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Table of Contents

Biography

AbstractImportant DatesOccupationPlacesSubjects

Relationships

PeopleInstitutions

Resources

Archival as AuthorArchival as SubjectPublished as AuthorPublished as Subject

W. F. G. Swann

Photo

Dates

August 29, 1884 – January 29, 1962

Authorized Form of Name

Swann, W. F. G. (William Francis Gray), 1884-1962

Additional Forms of Names

Swan, W. F. G., 1884-1962

Swann, Will. Franc. Gray

Swann, William Francis Gray, 1884-1962

Biography

Abstract

William Swann was Director Emeritus of the Bartol Research Foundation (1959-1962). Other institutional affiliations included Yale University, University of Minnesota, and Carnegie Institution of Washington. His research interests included high energy physics and cosmic rays.

Important Dates

August 29, 1884Birth, Ironbridge (England).

1905Obtained BSc, University of London, London (England).

1905 – 1907Assistant Demonstrator in Physics, Royal College of Science, London.

1907 – 1913Assistant Lecturer, University of Sheffield, Sheffield (England).

1910Obtained DSc, University of London, London (England).

1913 – 1917Chief Physicist, Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution of Washington.

1917 – 1918Physicist, National Bureau of Standards.

1918 – 1923Professor of Physics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis (Minn.).

1923 – 1924Professor of Physics, University of Chicago.

1924 – 1927Director, Sloane Laboratory, Yale University.

1927 – 1962Director (1927-1959) and Director Emeritus (1959-1962), Bartol Research Foundation, Swarthmore (Pa.).

1931 – 1933President, American Physical Society.

January 29, 1962Death, Swarthmore (Pa.).

Occupation

Particle physicist.

Places

Birth

Ironbridge (England)

Undergraduate Education

London (England)

Graduate Education

London (England)

Employment

Sheffield (England)

Minneapolis (Minn.)

Swarthmore (Pa.)

Death

Swarthmore (Pa.)

Subjects

Cosmic rays.

Particles (Nuclear physics).

Relationships

People

Family

Briggs, Sylvia Swann

Daughter.

Diedrichs, Helene

Second Wife.

Swann, Charles P.

Son.

Swann, William F.

Son.

Thompson, Frances Mabel

First Wife.

Advisors & Collaborators

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

Advised by Swann at Bartol Research Foundation.

Berko, Stephan

Advised by Swann at Bartol Research Foundation.

Callender, Hugh Longbourne

PhD advisor at University of London, "On the specific heats of air and carbon dioxide at atmospheric pressure by the continuous electric method at 20ºC and 100ºC."

Hereford, Frank L. (Frank Loucks), 1923-2004

Advised by Swann at Bartol Research Foundation.

Lawrence, Ernest Orlando, 1901-1958

Advised by Swann at Yale University, "The photoelectric effect in potassium vapour as a function of the frequency of light," and both employed at Yale University.

Street, Jabez Curry, 1906-

Advised by Swann at Bartol Research Foundation.

Colleagues

Barton, Henry Askew, 1898-1983

Both employed at Bartol Research Foundation.

Beams, Jesse W. (Jesse Wakefield), 1898-1977

Both employed at Yale University.

Coblentz, William W. (William Weber), 1873-1962

Both employed at the National Bureau of Standards.

Compton, Arthur Holly, 1892-1962

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Dempster, Arthur Jeffrey

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Dryden, Hugh L. (Hugh Latimer), 1898-1965

Both employed at the National Bureau of Standards.

Fleming, J. A. (John Adam), 1877-1956

Both employed at Carnegie Institution of Washington.

Foote, Paul D. (Paul Darwin), 1888-1971

Both employed at the National Bureau of Standards.

Hilberry, Norman, 1899-

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Meggers, William F. (William Frederick), 1888-1966

Both employed at the National Bureau of Standards.

Michelson, Albert A. (Albert Abraham), 1852-1931

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Mulliken, Robert Sanderson

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Tate, John T. (John Torrence), 1889-1950

Both employed at University of Minnesota.

Thomas, Tracy Y. (Tracy Yerkes), 1899-1983

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Waterman, Alan Tower, 1892-1967

Both employed at Yale University.

Additional

Allen, Mildred, 1894-1990

Briggs, Lyman J. (Lyman James), 1874-1963

Broxon, James William, 1897-

Compton, K. T. (Karl Taylor), 1887-1954

Cope, Thomas D. (Thomas Darlington)

Darrow, Karl K. (Karl Kelchner), 1891-

Einstein, Albert, 1879-1955

Eisenhart, Luther Pfahler, 1876-1965

Hess, Victor Francis, 1883-1964

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

Korn, Elizabeth P.

Lark-Horovitz, K. (Karl), 1892-1958

Libby, Willard F.

Lindsay, Robert Bruce, 1900-

Morley, Edward Williams, 1838-1923

Piccard, Jean Felix, 1884-1963

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

Valasek, Joseph, 1897-1993

Institutions

Major Positions

Bartol Research Foundation

Director and Director Emeritus.

Carnegie Institution of Washington. Department of Terrestrial Magnetism

Chief Physicist.

Royal College of Science (Great Britain)

Assistant Demonstrator in Physics.

United States. National Bureau of Standards

Physicist.

University of Chicago. Department of Physics

Professor of Physics.

University of Minnesota. Department of Physics and Astronomy

Professor of Physics.

University of Sheffield

Assistant Lecturer in Physics.

Yale University. Physics Department

Director, Sloane Laboratory.

Professional Activities & Affiliations

American Physical Society

President.

University of London

Obtained BSc (1905) and DSc (1910).

Resources

Archival Resources

Author

William Francis Gray Swann papers, 1903-1962.

Library.

American Philosophical Society

105 South Fifth Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA

Subject

Edward Williams Morley papers, 1833-1923 (bulk 1863-1899).

Manuscript Division

Library of Congress

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

Edwin C. Kemble papers [microform], 1919-1937.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Elizabeth P. Korn sketches, 1928-1940s.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Jesse W. Beams papers, 1926-1977.

Alderman Library. Special Collections

University of Virginia

Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA

John Clarke Slater papers, 1908-1976.

Library.

American Philosophical Society

105 South Fifth Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA

Joseph Valasek papers, circa 1917-1965.

University Archives

University of Minnesota

Andersen Library, Minneapolis, MN, USA

Karl Lark-Horovitz correspondence with William Francis Gray Swann, 1932-1952.

Library.

American Philosophical Society

105 South Fifth Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA

Mildred Allen papers, 1865-1990.

Archives and Special Collections

Mount Holyoke College

8 Dwight Hall, 50 College Street, South Hadley, MA 01075-6425, USA

Oral history interview with Henry A. Barton, 1970 March 3 and 16.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral History interview with James Broxon, 1974 September 21.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Karl K. Darrow, 1964 April 2 and 10 June.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Mildred Allen, 1979 June 18.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Robert Bruce Lindsay, 1964 May 6 and July 9.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Willard Frank Libby, 1979 April 12 and 16.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Piccard Family papers, 1470-1983 (bulk 1926-1983).

Manuscript Division

Library of Congress

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

Thomas Darlington Cope papers, circa 1909-1964.

Library.

American Philosophical Society

105 South Fifth Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA

Weekly Broadcasts, 1941-1943.

Library.

American Philosophical Society

105 South Fifth Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA

Published Resources

Author

Certain applications of physical principles to the playing of musical instruments / by W. F. G. Swann.

Electrodynamics of moving media : report of the National Research Council Committee on Electrodynamics of Moving Media / by W.F.G. Swann, John T. Tate, H. Bateman, E.H. Kennard.

The architecture of the universe / by W.F.G. Swann …

Subject

W. F. G. Swann Physics Today obituary.