1. Bertha Swirles, Lady Jeffreys was an English physicist, academic and scientific author who carried out research on quantum theory in its early days.
15 Facts About Bertha Swirles
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Bertha Swirles was associated with Girton College, University of Cambridge, as student and Fellow, for over 70 years.
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Bertha Swirles was born in Northampton in 1903 to Harriett nee Blaxley was born on around 1873), a primary school teacher, and William Alexander Swirles (b.
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In 1921, Swirles matriculated at Girton College to read mathematics, taking a first.
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Bertha Swirles became a research student of quantum theory partly under Ralph Fowler at the University of Cambridge, one of a distinguished company of his students that included Paul Dirac and Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar.
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Bertha Swirles carried out research at the University of Gottingen under Max Born and Werner Heisenberg.
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Bertha Swirles followed with similar teaching posts at the University of Bristol and then at Imperial College, London in the 1930s.
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Bertha Swirles returned to Girton College in 1938 as a mathematics lecturer and Fellow of the College.
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Bertha Swirles continued her research into quantum theory, but expanded her work to include seismology.
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Bertha Swirles held a variety of positions at the College including Vice-Mistress from 1966 to 1969.
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In 1940, Bertha Swirles married fellow mathematician Harold Jeffreys becoming Lady Jeffreys when he was knighted in 1953.
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Bertha Swirles enjoyed music and was an accomplished pianist and cellist.
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Bertha Swirles died in Cambridge on 18 December 1999 of a stroke.
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Bertha Swirles was president of the Mathematical Association for 1969.
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Bertha Swirles received honorary degrees from the Open University and the University of Saskatchewan.