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Table of Contents

Biography

AbstractImportant DatesOccupationPlacesSubjects

Relationships

PeopleInstitutions

Resources

Archival as AuthorPublished as AuthorPublished as Subject

Neil W. Ashcroft

Photo

Dates

November 27, 1938 – March 15, 2021

Authorized Form of Name

Ashcroft, Neil W.

Additional Forms of Names

Ashcroft, Neil

Ashcroft, Neil W., 1938-

Biography

Abstract

Neil W. Ashcroft is a British physicist, who is known for his textbook entitled "Solid state physics." His research interests include matter at high densities and in reduced dimensionality; superlattice hetero-structures; and metallic hydrogen and its electronically ordered alloys.

Important Dates

November 27, 1938Birth, London (England).

1958Obtained BSc, University of New Zealand, Wellington (N.Z.).

1964Obtained PhD in Physics, Cambridge University, Cambridge (England).

1964 – 1965Research Associate, University of Chicago.

1965 – presentResearch Associate to Associate Professor of Physics (1965-1975); Professor of Physics, Laboratory of Atomic and Solid State Physics (1975-1989); Director, Laboratory of Atomic and Solid State Physics (1979-1984); Horace White Professor of Physics (1990-2006); and Horace White Emeritus Professor of Physics (2006-present), Cornell University, Ithaca (N.Y.).

1978 – 1997Associate Director (1978-1989); Acting Director (1983-1984); and Deputy Director (1990-1997), High Energy Synchrotron Source (now Wilson Synchrotron Laboratory), Cornell University, Ithaca (N.Y.).

1984 – 1985Visiting Fellow, Churchill College, Cambridge University, Cambridge (England).

1986 – 1987Chair, Division of Condensed Matter Physics, American Physical Society.

1987Member, High Temperature Superconductivity Committee, National Academy of Sciences.

1990 – 1992Chair, Board of Trustees, Gordon Research Conferences.

1997Member, National Academy of Sciences.

1997 – 2000Director, Cornell Center for Materials Research, Cornell University, Ithaca (N.Y.).

March 15, 2021Death, Ithaca (N.Y.).

Occupation

Solid state physicist.

Places

Birth

London (England)

Undergraduate Education

Wellington (N.Z.)

Graduate Education

Cambridge (England)

Employment

Ithaca (N.Y.)

Death

Ithaca (N.Y.)

Subjects

Quantum electrodynamics.

Solid state physics.

Superconductivity.

Relationships

People

Advisors & Collaborators

Mermin, N. David

Both employed at Cornell University and co-wrote textbook called Solid state physics.

Colleagues

Allison, Samuel King, 1900-1965

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Anderson, Herbert Lawrence

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Beasley, Malcolm

Both employed at Cornell University.

Bethe, Hans A. (Hans Albrecht), 1906-2005

Both employed at Cornell University.

Cohen, Morrel H.

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Corson, Dale R.

Both employed at Cornell University.

Crewe, Albert V.

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Davis, J. C. Séamus

Both employed at Cornell University.

DiSalvo, Francis

Both employed at Cornell University.

Drell, Persis S.

Both employed at Cornell University.

Falicov, L. M. (Leopoldo Maximo), 1933-1995

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Feigenbaum, Mitchell, 1944-2019

Both employed at Cornell University.

Fisher, Michael E. (Michael Ellis)

Both employed at Cornell University.

Franck, James, 1882-1964

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Fritzsche, Hellmut

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Greisen, Kenneth

Both employed at Cornell University.

Kinoshita, T. (Toichiro)

Both employed at Cornell University.

Krumhansl, J. A. (James A.)

Both employed at Cornell University.

Lee, David M.

Both employed at Cornell University.

McDaniel, Boyce D. (Boyce Dawkins), 1917-

Both employed at Cornell University.

Morrison, Philip

Both employed at Cornell University.

Mulliken, Robert Sanderson

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Nambu, Yoichiro, 1921-2015

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Orlov, Yuri, 1924-

Both employed at Cornell University.

Pandharipande, V. R.

Both employed at Cornell University.

Peoples, John, Jr.

Both employed at Cornell University.

Pohl, Robert O.

Both employed at Cornell University.

Reppy, John David

Both employed at Cornell University.

Richardson, Robert C. (Robert Coleman), 1937-2013

Both employed at Cornell University.

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

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Susskind, Leonard

Both employed at Cornell University.

Tedrow, Paul, 1940-

Both employed at Cornell University.

Teukolsky, Saul A. (Saul Arno), 1947-

Both employed at Cornell University.

Tigner, M.

Both employed at Cornell University.

Wentzel, Gregor, 1898-1978

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Wilson, Kenneth G. (Kenneth Geddes), 1936-2013

Both employed at Cornell University.

Wilson, Robert R., 1914-2000

Both employed at Cornell University.

York, James W., Jr., 1939-

Both employed at Cornell University.

Additional

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

Kohn, Walter, 1923-2016

Scheffler, M. (Matthias)

Weinberger, P. (Peter)

Institutions

Major Positions

Cornell University. Department of Materials Science and Engineering

Director, Center for Materials Research.

Cornell University. Department of Physics

Research Associate to Associate Professor of Physics; Professor of Physics, Laboratory of Atomic and Solid State Physics; Director, Laboratory of Atomic and Solid State Physics; Horace White Professor of Physics; and Horace White Emeritus Professor of Physics.

University of Cambridge. Department of Physics

Obtained PhD in 1964 and Visiting Fellow, Churchill College.

University of Chicago. Department of Physics

Research associate.

Wilson Synchrotron Laboratory (Cornell University)

Associate Director; Acting Director; and Deputy Director.

Professional Activities & Affiliations

American Physical Society

Chair, Division of Condensed Matter Physics.

Gordon Research Conferences

Chair, Board of Trustees.

National Academy of Sciences (U.S.)

Member, High Temperature Superconductivity Committee.

University of New Zealand

Obtained BSc in 1958.

Resources

Archival Resources

Author

High temperature superconductivity [videorecording], 1987 March 18.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

High-temperature superconducting materials [sound recording] : press conference ; 1987 March 19.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Published Resources

Author

Solid state physics / Neil W. Ashcroft, N. David Mermin.

Subject

Hans Bethe and his physics / edited by Gerald E. Brown, Chang-Hwan Lee.

Walter Kohn : personal stories and anecdotes told by friends and collaborators / Matthias Scheffler, Peter Weinberger (eds.).