the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > scholarly knowledge, erudition > learned person, scholar > [noun] > expert, specialist, authority > adherent of particular specialism (3)
A professor of some ism; a holder of some special doctrine, or adherent of some system; a votary of, or expert in, a particular science, art, or…
A student of or expert in an academic discipline or ‘ology’.
(a) adj. pertaining to isms or an ism; (b) n. an adherent of an ism.