Perkins Professorship of Astronomy and Mathematics

In his will, Perkins left $20,000 to Harvard College[2] to establish a chair in "whatever field the President and Fellows should find the most useful".

[3]: 406  The funds were transferred to Harvard on February 20, 1842, upon the death of Perkins' wife.

At that time the Harvard Corporation voted ...that a Professorship of Astronomy and Mathematics be established in the College to be denominated the Perkins Professorship of Astronomy and Mathematics.

In 1906, noting that chairs in astronomy had been endowed in 1858 (Phillips) and in 1887 (Paine), the Corporation voted ...that the title of the Perkins Professorship of Astronomy and Mathematics ... be amended so that it shall read Perkins Professorship in Mathematics.

[3]: 406 Starting with the most recent appointment in 1991 the name of the chair informally became the Perkins Professor of Applied Mathematics when the chair was moved to Harvard's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.