Society for science in London elects Irishman a fellow

The Royal Society in London, which promotes the sciences, has elected an Irish scientist a fellow.

Prof Denis Weaire of Trinity College was one of 42 new fellows announced by the society yesterday.

Selection to the fellowship of the society is recognised worldwide as a sign of the highest regard in science and often reads like a list of noted scientists.

Fellows are elected for their contributions to science, both in fundamental research and also in scientific and technological progress in industry and research establishments.

Included in this year's intake are Prof Frances Ashcroft of the University of Oxford, who carries out advanced research in diabetes; heart transplant specialist Prof Magdi Yacoub, of Harefield Hospital, Middlesex; Prof Barry Marshall of the University of Western Australia, who jointly discovered that bacteria caused stomach ulcers; Prof Joseph Silk, also of Oxford, who did fundamental work on understanding galaxy formation; and Prof David Delphy of University College London, who pioneered the use of nuclear magnetic resonance for the study of the brain.

Prof Weaire is a research scientist working in Trinity's Physics Department. He specialises in materials research.

He was born in India but grew up in Northern Ireland. He lectured at University College Dublin from 1980 to 1984 and since then has lectured and researched at Trinity.

He expressed delight at his selection by the Royal Society. "It has always been an ambition but one I hoped rather than expected to achieve," he said yesterday.

The last Irish fellow was in 1986, according to the society, when Prof Michael Raftery of University College Galway was elected. He now lives and works in California.

The Royal Society is an independent academy which promotes the natural and applied sciences and was established in 1660. It has a role in promoting and recognising excellence in science and its application, and also in disseminating research results through meetings, lectures and exhibitions.

Its original charter was to carry out this function in the United Kingdom and Ireland, so it still views any Irish recipients as "fellows" rather than "foreign members". A maximum of 42 new fellows may be elected annually and up to six foreign members. This year's intake, decided at a meeting and vote taken by the society late last week, included the full complement of fellows and foreign members.