John Samuel Forrest
Encyclopedia
John Samuel Forrest FRS
(20 August 1907-11 November 1992) was a Scottish-born physicist, author and Professor Emeritus, University of Strathclyde
.
, South Lanarkshire, Scotland, on 20 August 1907, one of the three children of Samuel Norris Forrest and his wife Elizabeth. Samuel Norris Forrest was a teacher of mathematics at Hamilton Academy and author of text-books on mathematics, trigonometry and calculus. He also lectured in the Department of Mining at Glasgow Technical College (becoming the University of Strathclyde in 1964.)
John Samuel Forrest attended the famous Hamilton Academy
school where he won the Dux Medal, Mathematics Medal and the Science Medal, and coming third in the University of Glasgow
Bursary Examination of 1925 was awarded the John Clerk (Mile End) Bursary to study Mathematics and Natural Philosophy at the university. In 1929 while still an under-graduate Forrest was admitted as a research student in the Science Faculty and awarded the Thomson Experimental Scholarship followed by the Mackay-Smith Scholarship. He also won the Thomson Prize in Astronomy and graduated in 1930 with a double degree, B.Sc. in pure science, with a second class honours in Mathematics and Natural Philosophy.
, Glasgow, followed the next year (1931) with that of physicist with the Central Electricity Board at London, working on the new National Electricity Grid. His first published paper on the Grid was submitted to the Institution of Electrical Engineers
in June 1931, in which month he also attended the Conference Internationale des Grands Reseau Electrique at Paris, with Thomas Allibone
.
Forrest’s third Paper, The electrical characteristics of 132 kV line insulators under various weather conditions was submitted to the IEE
in March 1935, and a further Paper, written in 1940, was sent in February 1941, winning the Coopers Hill War Memorial Prize. In 1942 Forrest was elected a Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society
, later becoming one of the founder-editors of the publication, Weather, one of his own Papers appearing in the publication’s first volume, 1946.
Forrest organized a joint meeting, October 1945, of the IEE and the RMS
on the effects of weather on power systems. He continued to write scientific Papers and in 1948 was awarded D.Sc. by Glasgow University. Rising to Directorship of the new Central Electricity Research Laboratory with some 800 staff, in 1960 Forrest was invited to give the Hunter Memorial Lecture and was nominated Chairman of the Supply Section (1961–62) of the IEE, and in 1963 he gave the third John Logie Baird Memorial Lecture
in the Royal College of Science and Technology
and was elected President, Section A of the British Association for the Advancement of Science in Aberdeen. From November 1963 through to April 1964, Forrest gave a series of thirteen deliveries of the Faraday Lectures
, plus repeats for sixth form school pupils, to a total audience of some 35,000. Also in 1964, Forrest was invited to become Visiting Professor at the new University of Strathclyde
. By 1966, Forrest had become a member of three of the study committees of the Conference Internationale des Grands Reseau Electrique (and became Chairman of the British National Committee in 1972) and in that year, as President of Section A of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, he was invited to attend the meeting of the Indian Association (which became the Indian Science Congress
) meeting in Hyderabad in 1967 where he delivered a lecture on the British electricity supply industry. In 1966, Forrest was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society
and in 1972 elected to its Council. Also in 1972, he was awarded an Hon. D.Sc. by Heriot-Watt University
, Edinburgh.
, Italy, to attend an international congress on geothermal energy at which he was invited to chair the conference’s final session. In 1976, with another Fellow of the Royal Society, Forrest visited the Japan Academy of Science
and touring power stations and research facilities, this followed by a visit to the Egyptian Academy.
Forrest was one of the Founder Fellows of the Fellowship of Engineering
created in 1976 at the Royal Society and in 1977 he was awarded the Honorary Fellowship of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (which, through amalgamation, the Institution of Electrical Engineers, the IEE, had become.) In 1979 John Forrest was elected a Foreign Associate of the United States National Academy of Sciences
and in 1990 was named a Professor Emeritus at the University of Strathclyde.
Dr. John Samuel Forrest, Director of the Central Electricity Research Laboratories; Professor Emeritus, University of Strathclyde; author.
Married (1940–76) Ivy May Olding. One son.
Retired 1973.
Remarried in 1985, the cousin of his first wife.
Died 11 November 1992.
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
(20 August 1907-11 November 1992) was a Scottish-born physicist, author and Professor Emeritus, University of Strathclyde
University of Strathclyde
The University of Strathclyde , Glasgow, Scotland, is Glasgow's second university by age, founded in 1796, and receiving its Royal Charter in 1964 as the UK's first technological university...
.
Early life and education
John Samuel Forrest was born at HamiltonHamilton, South Lanarkshire
Hamilton is a town in South Lanarkshire, in the west-central Lowlands of Scotland. It serves as the main administrative centre of the South Lanarkshire council area. It is the fifth-biggest town in Scotland after Paisley, East Kilbride, Livingston and Cumbernauld...
, South Lanarkshire, Scotland, on 20 August 1907, one of the three children of Samuel Norris Forrest and his wife Elizabeth. Samuel Norris Forrest was a teacher of mathematics at Hamilton Academy and author of text-books on mathematics, trigonometry and calculus. He also lectured in the Department of Mining at Glasgow Technical College (becoming the University of Strathclyde in 1964.)
John Samuel Forrest attended the famous Hamilton Academy
Hamilton Academy
Hamilton Academy was a school situated in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Scotland.Described as "one of the finest schools in Scotland" in the Cambridge University Press County Biography of 1910, Hamilton Academy featured in the Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association Magazine article series on...
school where he won the Dux Medal, Mathematics Medal and the Science Medal, and coming third in the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
Bursary Examination of 1925 was awarded the John Clerk (Mile End) Bursary to study Mathematics and Natural Philosophy at the university. In 1929 while still an under-graduate Forrest was admitted as a research student in the Science Faculty and awarded the Thomson Experimental Scholarship followed by the Mackay-Smith Scholarship. He also won the Thomson Prize in Astronomy and graduated in 1930 with a double degree, B.Sc. in pure science, with a second class honours in Mathematics and Natural Philosophy.
Career
Following graduation Forrest took up his first appointment, as a physicist with the Central Electricity BoardCentral Electricity Board
The United Kingdom Central Electricity Board was set up under The Electricity Act 1926 to standardise the nation's electricity supply. At that time, the industry consisted of more than 600 electricity supply companies and local authority undertakings, and different areas operated at different...
, Glasgow, followed the next year (1931) with that of physicist with the Central Electricity Board at London, working on the new National Electricity Grid. His first published paper on the Grid was submitted to the Institution of Electrical Engineers
Institution of Electrical Engineers
The Institution of Electrical Engineers was a British professional organisation of electronics, electrical, manufacturing, and Information Technology professionals, especially electrical engineers. The I.E.E...
in June 1931, in which month he also attended the Conference Internationale des Grands Reseau Electrique at Paris, with Thomas Allibone
Thomas Allibone
Thomas Edward Allibone, CBE, FRS was an English physicist, his work included important research into particle physics, X-rays, high voltage equipment, and electron microscopes.-Early life:...
.
Forrest’s third Paper, The electrical characteristics of 132 kV line insulators under various weather conditions was submitted to the IEE
Institution of Electrical Engineers
The Institution of Electrical Engineers was a British professional organisation of electronics, electrical, manufacturing, and Information Technology professionals, especially electrical engineers. The I.E.E...
in March 1935, and a further Paper, written in 1940, was sent in February 1941, winning the Coopers Hill War Memorial Prize. In 1942 Forrest was elected a Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society
Royal Meteorological Society
The Royal Meteorological Society traces its origins back to 3 April 1850 when the British Meteorological Society was formed as a society the objects of which should be the advancement and extension of meteorological science by determining the laws of climate and of meteorological phenomena in general...
, later becoming one of the founder-editors of the publication, Weather, one of his own Papers appearing in the publication’s first volume, 1946.
Forrest organized a joint meeting, October 1945, of the IEE and the RMS
Royal Meteorological Society
The Royal Meteorological Society traces its origins back to 3 April 1850 when the British Meteorological Society was formed as a society the objects of which should be the advancement and extension of meteorological science by determining the laws of climate and of meteorological phenomena in general...
on the effects of weather on power systems. He continued to write scientific Papers and in 1948 was awarded D.Sc. by Glasgow University. Rising to Directorship of the new Central Electricity Research Laboratory with some 800 staff, in 1960 Forrest was invited to give the Hunter Memorial Lecture and was nominated Chairman of the Supply Section (1961–62) of the IEE, and in 1963 he gave the third John Logie Baird Memorial Lecture
John Logie Baird
John Logie Baird FRSE was a Scottish engineer and inventor of the world's first practical, publicly demonstrated television system, and also the world's first fully electronic colour television tube...
in the Royal College of Science and Technology
Royal College of Science and Technology
The Royal College of Science and Technology, situated at 138 George Street in Glasgow, Scotland was the principal predecessor institution of the University of Strathclyde, and now serves as one of the main educational buildings of the campus.-History:...
and was elected President, Section A of the British Association for the Advancement of Science in Aberdeen. From November 1963 through to April 1964, Forrest gave a series of thirteen deliveries of the Faraday Lectures
Michael Faraday
Michael Faraday, FRS was an English chemist and physicist who contributed to the fields of electromagnetism and electrochemistry....
, plus repeats for sixth form school pupils, to a total audience of some 35,000. Also in 1964, Forrest was invited to become Visiting Professor at the new University of Strathclyde
University of Strathclyde
The University of Strathclyde , Glasgow, Scotland, is Glasgow's second university by age, founded in 1796, and receiving its Royal Charter in 1964 as the UK's first technological university...
. By 1966, Forrest had become a member of three of the study committees of the Conference Internationale des Grands Reseau Electrique (and became Chairman of the British National Committee in 1972) and in that year, as President of Section A of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, he was invited to attend the meeting of the Indian Association (which became the Indian Science Congress
Indian Science Congress Association
Indian Science Congress Association is a premier scientific organisation of India,started in the year 1914, with Headquarters at Kolkata.. It meets annually in the first week of January every year.-Introduction:...
) meeting in Hyderabad in 1967 where he delivered a lecture on the British electricity supply industry. In 1966, Forrest was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
and in 1972 elected to its Council. Also in 1972, he was awarded an Hon. D.Sc. by Heriot-Watt University
Heriot-Watt University
Heriot-Watt University is a university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. The name commemorates George Heriot, the 16th century financier to King James, and James Watt, the great 18th century inventor and engineer....
, Edinburgh.
Post retirement
Retiring in 1973, Forrest visited Czechoslovakia and in 1975, Bulgaria, and was received by the respective academies and delivered lectures. Also in 1975, Forrest was invited by the Accademia dei LinceiAccademia dei Lincei
The Accademia dei Lincei, , is an Italian science academy, located at the Palazzo Corsini on the Via della Lungara in Rome, Italy....
, Italy, to attend an international congress on geothermal energy at which he was invited to chair the conference’s final session. In 1976, with another Fellow of the Royal Society, Forrest visited the Japan Academy of Science
The Japan Academy
is an honorary organization founded in 1879 to bring together leading Japanese scholars with distinguished records of scientific achievements. The Academy is currently organization attached to the Ministry of Education; and the organization's headquarters located in Ueno Park, Tokyo, Japan...
and touring power stations and research facilities, this followed by a visit to the Egyptian Academy.
Forrest was one of the Founder Fellows of the Fellowship of Engineering
Royal Academy of Engineering
-Overview: is the UK’s national academy of engineering. The Academy brings together the most successful and talented engineers from across the engineering sectors for a shared purpose: to advance and promote excellence in engineering....
created in 1976 at the Royal Society and in 1977 he was awarded the Honorary Fellowship of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (which, through amalgamation, the Institution of Electrical Engineers, the IEE, had become.) In 1979 John Forrest was elected a Foreign Associate of the United States National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
and in 1990 was named a Professor Emeritus at the University of Strathclyde.
Dr. John Samuel Forrest, Director of the Central Electricity Research Laboratories; Professor Emeritus, University of Strathclyde; author.
Married (1940–76) Ivy May Olding. One son.
Retired 1973.
Remarried in 1985, the cousin of his first wife.
Died 11 November 1992.