Sir John Currie Gunn (13 September 1916 – 26 July 2002) was an influential Scottish mathematician and
physicist
A physicist is a scientist who specializes in the field of physics, which encompasses the interactions of matter and energy at all length and time scales in the physical universe.
Physicists generally are interested in the root or ultimate cau ...
.
Early life and education
Gunn was born at 19 Kelvinside Gardens East, Glasgow, the son of Richard Robertson Gunn, a tailor and clothier, and his wife, Jane Blair, née Currie.
Gunn attended
Glasgow Academy
The Glasgow Academy is a coeducational independent day school for pupils aged 3–18 in Glasgow, Scotland. In 2016, it had the third-best Higher level exam results in Scotland. Founded in 1845, it is the oldest continuously fully independent ...
school and subsequently studied at
Glasgow University
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, caption = Coat of arms
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, latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis
, motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita
, ...
where he was awarded the Logan Prize as Best Arts Student of the Year in 1937. He graduated with a degree in Mathematics and Natural Philosophy. Gunn went on to further study at
St John's College, Cambridge, where he conducted research in theoretical physics. His research led him to the development of counter and firing systems for mines, which were used during World War II. As a scholar of St John's College, he completed Parts II and III of the
Mathematics Tripos
The Mathematical Tripos is the mathematics course that is taught in the Faculty of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge. It is the oldest Tripos examined at the University.
Origin
In its classical nineteenth-century form, the tripos was a ...
examinations.
[
]
Career
Just before World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
began, Gunn worked for three months with the thermodynamicist R.H. Fowler. He worked in the Admiralty scientific service from 1940 to 1945. He was part of a team of scientists and engineers led by Harrie Massey
Sir Harrie Stewart Wilson Massey (16 May 1908 – 27 November 1983) was an Australian mathematical physicist who worked primarily in the fields of atomic and atmospheric physics.
A graduate of the University of Melbourne and Cambridge Unive ...
based first at Teddington
Teddington is a suburb in south-west London in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. In 2021, Teddington was named as the best place to live in London by ''The Sunday Times''. Historically in Middlesex, Teddington is situated on a long me ...
, and then at the Admiralty Mining Establishment
The Admiralty Mining Establishment originally known as the Mine Design Department was a technical department of the British Royal Navy responsible for both the design of Naval_mine, naval mines and the development of suitable countermeasures f ...
attached to HMS Vernon
Two ships and a training establishment of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS ''Vernon'', possibly after Admiral Edward Vernon:
* was a 14-gun armed ship listed between 1781 and 1782.
* was a 50-gun fourth rate launched in 1832. She becam ...
at Portsmouth
Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council.
Portsmouth is the most dens ...
. He was involved in researching countermeasures against German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
magnetic mines and in the development of a range of British non-contact mines. The team included many young physicists who would go on to make major scientific contributions, among them Francis Crick.
In 1943, while still working at the Admiralty, Gunn was elected to a Research Fellowship at St John's College, Cambridge, but after the war he chose instead to accept a Lectureship in Applied Mathematics at Manchester University
, mottoeng = Knowledge, Wisdom, Humanity
, established = 2004 – University of Manchester Predecessor institutions: 1956 – UMIST (as university college; university 1994) 1904 – Victoria University of Manchester 1880 – Victoria Univer ...
. There he worked with Professor Sydney Goldstein
Sydney Goldstein FRS (3 December 1903, Kingston upon Hull – 22 January 1989, Cambridge, MA) was a British mathematician noted for his contribution to fluid dynamics. He is described as: "... one of those who most influenced progress in fluid d ...
, a mathematician noted for his contribution to fluid dynamics, and wrote papers on supersonic flow and turbulence. In 1946, Gunn became a Lecturer in Professor Harrie Massey's department in University College London
, mottoeng = Let all come who by merit deserve the most reward
, established =
, type = Public research university
, endowment = £143 million (2020)
, budget = ...
, where he carried out research in nuclear and particle physics
Particle physics or high energy physics is the study of fundamental particles and forces that constitute matter and radiation. The fundamental particles in the universe are classified in the Standard Model as fermions (matter particles) an ...
. During his three years at University College London
, mottoeng = Let all come who by merit deserve the most reward
, established =
, type = Public research university
, endowment = £143 million (2020)
, budget = ...
, his focus shifted from classical applied mathematics to the quantum mechanical subjects of nuclear physics and particle physics.
Gunn then went to work at Glasgow University
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, image_size = 150px
, caption = Coat of arms
Flag
, latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis
, motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita
, ...
, where the Natural Philosophy Department, under its new chairman, Philip Dee, was branching out into nuclear physics.[ (The name "Natural Philosophy" was later retired, and Gunn became a Professor of Physics and Astronomy.)] Dee wished to turn Glasgow University into a leading centre of expertise in nuclear and particle physics. This development provided Gunn with an opportunity to explore his newfound interest in those subjects. He was appointed to the Cargill Chair in Applied Physics in 1949.[ The Chair had been founded in 1920 and endowed by Sir John Traill Cargill of the Burmah Oil Co. Gunn would hold the Chair until 1982.][
During his time at Glasgow University, Gunn collaborated with Edwin Power, who had been his student at University College, and ]Bruno Touschek
Bruno Touschek (3 February 1921 – 25 May 1978) was an Austrian physicist, a survivor of the Holocaust, and initiator of research on electron-positron colliders.
Biography
Touschek was born and attended school in Vienna. In 1937, he was not ...
, a physicist from Germany, to produce meson
In particle physics, a meson ( or ) is a type of hadronic subatomic particle composed of an equal number of quarks and antiquarks, usually one of each, bound together by the strong interaction. Because mesons are composed of quark subparticles, ...
s in proton collisions. This work helped marked the establishment of the field of particle physics. With Professor Philip Dee
Philip Ivor Dee CBE FRS FRSE (8 April 1904, Stroud – 17 April 1983, Glasgow) was a British nuclear physicist. He was responsible for the development of airborne radar during the Second World War. Glasgow University named the Philip Ivor Dee Me ...
, Gunn received funding for nuclear physics research, which allowed him and his colleagues to build a linear electron accelerator. After Touschek moved to Rome, Italy, in 1953, Gunn collaborated with John Irving on the photodisintegration of light nuclei, which later became known as "Gunn-Irving wave functions".
Later, Gunn played a notable part in the development of the electron accelerator
A particle accelerator is a machine that uses electromagnetic fields to propel charged particles to very high speeds and energies, and to contain them in well-defined beams.
Large accelerators are used for fundamental research in particle ...
at Daresbury in northern England, and helped arrange for the construction of a linear electron accelerator near Glasgow. Radiation from accelerating electrons at Daresbury proved to have a multitude of practical applications.[ He also actively supported the Glasgow Project, which sought to detect cosmic gravity waves. This project has been described as giving "much of the early impetus to international work in this field.”
He also was active in recruiting members of "three distinct theoretical research groups" at Glasgow University, "one of which remained active into the twenty-first century."][ Gunn retired from his position as Professor of Natural Philosophy and Cargill chairman in 1982.][
In 1968, Gunn became a member of the ]Science Research Council
The Science and Engineering Research Council (SERC) and its predecessor the Science Research Council (SRC) were the UK agencies in charge of publicly funded scientific and engineering research activities, including astronomy, biotechnology and bi ...
, and was its chairman from 1970 to 1972. It was during his period as chairman that the British government agreed to take part in the CERN project in Geneva, which proved critical to the development of European particle physics.
He became a member of Glasgow University's Grants Committee in 1973 and was Chairman of its Equipment Sub-committee until 1976. From 1976 to 1981, he was Chairman of the university's Physical Sciences sub-committee. He was Vice-Principal of Glasgow University from 1972 till 1977 and Dean of Faculties from 1988 to 1992.[
]
Death
Gunn died of pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severi ...
and heart failure at Gartnavel General Hospital, Glasgow, on 26 July 2002, and his funeral service was held at the University Chapel, Glasgow University, on 2 August.[
]
Honors and awards
Upon graduation from Cambridge, Gunn was awarded the Mayhew Prize in applied mathematics.
Gunn was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1959.
In the Queen's Birthday Honours 1976 Gunn was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...
, and in the New Year Honours 1982 was appointed a Knight Bachelor
The title of Knight Bachelor is the basic rank granted to a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not inducted as a member of one of the organised orders of chivalry; it is a part of the British honours system. Knights Bachelor are th ...
.
In 1985 he was awarded the Glazebrook Medal by the Institute of Physics
The Institute of Physics (IOP) is a UK-based learned society and professional body that works to advance physics education, research and application.
It was founded in 1874 and has a worldwide membership of over 20,000. The IOP is the Physic ...
.
Gunn was awarded an honorary D.Sc. (Doctor of Science) by Glasgow in 2001. He also had honorary D.Sc. degrees from Heriot-Watt
Heriot-Watt University ( gd, Oilthigh Heriot-Watt) is a Public university, public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was established in 1821 as the School of Arts of Edinburgh, the world's first mechanics' institute, and subsequ ...
and Loughborough, and an honorary D. Univ. from Oxford.[
]
Personal life and attributes
On 30 September 1944, he married Betty Russum (1919/20–2002), a secretary, who was the daughter of Roger Russum, a brush manufacturer. She predeceased him by only six months. They had one son, Michael, born 1954, who became a theoretical physicist and a professor at Birmingham University
, mottoeng = Through efforts to heights
, established = 1825 – Birmingham School of Medicine and Surgery1836 – Birmingham Royal School of Medicine and Surgery1843 – Queen's College1875 – Mason Science College1898 – Mason Univers ...
,[ a daughter-in-law, Nicola, and granddaughters, Eva and Lisa.][
Gunn was an avid lunchtime ]chess
Chess is a board game for two players, called White and Black, each controlling an army of chess pieces in their color, with the objective to checkmate the opponent's king. It is sometimes called international chess or Western chess to dist ...
player[ and a lifelong ]cello
The cello ( ; plural ''celli'' or ''cellos'') or violoncello ( ; ) is a bowed (sometimes plucked and occasionally hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually tuned in perfect fifths: from low to high, C2, G ...
player and concertgoer, He is described as having "a great love of music" and as being "a keen golfer" who "displayed little interest in other sports."[ "In personal interaction, alertly clever, he had a comprehension of others," according to one colleague. "Mingling in the Department and University he had humour and lively and persistent conversation. From 1972 to 1982 he was the benevolent Head of a remarkably happy Department."][
]
References
*
* Moorhouse, Gordon (2002). Sir John Currie Gunn (Obituary). The Royal Society of Edinburgh. Retrieved 25 April 2012.
* Moorhouse, Gordon. "Sir John Currie Gunn." The Royal Society of Edinburgh. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 December 2012.
* "The University of Glasgow Story." University of Glasgow. N.p., 14 August 2008. Web. 2 December 2012.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gunn, John Currie
1916 births
2002 deaths
Scientists from Glasgow
Scottish physicists
Alumni of St John's College, Cambridge
Academics of the University of Glasgow
Knights Bachelor
People educated at the Glasgow Academy