Editing David J. Simms

{{EngvarB|date=August 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox scientist
| honorific_prefix =
| honorific_suffix =
| name = David J. Simms
| image = David Simms.jpg
| caption = David Simms in 1998
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1933|01|13}}
| birth_place = [[Sankeshwar, Karnataka|Sankeshwar]], India
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2018|06|24|1933|01|13}}
| death_place = [[Dublin]], Ireland
| nationality = Irish
| fields = Mathematics
| workplaces = Trinity College Dublin
| alma_mater = 
| academic_advisors = [[W. V. D. Hodge]]
| doctoral_students =
| known_for =
| awards =
| education = [[Trinity College Dublin]]<br />[[Peterhouse, Cambridge]]
}}
'''David John Simms''' (13 January 1933 – 24 June 2018) was an Indian-born Irish mathematician who was a Fellow [[Emeritus]] and former Associate Professor of [[Mathematics]] at [[Trinity College, Dublin]]. Born in [[Sankeshwar, Karnataka|Sankeshwar]], Mysore (the state now known as [[Karnataka]]), India, he specialized in [[differential geometry]] and [[geometric quantisation]]. He was a member of the [[Royal Irish Academy]] from 1978 and was a member of the Editorial Board of the journal ''Mathematical Proceedings of the [[Royal Irish Academy]]''.<ref name=obit>[https://www.irishmathsoc.org/bull88/wef/Obits/Simms/Simms-wef.pdf David John Simms obituary] Irish Math. Soc. Bulletin No. 88, Winter 2021, 15–22</ref>

==Academic career==
Simms completed his undergraduate degree in Mathematics in Trinity College Dublin, graduating in 1955. He was [[List of Scholars of Trinity College Dublin|elected a Scholar]] of the College in 1952, when he was just in the first year of his degree, a notable achievement. He went on to do a Ph.D. in  the [[University of Cambridge]] under [[W. V. D. Hodge]].<ref>{{cite interview |last=Simms |first=David |subject-link= |interviewer=Maurice O'Keeff |title=An Interview with David Simms |work=Trinity College, Dublin, Collection |date=2012 |publisher=Irish Life and Lore |location=Ireland |url=https://www.irishlifeandlore.com/product/david-simms-b-1933/ |access-date=23 June 2021}}</ref> Simms lectured in [[Glasgow University]] before returning to Trinity. He served as head of the Department of Pure and Applied Mathematics from 1991 to 1998.<ref name=obit/>

Simms' research interests included [[differential geometry]] and [[geometric quantisation]].

===Books and select publications===
*''Lie Groups and Quantum Mechanics'', Springer Lecture Notes in Mathematics Number 52, 1968
*''Lectures on Geometric Quantization'', (with N.M.J. Woodhouse) Springer Lecture Notes in Physics Number 53, 1976 professional papers.
* Geometric quantization of energy levels in the Kepler problem, D.J. Simms - Symposia Mathematica, 1974<ref>[http://www.zentralblatt-math.org/zmath/en/search/?q=an:0306.53038&format=complete zbmath database]</ref>

David Simms was a member of the [[Royal Irish Academy]] since 1978.<ref>[https://www.ria.ie/david-john-simms David John Simms]</ref> He was a member of the Editorial Board of the journal ''Mathematical Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy''.<ref>[http://www.emis.de/journals/MPRIA/EdBrd.html Editorial Board.] Mathematical Proceedings of the [[Royal Irish Academy]]. Accessed 24 December 2009.</ref>

==Personal life==
Simms was married to Anngret Erichson, a former associate professor and head of geography at [[University College Dublin]]. They had three sons,<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2004/1120/1099561067816.html | title=A Career Mapped Out | newspaper=The Irish Times | date=20 November 2004}}</ref> one of whom, [[Brendan Simms]], is a professor of international relations at Cambridge University. As a child Simms survived 13 days at sea following the sinking of the [[SS City of Cairo]] in November 1942.<ref>[http://www.sscityofcairo.co.uk/passengerlist.php passenger list]  SS City of Cairo</ref><ref>[http://www.sscityofcairo.co.uk/simms.php Thirteen Days in a Lifeboat:  An account of the sinking] by David Simms, SS City of Cairo</ref> He was also the nephew of Irish communist [[Brian Goold-Verschoyle]].<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/6759483.stm ''Irish victims of Stalin uncovered,'' BBC, 16 June 2007]</ref> He was also the nephew of [[George Simms|Archbishop George Otto Simms]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Guidera|first=Anita|title=Academic caught up in factory planning dispute|url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/academic-caught-up-in-factory-planning-dispute-76218.html|accessdate=9 November 2012|newspaper=[[Irish Independent]]|date=1 September 2006}}</ref>

Simms died on 25 June 2018 in Dublin.<ref>{{cite web |title=Death Notice of David SIMMS |url=https://rip.ie/showdn.php?dn=358491/DavidSIMMS/Sandymount/Dublin |website=[[RIP.ie]] |accessdate=26 June 2018 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://notices.irishtimes.com/death/simms-david/53797727 | title=Simms, David : Death notice | date=26 June 2018 | newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] | accessdate=9 August 2019 }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{MathGenealogy|85350}}
*[http://www.maths.tcd.ie/~simms Professor Simms' Webpage]
*[http://www.tcdlife.ie/scholars/scholar/about-list.php?searchstring=david+simms&action=search TCD Scholars Site]
*[http://www.sscityofcairo.co.uk/ S.S. City of Cairo website]
*[https://presspack.rte.ie/2008/04/28/flesh-and-blood-4/ Flesh and Blood - RTE documentary on Goold-Verschoyle family]

{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Simms, David J.}}
[[Category:1933 births]]
[[Category:2018 deaths]]
[[Category:Academics of Trinity College Dublin]]
[[Category:Academics of the University of Glasgow]]
[[Category:Alumni of Trinity College Dublin]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of Cambridge]]
[[Category:Differential geometers]]
[[Category:Fellows of Trinity College Dublin]]
[[Category:Members of the Royal Irish Academy]]
[[Category:Scholars of Trinity College Dublin]]
[[Category:20th-century  Irish mathematicians]]