Henry De Wolf Smyth

Biography

Abstract

Ph.D. in Physics, Princeton University, 1921; Ph.D. in physics, University of Cambridge, 1924. Professor of Physics, 1924-1986, and Chair of Physics Department, 1935-1949, Princeton University. Assistant Director, 1943-1944, and Consultant, 1944-1945, Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory of the Manhattan Project. Commissioner, U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, 1949-1954. U.S. Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), 1961-1970. Best known as the author of the "Smyth Report" (1945), the official government report on the development of the atomic bomb.

Important Dates

May 1, 1898Birth, Clinton (N.Y.).

1918Obtained A.B., Princeton University, Princeton (N.J.).

1921Obtained Ph.D. in Physics, Princeton University, Princeton (N.J.).

1921 – 1924National Research Council (NRC) Fellow, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge (1921-1923) and Princeton University (1923-1924)..

1923Obtained Ph.D. in Physics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge (England).

1924 – 1986Instructor (1924-1925); Assistant Professor of Physics (1925-1929); Associate Professor of Physics (1929-1936); Professor of Physics (1936-1946); Chair, Department of Physics (1935-1949); Joseph Henry Professor of Physics (1946-1966); and Emeritus Professor of Physics (1966-1986), Princeton University, Princeton (N.J.).

1928 – 1935Member, Subcommittee on Physics, National Research Council (NRC).

1941 – 1942Member, Section on Uranium, National Defense Research Committee, Office of Scientific Research and Development.

1943 – 1945Assistant Director (1943-1944) and Consultant (1944-1945), Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

1946 – 1949Member, Board of Trustees, Associated Universities, Inc.

1949 – 1954Commissioner, U.S. Atomic Energy Commission.

1955 – 1958Member, Governing Board, American Institute of Physics (AIP).

1957President, American Physical Society (APS).

1961 – 1970U.S. Ambassador, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

1965 – 1970Chairman, Board of Trustees, Universities Research Association.

September 11, 1986Death, Princeton (N.J.).

Occupation

Atomic and nuclear physicist.

Places

Birth

Clinton (N.Y.)

Undergraduate Education

Princeton (N.J.)

Graduate Education

Princeton (N.J.)

Cambridge (England)

Employment

Princeton (N.J.)

Death

Princeton (N.J.)

Subjects

Atomic and molecular physics.

Atomic bomb.

Hydrogen bomb.

Nuclear physics.

Nuclear reactors.

Nuclear weapons.

Uranium.

Relationships

People

Family

Phelps, Ruth Anne

Mother.

Smyth, Charles Henry, 1866-

Father. Both employed at Princeton University.

Smyth, Charles Phelps, 1895-1990

Brother. Both employed at Princeton University.

Smyth, Mary de Coningh

Wife, married in 1936.

Advisors & Collaborators

Bainbridge, Kenneth T. (Kenneth Tompkins), 1904-1996

Advised by Smyth at Princeton University, "A search for element 87 by analysis of positive rays."

Barton, Henry Askew, 1898-1983

Advised by Smyth at Princeton University in physics.

Compton, K. T. (Karl Taylor), 1887-1954

Ph.D. advisor at Princeton University on quantum theory. Both employed at Princeton University.

Rutherford, Ernest, 1871-1937

PhD advisor at University of Cambridge on ionization.

Ufford, Charles Wilbur, 1900-

Co-wrote "Matter, Motion and Electricity: A Modern Approach to General Physics."

Colleagues

Adams, Edwin P. (Edwin Plimpton), 1878-

Both employed at Princeton University.

Adelberger, Eric G.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Aizenman, Michael

Both employed at Princeton University.

Allison, Samuel King, 1900-1965

Both employed at the Office of Scientific Research and Development and the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Alvarez, Luis W., 1911-1988

Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Anderson, P. W. (Philip W.), 1923-

Both employed at Princeton University.

Austin, Robert H.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Bargmann, V. (Valentine), 1908-1989

Both employed at Princeton University.

Barschall, H. H. (Henry Herman), 1915-1997

Both employed at Princeton University.

Berko, Stephan

Both employed at Princeton University.

Bleakney, Walker, 1901-1992

Both employed at Princeton University.

Bohm, David, 1917-1992

Both employed at Princeton University.

Brode, Robert B. (Robert Bigham), 1900-1986

Both employed at Princeton University.

Brown, G. E. (Gerald Edward), 1926-

Both employed at Princeton University.

Callan, Curtis G.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Christ, Norman

Both employed at Princeton University.

Compton, Arthur Holly, 1892-1962

Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Condon, Edward Uhler, 1902-1974

Both employed at Princeton University.

Creutz, E.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Cronin, James W., 1931-2016

Both employed at Princeton University.

Daniels, Farrington, 1889-1972

Both employed at Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Dempster, Arthur Jeffrey

Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Dicke, Robert H. (Robert Henry)

Both employed at Princeton University.

Eisenhart, Luther Pfahler, 1876-1965

Both employed at Princeton University.

Feynman, Richard P. (Richard Phillips), 1918-1988

Both employed at Princeton University.

Fitch, Val L., 1923-2015

Both employed at Princeton University.

Fletcher, James Chipman, 1919-1991

Both employed at Princeton University.

Franck, James, 1882-1964

Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Freedman, Stuart J.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Frieman, E. A.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Goldberger, Marvin L.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Gross, David J. (David Jonathan)

Both employed at Princeton University.

Happer, William, 1939-

Both employed at Princeton University.

Hartle, J. B. (James B.)

Both employed at Princeton University.

Hilberry, Norman, 1899-

Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Hofstadter, Robert, 1915-1990

Both employed at Princeton University.

Hopfield, John J.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Lieb, Elliott H.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Magie, William Francis, 1858-1943

Both employed at Princeton University.

Misner, Charles W.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Montroll, E. W.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Morrison, Philip

Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Morse, Philip M. (Philip McCord), 1903-1985

Both employed at Princeton University.

Pines, David, 1924-2018

Both employed at Princeton University.

Pollock, Robert Elwood, 1936-

Both employed at Princeton University.

Robertson, H. P. (Howard Percy), 1903-1961

Both employed at Princeton University.

Schwarz, John H.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Schwinger, Julian, 1918-1994

Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Seaborg, Glenn T. (Glenn Theodore), 1912-1999

Both employed at Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Segal, Irving Ezra

Both employed at Princeton University.

Seitz, Frederick, 1911-2008

Both employed at Princeton University.

Shenstone, A. G. (Allen Goodrich)

Both employed at Princeton University.

Szilard, Leo

Both employed at Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Thorne, Kip S.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Treiman, Sam B.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Tsui, D. C. (Daniel Chee), 1939-

Both employed at Princeton University.

Turkevich, Anthony, 1916-2002

Both employed at Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Van de Graaf, Robert Jemison, 1901-1967

Both employed at Princeton University.

Warburton, Ernest Keeling

Both employed at Princeton University.

Weinberg, Alvin Martin, 1915-2006

Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Weiss, Rainer

Both employed at Princeton University.

Wheeler, John Archibald, 1911-2008

Both employed at Princeton University.

Wightman, A. S. (Arthur Strong), 1922-2013

Both employed at Princeton University.

Wigner, Eugene Paul, 1902-1995

Both employed at Princeton University and the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Wilczek, Frank

Both employed at Princeton University.

Wilkinson, David T.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Wilson, Robert R., 1914-2000

Both employed at Princeton University.

Wu, C. S. (Chien-shiung), 1912-1997

Both employed at Princeton University.

Additional

Briggs, Lyman J. (Lyman James), 1874-1963

Bush, Vannevar, 1890-1974

Conant, James Bryant, 1893-1978

Harrington, Marshall Cathcart, 1904-

Havens, William W. (William Westerfield), 1920-2004

Lawrence, Ernest Orlando, 1901-1958

Morgan, Stanley Owen, 1900-

Oppenheimer, J. Robert, 1904-1967

Strauss, Lewis L.

Urey, Harold Clayton, 1893-1981

Institutions

Major Positions

Manhattan Project (U.S.)

Assistant Director and Consultant, Chicago Metallurigcal Laboratory.

National Research Council (U.S.)

Fellow at the Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge and Princeton University. Member, Subcommittee on Physics.

Princeton University. Department of Physics

Received A.B. in 1918 and Ph.D. in 1921. Instructor; Assistant Professor of Physics; Associate Professor of Physics; Professor of Physics; Chair, Department of Physics; Joseph Henry Professor of Physics; and Emeritus Professor of Physics.

U.S. Atomic Energy Commission

Commissioner.

United States. Office of Scientific Research and Development. Metallurgical Laboratory

Assistant Director and Consultant, Manhattan Project.

University of Cambridge. Department of Physics

Received Ph.D. in 1923. National Research Council (NRC) Fellow.

Professional Activities & Affiliations

American Academy of Arts and Sciences

American Institute of Physics

Member, Governing Board.

American Philosophical Society

American Physical Society

President.

Associated Universities, Inc.

Member, Board of Trustees.

International Atomic Energy Agency

U.S. Ambassador.

Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory

Phi Beta Kappa

Society of the Sigma Xi

United States. Office of Scientific Research and Development. National Defense Research Committee

Member, Subcommittee on Uranium.

Universities Research Association (U.S.)

Chairman, Board of Trustees.

University of Chicago. Department of Physics

Resources

Archival Resources

Author

Atomic energy for military purposes, 1945 [typescript].

Manuscripts and Archives Department

Hagley Museum and Library

298 Buck Road East, Greenville, DE 19807, USA

Henry De Wolf Smyth papers, 1885-1987.

Library

American Philosophical Society

105 South Fifth Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA

Henry De Wolf Smyth papers, 1898-1988.

Department of Rare Books and Special Collections

Princeton University

1 Washington Road, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA

Subject

Allen Shenstone autobiography, 1962.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Brookhaven National Laboratory interview transcripts, 1966-1986.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Letter, with 169 signatures of Oak Ridge National Laboratory staff, to Henry D. Smyth of Atomic Energy Commission, endorsing Smyth's minority opinion against the withdrawal of J. Robert Oppenheimer's security clearance, 1954.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Lewis L. Strauss papers, 1914-1974.

Herbert Hoover Presidential Library

West Branch, IA 52358, USA

Marshall Cathcart Harrington response to early 1930s Ph.D.s Survey, 1980.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Henry A. Barton, 1970 March 3 and 16.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Stanley Owen Morgan, 1975 July 3.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with William W. Havens, 1991 February 21, July 17, 29, Augut 5, 12 and 14.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Princeton University Department of Physics records, 1909-1971.

Department of Rare Books and Special Collections

Princeton University

1 Washington Road, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA

Published Resources

Author

A general account of the development of methods of using atomic energy for military purposes under the auspices of the United States government, 1940-1945 / by H.D. Smyth.

Atomic energy for military purposes; the official report on the development of the atomic bomb under the auspices of the United States government, 1940-1945, by Henry De Wolf Smyth.

L'Energie atomique et son utilisation militaire : Documents officiels ... / traduits par Maurice E. Nahmias.

Matter, motion and electricity : a modern approach to general physics / by Henry De Wolf Smyth and Charles Wilbur Ufford.

Subject

Henry Dewolf Smyth Physics Today obituary.