Because genius should be shared

An invaluable teaching resource for school children and undergraduates

By discovering calculus and Universal Gravitation, Sir Isaac Newton laid the basis for modern physics and mathematics. Since 1998, the Universities of Sussex and Cambridge have been developing the Newton Project, an online archive for school children, students and researchers alike which provides access to Newton’s life work.

Our ambition now is to create a multi-media site which focuses on his pioneering mathematical and scientific discoveries, adding to the prolific writings on alchemy and theology that have already been published by the Newton Project. It will contain mathematical documents and unpublished writings that chart the creation of his masterwork, the Principia Mathematica, helping us understand what made this most creative of minds tick. We will bring to life Newton’s foundational work by providing facsimiles of manuscripts, introductory materials to documents and interviews with major scientists and mathematic. It will give a unique insight into Newton’s development from a novice to a world-class mathematician.

Developing partnerships and technology

A  Project Manager will champion the project by working closely with six state schools while also overseeing the publication of Newton’s work.  They will also organise workshops and visits ensuring that the site is relevant to current curricula and accessible to science and humanities students alike. Student involvement is key. By creating the resources themselves – from transcribing to encoding – they will not only learn about the building blocks of mathematics, but will also gain valuable skills around research and web design.

By bringing Newton’s genius to an even wider audience, we will be helping to grow interest in the sciences and showcase his work for future generations.

If you are interested in learning more about and supporting these projects, please contact

Clare Dobson on +44 (01)273 876575 or email c.dobson@sussex.ac.uk

Sue Hepburn on +44 (01)273 872657 or email s.j.hepburn@sussex.ac.uk