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Biography
AbstractImportant DatesOccupationPlacesSubjectsRelationships
PeopleInstitutionsResources
Archival as AuthorArchival as SubjectPublished as SubjectRobert Jemison Van de Graaf
Dates
December 20, 1901 – January 16, 1967
Authorized Form of Name
Van de Graaf, Robert Jemison, 1901-1967
Additional Forms of Names
De Graaf, Robert Jemison van, 1901-1967
Graaf, Robert Jemison van de, 1901-1967
Van de Graaf, Robert J.
Van de Graaff, Robert
Biography
Abstract
Robert Van de Graaf was Chief Scientist at High Voltage Engineering Corporation (1946-1967). Other institutional affiliations included Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). His research interests included electrostatic generators and nuclear research. He invented the Van de Graaff generator, an apparatus designed to supply high voltage to accelerate subatomic particles to very high velocities for the bombardment and study of atomic nuclei.
Important Dates
December 20, 1901Birth, Tuscaloosa (Ala.).
1922Obtained BS, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa (Ala.).
1923Obtained MS, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa (Ala.).
1926Obtained BSc, Oxford University, Oxford (England).
1928Obtained PhD, Oxford University, Oxford (England).
1928 – 1929International Education Board Fellow, Oxford University.
1929 – 1931National Research Council (NRC) Fellow, Princeton University.
1931 – 1960Research Associate (1931-1934) and Associate Professor of Physics (1934-1960), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge (Mass.).
1946 – 1967Chief Scientist, High Voltage Engineering Corporation, Wakefield (Mass.).
1966Awarded Tom W. Bonner Prize in Nuclear Physics, American Physical Society.
January 16, 1967Death, Boston (Mass.).
Occupation
Nuclear physicist.
Places
Birth
Undergraduate Education
Graduate Education
Employment
Death
Subjects
Relationships
People
Advisors & Collaborators
Barton, Henry Askew, 1898-1983
Co-wrote the article "A New Design for a High-Voltage Discharge Tube."
Buechner, William W. (William Weber), 1914-1985
Advised by Van de Graaf at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), "The production and focusing of intense proton beams."
Myers, Frank Evans
Research advised by Van de Graaf at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Townsend, John, Sir, 1868-1957
PhD advisor at Oxford University, "I. Ionization of Hydrogen and Nitrogen; II. Velocities of Ions and Electrons in Gases under a Constant Electric Force."
Trump, John G.
Advised by Van de Graaf at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Vacuum electrostatic engineering.
Colleagues
Bacher, Robert F. (Robert Fox), 1905-2004
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Benedek, George Bernard, 1928-
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Both employed at Princeton University.
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Compton, K. T. (Karl Taylor), 1887-1954
Both employed at Princeton University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Condon, Edward Uhler, 1902-1974
Both employed at Princeton University.
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Drell, Sidney D. (Sidney David), 1926-
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Eisenhart, Luther Pfahler, 1876-1965
Both employed at Princeton University.
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Friedman, Jerome I. (Jerome Isaac), 1930-
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Hansen, W. W. (William Webster), 1909-1949
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Herring, William Conyers, 1914-
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Jackson, John David, 1925-2016
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Killian, T. J. (Thomas Joseph), 1905-
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Livingston, M. Stanley (Milton Stanley)
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Low, Francis E. (Francis Eugene), 1921-2007
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Morse, Philip M. (Philip McCord), 1903-1985
Both employed at Princeton University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Shenstone, A. G. (Allen Goodrich)
Both employed at Princeton University.
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Slater, John C. (John Clarke), 1900-1976
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Smyth, Henry De Wolf, 1898-1986
Both employed at Princeton University.
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Stratton, Julius Adams, 1901-1994
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Weisskopf, Victor Frederick, 1908-2002
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Zacharias, Jerrold Reinach, 1905-1986
Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Additional
Blewett, John P. (John Paul), 1910-
Cockcroft, John, Sir, 1897-1967
Evans, Robley Dunglison, 1907-
Inglis, David Rittenhouse, 1905-1995
Kerst, Donald William, 1911-1993
McCrea, William Hunter
McMillan, Edwin M. (Edwin Mattison), 1907-
Robinson, Denis Morrell, 1907-
Waly, Adnan
Institutions
Major Positions
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Physics
Research Associate and Associate Professor of Physics.
Princeton University. Department of Physics
National Research Council (NRC) Fellow.
Professional Activities & Affiliations
Received 1966 Tom W. Bonner Prize in Nuclear Physics.
University of Alabama
Obtained BS (1922) and MS (1923).
University of Oxford. Department of Physics
Obtained BSc (1926) and PhD (1928). International Education Board Fellow.
Resources
Archival Resources
Author
Robert Van de Graaff papers, 1928-1948 (bulk 1943-1946).
Institute Archives and Special Collections
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
M.I.T. Libraries, Rm. 14N-118, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
Subject
Donald W. Kerst papers, 1937-1959.
University Archives
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
1408 West Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
High Voltage Engineering Corporation records, 1933-1969.
Institute Archives and Special Collections
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
M.I.T. Libraries, Rm. 14N-118, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
John G. Trump papers, 1937-1981.
Institute Archives and Special Collections
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
M.I.T. Libraries, Rm. 14N-118, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
Merle Antony Tuve papers, 1901-1982 (bulk 1941-1966).
Manuscript Division
Library of Congress
James Madison Memorial Building, First Street and Independence Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20540, USA
MIT Office of the President records of Karl Taylor Compton and James Rhyne Killian, 1930-1959.
Institute Archives and Special Collections
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
M.I.T. Libraries, Rm. 14N-118, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
MIT Office of the Vice President records, 1932-1938.
Institute Archives and Special Collections
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
M.I.T. Libraries, Rm. 14N-118, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
Oral history interview with Adnan Waly, 1994 February-March.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with David Rittenhouse Inglis, 1977 May 9 and 10.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Denis Morrell Robinson, 1978 May 23.
niels
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Edwin M. McMillan, 1972 June 1, 2, and October 30, 31.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Harald Anton Enge, 1987 August 6.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, 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 John Clarke Slater, 1970 February 23 and August 7.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Merle Antony Tuve, 1967 March 30.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Milton Stanley Livingston, 1967 August 21.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Robley D. Evans, 1972 May 2, 3, 1974 May 5 and 1978 June 14.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Sir John Cockcroft, 1967 March 28.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with William Hunter McCrea, 1978 September 22.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Reminiscences about accelerators: Brookhaven lecture, 1980.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
William W. Buechner papers, 1928-1978.
Institute Archives and Special Collections
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
M.I.T. Libraries, Rm. 14N-118, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA