Charles Cook (academic)

Charles Henry Herbert Cook (30 September 1843–21 May 1910) was an English-born, Australian-raised, New Zealand-based mathematician. He was born in Kentish Town, Middlesex, England on 30 September 1843, but educated in Melbourne, Australia, where he got a BA and an LLB from University of Melbourne. He then went to St John's College, Cambridge, initially to train for the English Bar but became interested in mathematics.

Studio headshot of Charles Henry Herbert Cook taken from "The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Canterbury Provincial District]" 1903.

In 1874, a year before being due to be called to the bar, Cook was appointed founding head of mathematics at Canterbury College, University of New Zealand (now Canterbury University).[1] He joined co-founders John Macmillan Brown and Alexander Bickerton in Christchurch, New Zealand and initially focused on Latin and mathematics. He was also involved in promoting the establishment of the University's engineering school.[2] He is remembered primarily for his teaching; Nobel Prize-winning physicist Ernest Rutherford cited him as an influence:[3][4]

Cook was evidently a sound mathematician and an excellent teacher along orthodox lines, with no marked tendency to stray from those lines.[5]

He was involved in secondary education, acting as an examiner for the New Zealand Department of Education and holding a fellowship at the Anglican Christ's College, Christchurch from 1891 to 1908.[1]

Cook was a member of the Royal Commission on Higher Education 1878–1800[3][6] and a member of the senate of the University of New Zealand.[1]

In 1903, Cook appeared in the vanity press The Cyclopedia of New Zealand, with a photo and short article.[1] He died in Marton, New Zealand on 21 May 1910.[3]

Cook Memorial Prize

After his death in 1910 a memorial prize was established, with Ernest Rutherford among the contributors.[7][8]

Year Recipient
1912? Henry S. Richards[9]
1934 T. E. Easterfield[10]
1940 I. E. Robertson[11]
1941? Alister McLellan[12]
1947 David Spence[13]
1993 Alistair O’Malley[14]
1994 Michael Burns[14]
1995 Chris Tuffley[14]
1996 Jon Cherrie and Kahn Mason[14]
1997 Brian Bull[14]
1998 James McGowan[14][15]
1999 Clare McLennan Nigel Sinclair[14]
2000 Hannah Sutherland[14]
2001 Daniel Myall[14]
2002 Philip Daniel[14]
2003 Ronald Begg[14]
2005 Maarten Jordens[14]
2006 James Roscoe[14]
2007 Timothy Candy[14]
2008 Ashley Lightfoot[14]
2009 Thomas Steinke[14][16]
2010 Nicholas Brettell and James Hadfield[14]
2011 Thomas Li[14]
2012 Simon Todd[14]
2013 Jamie de Jong, Andreas Kempe and Joshua Smith[14]
2014 Carolyn Irons

References
  1. Cyclopedia Company Limited. "Professor Charles Henry Herbert Cook". Nzetc.victoria.ac.nz. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  2. S. H. Jenkinson. "8 – The Early Professors". Nzetc.victoria.ac.nz. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  3. Gardner, W. J. "Charles Henry Herbert Cook". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
  4. S. H. Jenkinson (19 October 1937). "9 – Rutherford". Nzetc.victoria.ac.nz. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  5. Rutherford: Life and work to the year 1919, with personal reminiscences of the Manchester period. H. R. Robinson. Proceedings of the Physical Society, ISSN 0959-5309, 05/1943, Volume 55, Issue 3, pp. 161–182
  6. "Papers Past — Wanganui Herald — 29 November 1878 — ROYAL COMMISSION ON EDUCATION". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  7. "The New Zealand Journal for the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology". The Rutherford Journal. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  8. "Papers Past — Marlborough Express — 20 January 1911 — UNIVERSITY SENATE". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 20 January 1911. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  9. "Henry S. Richards". Rangiorahigh.school.nz. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  10. "Papers Past — Auckland Star — 17 March 1934 — SCHOLARSHIPS". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 17 March 1934. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  11. "Papers Past — Evening Post — 19 April 1940 — VICTORIA COLLEGE". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 19 April 1940. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  12. "Alister George McLellan « Obituaries « Fellowship « The Academy « Our Organisation « Royal Society of New Zealand". Royalsociety.org.nz. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  13. "G.C. Wake 'Professor David Spence' in New Zealand Mathematical Society Newsletter 28, August 1983" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  14. "Scholarships and Prizes Awarded – Mathematics and Statistics – University of Canterbury". Math.canterbury.ac.nz. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  15. McGowan, James Andrew. "UC Research Repository: Effects of particulate air pollution on cardiorespiratory admissions in Christchurch, NZ". Ir.canterbury.ac.nz. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  16. Steinke, Thomas Alexander. "UC Research Repository: Constructive Notions of Compactness in Apartness Spaces". Ir.canterbury.ac.nz. Retrieved 12 July 2013.
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