James Hamilton (physicist)

James "Jim" Hamilton (29 January 1918, Sligo – 6 July 2000) was an Irish mathematician and theoretical physicist who, whilst at Dublin Institute for Advanced Sciences (1941-1943), helped to develop the theory of cosmic-ray mesons with Walter Heitler and Hwan-Wu Peng.

At the University of Manchester (1945-1949), under Patrick Blackett, he worked on radiation damping and associated topics.

At the University of Cambridge, where he lectured in mathematics (1950–1960), he was at the forefront of work on S-matrix theory, known for his use of dispersion relations. His work there included collaborations with Abdus Salam and Hans Bethe. During his last two years he was at the core, along with Richard Eden and George Batchelor, of founding the new Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics.

At University College, London (1960-1964) he formed a thriving high energy physics research group, before moving to Copenhagen and NORDITA, where he led the teaching of particle physics in Scandinavia from 1964 to 1983.