The Irish engineer and scientist Robert Mallet (1810-81) is one of Ireland’s many unsung scientific heroes. His contributions to the fields of engineering, seismology, volcanology and ballistic ordnance were of global significance.
As 2010 sees the bicentenary of his birth, this exhibition will highlight his leading role in solving critical scientific questions.
Mallet is regarded as the founder of seismology – the study of earthquakes.
Among his many achievements, his pioneering experiments on Killiney beach during the 1840s showed for the first time how sound waves can shake the ground and cause catastrophic earthquakes.
The exhibition will also illustrate the enduring legacy that the Mallet family’s iron foundry business left on the Irish landscape.
The family firm supplied ironwork for Ireland’s railway system, the swing bridge over the River Shannon, and the iron railings surrounding Trinity College Dublin.
The commemorative exhibition is supported by the Heritage Council, the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies and the Irish Times.
Opening hours of the exhibition at the RDS: Monday to Friday, 10am-5pm.
Learn more
Read more on Science.ie about Robert Mallet’s scientific achievements
