Denis Weaire
Encyclopedia
Denis Lawrence Weaire is an Irish
physicist
, who is an emeritus professor of Trinity College Dublin.
Educated at the Belfast Royal Academy
and Clare College, Cambridge
, he has since held positions at the universities of California
, Chicago
, Harvard and Yale
, ultimately holding professorships at Heriot-Watt, and University College Dublin
before becoming, in 1984, Erasmus Smith's Professor of Natural Philosophy in Trinity. Together with his graduate student, Robert Phelan, Weaire came up with a counter example to Lord Kelvin's conjecture on which surface
was the most economical way to divide space into cells of equal size with the least surface area
. This counter-example is now referred to as the Weaire–Phelan structure. This structure was an integral part of the design of the aquatic centre used in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing
.
In 1971, together with Michael Thorpe
, he introduced the Weaire–Thorpe model for electronic structure calculations. This has found application in the theory of amorphous insulators.
Weaire is currently carrying out research in the field of foam
physics. He has co-authored The Physics of Foams, Oxford University Press (2000) with Stefan Hutzler.
In 2005 he was awarded the premier award of the Royal Irish Academy
, the Cunningham Medal. Previous winners include William Rowan Hamilton
.
Weaire has a strong interest in the history of science and has edited several collections of historical essays on Irish physicists.
's time in Ireland, Weaire was his landlord
. When Weaire found out about the accusations of murder that Einhorn faced in the U.S., he reported him to the FBI and evicted him. Weaire, and his relationship to Einhorn, was the subject of the 2004 TV show, Interpol Investigates
(episode entitled Fatal Compulsion). The part of 'Professor Dennis Weaire' was played by actor Robert Randolph Caton. He was previously depicted in the made for TV film The Hunt for the Unicorn Killer
, which featured Naomi Watts
as Holly Maddux, Kevin Anderson as Einhorn, and Ian D. Clark
as Weaire.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
physicist
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
, who is an emeritus professor of Trinity College Dublin.
Educated at the Belfast Royal Academy
Belfast Royal Academy
The Belfast Royal Academy is the oldest school in the city of Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is a co-educational, non-denominational voluntary grammar school situated in north Belfast. The Academy is one of eight Northern Irish schools whose Headmaster is a member of the Headmasters' and...
and Clare College, Cambridge
Clare College, Cambridge
Clare College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1326, making it the second-oldest surviving college of the University after Peterhouse. Clare is famous for its chapel choir and for its gardens on "the Backs"...
, he has since held positions at the universities of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
, Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
, Harvard and Yale
YALE
RapidMiner, formerly YALE , is an environment for machine learning, data mining, text mining, predictive analytics, and business analytics. It is used for research, education, training, rapid prototyping, application development, and industrial applications...
, ultimately holding professorships at Heriot-Watt, and University College Dublin
University College Dublin
University College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
before becoming, in 1984, Erasmus Smith's Professor of Natural Philosophy in Trinity. Together with his graduate student, Robert Phelan, Weaire came up with a counter example to Lord Kelvin's conjecture on which surface
Surface
In mathematics, specifically in topology, a surface is a two-dimensional topological manifold. The most familiar examples are those that arise as the boundaries of solid objects in ordinary three-dimensional Euclidean space R3 — for example, the surface of a ball...
was the most economical way to divide space into cells of equal size with the least surface area
Minimal surface
In mathematics, a minimal surface is a surface with a mean curvature of zero.These include, but are not limited to, surfaces of minimum area subject to various constraints....
. This counter-example is now referred to as the Weaire–Phelan structure. This structure was an integral part of the design of the aquatic centre used in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
.
In 1971, together with Michael Thorpe
Michael Thorpe
Michael Thorpe is an English-American physicist. He received his PhD from Oxford University in 1968 in condensed matter physics. His early research was on network glasses, but has recently focused on applying his knowledge to the study of protein dynamics....
, he introduced the Weaire–Thorpe model for electronic structure calculations. This has found application in the theory of amorphous insulators.
Weaire is currently carrying out research in the field of foam
Foam
-Definition:A foam is a substance that is formed by trapping gas in a liquid or solid in a divided form, i.e. by forming gas regions inside liquid regions, leading to different kinds of dispersed media...
physics. He has co-authored The Physics of Foams, Oxford University Press (2000) with Stefan Hutzler.
In 2005 he was awarded the premier award of the Royal Irish Academy
Royal Irish Academy
The Royal Irish Academy , based in Dublin, is an all-Ireland, independent, academic body that promotes study and excellence in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. It is one of Ireland's premier learned societies and cultural institutions and currently has around 420 Members, elected in...
, the Cunningham Medal. Previous winners include William Rowan Hamilton
William Rowan Hamilton
Sir William Rowan Hamilton was an Irish physicist, astronomer, and mathematician, who made important contributions to classical mechanics, optics, and algebra. His studies of mechanical and optical systems led him to discover new mathematical concepts and techniques...
.
Weaire has a strong interest in the history of science and has edited several collections of historical essays on Irish physicists.
Relationship to Ira Einhorn
During the convicted murderer Ira EinhornIra Einhorn
Ira Samuel Einhorn, known as "the Unicorn Killer" , is a convicted murderer who savagely beat his ex-girlfriend, Holly Maddux, to death and then stored her body in a locker in his apartment for more than a year before it was discovered by the police...
's time in Ireland, Weaire was his landlord
Landlord
A landlord is the owner of a house, apartment, condominium, or real estate which is rented or leased to an individual or business, who is called a tenant . When a juristic person is in this position, the term landlord is used. Other terms include lessor and owner...
. When Weaire found out about the accusations of murder that Einhorn faced in the U.S., he reported him to the FBI and evicted him. Weaire, and his relationship to Einhorn, was the subject of the 2004 TV show, Interpol Investigates
Interpol Investigates
Interpol Investigates is an American docudrama television series that premiered on the National Geographic Channel. The program follows Interpol as its members search for clues left behind by culprits.-The Serpent:...
(episode entitled Fatal Compulsion). The part of 'Professor Dennis Weaire' was played by actor Robert Randolph Caton. He was previously depicted in the made for TV film The Hunt for the Unicorn Killer
The Hunt for the Unicorn Killer
The Hunt for the Unicorn Killer is a thriller/drama TV miniseries that first aired in 1999 in two parts. It starred Kevin Anderson, Naomi Watts and Tom Skerritt....
, which featured Naomi Watts
Naomi Watts
Naomi Ellen Watts is a British actress. Watts began her career in Australian television, where she appeared in series such as Hey Dad..! , Brides of Christ , and Home and Away . Her film debut was the 1986 drama For Love Alone...
as Holly Maddux, Kevin Anderson as Einhorn, and Ian D. Clark
Ian D. Clark
Ian D. Clark, CM is a Professor of Public Policy at the University of Toronto, a former Canadian civil servant and former president of the Council of Ontario Universities....
as Weaire.