Cavendish Professor of Physics However, it was poorly advertised, so it was only to his students that he laid out his plans for physics at Cambridge. When Maxwell began the actual course a few days later with a lecture on heat, it was attended by academics in formal dress, in the belief that it was the first lecture. Maxwell spent the next three years supervising the construction of the dedicated Cavendish Laboratory, and published in 1873 A Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism. Maxwell's health deteriorated a short time into his tenure, and he died in 1879, aged 48. Lord Rayleigh replaced Maxwell immediately upon
Durham University Department of Physics situated on the university's Science Site, on the south side of the city of Durham, 2 miles from Junction 62 of the A1(M) and approx 5 minutes drive from Durham Station. Students are members of one of the 14 colleges in the city. Each year the department admits around 170 students for degrees in physics, physics & astronomy and theoretical physics. The current standard conditional offer given to a student taking A-Level examinations is A*A*A, to include physics and mathematics. Admissions are processed through UCAS. In addition, an applicant must be accepted by one of the colleges of Durham University.