Jack Cole

Jack Cole's academic journey, which spanned over four decades, had a belated start due to the interruptions of World War II. He was caught in a 'friendly fire' incident during a training exercise, forcing him to relearn writing with his left hand before he could embark on his tertiary education in his early twenties. Despite these challenges, Jack excelled, earning a first-class honours degree in Mathematics from University College, London. This was followed by receiving the prestigious Mayer de Rothschild Scholarship for his MSc. Under the guidance of his mentor, Professor Harold Davenport, and the support of a London University Scholarship, Jack completed his PhD in the theory of numbers in 1952. Born within the echoes of Bow Bells, Jack spent a significant portion of his academic career in Scotland, eventually identifying himself as a "Scot by marriage". He began as a lecturer at the then Heriot-Watt College in Edinburgh (1952-56), before moving on to Queen’s College, Dundee (1956-62). However, the allure of emerging computer technology gradually nudged Jack towards a shift in his career. He moved back to England to become the Director of the Computing Laboratory at the University of Leicester (1962-65). But England's grip on him was short-lived, and he found himself back in Scotland in 1965, serving as the Director of the Computing Laboratory and Reader in Computational Science at the University of St Andrews.

Jack's success in research was greatly influenced by his background in mathematics and deep interest in computers. His work revolved around space filling curves, an area that had previously captivated the likes of mathematical giants such as Peano and Hilbert. Jack's innovative approach allowed these curves to be utilized for video data compression. His substantial contributions to the field were reflected in numerous publications, including the groundbreaking invention of Murray polygons. Although his research was considered groundbreaking at the time of publication, it has now been industrialized, with the BBC being one of the notable adopters. Jack's prolific career resulted in the publication of three books and over fifty academic papers.

Jack Cole may refer to:Jack Cole (artist) (1914–1958), American comic book artist and cartoonist Jack Cole (businessman) (1920–2007), American entrepreneur and businessman Jack Cole (choreographer) (1911–1974), American dancer, choreographer and theatre director Jack Cole (scientist) (1925–1997), professor at the School of Computer Science, University of St. Andrews, Scotland Jack A. Cole, retired detective and executive director of Law Enforcement Action Partnership Jack Isadore Cole (1920–1997), co-founder of the Coles bookstore chain and Coles Notes Jack Cole, pseudonym of David Donachie, Scottish nautical historical novelist Jack Cole, Australian rugby player