Michael Ference

Biography

Abstract

Michael Ference was Vice President of Research at Ford Motor Company (1953-1970). Other institutional affiliations included the United States Army Signal Corps and the University of Chicago. His research interests included meteorology and radar.

Important Dates

November 6, 1911Birth, Whiting (Ind.).

1933Obtained BS, University of Chicago, Chicago (Ill.).

1934Obtained MA, University of Chicago, Chicago (Ill.).

1937Obtained PhD in Physics, University of Chicago, Chicago (Ill.).

1937 – 1946Instructor to Assistant Professor of Physics (1937-1944) and Associate Professor of Physics (1944-1946), University of Chicago, Chicago (Ill.).

1946 – 1948Chief, Meteorological Branch, Engineering Laboratory, Signal Corps, United States Army.

1948 – 1953Chief Scientist (1948-1951) and Technical Director, Evans Signal Laboratory, Signal Corps (1951-1953), United States Army, Wall (N.J. : Township).

1953 – 1970Chief Scientist (1953-1954); Assistant Director, Ford Scientific Laboratory (1954-1957); Director, Ford Scientific Laboratory (1957-1959); Executive Director, Ford Scientific Laboratory (1959-1962); and Vice President, Research (1962-1970), Ford Motor Company, Dearborn (Mich.).

1967 – 1970Member, President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

1971Member, National Academy of Engineering.

July 24, 1996Death, San Antonio (Tex.).

Occupation

Atmospheric physicist.

Places

Birth

Whiting (Ind.)

Undergraduate Education

Chicago (Ill.)

Graduate Education

Chicago (Ill.)

Employment

Chicago (Ill.)

Wall (N.J. : Township)

Dearborn (Mich.)

Death

San Antonio (Tex.)

Subjects

Atmosphere, Upper.

Meteorology.

Microwaves.

Radar.

X-ray spectroscopy

Relationships

People

Colleagues

Allison, Samuel King, 1900-1965

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Anderson, Herbert Lawrence

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Baldeschwieler, John D., 1933-

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Bennett, Ivan L., Jr.

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Branscomb, Lewis M., 1926-

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Charney, Jule G.

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Compton, Arthur Holly, 1892-1962

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Dempster, Arthur Jeffrey

Both employed at University of Chicago.

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

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

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

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Eckart, Carl, 1902-1973

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Fitch, Val L., 1923-2015

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Fletcher, James Chipman, 1919-1991

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Franck, James, 1882-1964

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Friedman, Herbert, 1916-2000

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Garwin, Richard L.

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Gell-Mann, Murray

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Goldberger, Marvin L.

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Haggerty, Patrick E.

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Handler, Philip, 1917-1981

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Hewlett, William R.

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Hornig, Donald F., 1920-2013

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

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

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Mayer, Maria Goeppert, 1906-1972

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Mulliken, Robert Sanderson

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Pake, G. E. (George Edward)

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Pitzer, Kenneth S. (Kenneth Sanborn), 1914-

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Rossi, Bruno, 1905-1993

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Seitz, Frederick, 1911-2008

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Simon, Herbert A. (Herbert Alexander), 1916-2001

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

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

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Slichter, Charles P.

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Smith, Lloyd H., 1924-

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Szilard, Leo

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Tape, Gerald Frederick, 1915-2005

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Teller, Edward, 1908-2003

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Townes, Charles H.

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Truxal, John G.

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Turkevich, Anthony, 1916-2002

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Weinberg, Alvin Martin, 1915-2006

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Wood, Harland G. (Harland Goff), 1907-1991

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

York, Herbert F. (Herbert Frank)

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Zener, Clarence, 1905-

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Additional

Pines, David, 1924-2018

Institutions

Major Positions

Ford Motor Company

Chief Scientist and Vice President of Research.

Ford Motor Company. Scientific Laboratory

Assistant Director, Director, and Executive Director.

United States. Army. Signal Corps

Chief, Meteorological Branch, Engineering Laboratory; Chief Scientist, Evans Signal Laboratory; and Technical Director, Evans Signal Laboratory.

University of Chicago. Department of Physics

Obtained BS, MA, and PhD in Physics (1937). Instructor to Assistant Professor of Physics and Associate Professor of Physics.

Professional Activities & Affiliations

National Academy of Engineering

Member.

United States. President's Science Advisory Committee

Member.

Resources

Archival Resources

Subject

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

Published Resources

Author

Analytical experimental physics, by Harvey Brace Lemon ... and Michael Ference, jr. …

Subject

"Michael Ference, Jr.: 1911-1996", Memorial Tributes: National Academy of Engineering