DOCSLIB.ORG

People and Things

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
People and Things People and things events have been found. proton project will be decelerated in Momentum measurements and the PS before being passed to the identification of secondary particles LEAR ring to produce high quality would require the addition of a beams in the 0.1- 2 GeV range. downstream spectrometer. As well The physics possibilities of such a as being a tailor-made tool for charm new source include low energy parti- physics, LEBC could also go on to cle-antiparticle annihilation — as yet discover evidence for the production a relatively unexplored field, the and decay of additional flavours. search for proton-antiproton reso­ nances, and studies on exotic atoms. One immediate objective for LEAR Low energy experiments will be the search for antiproton baryonium states, as the present experimental situation seems to be source confused and contradictory (see page 248). Following the recent workshop on Subsequent LEAR developments low energy antiproton physics at could include a gas jet target, forma­ Karlsruhe (see June issue, tion of antiprotonic atoms in flight, page 148), approval has now been and low energy colliding be,ams of given in principle for the construc­ protons and antiprotons. However tion at CERN of the first phase of a these must await further technical Low Energy Antiproton Ring improvements. (LEAR). Originating from a paper submit­ Detailed proposals are now to be ted to the 1 977 Serpukhov acceler­ prepared for a stretcher ring as the ator conference, LEAR has been first phase of the project. A second nurtured by many enthusiastic and Lew Kowarski stage using colliding beams could devoted proponents, including Ugo follow later. Gastaldi, Kurt Kilian, Dieter Môhl On 27 July Lew Kowarski a founder LEAR is another outcome of the and Gunther Plass. The hope is that member of CERN and one of its beam cooling technique pioneered the small LEAR ring, with its modest greatest personalities, died at the at CERN. While the success of needs, will go on to produce a rich age of 72. Lew Kowarski became stochastic cooling has enabled the crop of physics results. involved in the first informal discus­ high energy proton-antiproton col­ sions about CERN as a leading liding beam project at the SPS to get scientist in France who had already under way in record time, it also an established reputation in the offers the prospect of low energy field of nuclear power. In 1939 he antiproton beams over a thousand had participated with F. Joliot and times more intense than existing H. von Halban in the first experi­ sources, and with momentum reso­ ments to demonstrate uranium fis­ lution and beam stability compara­ sion and nuclear chain reactions. ble to the levels attainable with a With von Halban he took the world's Van der Graaff machine. entire stock of heavy water into The first phase of LEAR will be a England at the beginning of the war stretcher ring to be built in the South to continue research at Cambridge Hall of the CERN 28 GeV Proton where he obtained the first strong Synchrotron (PS). Cooled antiproton evidence for the feasibility of a con­ beams of 3.5 GeV from the Antipro­ trolled nuclear reactor. A few years ton Accumulator now under con­ later Kowarski led the construction struction for the SPS proton-anti- of reactors in Canada and in France. 260 CERN Courier September 1979 N. N. Bogolyubov In 1952 he was chosen as Direc­ Sin-itiro Tomonaga died of esopha­ tor of the Laboratory Group plan­ geal cancer on 8 July. Professor ning the CERN site, administrative Tomonaga was awarded the Nobel methods, finance, workshops, etc. Prize in 1965 together with R. Feyn- and when CERN moved to Geneva man and J. Schwinger for his funda­ in 1954 he became Director of the mental work on quantum mechanics Scientific and Technical Services and the theory of the interaction of Division. He decribed these early charged particles with the electro­ years in a CERN report 'An Account magnetic field. He had a distin­ of the Origins and Beginnings of guished career in physics mainly CERNf which remains the most based at Tokyo University. He was complete account of CERNfs early a member of the Japanese Acad­ history. He later led the Data Han­ emy and was awarded the Japanese dling Division, promoting the use Order of Culture. He played an im­ of computers. portant role in establishing the Insti­ Lew Kowarski was an impressive tute for Nuclear Study at Tokyo and character — big in physical stature, the KEK Laboratory where he was gifted with a prodigious memory, a Member of the Board of Council­ clear in thought and articulate in lors. expression. It was very moving that, despite several months of severe illness, he was able to attend the Seventieth birthday ceremony on 23 June to mark the of Bogolyubov 25th Anniversary of the Organiza­ tion he helped to create. Nikolaj Nikolaevitch Bogolyubov, Member of the Soviet Academy of Sciences and an outstanding theo­ nerstones of current nuclear theory. retical physicist, celebrated his At the beginning of the fifties, 70th birthday on 21 August. he turned his attention to axiomatic Non-linear mechanics, problems formulations of quantum field theo­ of statistical physics, the theory of ry. This work subsequently exerted superconductivity, quantum field a strong influence on thinking in theory, elementary particle interac­ physics and it became clear that tion symmetries, are but a few of new standards of mathematical the topics linked with the name of support and more convincing Bogolyubov. models would be required to de­ In the theory of imperfect quan­ velop quantum field theory further. tum macrosystems, he introduced N.N. Bogolyubov is also a talented a mathematical scheme (the Bogo­ teacher and organizer. Many well- lyubov transformation) which was known physicists acknowledge him subsequently used to describe the as their mentor with pride and res­ energy spectrum of superf/uid and pect. He established Schools of superconducting systems. A deeper Theoretical Physics and Non-linear knowledge of superconductivity and Mechanics in Kiev, and Schools of superfluidity of Fermi systems led Theoretical and Mathematical him to discover a fundamental Physics in Moscow and Dubna. effect — the superfluidity of nuclear He has been presented with many matter — which is one of the cor- awards, including the Lenin Prize and State Prizes in the USSR, the Sin-itiro Tomonaga M. V. Lomonosov Prize and various (Photo S. Kikuchi) international prizes. He is also an CERN Courier September 1979 261 Some of the Nobel Laureates at this year's Lindau reunion. Left to right, front row: L Esaki, J.S. Schwinger, P. Kapitza, I.M. Frank, behind: W.E. Lamb Jnr, E.P. Wigner, I.I. Rabi, S.C.C. Ting, P.A.M. Dirac, L.V. Kantorovich (Economics, 1975), N.G. Basov, W.H. Brattain. (Photo W.S. Newman) honorary member of many foreign academies. His creative power con­ tinues to flourish as he enters his seventieth year, and for his many friends, 21 August was a day for celebration. On people USA Laboratory Directors: Leon Lederman took over from Phil Livdahl as Director of the Fermi Laboratory on 1 June. He set the pace of his reign of office on the first day with an early morning run around the accelerator ring. Don Kerr has been appointed Director of Los Alamos in succession to Harold Agnew. He worked for ten years at Los Alamos on various positions of responsibility until join­ ing the Department of Energy in 1976. His appointment took effect on 1 August. Walter Massey has been appointed Director ofArgon ne in succession tô Bob Sachs and took up his appointment on 9 July. Walter Massey worked at the Labo­ ratory from 1966 to 1968 and was consultant until 1975. He moved to the Laboratory from the position of Dean at Brown University. Ron Martin has asked to concen­ trate on the heavy ion fusion pro­ gramme at Argon ne, becoming Research Program Manager for Heavy Ion Fusion. Bob Kustom will succeed him as Director of the Accelerator Research Facilities. Another Argonne appointment we missed earlier in the year was that of Bob Diebold as Associate Labo­ ratory Director for High Energy Physics. He succeeded Gerry Smith who has returned to Michigan State University. 1. Rich Muller and daughter. 2. Sir Geoffrey Allen. 262 CERN Courier September 1979 On 9 July, Piotr Kapitza visited CERN on the occasion of his 85th birthday. Seen here raising their glasses to the future are (left to right) CERN Directorate Members Robert Lévy-Mandel and Italo Manne/li, Kapitza and Donald Glaser, who invented the bubble Research Director General Leon Van Hove. chamber technique with work on centimetre Paying tribute to someone whose life spans scale models, photographed while visiting the entire history of particle physics, CERN the CERN Technology Exhibition in front of Executive Director General John Adams a large picture of the 3.7 m European bubble described Kapitza as a man who combines chamber, BEBC the talents of a scientist with the ingenuity of an engineer. (Photo CERN 36.7.79) (Photo CERN 98.7.79) the Queen. Sir Geoffrey succeeded their reunions have now grown to Sir Sam Edwards in 1977 and has attract over 20 laureates and 500 been a regular UK delegate at the students and staff from German meetings of the CERN Council. and other European universities. This year's Nobel lecturers in­ Hermann Grunder has received a cluded such 'old-timers' as Paul Humboldt US Scientist Award from Dirac (1933 prize) speaking on the the West German government to variation of the gravitational con­ work at the GSI Laboratory, Darm­ stant, Eugene Wigner (1963) on stadt, home of the Unilac heavy ion causality, Hannes Alfvén (1970) on linac, for a year.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • A Time of Great Growth
    Newsletter | Spring 2019 A Time of Great Growth Heartfelt greetings from the UC Riverside Department of Physics and Astronomy. This is our annual newsletter, sent out each Spring to stay connected with our former students, retired faculty, and friends in the wider community. The Department continues to grow, not merely in size but also in stature and reputation. For the 2018-2019 academic year, we were pleased to welcome two new faculty: Professors Thomas Kuhlman and Barry Barish. Professor Kuhlman was previously on the faculty at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He joins our efforts in the emerging field of biophysics. His research lies in the quantitative imaging and theoretical modeling of biological systems. He works on genome dynamics, quantification of the activity of transposable elements in living cells, and applications to the engineering of genome editing. Professor Barry Barish, who joins us from Caltech, is the winner of the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physics. He brings great prestige to our Department. Along with Professor Richard Schrock of the Department of Chemistry, who also joined UCR in 2018, UCR now has two Nobel Prize winners on its faculty. Professor Barish is an expert on the detection and physics of gravitational waves. He has been one of the key figures in the conception, construction, and operation of the LIGO detector, where gravitational waves were first discovered in 2015, and which led to his Nobel Prize. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the winner of many other prestigious awards. The discovery of gravitational waves is one of the most exciting developments in physics so far this century.
    [Show full text]
  • NMD, National Security Issues Featured at 2001 April Meeting In
    April 2001 NEWS Volume 10, No. 4 A Publication of The American Physical Society http://www.aps.org/apsnews NMD, National Security Issues Featured Phase I CPU Report to be at 2001 April Meeting in Washington Discussed at Attendees of the 2001 APS April include a talk on how the news me- Meeting, which returns to Wash- dia cover science by David April Meeting ington, DC, this year, should arrive Kestenbaum, a self-described “es- The first phase of a new Na- just in time to catch the last of the caped physicist who is hiding out tional Research Council report of cherry blossom season in between at National Public Radio,” and a lec- the Committee on the Physics of scheduled sessions and special ture on entangled photons for the Universe (CPU) will be the events. The conference will run quantum information by the Uni- topic of discussion during a spe- April 28 through May 1, and will versity of Illinois’ Paul Kwiat. Other cial Sunday evening session at the feature the latest results in nuclear scheduled topics include imaging APS April Meeting in Washing- physics, astrophysics, chemical the cosmic background wave back- ton, DC. The session is intended physics, particles and fields, com- ground, searching for extra to begin the process of collect- putational physics, plasma physics, dimensions, CP violation in B me- ing input from the scientific the physics of beams, and physics sons, neutrino oscillations, and the community on some of the is- history, among other subdisci- amplification of atoms and light in The White House and (inset) some of its famous fictional sues outlined in the draft report, plines.
    [Show full text]
  • Ripples in Spacetime
    editorial Ripples in spacetime The 2017 Nobel prize in Physics has been awarded to Rainer Weiss, Barry C. Barish and Kip S. Thorne “for decisive contributions to the LIGO detector and the observation of gravitational waves”. It is, frankly, difficult to find something original to say about the detection of gravitational waves that hasn’t been said already. The technological feat of measuring fluctuations in the fabric of spacetime less than one-thousandth the width of an atomic nucleus is quite simply astonishing. The scientific achievement represented by the confirmation of a century-old prediction by Albert Einstein is unique. And the collaborative effort that made the discovery possible — the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) — is inspiring. Adapted from Phys. Rev. Lett. 116, 061102 (2016), under Creative Commons Licence. Rainer Weiss and Kip Thorne were, along with the late Ronald Drever, founders of the project that eventually became known Barry Barish, who was the director Last month we received a spectacular as LIGO. In the 1960s, Thorne, a black hole of LIGO from 1997 to 2005, is widely demonstration that talk of a new era expert, had come to believe that his objects of credited with transforming it into a ‘big of gravitational astronomy was no interest should be detectable as gravitational physics’ collaboration, and providing the exaggeration. Cued by detections at LIGO waves. Separately, and inspired by previous organizational structure required to ensure and Virgo, an interferometer based in Pisa, proposals, Weiss came up with the first it worked. Of course, the passion, skill and Italy, more than 70 teams of researchers calculations detailing how an interferometer dedication of the thousand or so scientists working at different telescopes around could be used to detect them in 1972.
    [Show full text]
  • 6 8 Myriam Sarachik Elected APS Vice President
    November 2000 NEWS Volume 9, No. 10 A Publication of The American Physical Society http://www.aps.org/apsnews Myriam Sarachik Elected APS Vice President Members of the APS have chosen Sciences Research at Lucent. Only and government labs, and to pro- Myriam Sarachik, a distinguished two new general councillors were vide the next generation of professor of physics at City College elected, compared to the four educators at our universities,” she of New York’s City University of New elected in previous years, to reflect says. One of her goals as President York, to be the Society’s next vice recent changes in the APS Consti- will be to strengthen the society’s president. Sarachik is the third tution, designed to reduce the size efforts to make a career in physics woman to be elected to the presi- of the APS Council. These changes attractive. “We need to be more ef- dential line in the Society’s 101-year were published in the March 2000 fective in explaining the pleasures history, following C.S. Wu of Colum- issue of APS News. that a career in physics can bring, bia in 1975, and Mildred the satisfaction garnered from VICE PRESIDENT CHAIR-ELECT OF THE Dresselhaus of MIT (who became VICE PRESIDENT teaching, and the excitement of re- Myriam Sarachik NOMINATING COMMITTEE Director of the Department of MYRIAM SARACHIK search and discovery; we must also Susan Coppersmith Energy’s Office of Science in August) City College of New York/CUNY have salaries competitive with other in 1984. Sarachik’s term begins Born in Antwerp, Belgium, professional options,” she says.
    [Show full text]
  • Wolfgang Pauli Niels Bohr Paul Dirac Max Planck Richard Feynman
    Wolfgang Pauli Niels Bohr Paul Dirac Max Planck Richard Feynman Louis de Broglie Norman Ramsey Willis Lamb Otto Stern Werner Heisenberg Walther Gerlach Ernest Rutherford Satyendranath Bose Max Born Erwin Schrödinger Eugene Wigner Arnold Sommerfeld Julian Schwinger David Bohm Enrico Fermi Albert Einstein Where discovery meets practice Center for Integrated Quantum Science and Technology IQ ST in Baden-Württemberg . Introduction “But I do not wish to be forced into abandoning strict These two quotes by Albert Einstein not only express his well­ more securely, develop new types of computer or construct highly causality without having defended it quite differently known aversion to quantum theory, they also come from two quite accurate measuring equipment. than I have so far. The idea that an electron exposed to a different periods of his life. The first is from a letter dated 19 April Thus quantum theory extends beyond the field of physics into other 1924 to Max Born regarding the latter’s statistical interpretation of areas, e.g. mathematics, engineering, chemistry, and even biology. beam freely chooses the moment and direction in which quantum mechanics. The second is from Einstein’s last lecture as Let us look at a few examples which illustrate this. The field of crypt­ it wants to move is unbearable to me. If that is the case, part of a series of classes by the American physicist John Archibald ography uses number theory, which constitutes a subdiscipline of then I would rather be a cobbler or a casino employee Wheeler in 1954 at Princeton. pure mathematics. Producing a quantum computer with new types than a physicist.” The realization that, in the quantum world, objects only exist when of gates on the basis of the superposition principle from quantum they are measured – and this is what is behind the moon/mouse mechanics requires the involvement of engineering.
    [Show full text]
  • The History of Lasers at Stanford Group
    Lasers at 50: Byer The History of Lasers at Stanford Group Robert L. Byer Applied Physics Stanford University rlbyer@stanford.edu Abstract In the fifty years since the demonstration of the laser, coherent light has changed the way we work, communicate and play. The generation and control of light is critical for meeting important challenges of the 21st century from fundamental science to the generation of energy. A look back at the early days of the laser at Stanford will be contrasted to the recent breakthroughs in solid state lasers and the applications to fundamental science of gravitational wave detection, remote sensing, and laser induced fusion for energy production. Stanford Historical Society 34th Annual Meeting & Reception May 25, 2010 The History of Lasers at Stanford May 25 2010 Cubberley Auditorium, Staford Byer California – Leader in advanced telescopes for astronomy Group Lick 36 inch refractor The Mount Wilson 100 inch The Palomar 200 inch 1888 1917 1948 The History of Lasers at Stanford May 25 2010 Cubberley Auditorium, Staford From Maser to Laser – stimulated emission at optical frequencies Byer proposed in 1958 – A. Schawlow and C. H. Townes Group The History of Lasers at Stanford May 25 2010 Cubberley Auditorium, Staford Early advances in lasers --- Byer 2009 a Special Year Group Concept of Optical Maser Schawlow & Townes 1958 Ruby Laser Ted Maiman 1960 Nobel Prize awarded in 1964 Townes, Prokhorov and Basov Hg+ Ion Laser Earl Bell 1965 Argon Ion Laser Bill Bridges Tunable cw parametric Laser Harris 1968 Diode bar 1Watt
    [Show full text]
  • DPF NEWSLETTER - April 15, 1996
    DPF NEWSLETTER - April 15, 1996 To: Members of the Division of Particles and Fields From: Jonathan Bagger, Secretary-Treasurer, bagger@jhu.edu 1995 DPF Elections Howard Georgi was elected Vice-Chair of the DPF. Tom Devlin and Heidi Schellman were elected to the Executive Committee. George Trilling was elected as a Division Councillor. The current members of the DPF Executive Committee and the final years of their terms are Chair: Frank Sciulli (1996) Chair-Elect: Paul Grannis (1996) Vice-Chair: Howard Georgi (1996) Past Chair: David Cassel (1996) Secretary-Treasurer: Jonathan Bagger (1997) Division Councillor: Henry Frisch (1997), George Trilling (1998) Executive Board: Sally Dawson (1996), Tom Devlin (1998), Martin Einhorn (1997), John Rutherfoord (1997), Heidi Schellman (1998), Michael Shaevitz (1996) Call for Nominations: 1996 DPF Elections The 1996 Nominating Committee is hard at work. Please send suggestions for candidates to the Chair, Abe Seiden of Santa Cruz (abs@slac.stanford.edu). The other members of the Nominating Committee are Melissa Franklin, Robert Jaffe, Michael Murtagh, Helen Quinn, and Bill Reay. DPF Members are also entitled to nominate candidates by petition. Twenty signatures from DPF members are required. Nominations will be accepted by Jonathan Bagger until May 15, 1996. Snowmass 1996: New Directions for High Energy Physics The 1996 Snowmass Workshop on New Directions in High Energy Physics will be held in Snowmass, Colorado, from June 24 to July 12, 1996. Arrival, registration, and a reception will be on June 24. Full-day plenary sessions will be held on June 25-26 and July 11-12. This workshop will provide an opportunity to begin to develop a coherent plan for the longer term future for U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Date: To: September 22, 1 997 Mr Ian Johnston©
    22-SEP-1997 16:36 NOBELSTIFTELSEN 4& 8 6603847 SID 01 NOBELSTIFTELSEN The Nobel Foundation TELEFAX Date: September 22, 1 997 To: Mr Ian Johnston© Company: Executive Office of the Secretary-General Fax no: 0091-2129633511 From: The Nobel Foundation Total number of pages: olO MESSAGE DearMrJohnstone, With reference to your fax and to our telephone conversation, I am enclosing the address list of all Nobel Prize laureates. Yours sincerely, Ingr BergstrSm Mailing address: Bos StU S-102 45 Stockholm. Sweden Strat itddrtSMi Suircfatan 14 Teleptelrtts: (-MB S) 663 » 20 Fsuc (*-«>!) «W Jg 47 22-SEP-1997 16:36 NOBELSTIFTELSEN 46 B S603847 SID 02 22-SEP-1997 16:35 NOBELSTIFTELSEN 46 8 6603847 SID 03 Professor Willis E, Lamb Jr Prof. Aleksandre M. Prokhorov Dr. Leo EsaJki 848 North Norris Avenue Russian Academy of Sciences University of Tsukuba TUCSON, AZ 857 19 Leninskii Prospect 14 Tsukuba USA MSOCOWV71 Ibaraki Ru s s I a 305 Japan 59* c>io Dr. Tsung Dao Lee Professor Hans A. Bethe Professor Antony Hewlsh Department of Physics Cornell University Cavendish Laboratory Columbia University ITHACA, NY 14853 University of Cambridge 538 West I20th Street USA CAMBRIDGE CB3 OHE NEW YORK, NY 10027 England USA S96 014 S ' Dr. Chen Ning Yang Professor Murray Gell-Mann ^ Professor Aage Bohr The Institute for Department of Physics Niels Bohr Institutet Theoretical Physics California Institute of Technology Blegdamsvej 17 State University of New York PASADENA, CA91125 DK-2100 KOPENHAMN 0 STONY BROOK, NY 11794 USA D anni ark USA 595 600 613 Professor Owen Chamberlain Professor Louis Neel ' Professor Ben Mottelson 6068 Margarldo Drive Membre de rinstitute Nordita OAKLAND, CA 946 IS 15 Rue Marcel-Allegot Blegdamsvej 17 USA F-92190 MEUDON-BELLEVUE DK-2100 KOPENHAMN 0 Frankrike D an m ar k 599 615 Professor Donald A.
    [Show full text]
  • Decoherence and the Transition from Quantum to Classical—Revisited
    Decoherence and the Transition from Quantum to Classical—Revisited Wojciech H. Zurek This paper has a somewhat unusual origin and, as a consequence, an unusual structure. It is built on the principle embraced by families who outgrow their dwellings and decide to add a few rooms to their existing structures instead of start- ing from scratch. These additions usually “show,” but the whole can still be quite pleasing to the eye, combining the old and the new in a functional way. What follows is such a “remodeling” of the paper I wrote a dozen years ago for Physics Today (1991). The old text (with some modifications) is interwoven with the new text, but the additions are set off in boxes throughout this article and serve as a commentary on new developments as they relate to the original. The references appear together at the end. In 1991, the study of decoherence was still a rather new subject, but already at that time, I had developed a feeling that most implications about the system’s “immersion” in the environment had been discovered in the preceding 10 years, so a review was in order. While writing it, I had, however, come to suspect that the small gaps in the landscape of the border territory between the quantum and the classical were actually not that small after all and that they presented excellent opportunities for further advances. Indeed, I am surprised and gratified by how much the field has evolved over the last decade. The role of decoherence was recognized by a wide spectrum of practic- 86 Los Alamos Science Number 27 2002 ing physicists as well as, beyond physics proper, by material scientists and philosophers.
    [Show full text]
  • Rainer Weiss, Professor of Physics Emeritus and 2017 Nobel Laureate
    Giving to the Department of Physics by Erin McGrath RAINER WEISS ’55, PHD ’62 Bryce Vickmark Rai Weiss has established a fellowship in the Physics Department because he is eternally grateful to his advisor, the late Jerrold Zacharias, for all that he did for Rai, so he knows firsthand the importance of supporting graduate students. Rainer Weiss, Professor of Physics Emeritus and 2017 Nobel Laureate. Rainer “Rai” Weiss was born in Berlin, Germany in 1932. His father was a physician and his mother was an actress. His family was forced out of Germany by the Nazis since his father was Jewish and a Communist. Rai, his mother and father fled to Prague, Czecho- slovakia. In 1937 a sister was born in Prague. In 1938, after Chamberlain appeased Hitler by effectively giving him Czechoslovakia, the family was able to obtain visas to enter the United States through the Stix Family in St. Louis, who were giving bond to professional Jewish emigrants. When Rai was 21 years-old, he visited Mrs. Stix and thanked her for what she had done for his family. The family immigrated to New York City. Rai’s father had a hard time passing the medi- cal boards because of his inability to answer multiple choice exams. His mother, who Rai says “held the family together,” worked in a number of retail stores. Through the services of an immigrant relief organization Rai received a scholarship to attend the prestigious Columbia Grammar School. At the end of 1945, when Rai was 13 years old, he became fascinated with electronics and music.
    [Show full text]
  • EUGENE PAUL WIGNER November 17, 1902–January 1, 1995
    NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES E U G ENE PAUL WI G NER 1902—1995 A Biographical Memoir by FR E D E R I C K S E I T Z , E RICH V OG T , A N D AL V I N M. W E I NBER G Any opinions expressed in this memoir are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Academy of Sciences. Biographical Memoir COPYRIGHT 1998 NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS WASHINGTON D.C. Courtesy of Atoms for Peace Awards, Inc. EUGENE PAUL WIGNER November 17, 1902–January 1, 1995 BY FREDERICK SEITZ, ERICH VOGT, AND ALVIN M. WEINBERG UGENE WIGNER WAS A towering leader of modern physics Efor more than half of the twentieth century. While his greatest renown was associated with the introduction of sym- metry theory to quantum physics and chemistry, for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in physics for 1963, his scientific work encompassed an astonishing breadth of sci- ence, perhaps unparalleled during his time. In preparing this memoir, we have the impression we are attempting to record the monumental achievements of half a dozen scientists. There is the Wigner who demonstrated that symmetry principles are of great importance in quan- tum mechanics; who pioneered the application of quantum mechanics in the fields of chemical kinetics and the theory of solids; who was the first nuclear engineer; who formu- lated many of the most basic ideas in nuclear physics and nuclear chemistry; who was the prophet of quantum chaos; who served as a mathematician and philosopher of science; and the Wigner who was the supervisor and mentor of more than forty Ph.D.
    [Show full text]
  • December 2007 Volume 16, No
    December 2007 Volume 16, No. 11 www.aps.org/publications/apsnews Physicist is New York Times APS NEWS War Correspondent A PublicAtion of the AmericAn PhysicAl society • www.APs.org/PublicAtions/APsnews see page 5 Fellows by the Bay The Big Easy Hosts 2008 March Meeting The 2008 APS March Meet- ics sing-along, and a High Conditional Quantum Evolu- ing will be held March 10-14 School Teachers’ Day on Tues- tion; and Ethics Education. in New Orleans, Louisiana. It day, March 11, which will be The 5th APS Workshop on is the largest annual gathering held at LIGO-Livingston. Opportunities in Biological of professional physicists in In addition to the regular Physics, organized by the Di- the country. The scientific vision of Biological Phys- program will feature more ics, will be held on Sunday, than 90 invited sessions March 9. and 550 contributed ses- On Saturday, March 8 sions, at which approxi- and Sunday, March 9, the mately 7000 papers will Division of Polymer Phys- be presented, covering ics will host a special short the latest research in areas course: High-throughput represented by the APS Approaches to Polymer divisions of condensed Physics and Materials Sci- matter physics, materials ence. Photo by Darlene logan physics, polymer phys- New Orleans is an excit- APs fellows (l to r) Janice button-shafer (berkeley), george trilling (berkeley), ics, chemical physics, ing city, and has achieved and Elliott Bloom (SLAC) enjoy the Bay Area Fellows reception that APS hosted biological physics, fluid significant recovery from at the berkeley faculty club on october 16.
    [Show full text]