichaelProfessor
Thompson was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 1985, and
was awarded the Ewing Medal of the Institution of Civil Engineers. He held a was
a Senior Fellowship awarded
by the Science and Engineering Research Council
from 1988 to 1993. He served on the
Councils of the Institute of
Mathematics and its Applications (IMA) and the Royal Society.SERC Fellow and served on the IMA
Council. In 1991 he was appointed Director of the Centre for
Nonlinear Dynamics at UCL.
Professor Thompson is active in promoting a greater
understanding of science and mathematics among the general public. In 2004, heProfessor Thompson
was awarded a Gold Medal by the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications Institute
of Mathematics and its Applications (IMA)
at their 40th Anniversary Meeting for his lifetime contributions to
mathematics.
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
The
University of Aberdeen launched the £9 million investment programme in 2004 to
ensure that the Institution maintains its position as one of Britain’s leading
research-led universities and that Aberdeen remains one of the strongest
research communities in the UK. The University’s Chairs for the Sixth Century
campaign has been extremely successful, with a number of exceptional
appointments in key areas which have helped to strengthen significantly the
intellectual capital and academic competitiveness of the institution.
Over
the next year, the University will continue to recruit outstanding scholars, who have
achieved international distinction in their fields, across the
three Colleges. They will join an institution with staff of the highest
possible calibre and which is well known as an international
centre of research and teaching excellence. The new recruits already appointed
come from the US, Germany, and New Zealand, as well as from the UK.
Professor Michael Thompson, Department of Engineering, University of Aberdeen, is available
for media interviews. Please contact him direct, on: (01223) 704 354 or email: jmtt [at] ucl.ac.uk
An
electronic photograph of Professor Thompson can be emailed to the press -
please contact Angela Ferguson, Communications Office, University of Aberdeen,
on (01224) 272960, to arrange.
Issued by the Communications
Office, External Affairs, University of Aberdeen, King's College,
Aberdeen. Tel: (01224) 272960 Fax: (01224) 272086.
Contact: Angela
Ferguson.
Ref: 2006michael thompson final
July 2013,
2006