| Administrative History | Patrick Copland was born in Fintray, Aberdeenshire, in 1748, the son of the minister. He held two chairs in Marischal College, Aberdeen: he was Professor of Natural Philosophy from 1775 to 1779, then Professor of Mathematics from 1779 to 1817, then of Natural Philosophy again until 1822. He was instrumental in setting up a museum of natural philosophy, the first of its kind in Scotland, though he was also a successful and popular teacher. He died in 1822. |