Robert William Chapman (engineer)

Sir Robert William Chapman CMG MICE MIEAust (27 December 1866 – 27 February 1942) was an Australian mathematician and engineer.

Chapman was born in Stony Stratford in Buckinghamshire, England, eldest son of Charles Chapman (c. 1838 – 14 September 1921), a currier from Melbourne, Australia, and his wife Matilda, née Harrison (c. 1840 – 23 October 1933). His parents returned to Melbourne in 1876, where he was educated at Wesley College and the University of Melbourne, graduating MA and BCE with first class honours in Physics and Mathematics.

In 1888, at the recommendation of Professor William Bragg, he was appointed a Lecturer in Mathematics and Physics at Adelaide University. He was appointed Professor of Engineering in 1907 and served as (Sir Thomas) Elder Professor of Mathematics and Mechanics from 1910 when Professor Bragg was appointed to the Cavendish chair of physics in the University of Leeds, then returned to his previous post in 1919. He served as Vice-Chancellor during the absence of Sir William Mitchell and retiring in 1937. He was appointed president of the School of Mines council in 1939 on the death of Sir Langdon Bonython.

His research work included:

He was elected to the Royal Society of South Australia in 1888 and to the Australian Association for the Advancement of Science.

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