O. Chamberlain

Biography

Abstract

Owen Chamberlain was a Nobel laureate in physics and co-discoverer of the antiproton. His institutional affiliations included University of California at Berkeley, the Manhattan Project, and the University of Chicago.

Important Dates

July 10, 1920Birth, San Francisco (Calif.).

1941Obtained AB, Dartmouth College, Hanover (N.H.).

1942 – 1943Physicist, Berkeley Radiation Laboratory, Manhattan Project, Berkeley (Calif.).

1943 – 1946Physicist, Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project, Los Alamos (N.M.).

1948 – 2006Instructor to Associate Professor of Physics (1948-1958); Professor of Physics (1958-1989); and Emeritus Professor of Physics (1989-2006), University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley (Calif.).

1949Obtained PhD in Physics, University of Chicago, Chicago (Ill.).

1959Awarded Nobel Prize in Physics with Emilio Segrè "for their discovery of the antiproton".

1960Member, National Academy of Sciences.

February 26, 2006Death, Berkeley (Calif.).

Occupation

Particle physicist.

Places

Birth

San Francisco (Calif.)

Undergraduate Education

Hanover (N.H.)

Graduate Education

Chicago (Ill.)

Employment

Los Alamos (N.M.)

Berkeley (Calif.)

Death

Berkeley (Calif.)

Subjects

Antiprotons.

Atomic bomb.

Nuclear physics.

Particles (Nuclear physics).

Polarized beams (Nuclear physics).

Relationships

People

Family

Chamberlain, Beatrice Babette

Wife, divorced in 1978.

Chamberlain, Darol

Son.

Chamberlain, Genevieve Lucinda

Mother.

Chamberlain, June Steingart

Wife.

Chamberlain, Karen

Daughter.

Chamberlain, Lynne

Daughter.

Chamberlain, Pia

Daughter.

Chamberlain, W. Edward

Father.

Advisors & Collaborators

Fermi, Enrico, 1901-1954

Ph.D. advisor at University of Chicago, "Diffraction of slow neutrons in liquids."

Huth, John Edward

Advised by Chamberlain at University of California, Berkeley, "A search for fractionally charged particles in ee± annihilations."

Segrè, Emilio

Research advisor at University of California, Berkeley; shared the 1959 Nobel Prize in Physics "for their discovery of the antiproton;" and both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Shapiro, Marjorie

Advised by Chamberlain at University of California, Berkeley, ""Inclusive distributions and two particle correlations in ee± annihilation at 29 GeV center-of-mass energy."

Colleagues

Abrahams, Elihu

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Allison, Samuel King, 1900-1965

Both employed at the Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Alvarez, Luis W., 1911-1988

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Appelbaum, J. A. (Joel A.)

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Bardeen, James Maxwell, 1939-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

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

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

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

Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Baym, Gordon

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Bederson, Benjamin

Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Bialek, William S.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

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

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Bradbury, Norris, 1909-1997

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

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

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Case, Kenneth M.

Both employed at the Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Chew, Geoffrey F.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Chu, Steven

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Clarke, John, 1942-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Clauser, John F. (John Francis), 1942-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Cohen, Marvin L.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Commins, Eugene D.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Corson, Dale R.

Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Creutz, E.

Both employed at the Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Davidson, Ronald C.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Davis, J. C. Séamus

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Deutsch, Martin, 1917-2002

Both employed at the Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Duffield, Robert B.

Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Emery, V. J. (Victor J.)

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Falcone, Roger W.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

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

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Fetter, Alexander L., 1937-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Fitch, Val L., 1923-2015

Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Freedman, Daniel Z.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Freedman, Stuart J.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Gaillard, Mary K.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Glaser, D. A.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Glashow, Sheldon L.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Goldhaber, Gerson

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Hahn, E. L. (Erwin Louis), 1921-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Heeger, Alan J.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Helmholz, August Carl, 1915-2003

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Holdren, John P.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Hopfield, John J.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Jackson, John David, 1925-2016

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Jeffries, C. D., 1922-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Kahn, Steven Michael

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Kittel, Charles

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Lange, Andrew

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Langenberg, D. N., 1932-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Lawrence, Ernest Orlando, 1901-1958

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Lee, T. D., 1926-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Loeb, Leonard B. (Leonard Benedict), 1891-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Louie, Steven G., 1949-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Mandelstam, Stanley

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Marshak, Robert E. (Robert Eugene), 1916-1992

Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Mayer, Maria Goeppert, 1906-1972

Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

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

Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

McKee, Christopher, 1942-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

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

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Moyer, Burton J., 1912-1973

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Murnane, Margaret

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Nierenberg, William Aaron, 1919-2000

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

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

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Perlmutter, Saul

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Phillips, J. C.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Price, Paul Buford

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Randall, Lisa

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Reynolds, John Hamilton, 1923-2000

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Richards, Paul L. (Paul Linford)

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Rieser, Leonard M.

Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Ruderman, Malvin A.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Schiff, Leonard I. (Leonard Isaac), 1915-1971

Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

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

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Serber, R. (Robert)

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Shen, Y. R.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Smoot, George

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Steinberger, J.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Steiner, Herbert M.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Stubbs, Christopher

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Teller, Edward, 1908-2003

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Thomas, Gareth, 1932-2014

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Tinkham, Michael

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Townes, Charles H.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Trilling, George H.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Turkevich, Anthony, 1916-2002

Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Van Harlingen, Dale J.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Watson, Kenneth M.

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Weinberg, Steven, 1933-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Wick, G. C. (Gian Carlo)

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

York, Herbert F. (Herbert Frank)

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Zacharias, Jerrold Reinach, 1905-1986

Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Zumino, B. (Bruno), 1923-

Both employed at University of California, Berkeley.

Additional

Dupree, Andrea K.

Fabin, Sky

Krisch, A. D.

Oppenheimer, J. Robert, 1904-1967

Ramsey, Norman, 1915-2011

Tamm, I. E. (Igor' Evgen'evich), 1895-1971

Wolfenstein, L. (Lincoln)

Institutions

Major Positions

Lawrence Radiation Laboratory

Physicist, Manhattan Project.

Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory

Physicist, Manhattan Project.

Manhattan Project (U.S.)

Physicist, Los Alamos National Laboratory and Physicist, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory.

University of California, Berkeley. Department of Physics

Instructor to Associate Professor of Physics, Professor of Physics, and Emeritus Professor of Physics.

Professional Activities & Affiliations

American Physical Society

Dartmouth College. Department of Physics and Astronomy

Obtained AB in 1941.

National Academy of Sciences (U.S.)

University of Chicago. Department of Physics

Obtained PhD (Physics) in 1949.

Resources

Archival Resources

Author

Experiencing the first nuclear explosion [sound recording] / 1968 December.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

High energy physics session [sound recording], 1964 April 30.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

LBL Physics Division scientific logbooks of Owen Chamberlain, Emilio Segrè and Clyde Wiegand, 1946-1954.

Pacific Sierra Region

National Archives and Records Administration

1000 Commodore Drive, San Bruno, CA 94066, USA

Nobel laureates on scientific research project : oral history, 1964.

Oral History Research Office

Columbia University

Box 20, Room 801 Butler Library, New York, NY 10027, USA

Oral history interview with Owen Chamberlain, 1976 June 16, 21, August 4 and 13.

The Bancroft Library

University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA, 94720-6000, USA

Owen Chamberlain papers, 1941-2006.

The Bancroft Library

University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA, 94720-6000, USA

Subject

How well we meant [videorecording], 1983.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Igor E. Tamm papers, 1921-1971.

In private hands. Contact Tamm family.

Moscow, Russia

LBL Office of the Director records of Edwin M. McMillan, 1907-1991.

Pacific Sierra Region

National Archives and Records Administration

1000 Commodore Drive, San Bruno, CA 94066, USA

Oral history interview with Andrea Dupree, 2007 October 29.

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 Norman Ramsey, 1978 December 19, 1979 January 5 and 18.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Outtakes and candid footage from the production of : The world of Enrico Fermi, circa 1930-1968.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Text materials for documentary film: The world of Enrico Fermi, circa 1930-1968.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

The world of Enrico Fermi [motion picture].

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Published Resources

Author

Polarized beams at SSC, Ann Arbor, MI, 1985 ; Polarized antiprotons, Bodega Bay, CA, 1985 / editors, A.D. Krisch & A.M.T. Lin, O. Chamberlain.

The Discovery of the Antiproton, in Pions to Quarks: Particle Physics in the 1950s, ed. Laurie M. Brown, Max Dresden, and Lillian Hoddeson (Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press: 1989), 273-284.

Subject

Nobel Prize Biography.

Owen Chamberlain Physics Today obituary.

Owen Chamberlain: 1920-2006, Biographical Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences.