vbid/9783031402432

Description

This book is the first complete biography of George Minchin Minchin (1845�1914), professor of applied mathematics at the Royal Indian Engineering College. Minchin�s extraordinary range of accomplishments offers a unique inside view of the�major technological and educational developments of late nineteenth century Britain.�The scientific community�s excitement during the early days of electromagnetic theory, wireless telegraphy, and x-rays are revealed by Minchin�s letters to eminent friends (notably the Maxwellians, Oliver Lodge and George Francis Fitzgerald). This book also traces Minchin�s little-known pioneering work on photoelectricity, which led to the first electrical measurements of starlight and laid the foundations for solar cells and television. Minchin�s mathematical textbooks were praised for their lucidity, and his advanced pedagogical thinking underpinned his lifelong work on reforming science education. He explained scientific concepts for a general audience using science fiction poetry and critiqued contemporary society in sharp and humorous satires. These works provide fresh perspectives on the place of science in Victorian society.�This book is for anyone fascinated by the late nineteenth century revolution in electrical technologies.This is also a valuable read for historians of science, and for those interested in technical education, and science and society in Victorian Britain.Typham this is the title: The Many-Sidedness of George Minchin Minchin Educator, Satirist, and Early Pioneer of Television