Dupuis, Nathan Fellowes (1836-1917)

Nathan Fellowes Dupuis was one of Queen's most influential and versatile science professors in the 19th century and helped to found the University's engineering and applied science faculty. His career at Queen’s, which stretched from 1863-1911, included at least six disparate roles ranging from librarian to clockmaker to dean. Across all these years, one thing remained constant: his dedication to “applied” science.

Born in 1836 on a farm outside Kingston into a family of mixed French-Canadian and Loyalist heritage, the young Dupuis had a knack for all things mechanical.  At fourteen years old, he was the marvel of his neighbours; despite having little formal schooling, he had a talent for mathematics and mechanics and he had made a clock out of bits of scrap materials around his farm, which was hanging in his family's barn, working and keeping good time. A local clockmaker named William Smith, of Smith Bros. Jewellers, heard the story of this boy and convinced him to move to Kingston and apprentice under him. Dupuis practised the art of clock-making for a few years more, independently pursuing studies in math and astronomy.

He then tried his hand at school teaching before enrolling in Queen’s College in 1863, where his talents for mathematics, astronomy and chemistry immediately blossomed.

Later that same year was given the post of "observer" in the university observatory, a £55-a-year post that allowed him to indulge his curiosity for the final frontier.

Mr. Dupuis was fascinated with astronomy. It was said that he knew entire star charts by memory and could turn the telescope to particular planets without reference. He completed his degree at Queen's in 1866 when he was 30 years old.

After graduation, he pursued further studies  – he earned an MA in 1866 – while working as a university librarian. A year later he was appointed professor of chemistry and natural science by his new alma mater.

Dupuis began his teaching career as Professor of Chemistry and Natural History in 1868. Throughout his career, Professor Dupuis was more interested in practical science than the theoretical tinkering that was popular at the time. Nonetheless, in 1880, he was appointed Professor of Mathematics and Chemistry, and in 1881 became Professor of Pure Mathematics. He would later hold titles as a professor of astronomy and mechanics.

In the early 1890s, his passion for making science practical led him to champion the creation of Queen’s School of Mining and Agriculture and its Faculty of Applied Science, of which he became dean in 1894. He retained that post until he retired in 1911.

Mr. Dupuis was always a force for progress at Queen's and strongly proclaimed the virtues of a scientific education. In fact, he often did so by calling the "usefulness" of subjects like classics and philosophy into question - a practice which brought him into conflict with his fellow professors on more than one occasion.

Mr. Dupuis published a number of books, such as Elements of Geometrical Optics in 1868 and Geometry of the Point, Line, and Circle, which was a revolutionary break from the traditional geometry of Euclid. He earned himself a reputation as a scholar and an innovative thinker in his field. Additionally, he contributed articles to the Queen’s Quarterly about the practical utility of science.

Mr. Dupuis was a multi-talented man and in addition to his theoretical excursions in mathematics and chemistry, he never lost his knack for building things.

He helped Professor Goodwin design Carruthers Hall in 1890 and invented numerous pieces of scientific and practical apparatus for the university, including the the original clock in Grant Hall tower, which continued to work - with some new parts - for roughly 90 years until it was replaced in 1993. Professor Dupuis’ original mechanism is now on display in Stirling Hall.

He was also a painter and loved to play the violin.

He died in California in 1917 and is buried in the Cataraqui Cemetery. The students of Professor Dupuis remembered him as a man with a strong personality, but one who never failed to encourage his students and bring out the best in them.

When Applied Science’s new electrical engineering building was completed in 1966, it was named in Professor Dupuis’ honour.