Prof. Magnus Maclean Bro. Magnus Maclean graduated from the Univer- experiments. He made himself very skilled in the sity of Glasgow with an MA in 1886 and a DSc in use of Kelvin’s electrical measuring instruments. 1895. He became the assistant of Lord Kelvin for many years before he was appointed as Lecturer He gained the degree DSc in 1895 and was honon Electricity. He was also the first Celtic Lecturer oured with F.R.S.E (proposed by Lord Kelvin in the University, from 1900-1903, and was later among others). He was appointed the Lecturer on awarded LLD in 1919.
Electricity at Glasgow before becoming the Professor of Electrical Engineering at the Royal Tech-
Magnus Maclean was born in 1857 on
nical College in 1899. He held this
Skye and it was while helping with
post for almost 25 years and during
the harvest that he received the letter
his teaching published many vol-
informing him that he had passed
umes on the subject and submitted
first class, with special distinction in
many papers to the Royal Societies of
mathematics, the entrance exam for
Edinburgh and London, the British
Glasgow’s Free Church Training Col-
Association and the Institute of Elec-
lege. He entered the Training College
trical Engineers. Upon his appoint-
in 1877 and also studied at the Uni-
ment to the Technical College, Lord
versity of Glasgow for two years be-
Kelvin said that he did not believe it
fore teaching in a public school in Sutherland.
would be possible to find anyone better qualified for the position.
Maclean re-entered the University of Glasgow in 1881, gaining the Lorimer bursary for mathemat- As well as his great interest in science and matheics. He was later appointed the Thomson Experi- matics, Magnus also held onto his roots in the mental Scholar in the Physical Laboratory and Highlands. He was the first Celtic lecturer in the was the bursar of the London Highland Society. University of Glasgow and published his lectures Before graduation from the University Maclean in the volumes: ‘The Literature of the Highlands’ was already teaching his fellow students in the and ‘The Literature of the Celts’. He was president Natural Philosophy classroom and his clear apti- of the Gaelic Society and the Glasgow Skye Associtude attracted the attention of Lord Kelvin who ation. chose him for an assistant. The Magnus Maclean Memorial Prize was founded Magnus graduated with honours in Natural Phi- in 1948 by a gift from the Glasgow Skye Associalosophy and Mathematics and continued to work tion and is still awarded today, to the most distinvery closely with Lord Kelvin on many important guished student in Celtic Civilisation. He retired
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