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Biography
AbstractImportant DatesOccupationPlacesSubjectsRelationships
PeopleInstitutionsResources
Archival as AuthorPublished as AuthorPublished as SubjectMelvin J. Lax
Dates
March 8, 1922 – December 8, 2002
Authorized Form of Name
Lax, Melvin J.
Biography
Abstract
Melvin Lax was a Distinguished Professor of Physics at City University of New York (1971-2002). His other institutional affiliations included Bell Telephone Laboratories and Syracuse University. He was elected a member of the National Academy of Sciences in 1983.
Important Dates
March 8, 1922Birth, New York (N.Y.).
1942Obtained BA, New York University, New York (N.Y.).
1942 – 1945Research Physicist, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Underwater Sound Laboratory, Cambridge (Mass.).
1943Obtained SM, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge (Mass.).
1947Obtained PhD in Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge (Mass.).
1947 – 1955Assistant Professor to Professor, Syracuse University, Syracuse (N.Y.).
1951 – 1955Consultant, Crystal Branch, Naval Research Laboratory, United States Navy.
1955 – 1971Member, Technical Staff (1955-1971) and Head, Theoretical Department of Physics (1962-1964), Bell Telephone Laboratories, Murray Hill (N.J.).
1966 – 1969Member, Basic Research Advisory Committee, National Academy of Sciences.
1971 – 2002Consultant, Army Research Office, United States Army.
1971 – 2002Distinguished Professor of Physics, City College, City University of New York, New York (N.Y.).
1972 – 2002Consultant, Bell Telephone Laboratories (name changes to AT & T Bell Laboratories and later Bell Labs Innovations), Murray Hill (N.J.).
1976 – 2002Consultant, Los Alamos National Laboratory.
1983Member, National Academy of Sciences.
1989 – 1992Member and Secretary, Class III (Engineering and Applied Physical and Mathematical Sciences), National Academy of Sciences.
1995 – 1998Member and Secretary, Class III (Engineering and Applied Physical and Mathematical Sciences), National Academy of Sciences.
December 8, 2002Death, Summit (N.J.).
Occupation
Solid state physicist.
Places
Birth
Undergraduate Education
Graduate Education
Employment
Death
Subjects
Relationships
People
Family
Lax, David
Son.
Lax, Jonathan
Son.
Lax, Judith
Wife.
Lax, Laurie
Daughter.
Lax, Naomi
Daughter.
Colleagues
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Alfano, Robert R., 1941-
Both employed at City University of New York.
Anderson, P. W. (Philip W.), 1923-
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Birgeneau, Robert J. (Robert Joseph), 1942-
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Bode, Hendrik W. (Hendrik Wade), 1905-1982
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Brattain, Walter H. (Walter Houser), 1902-1987
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Brinkman, William F. (William Frank), 1938-
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at City University of New York.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Fisk, James B. (James Brown), 1910-1981
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Herring, William Conyers, 1914-
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Marshak, Robert E. (Robert Eugene), 1916-1992
Both employed at City University of New York.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Pearson, Gerald L. (Gerald Leondus)
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Richards, Paul L. (Paul Linford)
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories and City University of New York.
Schawlow, Arthur L., 1921-1999
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at City University of New York.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Thomas, D. G. (David Gilbert), 1928-
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Tsui, D. C. (Daniel Chee), 1939-
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Additional
Birman, Joseph L. (Joseph Leon), 1927-2016
Bromberg, Joan Lisa
Gor'kov, L. P. (Lev Petrovich), 1929-
Institutions
Major Positions
Consultant.
Consultant.
Head, Theoretical Department of Physics; Member, Technical staff; and Consultant.
City University of New York. City College. Physics Department
Distinguished Professor of Physics.
Harvard University. Underwater Sound Laboratory
Research Physicist.
Syracuse University. Department of Physics
Assistant Professor to Professor.
Professional Activities & Affiliations
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Consultant.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Physics
Obtained SM (1943) and PhD (1947).
National Academy of Sciences (U.S.)
Member, Basic Research Advisory Committee and Member and Secretary, Class III (Engineering and Applied Physical and Mathematical Sciences).
Naval Research Laboratory (U.S.)
Consultant, Crystal Branch.
New York University. Department of Physics
Obtained BA (1942).
United States. Army
Consultant, Army Research Office.
Resources
Archival Resources
Author
Melvin J. Lax lecture notes on application of group theory to solid state physics, 1960-1961.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Melvin Lax, 1986 February 6.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Published Resources
Author
CCNY Physics Symposium in celebration of Melvin Lax's sixtieth birthday / edited by H. Falk.
Symmetry principles in solid state and molecular physics / Melvin Lax.
Subject
"Melvin Lax: 1922-2002", Biographical Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences.