Professor of Mechanism and Applied Mechanics, 1890-1903
Ewing was born in Dundee, the youngest of three sons of the minister
of St Andrew's Free Church. He took a degree in engineering at Edinburgh
University and shortly after graduating he became Professor of Mechanical
Engineering at the new University of Tokyo.
It was whilst there that he carried out research into earthquakes, which
were frequent in Japan, and devised a new type of seismometer. He also
studied magnetism and gave the name to the phenomenon of hysteresis.
"In
a family whose chief interests were clerical and literary, I took
my pleasure in machines and experiments. My scanty pocket money
was spent on tools and chemicals. The domestic attic was put at
my disposal. It became the scene of hair-raising explosions. There
too the domestic cat found herself an unwilling instrument of electrification
and a partner in various shocking experiences."