William Davidson Niven facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir William Davidson Niven
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| Born |
William Davidson Niven
March 24, 1842 |
| Died | May 29, 1917 (aged 75) |
| Resting place | Peterhead Old Churchyard |
| Alma mater | University of Aberdeen Trinity College, Cambridge |
| Known for | Editor of James Clerk Maxwell's papers |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Mathematics |
| Institutions | Royal Naval College, Greenwich |
| Influences | James Clerk Maxwell |
| Influenced | Alfred North Whitehead |
Sir William Davidson Niven (born March 24, 1842 – died May 29, 1917) was a smart Scottish man. He worked with numbers as a mathematician and also with electricity as an electrical engineer.
He started his career teaching at Cambridge University. Later, Niven became the Director of Studies at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich. He held this important job for 30 years!
A Life of Learning and Teaching
William Niven was born in Peterhead, Scotland. He was one of five brothers who were all good at math. William first studied at the University of Aberdeen. Then, he went to Trinity College, Cambridge. At Cambridge, he was a "Wrangler," which means he got top honors in his math exams. He was also chosen as a Fellow of his college.
In 1882, Niven took over as the Director of Studies at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich. This college trained officers for the British Navy. He was given a special honor called the "Companion of the Order of the Bath" in 1897 by Queen Victoria. When he retired in 1903, he was made a knight. This meant he was given the title "Sir."
Niven worked with a very famous scientist named James Clerk Maxwell. After Maxwell passed away, Niven helped organize and publish his scientific writings. One of Niven's students was Alfred North Whitehead, who later became a well-known mathematician and philosopher. Niven taught him math and explained Maxwell's ideas about physics.
Sir William Niven spent his retirement in Sidcup, England. He passed away there in 1917.
Important Works
Sir William Niven helped publish the writings of James Clerk Maxwell. This was a big job because Maxwell's work was very important for understanding electricity and magnetism.
Here are some of the books Niven helped edit:
- 1881: A Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism, which was the second edition of Maxwell's famous book.
- 1890: The Scientific Papers of James Clerk Maxwell. This book collected many of Maxwell's scientific articles.
