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	Topics Royal Society of Edinburgh Topic Home The Royal Society of Edinburgh is ScotlandScotland Scotland is a nation in northwest Europe and one of the constituent countries of the United Kingdom.... 's national academyNational academy A national academy is a body, usually operating with state financial support and approval, that co-ordinates the activities ... of science and letters. The membership consists of over 1400 peer-elected fellows, who are known as Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, denoted FRSE in official titles. It provides annual grants totalling over half a million pounds for research and entrepreneurship. The Society organises public lectures and promotes the sciences in schools throughout ScotlandScotland Scotland is a nation in northwest Europe and one of the constituent countries of the United Kingdom.... . It covers a broader selection of fields than the Royal Society of LondonRoyal Society The Royal Society of London for the Improvement of Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, was founded i... including literatureLiterature Literature is literally "acquaintance with letters" as in the first sense given in the Oxford English Dictionary .... and historyHIStory *HIStory: Past, Present and Future Book I* is a double-disc album by Michael Jackson released in 1995 by the Epic Records... . History At the start of the eighteenth century, EdinburghEdinburgh Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland and its second-largest city.... 's intellectual climate fostered many clubs and societies (see Scottish EnlightenmentScottish Enlightenment The Scottish Enlightenment was a period of intellectual ferment in Scotland, running from approximately 1740 to 1800.... ). Though there were several that treated the arts, sciences and medicine, the most prestigious was the Philosophical Society which was founded in 1738. With the help of University of EdinburghUniversity of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a renowned centre for teaching and research in Edinburgh, Scotland.... professors like Joseph BlackJoseph Black Joseph Black was a Scottish physicist and chemist.... , William CullenWilliam Cullen William Cullen was a Scottish doctor and chemist.... and John WalkerJohn Walker (naturalist) Revd Dr John Walker was Professor of Natural History at the University of Edinburgh from 1779 to 1803.... , this society transformed itself into the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1783 and in 1786 it issued the first edition of its new journal Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (). As the end of the century drew near, the younger members like Sir James HallJames Hall, 4th Baronet ----Sir James Hall, 4th Baronet was a geologist and geophysicist, born in Dunglass, Scotland.... embraced Lavoisier's new nomenclature and the members split over the practical and theoretical objectives of the society. This resulted in the founding of the Wernerian Society (1808-1858), a parallel organisation that focused more upon natural history and scientific research that could be used to improve Scotland's weak agricultural and industrial base. Under the leadership of Prof. Robert JamesonRobert Jameson Professor Robert Jameson was a Scottish naturalist and mineralogist, born in Leith, near Edinburgh, in July 1774.... , the Wernerians first founded Memoirs of the Wernerian Natural History Society (1808-1821) and then the Edinburgh Philosophical Journal (1822), thereby diverting the output of the Royal Society's Transactions. Thus, for the first four decades of the nineteenth century, the RSE's members published brilliant articles in two different journals. By the 1850s, Jameson and his partner Sir David BrewsterDavid Brewster Sir David Brewster was a Scottish scientist, inventor and writer.... lost their influence and the society once again could unify its membership under one journal. During the nineteenth century the society produced many scientists whose ideas laid the foundation of the modern sciences. From the twentieth century onward, the society functioned not only as focal point for Scotland's eminent scientists, but also the arts and humanities. It still exists today and continues to promote original research in Scotland. The current president is the mathematician Sir Michael AtiyahMichael Atiyah Sir Michael Francis Atiyah, OM, FRS is a British mathematician, widely considered to be one of the greatest geometers of th... . Awards Keith MedalKeith Medal The Keith Medal is a prize awarded by the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland's national academy, for a scientific paper pu... Gunning Victoria Jubilee Prize James Scott Prize LectureshipJames Scott Prize Lectureship The James Scott Prize Lectureship is given every four years by the Royal Society of Edinburgh for a lecture on the fundament... Notable members Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, denoted by the use of the initialism FRSE in official titles, have included: Alexander AitkenAlexander Aitken Alexander Craig Aitken was one of New Zealand's greatest mathematicians.... , New Zealand mathematician Jack AllenJohn F. Allen (physicist) John "Jack" F. Allen was a Canadian-born physicist.... , Canadian physicist who helped discover the superfluidSuperfluid Superfluidity is a phase of matter characterised by the complete absence of viscosity.... phase of matter in 1937 using liquid heliumLiquid helium Helium exists in liquid form only at very low temperatures.... , Professor of Physics at the University of St AndrewsUniversity of St Andrews The University of St Andrews is the oldest university in Scotland and third oldest in the English-speaking world, having bee... Sir William Eric Kinloch AndersonWilliam Eric Kinloch Anderson Sir William Eric Kinloch Anderson, KT is Provost of Eton College.... , ProvostFacts About Provost (education) Provost is the title of a senior academic administrator at many institutions of higher education in the United States and Ca... of Eton CollegeEton College The King's College of Our Lady of Eton, commonly known as Eton College or just Eton, is an internationally renowned... John Arbuthnott, 16th Viscount of ArbuthnottJohn Arbuthnott, 16th Viscount of Arbuthnott John Campbell Arbuthnott, 16th Viscount of Arbuthnott, KT, CBE, DSC is a Scottish peer and a notable businessman. ... , Scottish soldier and businessman Struther ArnottStruther Arnott Struther Arnott CBE, FRS, FRSE, is a Scottish academic and was former Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of St ... , Scottish molecular biologist and Vice-chancellor of the University of St AndrewsUniversity of St Andrews Overview The University of St Andrews is the oldest university in Scotland and third oldest in the English-speaking world, having bee... Robert BaldRobert Bald Robert Bald was a surveyor and mining engineer.... , surveyor and mining engineer Sir Derek Barton, chemist, winner of the Nobel Prize for Chemistry Sir James W. BlackJames W. Black Sir James Whyte Black, OM, FRS, FRSE, FRCP is a Scottish pharmacologist who invented Propranolol , synthesized Cimetidine a... , Scottish pharmacologist who invented PropranololPropranolol Propranolol is a non-selective beta blocker mainly used in the treatment of hypertension.... , synthesised CimetidineCimetidine Cimetidine is a histamine H2-receptor antagonist that inhibits the production of acid in the stomach.... , and received the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1988 Robert Black, Queen's CounselQueen's Counsel Queen's Counsel, during the reign of a male sovereign known as King's Counsel, are, in England, Wales and Northern Ire... , Professor of Scots LawScots law Scots law is a unique legal system with an ancient basis in Roman law.... at the University of Edinburgh Norman BorlaugNorman Borlaug Overview ! colspan="2" style="font-size: larger; text-align:center;" \| Norman Borlaug... , American agricultural scientist, winner of the Nobel Peace PrizeNobel Peace Prize The Nobel Peace Prize is one of five Nobel Prizes bequested by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.... in 1970, father of the Green RevolutionGreen Revolution The term Green Revolution is used to describe the transformation of agriculture in many developing nations that led to signi... Sarah BroadieSarah Broadie Sarah Broadie, FBA, FRSE, is Professor of Moral Philosophy and a Bishop Wardlaw Professor at the University of St Andrews.... , philosopher specialising in metaphysicsFacts About Metaphysics Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the nature of the world.... and ethicsEthics Ethics is a major branch of philosophy.... , Professor of Moral Philosophy at the University of St Andrews John Campbell BrownJohn Campbell Brown Professor John Campbell Brown currently holds the following positions:... , Astronomer Royal for ScotlandAstronomer Royal for Scotland Summary Astronomer Royal for Scotland was originally the title of the director of the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh, but since 1995 i... , Regius ProfessorRegius Professor Regius Professorships are "Royal" Professorships at the universities of Cambridge, Oxford, Dublin, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edi... of AstronomyAstronomy Astronomy is the science of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the Earth's atmosphere .... at the University of GlasgowUniversity of Glasgow The University of Glasgow, founded, 1451, in Glasgow, Scotland.... Sir Samuel Brown, engineer and suspension bridgeSuspension bridge Summary A suspension bridge is a type of bridge that has been made since ancient times.... pioneer Sir Kenneth CalmanKenneth Calman Professor Sir Kenneth Calman is the current Vice-Chancellor and Warden of Durham University, a position he has held since 19... , Scottish doctor, Chief Medical Officer for Scotland then EnglandEngland England is the largest and most populous constituent country of the United Kingdom.... , Vice-chancellor of Durham UniversityDurham University Overview Durham University is a university in England.... ; Chancellor of Glasgow University Roger CowleyRoger Cowley Roger A. Cowley, FRS, FRSE, FInstPhys, is an English physicist who has specialised in the excitations of solids.... , physicist, Professorof Experimental Philosophy at OxfordUniversity of Oxford The University of Oxford, located in the city of Oxford, England, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world.... Cyril OffordCyril Offord Summary Albert Cyril Offord FRS was a British mathematician.... Tom DevineTom Devine Professor Tom M Devine OBE FRSE FBA is a well-known and widely published Scottish historian.... Kenneth DoverKenneth Dover Sir Kenneth James Dover, FRSE, FBA is a distinguished British academic who was Chancellor of the University of St Andrews f... Professor Sir David EdwardSir David Edward The Right Honourable Sir David Alexander Ogilvy Edward, KCMG, QC, FRSE, is a Scottish lawyer and academic and sat as a Judge... James Alfred EwingJames Alfred Ewing Overview Sir James Alfred Ewing was a Scottish physicist and engineer, best known for his work on the magnetic properties of metals a... , Scottish physicist and engineer, discoverer of hysteresisHysteresis Hysteresis is a property of systems that do not instantly follow the forces applied to them, but react slowly, or do not ret... , Vice-chancellor of the University of Edinburgh Ian FellsIan Fells Ian Fells FEng, Ph.D., F.R.I.C., F.Inst.E., F.I.Chem.E., F.R.S.E., C.B.E.... John FinchamJohn Fincham Overview John Robert Stanley Fincham FRS FRSE was a British geneticist.... James David ForbesJames David Forbes James David Forbes was a Scottish physicist who worked extensively on the conduction of heat, seismology and glaciology.... Alexander GrayAlexander Gray (poet) Professor Sir Alexander Gray CBE, FRSE was a Scottish civil servant, economist, academic, translator writer and poet.... , Scottish economist, translator and poet, Professor of Political EconomyPolitical economy Political economy was the original term for the study of production, the acts of buying and selling, and their relationships... at the University of AberdeenUniversity of Aberdeen name =University of Aberdeen... and the University of Edinburgh William Michael Herbert GreavesWilliam Michael Herbert Greaves William Michael Herbert Greaves was a British astronomer.... John Currie GunnJohn Currie Gunn Sir John Currie Gunn was an influential Scottish scientist.... James E. TalmageJames E. Talmage James Edward Talmage born in Hungerford, England was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Ch... , Geologist, Chemist, prolific author (see Jesus the Christ (book)), President of the University of Utah, Apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Peter HiggsPeter Higgs Peter Ware Higgs, FRSE, FRS, until recently held a personal chair in theoretical physics at the University of Edinburgh and ... Right Reverend Richard HollowayRichard Holloway The Right Reverend Richard F. Holloway is a Scottish writer, broadcaster, and is retired Bishop of Edinburgh in the Scottish... , writer, broadcaster, Bishop of EdinburghBishop of Edinburgh The Bishop of Edinburgh is the Ordinary of the Scottish Episcopal Diocese of Edinburgh.... in the Scottish Episcopal ChurchScottish Episcopal Church The Scottish Episcopal Church is a Christian denomination in Scotland and a member of the Anglican Communion.... James HuttonJames Hutton James Hutton was a Scottish geologist, noted for formulating uniformitarianism and the Plutonist School of thought.... , regarded as the founder of modern geologyGeology Geology anetary geology]] refers to the application of geologic principles to other bodies of the solar system.... John Mackintosh HowieJohn Mackintosh Howie John Mackintosh Howie CBE, FRSE, Scottish mathematician, was a prominent semigroup theorist in the 20th century.... John JamiesonJohn Jamieson Reverend John Jamieson, D.D., Scottish lexicographer, son of a minister, was born in Glasgow.... Fleeming JenkinFleeming Jenkin Overview Henry Charles Fleeming Jenkin was Professor of Engineering at the University of Edinburgh, remarkable for his versatility.... Mstislav KeldyshMstislav Keldysh Mstislav Vsevolodovich Keldysh FRSE was a Soviet scientist in the field of mathematics and mechanics, academician of the Sov... Cargill Gilston KnottCargill Gilston Knott Cargill Gilston Knott was born on June 30, 1856 at Penicuik, Scotland.... Chris J. LeaverFacts About Chris J. Leaver Chris Leaver is Sibthorpian Professor of Plant Sciences at the University of Oxford and a Fellow, of St John's College, Oxfo... , Professor of Plant Sciences at the University of OxfordUniversity of Oxford The University of Oxford, located in the city of Oxford, England, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world.... Sir Neil MacCormickNeil MacCormick Sir ' Neil MacCormick QC, FBA, FRSE, is the current Regius Professor of Public Law and the Law of Nature and Nations at... , Regius ProfessorRegius Professor Regius Professorships are "Royal" Professorships at the universities of Cambridge, Oxford, Dublin, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edi... of Public LawPublic law Summary Public law is the law governing the relationship between individuals and the state.... at the University of EdinburghUniversity of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a renowned centre for teaching and research in Edinburgh, Scotland.... and Vice-president of the Scottish National PartyScottish National Party The Scottish National Party }} is a centre-left political party which campaigns for Scottish independence.... Neil MackieNeil Mackie Professor Neil Mackie CBE, CStJ, FRSE, FRCM, FRSAMD is a Scottish tenor.... , Scottish tenorTenor In music, a tenor is a male singer with a high vocal range.... , Head of Vocal Studies at the Royal College of MusicRoyal College of Music The Royal College of Music is a prestigious music school located in Kensington, London.... Aubrey ManningAubrey Manning Professor Aubrey William George Manning OBE FRSE FIBiol is a distinguished English zoologist and broadcaster.... , English zoologist and broadcaster, Professor of Natural HistoryNatural history Natural history is an umbrella term for what are now usually viewed as several distinct scientific disciplines.... at the University of Edinburgh James NapierJames Napier James Napier was a Scottish author of the nineteenth century.... , Scottish writer John PlayfairJohn Playfair Professor John Playfair FRSE was a Scottish scientist.... , Scottish mathematician and physicist, Professor of MathematicsMathematics Mathematics is the discipline that deals with concepts such as quantity, structure, space and change.... and the Natural PhilosophyNatural philosophy Natural philosophy or the philosophy of nature, known in Latin as philosophia naturalis, is a term applied to the ... at the University of Edinburgh Lyon Playfair, 1st Baron PlayfairLyon Playfair, 1st Baron Playfair Lyon Playfair, 1st Baron Playfair, GCB, PC, FRS was a Scottish scientist and Parliamentarian.... Juda Hirsch QuastelJuda Hirsch Quastel Juda Hirsch Quastel, CC, FRS , FRSE, a British-Canadian biochemist who pioneered diverse research in neurochemistry, soil me... John RandallJohn Randall (physicist) Sir John Randall was a British physicist, credited with radical improvement of the cavity magnetron, an essential component ... , physicist Archie RoyArchie Roy Professor Archie RoyArchie E. Roy is Professor Emeritus of Astronomy in the University of Glasgow.... , Professor of astronomyAstronomy Summary Astronomy is the science of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the Earth's atmosphere .... at the University of GlasgowUniversity of Glasgow Overview The University of Glasgow, founded, 1451, in Glasgow, Scotland.... and former president of the Society for Psychical ResearchSociety for Psychical Research The Society for Psychical Research is a non-profit organization in the United Kingdom whose purpose is to research and inve... Daniel Fox SandfordDaniel Fox Sandford The Rt Rev Daniel Fox Sandford was the Bishop of Tasmania from 1883 until 1889.... Former Bishop of TasmaniaAnglican Diocese of Tasmania image=\|name=The Anglican Diocese of Tasmania... 1883-89 Sir Walter ScottWalter Scott Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet was a prolific Scottish historical novelist and poet popular throughout Europe during his tim... , romantic and historical novelist (IvanhoeIvanhoe *Ivanhoe* is a novel by Sir Walter Scott.... , Rob RoyRob Roy (novel) *Rob Roy* is a novel by Walter Scott about Frank Osbaldistone, the son of an English merchant who goes to the Scottish Hig... , The Lady of the Lake, WaverleyWaverley (novel) *Waverley* is a novel by Walter Scott.... , The Heart of MidlothianThe Heart of Midlothian *The Heart of Midlothian* is the seventh of Sir Walter Scotts Waverley novels, and by many considered the finest.... and others) Richard SillittoRichard Sillitto Richard M. Sillitto was an optical physicist who wrote a useful text on quantum mechanics.... John Sinclair, writer Adam SmithAdam Smith Adam Smith, FRSE, was a Scottish political economist and moral philosopher.... , classical economist; philosopher of the Scottish EnlightenmentScottish Enlightenment The Scottish Enlightenment was a period of intellectual ferment in Scotland, running from approximately 1740 to 1800.... Alexander McCall SmithAlexander McCall Smith Professor Alexander "Sandy" McCall Smith FRSE is a writer and emeritus professor of medical law at the University of Edinbur... , Rhodesia-born Scottish novelist (The No. 1 Ladies' Detective AgencyThe No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency *The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency* is a series of novels by the author Alexander McCall Smith.... , Portuguese Irregular VerbsPortuguese Irregular Verbs (novel) *Portuguese Irregular Verbs* is both the name of a book by Scottish author and academic Alexander McCall Smith, and the na... , The Sunday Philosophy ClubThe Sunday Philosophy Club *The Sunday Philosophy Club* is the first book in The Sunday Philosophy Club Series by Alexander McCall Smith.... , 44 Scotland Street44 Scotland Street *44 Scotland Street* is a novel by Alexander McCall Smith, the author of The No.... and others), Professor of Medical Law at the University of Edinburgh Christopher SmoutChristopher Smout Professor Thomas Christopher Smout CBE, FBA, FRSE, has been the Historiographer Royal in Scotland since 1993 and is Professo... Sir John StruthersJohn Struthers (anatomist) Sir John Struthers, LRCSE, MD, LLD, FRCSE, FRSE was Professor of Anatomy at the University of Aberdeen.... , anatomist and the first Regius Professor of AnatomyRegius Professor of Anatomy (Aberdeen) The Regius Professor of Anatomy is a Regius Professorship at the University of Aberdeen.... at the University of AberdeenUniversity of Aberdeen name =University of Aberdeen... Stewart Sutherland, Baron Sutherland of HoundwoodStewart Sutherland, Baron Sutherland of Houndwood Overview Stewart Ross Sutherland, Baron Sutherland of Houndwood, KT, FRSE, FBA is a Scottish academic and public servant.... , Scottish Academic who served as the Vice-Chancellor and Principle for the University of EdinburghUniversity of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a renowned centre for teaching and research in Edinburgh, Scotland.... Peter Guthrie TaitPeter Guthrie Tait Peter Guthrie Tait was a Scottish mathematical physicist, best known for the seminal energy physics textbook Treatise on N... Thomas TelfordThomas Telford Thomas Telford was born in Westerkirk, Scotland.... , First President of the Institution of Civil Engineers George Thomson, Baron Thomson of MonifiethGeorge Thomson, Baron Thomson of Monifieth The Right Honourable George Morgan Thomson, Baron Thomson of Monifieth, KT, PC, DL is a former journalist and Labour politic... , Labour PartyLabour Party (UK) The Labour Party has been, since its founding in the early 20th century, the main left-wing political party in the United Ki... minister and European CommissionerEuropean Commissioner A European Commissioner is a member of the 27-member European Commission.... William Thomson, 1st Baron KelvinWilliam Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin, GCVO, OM, PC, PRS FRSE was an Irish-Scottish mathematical physicist, engineer, and outst... , Irish-Scottish mathematical physicist and engineer Ronald Pearson TrippRonald Pearson Tripp Summary Ronald Pearson Tripp was a British paleontologist specializing in trilobites.... , paleontologist Colin VincentColin Vincent Colin Angus Vincent, OBE, FRSE, is a British electrochemist with a specific interest in high energy batteries.... Conrad Hal WaddingtonConrad Hal Waddington Conrad Hal Waddington FRS FRSE, known to his friends as "Wad", was a developmental biologist, paleontologist, geneticist, em... James WattJames Watt James Watt was a Scottish inventor and engineer whose improvements to the steam engine were fundamental to the changes wrou... , Scottish inventor and engineer whose improvements to the steam engineSteam engine A steam engine is an external combustion heat engine that makes use of the thermal energy that exists in steam, converting i... were fundamental to the Industrial RevolutionIndustrial Revolution The Industrial Revolution was the major technological, socioeconomic and cultural change in the late 18th and early 19th cen... John WishartJohn Wishart (statistician) John Wishart was a Scottish agricultural statistician.... (statistician) Charles W. J. WithersCharles W. J. Withers Professor Charles W. J. Withers is professor of historical geography at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. ... Ronald Selby WrightRonald Selby Wright The Very Revd Dr Ronald William Vernon Selby Wright CVO TD JP MA DD FRSE FSAScot, 1908-1995.... , minister of the Canongate Kirk, Edinburgh Crispin WrightCrispin Wright Summary Crispin Wright is a British philosopher, who has written on neo-Fregean philosophy of mathematics, Wittgenstein's later phil... Hideki YukawaHideki Yukawa Hideki Yukawa FRSE was a Japanese theoretical physicist and the first Japanese to win the Nobel prize.... , JapanJapan Overview is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of China, Korea, and Russia, stretching from... ese theoretical physicist who predicted the pionPion In particle physics, pion is the collective name for three subatomic particles: π0, π+ and π−.... and K-capture, the first Japanese to win a Nobel PrizeNobel Prize The Nobel Prizes are prizes instituted by the will of Alfred Nobel, awarded to people who have done outstanding research, i... Derick Thompson, Gaelic poet, academic, president of the Scottish Poetry LibraryScottish Poetry Library The Scottish Poetry Library was founded in 1984 by the poet Tessa Ransford....