Ida Winifred Busbridge (1908–1988) was a British mathematician who taught at the University of Oxford from 1935 until 1970.[1] She was the first woman to be appointed to an Oxford fellowship in mathematics.
Ida Busbridge born to Percival George Busbridge and May Edith Webb on 10 February 1908. She was the youngest of four children. Her father died when she was 8 months old of complications from influenza. This left her mother, a primary school teacher, to care for the children.
Busbridge started her schooling at 6 in a school in her mother's district. She moved schools to Christ's Hospital in 1918, having won a scholarship at the age of ten. Here she received a firm grounding in mathematics from Miss Mitchener. Busbridge became head girl of the school and was later described as the most brilliant pupil in its 400-year history.[2]
In 1926 she enrolled in Royal Holloway College, London, intending to specialise in physics, but switched to mathematics in 1928. She turned down a place at Newnham College Cambridge as the Scholarship to Royal Holloway was significally more generous.[2] During her schooling she was involved in the Choral Society and University Choir along with the Science Discussion Society.
Busbridge graduated in 1929 with first class honours and was the awarded the Sir John Lubbock Prize for best first class honours of all London University Colleges. She continued her education at Royal Holloway, earning a masters with distinction in mathematics in 1933.[3]
CareerEdit
She began teaching as a demonstrator in mathematics at University College, London in 1933.[3]
She moved to St Hugh's College Oxford in 1935 to teach mathematics alongside Dorothy Wrinch to undergraduates of five women's colleges.[1] Influenced by Madge Adam and Harry Plaskett, she shifted her interest to applications of maths in astronomy and physics.[3]
During the Second World War, her workload increased to take on the education of physicists and engineers at Oxford. Her workload was especially great - not only because other mathematicians at the university were called up for special war service - but also because women formed a higher percentage of the undergraduate population during the war years.[1][4] She was appointed to a Fellowship of St Hugh's College, Oxford, in 1946 – the first women to be appointed to a college fellowship in mathematics.[1][4]
Busbridge's work included integral equations and radiative transfer. She was highly regarded as a lecturer and tutor, attending to her students' educational and personal needs. She retired from Oxford in 1970, and became one of the early tutors and developers of courses at the Open University, teaching Lebesgue integration and tutoring complex analysis.[2]
Ida Busbridge died on 27 December 1988.[1] A funeral service was held on 9 January 1989 in the church in Keston, where her ashes were later interred, and a memorial service was held at St Hugh's College Oxford on 25 February 1989. The principal, Rachel Trickett, quoted Dorothy Wrinch in describing Ida Busbridge as ‘quite simply the best woman mathematician I’ve ever met: brilliant and yet so capable and unassuming’.[2]
CommemorationEdit
In 1983, a former student made a donation of £280,000 to endow the Ida Busbridge fellowship in mathematics at St Hugh's.[2]
^ abcdefFriedman, E. Clare (2020). "Busbridge, Ida Winifred (1908–1988), mathematician". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. doi:10.1093/odnb/9780198614128.013.51639. ISBN9780198614128. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
^"What's new: August 2020". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. 13 August 2020. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
Further readingEdit
Friedman, E. Clare (2014). Strawberries and Nightingales with Buz: The Pioneering Mathematical Life of Ida Busbridge (1908–1988). CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN978-1499693898.
August 30, 2023
busbridge, winifred, busbridge, 1908, 1988, british, mathematician, taught, university, oxford, from, 1935, until, 1970, first, woman, appointed, oxford, fellowship, mathematics, born10, february, 1908plumstead, kent, englanddied27, december, 1988bromley, kent. Ida Winifred Busbridge 1908 1988 was a British mathematician who taught at the University of Oxford from 1935 until 1970 1 She was the first woman to be appointed to an Oxford fellowship in mathematics Ida BusbridgeBorn10 February 1908Plumstead Kent EnglandDied27 December 1988Bromley Kent EnglandAlma materRoyal Holloway CollegeKnown forMathematicsScientific careerThesisFourier IntegralsNotable studentsSheila Oates Williams Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Career 3 Commemoration 4 References 5 Further readingEarly life and education EditIda Busbridge born to Percival George Busbridge and May Edith Webb on 10 February 1908 She was the youngest of four children Her father died when she was 8 months old of complications from influenza This left her mother a primary school teacher to care for the children Busbridge started her schooling at 6 in a school in her mother s district She moved schools to Christ s Hospital in 1918 having won a scholarship at the age of ten Here she received a firm grounding in mathematics from Miss Mitchener Busbridge became head girl of the school and was later described as the most brilliant pupil in its 400 year history 2 In 1926 she enrolled in Royal Holloway College London intending to specialise in physics but switched to mathematics in 1928 She turned down a place at Newnham College Cambridge as the Scholarship to Royal Holloway was significally more generous 2 During her schooling she was involved in the Choral Society and University Choir along with the Science Discussion Society Busbridge graduated in 1929 with first class honours and was the awarded the Sir John Lubbock Prize for best first class honours of all London University Colleges She continued her education at Royal Holloway earning a masters with distinction in mathematics in 1933 3 Career EditShe began teaching as a demonstrator in mathematics at University College London in 1933 3 She moved to St Hugh s College Oxford in 1935 to teach mathematics alongside Dorothy Wrinch to undergraduates of five women s colleges 1 Influenced by Madge Adam and Harry Plaskett she shifted her interest to applications of maths in astronomy and physics 3 During the Second World War her workload increased to take on the education of physicists and engineers at Oxford Her workload was especially great not only because other mathematicians at the university were called up for special war service but also because women formed a higher percentage of the undergraduate population during the war years 1 4 She was appointed to a Fellowship of St Hugh s College Oxford in 1946 the first women to be appointed to a college fellowship in mathematics 1 4 In 1962 she was awarded a Doctor of Science degree by Oxford She was also a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society 1 She was president of the Mathematical Association for 1964 5 Busbridge s work included integral equations and radiative transfer She was highly regarded as a lecturer and tutor attending to her students educational and personal needs She retired from Oxford in 1970 and became one of the early tutors and developers of courses at the Open University teaching Lebesgue integration and tutoring complex analysis 2 Ida Busbridge died on 27 December 1988 1 A funeral service was held on 9 January 1989 in the church in Keston where her ashes were later interred and a memorial service was held at St Hugh s College Oxford on 25 February 1989 The principal Rachel Trickett quoted Dorothy Wrinch in describing Ida Busbridge as quite simply the best woman mathematician I ve ever met brilliant and yet so capable and unassuming 2 Commemoration EditIn 1983 a former student made a donation of 280 000 to endow the Ida Busbridge fellowship in mathematics at St Hugh s 2 Ida Busbridge s biography was published by the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography on 13 August 2020 as part of their collection of biographies of astronomers and mathematicians 2 6 References Edit a b c d e f Rayner Margaret E December 1989 Obituary Ida Winifred Busbridge 1908 1988 The Mathematical Gazette Mathematical Association 73 466 339 341 doi 10 1017 S0025557200145735 JSTOR 3619320 a b c d e f Friedman E Clare 2020 Busbridge Ida Winifred 1908 1988 mathematician Oxford Dictionary of National Biography doi 10 1093 odnb 9780198614128 013 51639 ISBN 9780198614128 Retrieved 23 August 2020 a b c O Connor John J Robertson Edmund F Ida Busbridge 1908 1988 MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive University of St Andrews a b Rayner Margaret E 2013 The twentieth century In Fauvel John Flood Raymond Wilson Robin eds Oxford Figures Eight Centuries of the Mathematical Sciences Oxford University Press pp 316 317 ISBN 9780199681976 Presidents of the Association Mathematical Association Retrieved 6 October 2018 What s new August 2020 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 13 August 2020 Retrieved 23 August 2020 Further reading EditFriedman E Clare 2014 Strawberries and Nightingales with Buz The Pioneering Mathematical Life of Ida Busbridge 1908 1988 CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform ISBN 978 1499693898 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ida Busbridge amp oldid 1025851936, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
