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Biography
AbstractImportant DatesOccupationPlacesSubjectsRelationships
PeopleInstitutionsResources
Archival as AuthorArchival as SubjectPublished as AuthorPublished as SubjectF. W. Loomis
Dates
August 4, 1889 – February 9, 1976
Authorized Form of Name
Loomis, F. W. (Francis Wheeler), 1889-1976
Additional Forms of Names
Loomis, Francis Wheeler
Loomis, Francis Wheeler, 1889-1976
Biography
Abstract
Professor of Physics and Department Head (1929-1957), University of Illinois, and Director of the Control Systems Laboratory (1952-1959).
Important Dates
August 4, 1889Birth, Parkersburg (W. Va.).
1910Obtained A.B., Harvard University, Cambridge (Mass.).
1913Obtained A.M., Harvard University, Cambridge (Mass.).
1917Obtained Ph.D., Harvard University, Cambridge (Mass.).
1917Research Physicist, Lamp Division, Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company.
1917 – 1919Captain, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Ordnance Department, U. S. Army.
1919 – 1920Research Physicist, Lamp Division, Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company.
1920 – 1929Assistant Professor (1920-22) and Associate Professor of Physics (1922-29), New York University, New York (N.Y.).
1928 – 1929Guggenheim Fellow, University of Göttingen and University of Zurich.
1929 – 1976Professor (1929-59); Head, Physics Department (1929-57); Director, Control Systems Laboratory (1952-59); and Emeritus Professor of Physics (1959-76), University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Champaign (Ill.).
1941 – 1946Associate Director, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Radiation Laboratory.
1947Chair, Personnel Committee, U. S. Atomic Energy Commission.
1948 – 1952Member, Governing Board, American Institute of Physics (AIP).
1949Elected member, National Academy of Sciences.
1949President, American Physical Society (APS).
1951 – 1952Director, Project Charles and Lincoln Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
February 9, 1976Death, Urbana (Ill.).
Occupation
Molecular spectroscopist.
Places
Birth
Undergraduate Education
Graduate Education
Employment
Death
Subjects
Naval research -- United States.
Physical laboratories -- Administration.
World War, 1914-1918 -- Anti-aircraft artillery operations -- Research.
Relationships
People
Family
Loomis, Edith Smith
Wife.
Advisors & Collaborators
Birge, Raymond T. (Raymond Thayer), 1887-
Co-wrote "Molecular Spectra in Gases."
Colby, Walter F. (Walter Francis), 1880-
Co-wrote "Molecular Spectra in Gases."
Davis, Harvey N. (Harvey Nathaniel), 1881-
Ph.D. advisor at Harvard University on the heat of vaporization of mercury.
Worked with Loomis at University of Göttingen.
Kemble, Edwin C. (Edwin Crawford), 1889-
Co-wrote "Molecular Spectra in Gases."
Advised by Loomis at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, "The Molecular Spectra of Caesium and Rubidium."
Page, Leigh, 1884-
Co-wrote "Molecular Spectra in Gases."
Wood, Robert Williams, 1868-1955
Collaborated on the analysis of spectra.
Colleagues
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Allen, James S. (James Sircom), 1911-
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Anderson, A. C. (Ansel Cochran), 1933-
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Bartlett, James H. (James Holley), 1904-2000
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Bolt, Richard H.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at New York University.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Compton, Arthur Holly, 1892-1962
Both employed at Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company.
Cooper, Leon N. (Leon Neil), 1930-
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Dancoff, Sidney M., 1913-1951
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Drell, Sidney D. (Sidney David), 1926-
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
DuBridge, Lee A. (Lee Alvin), 1901-1994
Both employed at the Radiation Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Haworth, Leland J. (Leland John), 1904-
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at New York University.
Jackson, John David, 1925-2016
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Kerst, Donald William, 1911-1993
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Kruger, P. Gerald (Peter Gerald), 1902-
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Low, Francis E. (Francis Eugene), 1921-2007
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Lyman, Ernest McIntosh, 1910-1990
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Mapother, Dillon E. (Dillon Edward), 1921-
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Maurer, Robert Joseph, 1913-
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at New York University.
Nishijima, K. (Kazuhiko), 1926-2009
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Overhauser, Albert Warner, 1925-
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Schrieffer, J. R. (John Robert), 1931-
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Sherwin, Chalmers William, 1916-
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Tape, Gerald Frederick, 1915-2005
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Both employed at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Additional
Allison, Samuel King, 1900-1965
Bainbridge, Kenneth T. (Kenneth Tompkins), 1904-1996
Brode, Robert B. (Robert Bigham), 1900-1986
Compton, K. T. (Karl Taylor), 1887-1954
Darrow, Karl K. (Karl Kelchner), 1891-
Dryden, Hugh L. (Hugh Latimer), 1898-1965
Goudsmit, Samuel A. (Samuel Abraham), 1902-1978
Hoddeson, Lillian
Killian, James Rhyne, 1904-1988
Koch, Herman William, 1920-
McMillan, Edwin M. (Edwin Mattison), 1907-
Oppenheimer, J. Robert, 1904-1967
Panofsky, Wolfgang K. H. (Wolfgang Kurt Hermann), 1919-2007
Waterman, Alan Tower, 1892-1967
Webster, David Locke, 1888-1976
Students at Harvard University together.
Wigner, Eugene Paul, 1902-1995
Zacharias, Jerrold Reinach, 1905-1986
Institutions
Major Positions
Lincoln Laboratory
Director of Project Charles, which led to the establishment of Lincoln Laboratory.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Radiation Laboratory
Associate Director.
New York University. Department of Physics
Assistant Professor and Associate Professor of Physics.
United States. Army. Ordnance Department
Captain, Aberdeen Proving Ground.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Department of Physics
Professor; Head, Physics Department; Director of Control Systems Laboratory; and Emeritus Professor of Physics.
Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company
Research Physicist, Lamp Division.
Professional Activities & Affiliations
Member, Governing Board.
President.
Harvard University. Department of Physics
Obtained A.B., A.M., and Ph.D.
Manhattan Project (U.S.)
National Academy of Sciences (U.S.)
U.S. Atomic Energy Commission
Chair, Personnel Committee.
Universität Göttingen
Guggenheim Fellow.
Universitat Zurich
Guggenheim Fellow.
Resources
Archival Resources
Author
F. W. Loomis papers, 1920-1976.
University Archives
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
1408 West Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Department of Physics course notebooks, 1935-1946.
University Archives
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
1408 West Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
Subject
Donald W. Kerst papers, 1937-1959.
University Archives
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
1408 West Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
Edwin C. Kemble papers [microform], 1919-1937.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Highlights in the History of the Physics Department in the University of Illinois (1868-1968), 1967.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Life with Wheeler in the Physics Department, 1929-1940, 1957.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Lillian Hoddeson addition to papers, 1913-2006.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Charles Slichter, 2005 March 26.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with David Lazarus, 1981 December 4.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with David Pines, 1981 April 13 and 16.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Edward M. Purcell, 1991 June 14.
IEEE History Center
Rutgers University
39 Union Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
Oral history interview with Frederick Seitz, 1981 January 26, 27, March 24 and 1982 March 16.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Frederick Seitz, 1982 October 6 and 7.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Herman William Koch, 1986 September 16 to 11 October 1987.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Kenneth Bainbridge, 1991 June 10.
IEEE History Center
Rutgers University
39 Union Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
University Archives
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
1408 West Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Physics Department reading files, 1925-2006.
University Archives
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
1408 West Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Physics Department subject file, 1925-2006.
University Archives
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
1408 West Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL 61801, USA