John Edward Campbell
Encyclopedia
John Edward Campbell was a mathematician
, best known for his contribution to the Baker-Campbell-Hausdorff formula.
. There he won the Junior Mathematical University Scholarship in 1885, became a College Fellow in 1887, obtained a Senior Scholarship in 1888, and eventually became a tutor. Campbell was noted as a charming and highly devoted teacher and a proponent of women's education.
Cambell made his most notable contribution to mathematics in 1897 by introducing a formula for multiplication of exponentials in Lie algebra
s. This formula was later elaborated by Henri Poincaré
(1899) and Henry Frederick Baker (1902). It was later systematized geometrically by Felix Hausdorff
(1906) and became known as Baker-Campbell-Hausdorff formula.
In 1903, Campbell published a book on Introductory Treatise on Lie's Theory of Finite Continuous Transformation Groups where he popularized the ideas of Sophus Lie
. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society
in 1905, and served as President of the London Mathematical Society
from 1918 to 1920. Campbell was the first mathematician from Oxford who was invited, shortly before his death, by the Cambridge University to examine the Cambridge Mathematical Tripos
.
William enrolled into the Oxford College in October 1913 but went to the World War I fronts the next year. He fought with the Wiltshire Regiment
as a Second Lieutenant in the 3rd Battalion (attached 2nd Battalion) starting from October 1914 and was killed in action only a few weeks later.
Mathematician
A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
, best known for his contribution to the Baker-Campbell-Hausdorff formula.
Biography
Campbell was born in a family of a doctor, also named John Campbell. He studied first at the Methodist College in Belfast and then at Queen's University Belfast, graduating in 1884. He then won a scholarship to study at the Oxford University, at Hertford CollegeHertford College, Oxford
Hertford College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is located in Catte Street, directly opposite the main entrance of the original Bodleian Library. As of 2006, the college had a financial endowment of £52m. There are 612 students , plus various visiting...
. There he won the Junior Mathematical University Scholarship in 1885, became a College Fellow in 1887, obtained a Senior Scholarship in 1888, and eventually became a tutor. Campbell was noted as a charming and highly devoted teacher and a proponent of women's education.
Cambell made his most notable contribution to mathematics in 1897 by introducing a formula for multiplication of exponentials in Lie algebra
Lie algebra
In mathematics, a Lie algebra is an algebraic structure whose main use is in studying geometric objects such as Lie groups and differentiable manifolds. Lie algebras were introduced to study the concept of infinitesimal transformations. The term "Lie algebra" was introduced by Hermann Weyl in the...
s. This formula was later elaborated by Henri Poincaré
Henri Poincaré
Jules Henri Poincaré was a French mathematician, theoretical physicist, engineer, and a philosopher of science...
(1899) and Henry Frederick Baker (1902). It was later systematized geometrically by Felix Hausdorff
Felix Hausdorff
Felix Hausdorff was a Jewish German mathematician who is considered to be one of the founders of modern topology and who contributed significantly to set theory, descriptive set theory, measure theory, function theory, and functional analysis.-Life:Hausdorff studied at the University of Leipzig,...
(1906) and became known as Baker-Campbell-Hausdorff formula.
In 1903, Campbell published a book on Introductory Treatise on Lie's Theory of Finite Continuous Transformation Groups where he popularized the ideas of Sophus Lie
Sophus Lie
Marius Sophus Lie was a Norwegian mathematician. He largely created the theory of continuous symmetry, and applied it to the study of geometry and differential equations.- Biography :...
. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
in 1905, and served as President of the London Mathematical Society
London Mathematical Society
-See also:* American Mathematical Society* Edinburgh Mathematical Society* European Mathematical Society* List of Mathematical Societies* Council for the Mathematical Sciences* BCS-FACS Specialist Group-External links:* * *...
from 1918 to 1920. Campbell was the first mathematician from Oxford who was invited, shortly before his death, by the Cambridge University to examine the Cambridge Mathematical Tripos
Cambridge Mathematical Tripos
The Mathematical Tripos is the taught mathematics course at the University of Cambridge. It is the oldest Tripos that is examined in Cambridge.-Origin:...
.
Personal life
Campbell married Sarah Hardman (born in Oldham ca. 1862) in the Ashton Registration District in the late 1889. They had three sons and one daughter, all born in Oxford:- John Maurice Hardman Campbell (1891 – ?)
- William Percy Campbell (2 May 1894 – 24 October 1914)
- Patrick James Campbell (22 December 1897 – )
- Dorothea Mary Hardman Campbell (28 December 1902 – ?).
William enrolled into the Oxford College in October 1913 but went to the World War I fronts the next year. He fought with the Wiltshire Regiment
Wiltshire Regiment
The Wiltshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 62nd Regiment of Foot and the 99th Duke of Edinburgh's Regiment of Foot....
as a Second Lieutenant in the 3rd Battalion (attached 2nd Battalion) starting from October 1914 and was killed in action only a few weeks later.