Marvin L. Goldberger

Biography

Abstract

Born in 1922. Completed B.S. at Carnegie Institute of Technology and became a staff member at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory during the Manhattan Project (1943-45). Received Ph.D. in 1948. Assistant Professor and Professor of Physics at University of Chicago (1950-57), Professor of Physics at Princeton University (1957-78), President of California Institute of Technology (1978-87), Director of Institute for Advanced Study (1987-91), Professor of Physics at University of California, Los Angeles (1991-2014), and Dean of Division of Natural Sciences at University of California, San Diego (1994-2007).

Important Dates

October 22, 1922Birth, Chicago (Ill.).

1943Received B.S., Carnegie Institute of Technology, Pittsburgh (Pa.).

1943 – 1945Member, Special Engineering Detachment, U.S. Army at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, the Manhattan Project.

1948Received Ph.D., University of Chicago, Chicago (Ill.).

1948 – 1949Physicist, Radiation Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley.

1949 – 1950Research Associate in Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

1950 – 1957Assistant Professor to Professor of Physics, University of Chicago, Chicago (Ill.).

1953 – 1954Higgins Visiting Associate Professor, Princeton University.

1957 – 1978Higgins Professor of Mathematical Physics (1957-1977); Chair of Department of Physics (1970-1976); and Joseph Henry Professor of Physics (1977-1978), Princeton University, Princeton (N.J.).

1961Awarded Dannie Heineman Prize for Mathematical Physics, American Physical Society (APS).

1963Member, National Academy of Sciences.

1963 – 1969Chairman, High Energy Physics Commission, International Union of Pure and Applied Physics.

1965 – 1969Member, President's Science Advisory Committee.

1972 – 1973Chairman, Federation of American Scientists.

1978 – 1987President, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena (Calif.).

1980 – 1993Chair (1980-1986) and Member (1987-1993), Committee on International Security and Arms Control, National Academy of Sciences.

1987 – 1991Director, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton (N.J.).

1987 – presentMember, Advisory Committee, Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University.

1991 – presentProfessor of Physics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles (Calif.).

1994 – 2014Dean, Division of the Natural Sciences (1994-2007); Professor of Physics (1994-2006); and Emeritus Professor of Physics (2006-2014), University of California, San Diego, San Diego (Calif.).

Occupation

Nuclear and high-energy physicist.

Places

Birth

Chicago (Ill.)

Undergraduate Education

Pittsburgh (Pa.)

Graduate Education

Chicago (Ill.)

Employment

Chicago (Ill.)

Princeton (N.J.)

Pasadena (Calif.)

Los Angeles (Calif.)

San Diego (Calif.)

Subjects

Ballistic missile defenses -- United States.

Physics -- Administration.

Physics -- Military aspects.

Science -- Security measures.

Science and state.

Relationships

People

Family

Goldberger, Joel

Son.

Goldberger, Mildred Ginsburg

Wife, married in 1945.

Goldberger, Samuel

Son.

Advisors & Collaborators

Belinfante, Johan G. F.

Advised by Goldberger at Princeton University on quantum theory.

Calogero, F. (Francesco)

Co-edited "Verification: Monitoring Disarmament."

Cantrell, C. D. (Cyrus D.), 1940-

Advised by Goldberger at Princeton University on quantum theory.

Fermi, Enrico, 1901-1954

Ph.D. advisor at University of Chicago on the interaction of high energy neutrons with heavy nuclei. Both employed at University of Chicago.

Flattau, Pamela Ebert

Co-wrote "Research-Doctorate Programs in the United States: Continuity and Change."

Gross, Franz

Advised by Goldberger at Princeton University.

Holliday, Dennis

Advised by Goldberger at Princeton University on nucleon compton scattering.

Kalet, Ira

Advised by Goldberger at Princeton University on meson production by real and virtual photons.

Kapitsa, P. L. (Petr Leonidovich), 1894-1984

Co-edited "Verification: Monitoring Disarmament."

Kaufman, Allan N. (Allan Nathan), 1927-

Advised by Goldberger at University of Chicago on meson scattering.

Maher, Brendan A. (Brendan Arnold), 1924-

Co-wrote "Research-Doctorate Programs in the United States: Continuity and Change."

Solmitz, Frank T.

Advised by Goldberger at University of Chicago on proton-proton scattering for a nucleon isobar model.

Sullivan, Jeremiah D.

Advised by Goldberger at Princeton University, "The Vacuum Regge Trajectory in Scalar-Vector Field Theory."

Watson, Kenneth M.

Co-wrote "Collision Theory."

White, R. B.

Advised by Goldberger at Princeton University in pion nucleon scattering.

Colleagues

Adelberger, Eric G.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Adler, Stephen L.

Both employed at the Institute for Advanced Study.

Agnew, Harold M.

Both employed at University of California, San Diego.

Aizenman, Michael

Both employed at Princeton University.

Allison, Samuel King, 1900-1965

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

Alvarez, Luis W., 1911-1988

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley and the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Anderson, Carl D. (Carl David), 1905-1991

Both employed at California Institute of Technology.

Anderson, Herbert Lawrence

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

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

Both employed at Princeton University.

Bacher, Robert F. (Robert Fox), 1905-2004

Both employed at California Institute of Technology.

Bahcall, John N.

Both employed at the Institute for Advanced Study.

Bargmann, V. (Valentine), 1908-1989

Both employed at Princeton University.

Barish, B. C. (Barry Clark), 1936-

Both employed at California Institute of Technology.

Bertsch, George F.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Birge, Raymond T. (Raymond Thayer), 1887-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Bleakney, Walker, 1901-1992

Both employed at Princeton University.

Boehm, Felix

Both employed at California Institute of Technology.

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

Both employed at Princeton University.

Callan, Curtis G.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Chen, Francis F., 1929-

Both employed at University of California, Los Angeles.

Chew, Geoffrey F.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Christ, Norman

Both employed at Princeton University.

Christy, Robert F.

Both employed at California Institute of Technology.

Cohen, Morrel H.

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Compton, Arthur Holly, 1892-1962

Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Crewe, Albert V.

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Cronin, James W., 1931-2016

Both employed at Princeton University.

Daniels, Farrington, 1889-1972

Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Dashen, Roger F.

Both employed at University of California, San Diego.

Dawson, J. M. (John Myrick), 1930-

Both employed at University of California, Los Angeles.

Delbrück, Max

Both employed at California Institute of Technology.

Dempster, Arthur Jeffrey

Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Deutsch, Martin, 1917-2002

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Dicke, Robert H. (Robert Henry)

Both employed at Princeton University.

Drell, Sidney D. (Sidney David), 1926-

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

DuBridge, Lee A. (Lee Alvin), 1901-1994

Both employed at California Institute of Technology and worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Duwez, Pol

Both employed at California Institute of Technology.

Dynes, Robert C.

Both employed at University of California, San Diego.

Dyson, Freeman J.

Both employed at the Institute for Advanced Study.

Eisenhart, Luther Pfahler, 1876-1965

Both employed at Princeton University.

Enge, Harald A.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Everhart, Thomas E.

Both employed at California Institute of Technology.

Feher, George, 1924-

Both employed at University of California, San Diego.

Ference, Michael, 1911-

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Feshbach, Herman

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

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

Both employed at California Institute of Technology.

Fisk, Zachary

Both employed at University of California, San Diego.

Fitch, Val L., 1923-2015

Both employed at Princeton University.

Fletcher, James Chipman, 1919-1991

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Fowler, William A.

Both employed at California Institute of Technology.

Franck, James, 1882-1964

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

Freedman, Daniel Z.

Both employed at California Institute of Technology.

Freedman, Stuart J.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Friedman, Jerome I. (Jerome Isaac), 1930-

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Fritzsche, Hellmut

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Garwin, Richard L.

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Gates, S. James

Both employed at California Institute of Technology.

Gell-Mann, Murray

Both employed at California Institute of Technology.

Gould, Roy W. (Roy Walter), 1927-

Both employed at California Institute of Technology.

Gross, David J. (David Jonathan)

Both employed at Princeton University.

Hartle, J. B. (James B.)

Both employed at Princeton University.

Hellman, Frances

Both employed at University of California, San Diego.

Helmholz, August Carl, 1915-2003

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Hilberry, Norman, 1899-

Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Hopfield, John J.

Both employed at Princeton University and California Institute of Technology.

Jackson, John David, 1925-2016

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Kennel, Charles F., 1939-

Both employed at University of California, Los Angeles.

Keyes, Frederick G. (Frederick George), 1885-1976

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Kivelson, Steven

Both employed at University of California, Los Angeles.

Klein, Martin J.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Koonin, Steven E.

Both employed at California Institute of Technology.

Koshiba, Masatoshi, 1926-2020

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Kraushaar, William L.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Kroll, Norman Myles, 1922-

Both employed at University of California, San Diego.

Lawrence, Ernest Orlando, 1901-1958

Both employed at Lawrence Radiation Laboratory.

Leal, L. Gary

Both employed at California Institute of Technology.

Leighton, Robert B.

Both employed at California Institute of Technology.

Lieb, Elliott H.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Liepmann, H. W. (Hans Wolfgang), 1914-

Both employed at California Institute of Technology.

Livingston, M. Stanley (Milton Stanley)

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

MacDonald, Gordon J. (Gordon James), 1929-2002

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

Maple, M. Brian, 1939-

Both employed at University of California, San Diego.

Mayer, Maria Goeppert, 1906-1972

Both employed at University of Chicago.

McKeown, R. D.

Both employed at California Institute of Technology.

McMillan, Edwin M. (Edwin Mattison), 1907-

Both employed at Lawrence Radiation Laboratory.

Misner, Charles 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 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Moyer, Burton J., 1912-1973

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Mulliken, Robert Sanderson

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Nambu, Yoichiro, 1921-2015

Both employed at University of Chicago.

O'Neil, T. M. (Thomas Michael), 1940-

Both employed at University of California, San Diego.

Onuchic, José

Both employed at University of California, San Diego.

Pake, G. E. (George Edward)

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Panofsky, Wolfgang K. H. (Wolfgang Kurt Hermann), 1919-2007

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Patel, C. Kumar N.

Both employed at University of California, Los Angeles.

Pines, David, 1924-2018

Both employed at Princeton University.

Politzer, H. David, 1949-

Both employed at California Institute of Technology.

Pollock, Robert Elwood, 1936-

Both employed at Princeton University.

Purcell, Edward M.

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

Rieser, Leonard M.

Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Rosenbluth, M. N.

Both employed at University of California, San Diego.

Roshko, A. (Anatol)

Both employed at California Institute of Technology.

Rossi, Bruno, 1905-1993

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Schwarz, John H.

Both employed at Princeton University and California Institute of Technology.

Schwinger, Julian, 1918-1994

Both employed at University of California, Los Angeles, and Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Sciulli, Frank J.

Both employed at California Institute of Technology.

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

Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Segrè, Emilio

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Seiberg, Nathan

Both employed at the Institute for Advanced Study.

Serber, R. (Robert)

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Sham, L. J.

Both employed at University of California, San Diego.

Shenstone, A. G. (Allen Goodrich)

Both employed at Princeton University.

Simpson, John A. (John Alexander), 1916-2000

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

Slater, John C. (John Clarke), 1900-1976

Both employed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Slichter, Charles P.

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

Smyth, Henry De Wolf, 1898-1986

Both employed at Princeton University.

Spencer, Thomas, 1946-

Both employed at the Institute for Advanced Study.

Spruch, Larry

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Stratton, Julius Adams, 1901-1994

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Suhl, Harry

Both employed at University of California, San Diego.

Szilard, Leo

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

Telegdi, Val, 1922-2006

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Teller, Edward, 1908-2003

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Thorne, Kip S.

Both employed at California Institute of Technology and Princeton University.

Treiman, Sam B.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Turkevich, Anthony, 1916-2002

Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Van de Graaf, Robert Jemison, 1901-1967

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

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.

Weisskopf, Victor Frederick, 1908-2002

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Wentzel, Gregor, 1898-1978

Both employed at University of Chicago.

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 Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, the Manhattan Project and Princeton University.

Wilczek, Frank

Both employed at Princeton University and the Institute for Advanced Study.

Wilkins, J. Ernest, Jr.

Both employed at Chicago Metallurigcal Laboratory, the Manhattan Project.

Wilkinson, David T.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Wise, Mark B., 1953-

Both employed at California Institute of Technology.

Witherell, Michael S., 1949-

Both employed at Princeton University.

Witten, E.

Both employed at the Institute for Advanced Study.

Wu, Theodore Y.-T. (Theodore Yao-tsu)

Both employed at California Institute of Technology.

Yariv, Amnon

Both employed at California Institute of Technology.

York, Herbert F. (Herbert Frank)

Both employed at University of California, San Diego and President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

York, James W., Jr., 1939-

Both employed at Princeton University.

Zacharias, Jerrold Reinach, 1905-1986

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Zener, Clarence, 1905-

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Zweig, George

Both employed at California Institute of Technology.

Additional

Davidon, William C.

Deser, S. (Stanley)

Foster, John S., 1922-

Frauenfelder, Hans, 1922-

Lazarus, David, 1921-

Lewis, H. W. (Harold Warren)

Oppenheimer, J. Robert, 1904-1967

Sharp, D. H. (David Howland), 1938-

Urey, Harold Clayton, 1893-1981

Wolfenstein, L. (Lincoln)

Institutions

Major Positions

California Institute of Technology

President.

Institute for Advanced Study (Princeton, N.J.)

Director.

Lawrence Radiation Laboratory

Physicist.

Manhattan Project (U.S.)

Member, Special Engineering Detachment, U.S. Army, Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Physics

Research Associate in Physics.

Princeton University. Department of Physics

Higgins Visiting Associate Professor; Higgins Professor of Mathematical Physics; Chair, Department of Physics; and Joseph Henry Professor of Physics.

Princeton University. Plasma Physics Laboratory

Member, Advisory Committee.

United States. Army

Member, Special Engineering Detachment, Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, the Manhattan Project.

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

Member, Special Engineering Detachment, U.S. Army, Manhattan Project.

University of California, Los Angeles. Department of Physics

Professor of Physics.

University of California, San Diego

Dean, Division of the Natural Sciences.

University of California, San Diego. Department of Physics

Professor of Physics and Emeritus Professor of Physics.

University of Chicago. Department of Physics

Received Ph.D. in 1948. Assistant Professor and Professor of Physics.

Professional Activities & Affiliations

American Academy of Arts and Sciences

American Physical Society

Carnegie Institute of Technology. Department of Physics

Received B.S.

Federation of American Scientists

Chairman.

International Union of Pure and Applied Physics

Chairman, High Energy Physics Commission.

JASON Defense Advisory Group

Founding member.

National Academy of Sciences (U.S.)

Chair and Member, Committee on International Security and Arms Control.

Society of the Sigma Xi

Tau Beta Pi

United States. President's Science Advisory Committee

Member.

Resources

Archival Resources

Author

Audio and video interviews about the life and work of Richard Garwin, 2004-2012.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Marvin Goldberger addition to papers.

Institute Archives

California Institute of Technology

1201 East California Blvd. (Mail Code 015A-74), Pasadena, CA 91125, USA

Marvin L. Goldberger papers.

Institute Archives

California Institute of Technology

1201 East California Blvd. (Mail Code 015A-74), Pasadena, CA 91125, USA

Oral history interview with Marvin L. Goldberger, 1986 February 12.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Sessions from the annual meeting of Corporate Associates [sound recording], 1970 October 5-6.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Symposium of the Forum on Physics and Society [sound recording] : Science in China ; 1973 January 30.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Subject

Hans Frauenfelder response to survey on the impact of immigration on U.S. physics, 1999.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Murray Gell-Mann papers, 1931-2001 (bulk 1955-1993).

Institute Archives

California Institute of Technology

1201 East California Blvd. (Mail Code 015A-74), Pasadena, CA 91125, USA

Oral history interview with D. H. Sharp, 1993 July 23.

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 E. A. Frieman, 1986 June 26.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Edward A. Frieman, 2006 December 4 and 5.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Harold Warren Lewis, 1986 July 6.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Herbert F. York, 1986 February 7.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with John Archibald Wheeler, 1988 May 4, May 23 and November 28.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with John S. Foster, Jr., 1991 August 7.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Kenneth M. Watson, 1986 February 10.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Lincoln Wolfenstein, 1997 April 19.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Murray Gell-Mann, 1997 July 17 and 18.

Institute Archives

California Institute of Technology

1201 East California Blvd. (Mail Code 015A-74), Pasadena, CA 91125, USA

Oral history interview with Roy Gould, 1996 1 March-10 April.

Institute Archives

California Institute of Technology

1201 East California Blvd. (Mail Code 015A-74), Pasadena, CA 91125, USA

Oral history interview with Sam B. Treiman, 1986 December 18.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Stanley Deser, 2011 March 12.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Val L. Fitch, 1986 December 18.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with William C. Davidon, 1997 July 11.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Published Resources

Author

Collision theory [by] Marvin L. Goldberger [and] Kenneth M. Watson.

Research-doctorate programs in the United States : continuity and change / Marvin L. Goldberger, Brendan A. Maher, and Pamela Ebert Flattau, editors ; Committee for the Study of Research-Doctorate Programs in the United States ; sponsored by the Conference Board of Associated Research Councils ; and conducted by Studies and Surveys Unit, Office of Scientific and Engineering Personnel, National Research Council.

Verification : monitoring disarmament / edited by Francesco Calogero, Marvin L. Goldberger, and Sergei P. Kapitza.

Subject

Problems in unification and supergravity : (La Jolla Institute, 1983) / edited by Glennys Farrar and Frank Henyey.