Martin Joseph Newell (Máirtín Ó Tnúthail) (1910 - 1985) was an

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

mathematician A mathematician is someone who uses an extensive knowledge of mathematics in their work, typically to solve mathematical problems. Mathematicians are concerned with numbers, data, quantity, structure, space, models, and change. History On ...

and educationalist, who served as President of

University College Galway The University of Galway ( ga, Ollscoil na Gaillimhe) is a public research university located in the city of Galway, Ireland. A tertiary education and research institution, the university was awarded the full five QS stars for excellence in 201 ...

from 1960 to 1975. Martin J. Newell was born in 1910, and received his secondary education at St. Joseph's College,

Galway Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a City status in Ireland, city in the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht, which is the county town of County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lo ...

, before entering

(UCG).The History of Mathematics: David R. Wilkins, Trinity College, Dublin
Dr. Martin J. Newell (1910-1985) by Sean Tobin He was auditor of the College's Literary and Debating Society for the 1928-1929 session, and graduated with a B.Sc. in 1929 and an M.Sc. in 1930, both with first class honours. He then proceeded to

St. John's College, Cambridge St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge founded by the Tudor matriarch Lady Margaret Beaufort. In constitutional terms, the college is a charitable corporation established by a charter dated 9 April 1511. The ...

, where he spent three years, eventually engaging in research on

quantum theory Quantum theory may refer to: Science *Quantum mechanics, a major field of physics *Old quantum theory, predating modern quantum mechanics * Quantum field theory, an area of quantum mechanics that includes: ** Quantum electrodynamics ** Quantum ch ...

with

Ralph Fowler Sir Ralph Howard Fowler (17 January 1889 – 28 July 1944) was a British physicist and astronomer. Education Fowler was born at Roydon, Essex, on 17 January 1889 to Howard Fowler, from Burnham, Somerset, and Frances Eva, daughter of George De ...

. Newell returned to UCG as a lecturer in mathematics in 1935, and was appointed Professor of Mathematics in 1955. In 1960, he was appointed to succeed Monsignor

Pádraig de Brún Pádraig de Brún (13 October 1889 – 5 June 1960), also called Patrick Joseph Monsignor Browne, was an Irish clergyman, mathematician, poet, and classical scholar, who served as President of University College, Galway (UCG). He was also known ...

as President of the College. He held the office of president until his retirement in 1975. A lecture theatre in the Arts Millennium Building is named in his honour. Newell was the recipient of a D.Sc. (1952) from the

National University of Ireland The National University of Ireland (NUI) ( ga, Ollscoil na hÉireann) is a federal university system of ''constituent universities'' (previously called ''university college, constituent colleges'') and ''recognised colleges'' set up under t ...

, and an LL.D. (honoris causa) from the

University of Dublin The University of Dublin ( ga, Ollscoil Átha Cliath), corporately designated the Chancellor, Doctors and Masters of the University of Dublin, is a university located in Dublin, Ireland. It is the degree-awarding body for Trinity College Dubl ...

. He died in 1985. Martin J. Newell is the father of mathematician and notable Gaelic football player Martin Leonard Newell.Martin L. Newell at the Mathematics Genealogy Project
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References

1910 births 1985 deaths Academics of the University of Galway Presidents of the University of Galway Alumni of St John's College, Cambridge 20th-century Irish mathematicians {{ireland-scientist-stub