Kerr Grant
Encyclopedia
Professor
Emeritus Sir Kerr Grant was an Australian physicist
and a significant figure in higher education administration in South Australia
in the first half of the twentieth century.
Kerr Grant was born in the then rural town of Bacchus Marsh
, near Melbourne
in the Australia
n state of Victoria
in 1878. He studied mathematics
at the University of Melbourne
and was awarded a B.Sc in 1901 and M.Sc in 1903, both with first class honours. In 1904 he studied at the University of Göttingen in Germany
where he studied with American Nobel Prize
winning chemist
and physicist Irving Langmuir
. In 1911, he was appointed Elder professor of physics at the University of Adelaide
. He held this position until 1948 and his students included Dr. Douglas Allen of the British atomic research team, Professor Eric Jauncey, professor of physics at Washington University, St. Louis, Hugh Cairns, Mark Oliphant
, and Howard Florey (later Baron Florey).
In 1919, he attended the laboratories of the General Electric
Co. at Schenectady in the United States
. While there he was intrigued by the work performed there on molecular films and on return to Adelaide encouraged study on such films on mercury
. During World War II
, like many scientists, Kerr Grant was involved in war work. He was appointed chairman of the Scientific (physics) Manpower Advisory Committee, controller of the Adelaide branch of the Army Inventions Directorate, a member and later chairman of the Optical Munitions Panel (of the Ordnance Production Directorate), and a member of the physical and meteorological sub-committee of the Chemical Defence Board.
While he never considered himself an outstanding physicist, Kerr Grant's work during the war and in teaching and administration lead to the award of a knighthood in 1947. He was involved in the popularisation of science through a newspaper column answering reader questions on scientific matters and was seen by some as an archetypal
absent minded professor, a portrayal which he greatly enjoyed. He was an extremely popular figure at Adelaide University, and cheerfully played along with the many practical joke
s played upon him by his students, usually involving his 1929 vintage car, which he steadfastly refused to get rid of. His final lecture on his retirement in 1948 was attended by around 700 past and present students, and was the rowdiest "rag" honouring a departing professor in the history of the University. Sir Kerr Grant died in 1967 from pneumonia
after being admitted to hospital with a broken hip. Kerr Grant Terrace in the Adelaide suburb of Plympton
is named after him, as are lecture theatres in both the University of Adelaide's North Terrace campus and the University of South Australia's City East campus.
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
Emeritus Sir Kerr Grant was an Australian physicist
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
and a significant figure in higher education administration in South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
in the first half of the twentieth century.
Kerr Grant was born in the then rural town of Bacchus Marsh
Bacchus Marsh, Victoria
Bacchus Marsh is an urban centre and suburban locality in Victoria, Australia located approximately west of Melbourne and west of Melton. The population of the urban area is estimated at over 17,000 people, while the central locality is home to 5,566 people...
, near Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
in the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n state of Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
in 1878. He studied mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
at the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
and was awarded a B.Sc in 1901 and M.Sc in 1903, both with first class honours. In 1904 he studied at the University of Göttingen in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
where he studied with American Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
winning chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
and physicist Irving Langmuir
Irving Langmuir
Irving Langmuir was an American chemist and physicist. His most noted publication was the famous 1919 article "The Arrangement of Electrons in Atoms and Molecules" in which, building on Gilbert N. Lewis's cubical atom theory and Walther Kossel's chemical bonding theory, he outlined his...
. In 1911, he was appointed Elder professor of physics at the University of Adelaide
University of Adelaide
The University of Adelaide is a public university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third oldest university in Australia...
. He held this position until 1948 and his students included Dr. Douglas Allen of the British atomic research team, Professor Eric Jauncey, professor of physics at Washington University, St. Louis, Hugh Cairns, Mark Oliphant
Mark Oliphant
Sir Marcus 'Mark' Laurence Elwin Oliphant, AC, KBE, FRS was an Australian physicist and humanitarian who played a fundamental role in the first experimental demonstration of nuclear fusion and also the development of the atomic bomb.During his retirement, Oliphant was appointed as the Governor of...
, and Howard Florey (later Baron Florey).
In 1919, he attended the laboratories of the General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
Co. at Schenectady in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. While there he was intrigued by the work performed there on molecular films and on return to Adelaide encouraged study on such films on mercury
Mercury (element)
Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is also known as quicksilver or hydrargyrum...
. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, like many scientists, Kerr Grant was involved in war work. He was appointed chairman of the Scientific (physics) Manpower Advisory Committee, controller of the Adelaide branch of the Army Inventions Directorate, a member and later chairman of the Optical Munitions Panel (of the Ordnance Production Directorate), and a member of the physical and meteorological sub-committee of the Chemical Defence Board.
While he never considered himself an outstanding physicist, Kerr Grant's work during the war and in teaching and administration lead to the award of a knighthood in 1947. He was involved in the popularisation of science through a newspaper column answering reader questions on scientific matters and was seen by some as an archetypal
Archetype
An archetype is a universally understood symbol or term or pattern of behavior, a prototype upon which others are copied, patterned, or emulated...
absent minded professor, a portrayal which he greatly enjoyed. He was an extremely popular figure at Adelaide University, and cheerfully played along with the many practical joke
Practical joke
A practical joke is a mischievous trick played on someone, typically causing the victim to experience embarrassment, indignity, or discomfort. Practical jokes differ from confidence tricks in that the victim finds out, or is let in on the joke, rather than being fooled into handing over money or...
s played upon him by his students, usually involving his 1929 vintage car, which he steadfastly refused to get rid of. His final lecture on his retirement in 1948 was attended by around 700 past and present students, and was the rowdiest "rag" honouring a departing professor in the history of the University. Sir Kerr Grant died in 1967 from pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
after being admitted to hospital with a broken hip. Kerr Grant Terrace in the Adelaide suburb of Plympton
Plympton, South Australia
Plympton is a suburb of the city of Adelaide, South Australia. The name is believed to have been given by Henry Mooringe Boswarva to a private subdivision in the area, naming after his home town in Devon, England...
is named after him, as are lecture theatres in both the University of Adelaide's North Terrace campus and the University of South Australia's City East campus.