H. Primakoff

Biography

Abstract

Henry Primakoff was Professor of Physics at the University of Pennsylvania (1960-1983). Other institutional affiliations included Washington University of St. Louis, New York University, and Columbia University. His research interests included spin waves in ferromagnetism, the photo-production method for measuring the short lifetimes of neutral mesons, underwater shock waves, and weak intereaction phenomena in nuclei, including double beta decay, muon capture, and neutrino scattering.

Important Dates

February 12, 1914Birth, Odesa (Ukraine).

1935Obtained AM and AM, Columbia University, New York (N.Y.).

1938Obtained PhD in Physics, New York University, New York (N.Y.).

1938 – 1940Instructor in Physics, Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn.

1940 – 1942Instructor in Physics, Queens College, New York.

1942 – 1945Physicist, Division of War Research, Columbia University.

1945 – 1946Assistant Professor of Physics, New York University.

1946 – 1960Assistant Professor to Professor of Physics, Washington University, St. Louis, St. Louis (Mo.).

1960 – 1983Professor of Physics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia (Pa.).

1968Member, National Academy of Sciences.

July 25, 1983Death, Philadelphia (Pa.).

Occupation

Theoretical physicist.

Places

Birth

Odesa (Ukraine)

Undergraduate Education

New York (N.Y.)

Graduate Education

New York (N.Y.)

Employment

St. Louis (Mo.)

Philadelphia (Pa.)

Death

Philadelphia (Pa.)

Subjects

Condensed matter.

Cosmic rays.

Ferromagnetism.

Shock waves.

Spin waves.

Theoretical physics.

Weak interactions (Nuclear physics).

Relationships

People

Family

Cohn, Mildred, 1913-2009

Wife.

Advisors & Collaborators

Shankland, Robert S., 1908-

Co-wrote a report.

Colleagues

Booth, Eugene

Both employed at Columbia University.

Burstein, Elias, 1917-2017

Both employed at University of Pennsylvania.

Callen, Herbert B.

Both employed at University of Pennsylvania.

Chaikin, Paul M.

Both employed at University of Pennsylvania.

Compton, Arthur Holly, 1892-1962

Both employed at Washington University (St. Louis, Mo.).

Condon, Edward Uhler, 1902-1974

Both employed at Washington University (St. Louis, Mo.).

Feenberg, Eugene

Both employed at New York University and Washington University (St. Louis, Mo.).

Heeger, Alan J.

Both employed at University of Pennsylvania.

Kirtley, John R.

Both employed at University of Pennsylvania.

Kivelson, Steven

Both employed at University of Pennsylvania.

Kusch, Polykarp, 1911-1993

Both employed at Columbia University.

Langenberg, D. N., 1932-

Both employed at University of Pennsylvania.

Louie, Steven G., 1949-

Both employed at University of Pennsylvania.

Lubensky, T. C.

Both employed at University of Pennsylvania.

Luttinger, Joaquin M.

Both employed at University of Pennsylvania.

Middleton, Roy, 1927-2004

Both employed at University of Pennsylvania.

Pake, G. E. (George Edward)

Both employed at Washington University (St. Louis, Mo.).

Pekeris, C. L. (Chaim Leib), 1908-1993

Both employed at Columbia University.

Pinczuk, Aron

Both employed at University of Pennsylvania.

Plummer, E. Ward

Both employed at University of Pennsylvania.

Scalapino, Douglas J.

Both employed at University of Pennsylvania.

Schrieffer, J. R. (John Robert), 1931-

Both employed at University of Pennsylvania.

Sciulli, Frank J.

Both employed at University of Pennsylvania.

Spitzer, Lyman, 1914-1997

Both employed at Columbia University.

Steinhardt, Paul J.

Both employed at University of Pennsylvania.

Stiles, Phillip J.

Both employed at University of Pennsylvania.

Szilard, Leo

Both employed at Columbia University.

Wu, C. S. (Chien-shiung), 1912-1997

Both employed at Columbia University.

Additional

Rosen, S. P.

Institutions

Major Positions

Columbia University. Division of War Research

Physicist.

New York University. Department of Physics

Obtained PhD (1938). Assistant Professor of Physics.

Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn

Instructor in Physics.

Queens College (New York, N.Y.)

Instructor in Physics.

University of Pennsylvania. Department of Physics and Astronomy

Professor of Physics.

Washington University (Saint Louis, Mo.). Department of Physics

Assistant Professor to Professor of Physics.

Professional Activities & Affiliations

Columbia University. Department of Physics

Obtained AB and AM (1935).

National Academy of Sciences (U.S.)

Member.

Resources

Archival Resources

Author

Banquet in honor of the retirement of Eugene Feenberg [sound recording], 1975 March 20.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Subject

Eulogy for Henry Primakoff and memoirs, 1984.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Published Resources

Subject

"Henry Primakoff: 1914-1983", Biographical Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences

Henry Primakoff Physics Today obituary.