Robert Jones (7 November 1891 - 17 March 1962) was a Welsh

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

aerodynamicist Aerodynamics, from grc, ἀήρ ''aero'' (air) + grc, δυναμική (dynamics), is the study of the motion of air, particularly when affected by a solid object, such as an airplane wing. It involves topics covered in the field of fluid dyn ...

. He was one of the world's leading experts on the stability of airships. He was born at Criccieth, Caernarfonshire to John Jones and his wife Sarah Mary. He attended the local Board School and Porthmadog County School before entering the University College of North Wales in 1908. His primary course of study was in mathematics which he was taught by Professor

George H. Bryan George Hartley Bryan FRS (1 March 1864 – 13 October 1928) was an English applied mathematician who was an authority on thermodynamics and aeronautics. He was born in Cambridge, and was educated at Peterhouse, Cambridge, obtaining his BA in 188 ...

, F.R.S., an English applied mathematician who was an authority on

thermodynamics Thermodynamics is a branch of physics that deals with heat, work, and temperature, and their relation to energy, entropy, and the physical properties of matter and radiation. The behavior of these quantities is governed by the four laws of the ...

and

aeronautics Aeronautics is the science or art involved with the study, design, and manufacturing of air flight–capable machines, and the techniques of operating aircraft and rockets within the atmosphere. The British Royal Aeronautical Society identifies ...

. Additionally Jones studied Welsh philology taught by Sir J. Morris-Jones. He won prizes including the R.A. Jones prize in mathematics (1910) and was considered an extraordinary student. In 1911 he graduated with a second class honours degree in Pure Mathematics, following this with a first class honours degree in Applied Mathematics in 1912. From 1913 to 1916 he held an ''1851 Exhibition Science Research Scholarship'' studying at the

University of Göttingen The University of Göttingen, officially the Georg August University of Göttingen, (german: Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, known informally as Georgia Augusta) is a public research university in the city of Göttingen, Germany. Founded ...

and later at the National Physics Laboratory in Teddington. In this period he published an important paper with George H. Bryan called ''"Discontinuous Fluid Motion Past the Bent Plane, with Special Reference to Aeroplane Problems"'', which was seen as an important development in the understanding of aerodynamics. After this he joined the staff of the Aerodynamics Division of the National Physical Laboratory, staying there until his retirement in 1953. His initial work at the National Physical Laboratory was on the mathematical theory of aeroplane stability. Later he focused on wind tunnel experiments aimed at developing the stability of airships and also

torpedoes A modern torpedo is an underwater ranged weapon launched above or below the water surface, self-propelled towards a target, and with an explosive warhead designed to detonate either on contact with or in proximity to the target. Historically, su ...

. In 1923 he was granted the R.38 Memorial Prize of the Royal Aeronautical Society. Following the loss of the Airship R101 he took a leading role in the investigation into the accident. He died on the 17th of March 1962 at

Stanwell Stanwell is a village close to two of the three main towns in the Borough of Spelthorne, Surrey, about west of central London. A small corner of its land is vital industrial land serving Heathrow Airport – most of the rest is residential ...

, aged 70.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Robert 1891 births 1962 deaths People from Gwynedd Aerodynamicists Welsh mathematicians