George Washington Pierce

Biography

Abstract

George Pierce was Emeritus Professor of Physics at Harvard University (1940-1956). His research interests included electric waves, electric conductivity, and electric oscillators.

Important Dates

January 11, 1872Birth, Webberville (Tex.).

1893Obtained BSc, University of Texas, Austin, Austin (Tex.).

1894Obtained MA, University of Texas, Austin, Austin (Tex.).

1899Obtained AM, Harvard University, Cambridge (Mass.).

1900Obtained PhD in Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge (Mass.).

1900 – 1901John Tyndall Scholar, University of Leipzig.

1903 – 1956Instructor in Physics (1903-1907); Assistant Professor of Physics (1907-1917); Director, Cruft Laboratory (1914-1940); Professor of Physics (1917-1921); Rumford Professor of Physics (1921-1940); Chair, Division of Physical Sciences (1927-1940); McKay Professor of Communications Engineering (1935-1940); and Emeritus Professor of Physics (1940-1956), Harvard University, Cambridge (Mass.).

1920Member, National Academy of Sciences.

August 25, 1956Death, Franklin (N.H.).

Occupation

Electromagnetic physicist.

Places

Birth

Webberville (Tex.)

Undergraduate Education

Austin (Tex.)

Graduate Education

Austin (Tex.)

Cambridge (Mass.)

Cambridge (Mass.)

Employment

Cambridge (Mass.)

Death

Franklin (N.H.)

Subjects

Electric conductivity.

Electric waves.

Electronics.

Oscillators, Electric.

Sound.

Relationships

People

Family

Pierce, Florence Goodwin

First Wife. Married 1904-1945.

Pierce, Helen Russell

Second Wife. Married in 1946.

Advisors & Collaborators

Hunt, Frederick V.

Advised by Pierce at Harvard University, "On the Use of Frequency Modulated Signals in Reverberation Measurements."

Trowbridge, John, 1843-1923

PhD advisor at Harvard University, "The Applications of the Radio-Micrometer to the Measurement of Short Electric Waves."

Colleagues

Bainbridge, Kenneth T. (Kenneth Tompkins), 1904-1996

Both employed at Harvard University.

Bloembergen, N.

Both employed at Harvard University.

Breit, Gregory, 1899-1981

Both employed at Harvard University.

Bridgman, P. W. (Percy Williams), 1882-1961

Both employed at Harvard University.

Conant, James Bryant, 1893-1978

Both employed at Harvard University.

Feenberg, Eugene

Both employed at Harvard University.

Fletcher, James Chipman, 1919-1991

Both employed at Harvard University.

Furry, W. H. (Wendell Hinkle), 1907-

Both employed at Harvard University.

Glauber, Roy J., 1925-

Both employed at Harvard University.

Griggs, David, 1911-1974

Both employed at Harvard University.

Hill, Edward Lee, 1904-1974

Both employed at Harvard University.

Kemble, Edwin C. (Edwin Crawford), 1889-

Both employed at Harvard University.

Kent, R. H. (Robert Harrington), 1886-1961

Both employed at Harvard University.

Kohn, Walter, 1923-2016

Both employed at Harvard University.

Lyman, Theodore, 1874-1954

Both employed at Harvard University.

Mulliken, Robert Sanderson

Both employed at Harvard University.

Nier, Alfred O. (Alfred Otto), 1911-1994

Both employed at Harvard University.

Oppenheimer, J. Robert, 1904-1967

Both employed at Harvard University.

Pound, Robert V.

Both employed at Harvard University.

Purcell, Edward M.

Both employed at Harvard University.

Ramsey, Norman, 1915-2011

Both employed at Harvard University.

Saunders, Frederick A. (Frederick Albert), 1875-1963

Both employed at Harvard University.

Schwinger, Julian, 1918-1994

Both employed at Harvard University.

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

Both employed at Harvard University.

Starr, Chauncey

Both employed at Harvard University.

Street, Jabez Curry, 1906-

Both employed at Harvard University.

Tousey, Richard

Both employed at Harvard University.

Van Vleck, J. H. (John Hasbrouck), 1899-1980

Both employed at Harvard University.

Webster, David Locke, 1888-1976

Both employed at Harvard University.

Additional

Beranek, Leo L. (Leo Leroy), 1914-2016

Bowles, Edward Lindley, 1897-1990

Institutions

Major Positions

Harvard University

Chair, Division of Physical Sciences.

Harvard University. Cruft Laboratory

Director.

Harvard University. Department of Physics

Instructor in Physics; Assistant Professor of Physics; Professor of Physics; Rumford Professor of Physics; and Emeritus Professor of Physics.

Harvard University. Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences

McKay Professor of Communications Engineering.

Universität Leipzig (1409-1953)

John Tyndall Scholar.

Professional Activities & Affiliations

National Academy of Sciences (U.S.)

Member.

University of Texas at Austin. Department of Physics

Obtained BSc (1893) and MA (1894).

Resources

Archival Resources

Author

George Washington Pierce addition to papers, 1898-1955.

Archives. Pusey Library

Harvard University

Cambridge, MA 02138, USA

George Washington Pierce papers, 1898-1964.

Archives. Pusey Library

Harvard University

Cambridge, MA 02138, USA

Subject

Edward Lindley Bowles papers, 1869-1990 (bulk 1920-1982).

Manuscript Division

Library of Congress

James Madison Memorial Building, First Street and Independence Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20540, USA

Frederick V. Hunt papers, 1927-1970.

Archives. Pusey Library

Harvard University

Cambridge, MA 02138, USA

Harvard University Department of Physics records, 1879-[ongoing].

Archives. Pusey Library

Harvard University

Cambridge, MA 02138, USA

Oral history interview with David Locke Webster, 1964 May 21.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Edwin C. Kemble, 1962 May 11 to 1963 October 2.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Frederick Vinton Hunt, 1964 December 18 and 1965 January 8.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with John Clarke Slater, 1963 October 3 and 8.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Leo Beranek, 2009 August 10.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Published Resources

Author

Electric oscillations and Electric waves : with application to radiotelegraphy and incidental application to telephony and optics / by George W. Pierce …

Physics 4b : high frequency currents with application to radiotelegraphy.

Principles of wireless telegraphy [microform] / by George W. Pierce …

Subject

"George Washington Pierce: 1872-1956", Biographical Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences