Dorothy Margaret Greig (née Hannah, 11 February 1922 – 10 June 1999) was an English

applied mathematician A mathematician is someone who uses an extensive knowledge of mathematics in their work, typically to solve mathematical problems. Mathematicians are concerned with numbers, data, quantity, structure, space, models, and change. History One ...

who worked upon the theory of

worsted spinning Short draw is the spinning (textiles), spinning technique used to create worsted yarns. It is spun from combing, combed roving, Sliver (textiles), sliver or wool top – anything with the fibers all lined up parallel to the yarn. It is generally ...

, especially the superdraft system invented by Geoffrey Ambler. During the Second World War, she worked on the analysis of strategic bombing. She began lecturing at

Leeds University The University of Leeds is a public research university in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It was established in 1874 as the Yorkshire College of Science. In 1884, it merged with the Leeds School of Medicine (established 1831) and was renamed ...

in 1948 and subsequently lectured at Constantine Technical College and

Durham University Durham University (legally the University of Durham) is a collegiate university, collegiate public university, public research university in Durham, England, founded by an Act of Parliament (UK), Act of Parliament in 1832 and incorporated by r ...

Early life and education

Dorothy Margaret Hannah was born on 11 February 1922. She was known by her second name Margaret. She attended Central Newcastle High School, and was awarded a First Trust Scholarship to attend

Newnham College, Cambridge Newnham College is a women's constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college was founded in 1871 by a group organising Lectures for Ladies, members of which included philosopher Henry Sidgwick and suffragist campaigner Millicen ...

, from 1940 to 1943, where she earned a Master of Arts. She also earned first-class honours and was a Wrangler. She undertook research at the textile department of the University of Leeds, and earned a M. S. followed by a PhD in 1950.

Career

Greig was an applied mathematician who worked upon the theory of

, especially the superdraft system invented by Geoffrey Ambler. Her understanding of the theory led to improvements in the tension rollers. During World War 2, she worked in the Air Warfare Analysis Section of the Ministry of Defence, on the analysis of strategic bombing, researching patterns of bomb craters around targets. Greig started lecturing at

in 1948. She subsequently lectured at Constantine Technical College and

. Greig collaborated with T. H. Wise to publish the two volumes of ''Hydrodynamics and Vector Field Theory'', in 1962 and 1963. She published a textbook on optimization in 1980.

Personal life

Dorothy Margaret Hannah married W. A. Greig in 1948, taking his surname, and had three sons and a daughter. She “was much admired for the way she combined her family life with a full-time teaching and research position”.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Greig, Margaret 1922 births 1999 deaths Alumni of Newnham College, Cambridge Spinning 20th-century English mathematicians Academics of the University of Leeds Academics of Durham University Academics of Teesside University