Lucasian Professor of Mathematics

The Lucasian Professorship in Mathematics, held at the University of Cambridge, is without much doubt the most prestigious academic chair in the world. It was founded in 1663, to promote the understanding of and research in Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics. Quite a few of the professors appear on E2:

• Sir Isaac Newton (Trinity),
  1669-1701 (resigned)
• Sir George Biddell Airy (Trinity),
  1826-1827 (resigned, handing chair over to...)
• Charles Babbage (Trinity),
  1827-1849 (resigned, handing chair over to...)
• Sir George Gabriel Stokes (Pembroke),
  1849-1903 (died)
• Paul Dirac (John's),
  1932-1968 (brain drain, to Florida State University)
• Stephen Hawking (Caius),
  1979-present day

And two of them have made appearances on 'The Simpsons'.