Academic lineage of the Earthquakes group at UVic “If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants” – Sir Isaac Newton

Sir Isaac Newton, FRS University of Cambridge, 1686 Lucasian Professor of Mathematics, Cambridge Laid the foundations for classical mechanics, optics, and calculus. Defined laws for motion and universal gravity. Published ‘ Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica’ in 1687. Validated the heliocentric model of the Solar System and explained the trajectories of comets, the tides, and the precession of the equinoxes. Predicted that the Earth is an oblate spheroid. Was first to realize that colour is the result of objects interacting with light rather than objects generating the colour themselves. Made the first theoretical calculation of the speed of sound. Formulated the relationship between shear strain rate and shear stress in viscous fluids. Built the first reflecting telescope. Generalised the binomial theorem to non-integer exponents, and developed a method for approximating the roots of a function.

Roger Cotes, FRS University of Cambridge, 1706 Plumian Professor of Astronomy, Cambridge Developed the Newton-Cotes formula of quadrature. Proofread Newton’s ‘Principia Mathematica’. Introduced Euler’s formula: ix = ln (cos x + i sin x).

Robert Smith, FRS University of Cambridge, 1715 Plumian Professor of Astronomy, Cambridge Master of Trinity College, Cambridge. Mathematician and music theorist.

Walter Taylor University of Cambridge, 1723 Regius Professor of Greek, Cambridge Mathematician.

Stephen Whisson University of Cambridge, 1742 Tutor at Trinity College, Cambridge Mathematician.

Thomas Postlethwaite University of Cambridge, 1756 Master of Trinity College, Cambridge Mathematician.

Thomas Jones University of Cambridge, 1782 Head Tutor at Trinity College, Cambridge Mathematician.

Adam Sedgwick, FRS University of Cambridge, 1811 Woodwardian Professor of Geology, Cambridge Proposed and named the Cambrian and Devonian periods. Developed the stratigraphic classification system for the Cambrian, Silurian, Devonian and Carboniferous. Worked on metamorphism and concretion, and first to distinguish stratification, jointing, and cleavage. Academic advisor of Charles Darwin.

William Hopkins, FRS University of Cambridge, 1830 Tutor, Cambridge Mathematician and geologist. Developed the discipline of physical geology. Established that melting point increases with pressure. Wrote on the motion of glaciers and the transport of glacial erratics. A prodigious private tutor, pupils included Stokes, Maxwell & Kelvin.

Edward J Routh, FRS UCL, 1853; University of Cambridge, 1857 Fellow, Cambridge Defined the modern mathematical approach to classical mechanics. Responsible for several ideas critical to the development of modern control systems theory.

John W Strutt, FRS (Lord Rayleigh) University of Cambridge, 1868 Cavendish Prof. of Experimental Physics, Cambridge Discovered the element argon (Ar). Described the phenomenon of light scattering now known as Rayleigh Scattering, and hence helped explain why the sky is blue. Measured the dimensions of a molecule experimentally. Helped to define black body radiation. Predicted the existence of the surface waves known as Rayleigh waves. Proposed the duplex theory of human sound localization. First to describe dynamic soaring in seabirds. As head of the Cavendish Laboratory, he opened classes to women and introduced afternoon tea to stimulate researcher’s communication. Awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1904.

Sir Joseph J. Thomson, FRS University of Cambridge, 1883 Cavendish Prof. of Experimental Physics, Cambridge First to identify the electron. Built the first mass spectrometer. Discovered the first evidence for stable isotopes. Awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1906 (eight of his academic advisees also won Nobel Prizes).

Ernest Rutherford, FRS University of Cambridge, 1897 Professor of Physics, McGill, Manchester, Cambridge The ‘father of nuclear physics’, he discovered the nucleus, was first to split the atom, and discovered and named the proton. Outlined the concept of radioactive half-lifes. Proved that radioactivity involved the transmutation of one element to another and dierentiated α- and β-decay. The element rutherfordium (Rf) is named after him. Awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1908.

Patrick M. S. Blackett, FRS University of Cambridge, 1921 Prof. of Physics, Birkbeck, Manchester, Imperial College Designed cloud chambers to image high energy particles (cosmic rays). Confirmed the existence of positrons and researched anti-matter. Later pioneered the study of rock magnetism and provided early paleomagnetic evidence in support of continental drift. Awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1948.

Sir Edward C. Bullard, FRS University of Cambridge, 1932 Professor of Geodesy and Geophysics, Cambridge A founder of marine geophysics and pioneer of reflection seismology. Made key advances in measurement of gravity and heat-flow, and first to demonstrate high heat-flow at mid-ocean ridges. Fitted the continental shelves of Pangaea. Developed the geodynamo theory and helped establish K-Ar dating.

Dan McKenzie, FRS University of Cambridge, 1966 Professor of Geophysics, Cambridge Developed the mathematical theory of plate tectonics on a sphere. Developed models for mantle convection, partial melting, and sedimentary basin formation. Important contributions on tectonics of Venus and Mars. Won the 2002 Craaford Prize (the ‘Nobel Prize of the geosciences’).

James A. Jackson, FRS University of Cambridge, 1980 Professor of Geophysics, Cambridge Key work on lithospheric rheology, continental tectonics, normal faulting, and seismicity of the Mediterranean and Middle East regions.

Edwin Nissen University of Oxford, 2009 Associate Professor, University of Victoria Canada Research Chair (Tier II) in Geophysics

Léa Pousse-Beltran U. Grenoble Alpes, 2016 Postdoctoral Researcher Élyse Gaudreau University of Victoria Ph.D. candidate Fengzhou Tan University of Victoria Ph.D. candidate Haipeng Luo University of Victoria Ph.D. candidate Israporn Sethanant University of Victoria Ph.D. candidate Guy Salomon University of Victoria Ph.D. candidate Taizi Huang University of Victoria Ph.D. candidate Siyu Wang University of Victoria Ph.D. candidate Theron Finley University of Victoria Ph.D. candidate