Denis Lawrence WeaireFRS (born 17 October 1942 in Dalhousie,Simla, India)[1] is an Irishphysicist and an emeritus professor ofTrinity College Dublin (TCD).[2]
Educated at theBelfast Royal Academy andClare College, Cambridge (BA 1964, PhD 1968) he held positions atUniversity of California,University of Chicago,Harvard andYale, ultimately holding professorships atHeriot-Watt, andUniversity College Dublin before becoming, in 1984,Erasmus Smith's Professor of Natural and Experimental Philosophy at TCD.[2]
Together with his graduate studentRobert Phelan, Weaire came up with a counter-example toLord Kelvin's conjecture on whichsurface was the most economical way to divide space into cells of equal size with theleast surface area. This counter-example is now referred to as theWeaire–Phelan structure. This structure was an integral part of the design of the aquatic centre used in the2008 Olympics inBeijing.[3]
In 1971, together withMichael Thorpe, he introduced theWeaire–Thorpe model forelectronic structure calculations. This has found application in the theory ofamorphousinsulators.[citation needed]
Weaire is currently carrying out research in the field offoam physics. He has co-authoredThe Physics of Foams, Oxford University Press (2000) withStefan Hutzler, andThe Pursuit of Perfect Packing, IoP Press (2000) with Tomaso Aste. In this context he published several scientific articles oncylinder sphere packings.[4][5][6][7]
In 2005, he was awarded the premier award of theRoyal Irish Academy, the Cunningham Medal. Previous winners includeWilliam Rowan Hamilton.[citation needed]
In 2008, he won theFernand Holweck Medal and Prize.
Weaire has a strong interest in the history of science and is a board member of the History of Physics group of theEuropean Physical Society.[8] He has edited several collections of historical essays, including a 2012 book onEdward Hutchinson Synge withPetros Florides and John F. Donegan.[9]
During the convicted murdererIra Einhorn's time in Ireland, Weaire was his landlord.[10] When Weaire found out about the accusations of murder that Einhorn faced in the U.S., he reported him to theFBI and evicted him.[10] Weaire, and his relationship to Einhorn, was the subject of the 2004 TV showInterpol Investigates (episode entitledFatal Compulsion). The part of 'Professor Dennis Weaire' was played by actorRobert Randolph Caton. He was previously depicted in the made-for-TV filmThe Hunt for the Unicorn Killer, which featuredNaomi Watts as Holly Maddux,Kevin Anderson as Einhorn, andIan D. Clark as Weaire.
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