When Lord Kelvin died in 1907 he was lauded as the most famous scientist in the world and buried in Westminster Abbey, beside Sir Issac Newton.

His fame, outside academia, has since faded but on the 100th anniversary of his death, Glasgow University aims to ensure his great achievements receive the recognition they deserve and his remarkable life story is told to a new generation.

In the Kelvin centenary lecture, 'A Look Across a Century', Professor Andrzej Wr￳blewski will show why Lord Kelvin was such an inspiring physicist, teacher, engineer and inventor and examine the impact of his legacy.

"Lord Kelvin was the dominating figure in science in the second half of the 19th century," said Professor Andrzej Wr￳blewski, "and the hundred years which have passed since his death provide an adequate perspective for proper assessment of his achievements.

"Kelvin was a giant of 19th century science who made fundamental contributions to thermal physics, electromagnetism and optics as well as practical achievements ranging from undersea amplifiers to marine compasses."

The Kelvin centenary lecture, which is free and open to the public, takes place at 5pm on Monday 30 April in the Charles Wilson Lecture Theatre, University Avenue, Glasgow.

Professor Andrzej Wr￳blewski is Dean of the Physics Department at Warsaw University and holds an honorary doctorates from the University of Glasgow.

His fields of research are high energy physics and history of physics, which he teaches at Warsaw University.

Ray McHugh (r.mchugh@admin.gla.ac.uk)

For more information contact Ray McHugh from the Media Relations Office on 0141 330 3535 or email r.mchugh@admin.gla.ac.uk

Lord Kevlin Online

First published: 24 April 2007