Person: Malus, Étienne Louis

Étienne Louis Malus was a French mathematician who was almost entirely concerned with the study of light.

Étienne Louis was first educated at home where he was instructed in literature and mathematics.
There he was taught by Monge who realised Malus had special mathematical talents.
On leaving Mézières, Malus joined the army and was posted to Dunkerque.
While studying at the École Polytechnique Malus began to undertake original research, writing papers on the path of light through materials of differing refractive indices.
After graduating from the École Polytechnique Malus rejoined the army, this time taking part in campaigns on the Rhine in 1797.
As an army engineer Malus was ordered to accompany Napoleon's invasion of Egypt in 1798.
As well as Malus these included Monge, Fourier and Napoleon Bonaparte himself.
After returning in 1801 Malus held posts in Antwerp, Strasbourg, and Paris.
In 1811 Malus served, along with Lagrange, Legendre, Laplace and Haüy, on the committee to decide on who to award the prize to for the best work on the propagation of heat in solid bodies.
Malus received many honours for his work, in particular he was awarded a prize from the Académie des Sciences in 1810 for his memoir on double refraction.
In the same year he was elected to the Académie des Sciences and the following year, despite the war between England and France, Malus was awarded the Rumford medal of the Royal Society of London.

Born 23 July 1775, Paris, France. Died 24 February 1812, Paris, France.

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Physics

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O’Connor, John J; Robertson, Edmund F: MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive