Abstract
THE retirement of Prof. E. G. Coker from the Kennedy chair of civil and mechanical engineering in University College, London, was the subject of a couple of paragraphs in the News and Views columns of NATURE of August 11. Opportunity was then taken to refer to a few outstanding points in Prof. Coker's career and work, particularly his researches on the use of polarised light in deter mining the distribution of stress in machines and structures. On October 11, a complimentary dinner was given to Prof. Coker at University College, London, and he was presented with a cine-camera and a cheque by past and present colleagues and students. Lord Rutherford, who presided over a large assembly representing various departments of university teaching and research, recalled the days when Prof. Coker was associate professor of civil engineering in McGill University, Montreal, and he himself was Macdonald professor of physics in the same University. Since then Prof. Coker's pioneer work has been recognised by his election as a fellow of the Royal Society, and by the use of his results in solving many scientific and engineering problems. Prof. L. N. G. Filon, who collaborated with Prof. Coker in the production of the exhaustive treatise on photo-elasticity, published in 1932, added his tribute to that of Lord Rutherford. In his reply, Prof. Coker said that the council of the College has permitted him to take away much of the apparatus which he used in his researches, and that he proposes to continue his work in a laboratory which he has constructed near his home.
Article PDF
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Tribute to Prof E. G. Coker. Nature 134, 598 (1934). https://doi.org/10.1038/134598a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/134598a0