A NEW PROFESSOR.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 145, 13 March 1908, Page 6

A NEW PROFESSOR.

HIS DISTINGUISHED CAREER.

Among the passengers who arrived from London by the Rimutaka last evening was Mr. David- K. Picken/ who has been appointed to the Professorship of Mathematics, at Victoria College.

Professor'Picken was educated at Allen Glen's School, • Glasgow, and . the science training he received there determined to 1 some extent the main line of his academic ™rk. This -school was'the foremost scienco 1 High :Spliobi; in t-lio United Kingdom, i It was possible there for the pupils to obtain a splendid training, of which tho groundwork was mathematics, physical science, and chemistry. Insufficiency of classical work,, handicapped the pupils ,on their, entrance into tho arts faculty at the, University, but , the value of their earlier training soon told. ! At the University of Glasgow, while mi□savouring 1 , to widen his basis of future, Mr. Picken gradually took the foremost, place in mathematics' (pure and applied) among the men of his time. : -V"He gained prizes l in '■ all his classes-of mathematics, natural pliilo- . sopliy, and, in particular, he was first prizeman in Lord Kelvin's class of higher , applied mathematics in the last'-year that that recently deceased brilliant' scientist occupied tho chair of natural philosophy.' By that- • time Mr. Picken was easily first in the subjects of his honours group. In-qualifying for graduation' as. M.A. with first-oiass honours, in October, 1899, Mr. i?ick-2n was awarded the' Metcalfe fellowship, anl by the , aid of this it was possible for him to continue his mathematical studies in the TJui- . versity of Cambridge. In 1899 he went into residenco at Jesus College, :and was elected; to.- a foundation, . scholarship in, his first year. At Cambridge'' ' most of his work was carried' on under the care, of two .men who were, curiously, both senior wranglers, in tho sajme year—one : in .January' and-one in June, .the year.-that the' date was changed—Mr.-Welsh; of Jesus . Col-i; - lego, and Mr. Herman ; of Trinity College." At ■ tho ; end of Mr. Picken's, first year '„at ... i, the' University lie won tho Ferguson' iuathc-; matical scholarship. In the mathematical tripos',' part-1, of 1902, he was sixth wrangler, and; ;on. tlie"advice, of his tutors, lie', pro-' ceeded to specialise on a branch of applied ; mathematics towards part -2: of > his tripos. \ During, his year of preparation .'thci position ■ . of. chief'assistant to t-lip professor; ofmathe* matics at Glasgow University "fell-vacant, and Mr., Picken- was asked to fill . it, and after considerable deliberation \ he, came. to the determination not to lose such an excepti'onal opportunity, of getting,into goodteacn- '' • ing work. ■ "X'

Since,'ho has boon a lecturer at Glasgow Sir. Pickon has taken an active part in;th« work- of .'.the Edinburgh. Mathematical ;;_So-'-. only society of its, kind; in exist-, euceiii ho was, editor of tho Proceedings - for" two. sessions, and ho has •• just been • elected, vicc-president. :, In the ' j '.ordinary; course'.ho .would, 'at- tho';next elcc- / tion; have become president had ho remained in Scotland. Mr. .Pickcn has' '..been a regu-. .lar'/<k>ntributar, to' the Proceedings, with, articles of., varied ''character. 1 The main line of liis recent writings has'.been that 1 of -tha-f. theorems fundamental to " Higher 'Mat-he- .- ma tics " (so-called). ,A series'-or • articleevby Mr. Pickeii. : has';'been-,' appearing :in recent numbbrs of '.tho " Mathematical . Gazette," . which is the'organ .of the Mathematical; As-. Sociation..- He,; is a contributor'i to 'other- , periodicals as well, and-is a'member of : the'-: Glasgow ;..Uiiion: -branch of the Fabian Society. -Vlt; is ; very '' that:'" portions of the long vacations' in -New Zealand will . . ,bo. devoted by . Mr." Picken-'to malting ready for the publication of- a great deal of; matter ' that- has been collecting round, his* work with 1 : thj>;-classes at '.Glasgow;'.; through the huge classes there arid'the'work/with'them , spreading ovor; nine,months.of ihe year. .. ' / Professor Pickeh has, an' iiiterest .in" some - branches, of.'sport, as wcll as in deep study, for .while'.'.at." school iin Glasgowy and ''later* on at the Glasgow University, ho tho • gymiiasium;.jand;,while . at Cambrjflgb he Topresented his' r college in ;,a - minor': capacity at ro\Wng'_during'the'winters,' arid',at lawntennis during the summer months:'. -He'is' ' tho possessor of a, lengthy list of testimonials' t from .men'of : eminence-in".the world"of leant-•; ihg,- notably' from: Lord' Kelvin;, DrffDonald; -M'AHster (Principal of the Glasgow. Univer-; sity),! Dr.- William Jack'(professor ofnnatho-' matic3 in. tlie - University,, of -Klasgow), ,-Dr; Andrew Gray (professor of natural philosophy' in- tho 'University of 'Glasgow)', Professor Archibald Barr (of tho engineering- depart- - ment| Of the Oiiiver'sity of Glasgow), tho K«v.' H. A. Morgan, M.A.; D.D. (master. of . Jesus'' College, Cambridge),; Mr- P. Pinkerton, : M.A. (examiner in mathematics for degrees in •University ;of Glasgow;; ■ and head of : tho 'mathematical; department, George Watson's';, College,, Edinburgh),' and'many others. ■ -' _ \.. Professor Picken is : : accompanied ; by his ' wifo, who is 1 an M.A. of tho 'University iof"' Glasgow. V; '