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Biography
AbstractImportant DatesOccupationPlacesSubjectsRelationships
PeopleInstitutionsResources
Archival as AuthorArchival as SubjectPublished as AuthorPublished as SubjectW. F. G. Swann
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
Undergraduate Education
Graduate Education
Employment
Death
Subjects
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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-
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
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
The architecture of the universe / by W.F.G. Swann …