PERSONALITES 5

dealt with a study of Fermi sur­ perform such calculations and him an honourary doctorate. A.R. Mackintosh faces using ultrasonic attenua­ asked them to compute the Allan Mackintosh was rec­ Fermi surfaces of the transition ognized not only for his superb 1936-1995 tion in solids. On leaving Cambridge in metals, whose complicated scientific qualifications and for 1960, he took the established d-band sheets were currently creating contacts with the best route to the USA and became being mapped out by the dHvA physicists in the world, but also an Associate Professor of technique in USA. Only since for his fine personality. He nev­ Physics at Iowa State Universi­ 1964 had it been known that, er let a colleague or friend drift ty. This appointment was to unlike the localized 4f-elec- out of sight and he constantly shape the direction of his sci­ trons in the rare-earth metals, tried to offer help and support, entific career. The University's the magnetic electrons in the both professionally and per­ Ames Laboratory had begun to 3d-transition metals contribute sonally. A characteristic of make crystals of the rare-earth to the Fermi surface; the role of Allan was that he was aware of metals. The chemical proper­ the Coulomb correlations the importance of the contribu­ ties of this group of elements between them was a much-dis­ tions of all his collaborators, are very similar, so they had cussed topic. Allan had a deep and he saw to it that each Allan Mackintosh, a for­ only recently been separated understanding of the behaviour received full recognition. mer EPS President, was killed into pure forms. However, their of electrons in metals, and a Although research was in an motor-car accident on 20 physical properties, particular­ profound scepticism towards always his main priority, Allan December 1995, a month before ly magnetic properties, are oversimplified theory. His work Mackintosh's leadership skills his 60th birthday. Allan devot­ very diverse and were, at the not only helped to establish the were much in demand. In 1971, ed much of his professional life time, unexplored territory for boundaries of the usefulness of when he was just 35, he became to studying the behaviour of an inquisitive physicist. Allan destiny-functional calculations Director of the Risø National electrons in solids, notably fer­ took up the challenge and soon for d- and f-band systems but Laboratory. Prompted by the romagnetic metals, and he established himself as a leading also inspired his students to oil crisis, Denmark had made decisive contributions to expert in this new field. develop new computational embarked on a national debate our understanding of the elec­ In 1963, he spent a sabbati­ schemes. about the development of trical and magnetic properties cal at the RisØø National Allan became Professor of nuclear power for electricity of the rare-earth metals. His Laboratory, in Denmark, where Experimental Solid-State generation. In the frequently influence was both broad and a new research reactor had just Physics at the University of heated atmosphere, Allan deep, and many of his former become operational. Danish Copenhagen in 1970. With his needed all his diplomatic skills research students now occupy physicists were constructing a students, his colleagues at to steer the discussion with fac­ leading academic and industri­ novel type of neutron spec­ Risø, and a number of gifted tual rather than emotional al positions in several coun­ trometer to measure phonon English postdocs, he continued arguments. After resuming his tries. In Denmark, where dispersion in solids. Allan to improve our understanding university chair in 1976, he splendid traditions had been Mackintosh quickly realized of magnetism in the rare- belonged to the Board of established in astronomy, the scientific potential of apply­ earths. He inspired and moti­ Governors of Risø from 1978 to atomic, nuclear, and particle ing the technique to measure vated collaborators, and his 1985 and to the Board of physics half a century earlier, spin waves in the rare-earth research papers, with their Governors of NORDITA, the Allan Mackintosh will be metals. This was the beginning carefully constructed prose, are Nordic Institute for Theoretical remembered for his successful of a most fruitful collaboration a pleasure to read. The rare- Physics, from 1978 to 1984. He efforts to establish modern that was to contribute substan­ earth work was honoured bin also served as NORDITA's condensed-matter physics. tially to our understanding of 1968 by the award of the presti­ Director from 1986 to 1989. Similarly, through EPS and, rare-earth magnetism, and gious Spedding Prize to Allan As a strong believer in the more recently, within the con­ which lasted until the last Mackintosh and a close col­ need for international collabo­ text of the European Union, he hours of Allan's life. league from Risø. The culmina­ ration, Allan Mackintosh came strove to improve the quality In 1966, Allan Mackintosh tion of his research was the to play an increasingly impor­ and efficiency of physics moved permanently to publication with his former tant role in physics at the research through the interna­ Denmark and became research student Jens Jensen of Rare- European level. He was tionalization of research. professor at the Technical Earth Magnetism, a superbly President of the Danish Allan Roy Mackintosh was University, Lyngby, where he written exposition of the Physical Society in 1976-78 and born in 1936 in Nottingham. He remained until 1970. He subject. Allan's achievements a delegate to the EPS Council, was educated at Nottingham brought with him from Ames were recognized by his election having chaired the EPS High School and Peterhouse, not only precious rare-earth as a Fellow of the Royal Danish Condensed Matter Division’s Cambridge, where he took his crystals but also computer pro­ Academy of Sciences and Metal Section in 1970-73. He BA and PhD degrees. In grams for performing elec­ Letters, the Danish Academy of was elected to the EPS Cambridge, he also met Jette, tronic-structure calculations. Technical Sciences, the Royal Executive Committee in 1977, his future wife who is Danish. Allan used them to demonstra­ Norwegian Academy of and was the Vice-Treasurer for His doctoral research, carried te the relevance of computing Sciences, and the Royal Society, two years and the Treasurer for out in the Cavendish Labora­ Fermi surfaces to describe London. He was made Knight one year before serving as the tory under the supervision of magnetic ordering. He soon of the Danebrog order and EPS President in 1980-82. His

Professor Sir Brian Pippard, taught Danish students how to Uppsala University awarded presidency was marked by 27 News Europhysics 1996 6 PERSONALITIES

serious questions of scientific and a comprehensive collection freedom that revolved around of malt whisky. He disguised Letters to the Editor the Sakharov question, his enjoyment of sport and Rejection Possible Ed.: Faced with over many attempts to have the 1981 EPS physical activity behind a I read with interest Euro­ national languages, the Society General Conference moved facade of feigned mediocrity. physics News, which is published usually publishes entirely in Eng­ from Istanbul and restrictions On hill-walking holidays he entirely in English. The use of Eng­ lish. Europhysics News, mindful of on participation at the 1984 divided his energies between lish implies a cultural impoverish­ the issues raised by the correspon­ dent, sometimes makes the impor­ General Conference in Prague, humourous discourses as to the ment with regard to the languages of countries whose societies tant gesture of adding national all of which he discussed in pointlessness of climbing the belong to EPS. But publishing edi­ society names in their own lang­ some detail in an article in the following hill, and making tions in all these languages would uage if the language is a major one 25th EPS Anniversary issue of certain that he was the first at be too complicated and very (a practice adopted by many Europhysics News [EN 24 (1993) the top. For his ironic sense of expensive, and since Europhysics scientific publications for 118]. He later became a member humour definitely had a special News essentially contains techni­ abstracts). Concerning address, of the Hewlett-Packard flavour. cal information, the use of English international conventions require that national post offices accept Europhysics Prize Selection Besides his interest in, and is acceptable. However, I am shocked that by being translated letters addressed in English, but in Committee, and the commit­ contributions to, modern into English, the names of member view of the need for reliable tee’s chairman from 1986 to physics, Allan worked on the societies are not respected. It is as addresses, EN publishes, whenever 1990. Allan organized the sec­ history of physics. Here again if peoples names are translated. It appropriate, society addresses in ond EPS Large Facilities he was fighting for quality and is certainly true that for presenta­ the major European languages. Conference under the title fairness by pointing out and tion in alphabetic order it is practi­ Symposium on International proving decisive contributions cal to use the English name, but Meetings Addresses On Page 136 of the Meetings Facilities for Physics Research made by little-known scientists the society’s name in its country should also be preserved (for Issue of Europhysics News you have (March 1993; Copenhagen and to major inventions or discov­ example: France : Société a listing for the American Institute Risø) and was largely responsi­ eries of our century, such as the Française de Physique). It is also of Physics (AIP) but none for the ble for arranging a substantial computer by J.V. Atanasoff and more respectful of cultural and American Physical Society (APS) donation that represented the the neutrino by C.D. Ellis. linguistic traditions to write, and other US-based physics capital needed to establish the It is symbolic of his inter­ wherever possible, addresses in a organizations. The matter is est in the past as well as the country’s language. These addres­ further confused since you have European Journal of Physics. separate entries for societies such In the 1990’s, Allan's exten­ future of physics, that he spent ses are generally entered in a computer file and effort need only as the American Geophysical sive international contacts, his the last day of his life selecting be made once to enter a record. Union. You are perhaps unaware flair for international collabo­ the next experiments to be car­ Certain addresses are already that the AIP, APS, etc. share the ration and a strong emphasis ried out in 1996 at Rise under given in a country’s language [ see same building. By listing meetings on quality made him a valued the European Union's Frame­ EN 26 (1995) 84-87]; it is that much under AIP, anyone seeking to get consultant to the European work programme, and then more disagreeable when this is not information would be disappoint­ Commission and he chaired gave an eloquent seminar on the case. ed as the AIP only has a peripheral role. the Large-Scale Facilities Panel the discovery of neutrino. The The countries concerned are for the most part relatively poor Irving Lerch, APS, College Park of the European Union’s tragic nature of his sudden and weak. Europe’s diverse Ed.: Although aware that Framework programme for sci­ death makes the loss all the languages and cultures are a several organizations share the ence. He also remained a know­ more acute amongst his world­ source of complication, maybe American Center for Physics in ledgeable commentator on wide circle of friends and even misunderstanding, but they College Park, we aimed to present a Nordic physics, one of his last colleagues. represent nonetheless a richness concise listing of contacts. To avoid contributions being in Euro­ that one must not neglect. If confusion, the Europhysics confe­ O.K. Andersen (Stuttgart) European organizations forget rence listing on the EPS Europhys- physics News one year ago. K. McEwen (London) this, a rejection of European Net service (http://epswww.epfl.ch/) Allan took great pleasure H.B. Møller (Risø) cooperation could result. has been modified to distinguish in music, squash, travelling, G. Thomas (Geneva) Jean Peter, LPC/ISMRA, Paris events organized by AIP, APS, etc. Optics, Garching, has accepted an canl (international)QEC/ CLEO doctorate honoris causa from the People invitation to Chair the Topical event. EQEC /CLEO aims not to be Catholic University of Leuven. Conference Steering Committee held in the same year as Laser (the Rudolf Bock, who formerly In seeking to boost the inter­ made up of QEOD and EUROPTO next EQEC/CLEO is in Hamburg chaired the EPS Nuclear Physics national appeal of Munich’s bian­ delegates, and Marcel Ducloy, the on 9-13 September 1996). Division, retired from GSI, Darm­ nual Laser exhibition, the organiz­ QEOD chair, will chair the EPS Gerard t’Hooft, professor of stadt, in December, which he ers have reached agreement with Topical Conference on Solid-State theoretical physics at Utrecht Uni­ helped found and where he served the Board of the EPS Quantum Lasers at Laser ‘97 (16-20 June versity, has been awarded one of for 20 years as a member of the Electronics and Optics Division 1996). Also decided upon so far is the new Spinoza awards by the Directorate. Peter Braun-Mun- (QEOD) and with the EUROPTO the EUROPTO Topical Conference Dutch funding agency NWO. With zinger, Professor at the State Uni­ joint venture of the European on Lasers and Environmental a total of 12 million HFL shared versity of New York, succeeds him Optical Society and the US SPIE Studies. The QEOD is involved in among four scientists, the awards as Director of Nuclear Physics I. association for a series of parallel oganizing the European Quantum represent Holland’s most valuable Catherine Bréchignac has Topical Conferences that will Electronics Conference part of the scientific prize. His achievements, been appointed as the Scientific replace the exhibition’s existing biannual EQEC/CLEO conference notably the demonstration of Director of the CNRS Physical technical sessions. Herbert and exhibition series that was quantum effects in instantons, and Sciences and Mathematics Depart­ Walther, the Director of the Max- launched in 1994 as aback-to-back efforts to popularise particle phy­ ment, replacing Daniel Thoulouse event to mirror the North Ameri- sics have also lead to the award of who became a regional delegate. Europhysics News 27 27 News Europhysics 1996 Planck Institute for Quantum