Cherry, Thomas Macfarland (1898 - 1966)

Summary

Sir Thomas M. Cherry was a mathematician held in high regard for his research in the mathematics of air-flow in trans-sonic flight and global differential equation theory. He was influential in the teaching of mathematics in Victoria, both at the University of Melbourne where he was Professor for over 30 years, and in revising the secondary school syllabus. For the University he supervised the installation and operations of the CSIRAC computer from 1956. He was also Chairman of he Academic Planning Board of La Trobe University.

Cherry took a leading role in several mathematics societies, serving terms as President of the Australian Mathematical Society and the Mathematics Association of Victoria. He was a founding member of the Australian Academy of Science and also served a term as President.

The T. M. Cherry Prize named in his honour, has been awarded since 1969 for the best student paper presented at the conference of the Applied Mathematics Division (later ANZIAM) of the Australian Mathematical Society.

Details

Chronology

1918

Military service - First World War. Australian Flying Corps

1918

Education - Bachelor of Arts (BA(Hons)), University of Melbourne

1922

Education - Bachelor of Arts (BA), University of Cambridge

1923 - 1928

Career position - Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge

1924

Education - Doctor of Philosphy (PhD), University of Cambridge

1925 - 1928

Career position - Fellow, Trinity College, University of Cambridge

1929 - 1934

Career position - President, Mathematics Association of Victoria

1929 - 1952

Career position - Chairman, University of Melbourne Schools Board

1929 - 1952

Career position - Professor of Mathematics, pure and mixed, University of Melbourne

1946 - 1948

Career position - President, Mathematics Association of Victoria

1950

Award - Doctor of Science (ScD), University of Cambridge

1951

Award - Thomas Ranken Lyle Medal, Australian National Research Council

1952 - 1963

Career position - Professor of Applied Mathematics, University of Melbourne

1953 - 1966

Award - Petitioner for the Academy, Founding Fellow, Australian Academy of Science (FAA)

1954 - 1955

Career position - Member of Council, Australian Academy of Science

1954 - 1966

Award - Fellow, The Royal Society, London (FRS)

1956 - 1958

Career position - Foundation President, Australian Mathematical Society

1956 - 1959

Career position - Secretary, Australian Academy of Science

1958

Career position - President, Section A, Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science

1961 - 1963

Career position - Foundation President, Victorian Computer Society

1961 - 1964

Career position - President, Australian Academy of Science

1965

Award - Knight Bachelor (Kt) - In recognition of service to science

Related entries

Archival resources

Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science

• Thomas Macfarland Cherry - Records, 1930 - 1969, MS 059; Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science. Details

The University of Melbourne Archives

• Thomas Macfarland Cherry - Records, 1920 - 1963; The University of Melbourne Archives. Details

Published resources

Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Exhibitions

• Smith, Ailie, Adolph Basser Library Manuscript Collection, eScholarship Research Centre, 2012, http://www.eoas.info/basser_browse.html. Details

Book Sections

• Cross, J. J., 'Cherry, Sir Thomas MacFarland (1898-1966), professor of mathematics' in Australian dictionary of biography, volume 13: 1940 - 1980 A-De, John Ritchie, ed. (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1993), pp. 410-412. http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A130459b.htm. Details

Journal Articles

• Bullen, K. E., 'Thomas MacFarland Cherry', Records of the Australian Academy of Science, 1 (2) (1967), 97-107. https://doi.org/10.1071/HR9670120097. Details
• Bullen, Keith Edward and Temple, George Frederick James, 'Thomas MacFarland Cherry, 1898 - 1966', Biographical memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society, 14 (1968), 117-38. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbm.1968.0006. Details
• Cherry, T. M., 'Anthony George Maldon Michell 1870-1959', Biographical memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society, 8 (1962), 91-103. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbm.1962.0007. Details
• Cohen, Graeme, 'The appointment of the first four professors of mathematics in the University of Melbourne', Gazette of the Australian Mathematical Society, 33 (1) (2006), 14-21. Details
• Grimshaw, R., 'An Analysis of the Impact of T.M. Cherry's Work on Asymptotic Expanisons', Journal of Australian Mathematical Society, Series B, 30 (1988), 378-388. Details
• Love, E. R., 'Obituary: Thomas MacFarland Cherry, 1898-1966', Australian Journal of Science, 31 (11) (1969), 392-395. Details
• Love, E. R., 'Thomas MacFarland Cherry', Journal of the Australian Mathematical Society, 9 (1/2) (1969), 1-24. Details

Resources

• Wikidata, http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q7792086. Details
• VIAF - Virtual International Authority File, OCLC, https://viaf.org/viaf/93424689. Details
• CA 2001 Australian Imperial Force, Base Records Office, 'NAA: B2455, Cherry T McF', B2455 First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920, National Archives of Australia, RecordSearch, https://RecordSearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=3241959. Details
• 'Cherry, T M (1898-)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-569267. Details

Resource Sections

• 'Cherry, Thomas Macfarland - Ms 59', in Listing of Adolph Basser Library holdings, Australian Academy of Science, 1994, http://www.science.org.au/basser/manuscript-collection/ms059.html. Details
• 'Cherry, Thomas Macfarland', in Physics in Australia to 1945, R.W. Home, with the assistance of Paula J. Needham, Australian Science Archives Project, June 1995, http://www.asap.unimelb.edu.au/bsparcs/physics/P000307p.htm. Details
• Bullen, K. E., 'Thomas MacFarland Cherry 1898-1966', in Australian Academy of Science Biographical Memoirs, Australian Academy of Science, 2006, https://www.science.org.au/fellowship/fellows/biographical-memoirs/thomas-macfarland-cherry-1898-1966. Details

See also

• Thomas Ranken Lyle Medal, Australian Academy of Science, Canberra, 2023. https://www.science.org.au/supporting-science/awards-and-opportunities/thomas-ranken-lyle-medal. Details
• Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, Technology in Australia 1788-1988, Online edn, Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre, Melbourne, 3 May 2000, http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/tia/index_c.html. Details
• Cumpston, J. H. L., Influenza and maritime quarantine in Australia (Melbourne: Government Printer, 1919), 176 pp. Details