B. N. Brockhouse

Biography

Abstract

Bertram N. Brockhouse was a condensed matter physicist at McMaster University. He developed methods for investigating different materials with beam of neutrons in a nuclear reactor. He was awarded the 1994 Nobel Prize in Physics "for the development of neutron spectroscopy."

Important Dates

July 15, 1918Birth, Alberta (Canada).

1939 – 1945Radio Telegrapher, Royal Canadian Navy.

1947Obtained BA in Physics and Mathematics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver (B.C.).

1948Obtained MA in Physics and Mathematics, University of Toronto, Toronto (Ont.).

1949 – 1950Lecturer of Physics, University of Toronto, Toronto (Ont.).

1950Obtained PhD in Physics and Mathematics, University of Toronto, Toronto (Ont.).

1950 – 1962Researcher, Chalk River Nuclear Laboratory, Ontario (Canada).

1962Fellow, Royal Society of Canada.

1962Awarded Oliver E. Buckley Award, American Physical Society.

1962 – 1984Professor of Physics, McMaster University, Ontario (Canada).

1963Awarded Physics Society Award UK.

1963Awarded Duddell Medal.

1963Awarded Institute of Physics Award.

1965Fellow, Royal Society.

1967Awarded Canadian Centennial Medal.

1967Awarded Gold Medal, Canadian Association of Physicists.

1969Awarded honorary doctorate, University of Waterloo.

1982 – 1995Officer (1982-1995) and Companion (1995), Order of Canada.

1984Awarded honorary doctorate, McMaster University.

1994Awarded Nobel Prize in Physics "for the development of neutron spectroscopy".

October 13, 2003Death, Ontario (Canada).

Occupation

Instrumentation and condensed matter physicist.

Places

Birth

Alberta (Canada)

Undergraduate Education

Vancouver (B.C.)

Graduate Education

Toronto (Ont.)

Employment

Ontario (Canada)

Death

Ontario (Canada)

Subjects

Atomic and molecular physics.

Condensed matter.

Instrumentation.

Spectrometer.

Relationships

People

Family

Brockhouse, Doris Miller

Wife.

Brockhouse, Israel Bertram

Father.

Brockhouse, Mable Emily Neville

Mother.

Advisors & Collaborators

Chen, Sow-Hsin, 1935-

Advised by Brockhouse at McMaster University.

Reekie, James, 1914-2001

PhD advisor at University of Toronto.

Additional

Bak, Thor A. (Thor Anders), 1929-

Bloom, Myer, 1928-

Dolling, G., 1935-

Howell, William H. (William Henry), 1860-1945

Scott, William

Shull, Clifford Glenwood

Both won Nobel Prizes in Physics in 1994 for separate projects.

Vanderwal, Jake, 1948-

Woods, A. D. B. (Alfred David Braine), 1932-

Institutions

Major Positions

Canada. Royal Canadian Navy

Radio telegrapher.

Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories

Researcher.

McMaster University. Department of Physics

Professor of Physics. Awarded honorary doctorate.

University of British Columbia. Department of Physics

Obtained MA in Physics (1948) and PhD in Physics (1950). Lecturer in Physics.

Professional Activities & Affiliations

American Physical Society

Awarded 1962 Oliver E. Buckley Award.

Canadian Association of Physicists

Awarded 1967 Gold Medal.

Order of Canada

Officer and Companion.

Royal Society (Great Britain)

Fellow.

Royal Society of Canada

Fellow.

University of British Columbia. Department of Mathematics

Obtained MA in Mathematics (1948) and PhD in Mathematics (1950).

University of Waterloo

Awarded honorary doctorate.

Resources

Archival Resources

Author

B. N. Brockhouse papers, 1947-2003.

University Library, Special Collections.

McMaster University

1280 Main Street, West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L6 Canada

Published Resources

Author

Phonons and phonon interactions/ B.N. Brockhouse [and others] Thor A. Bak, editor.

Subject

Encyclopaedia Britannica - Bertram N. Brockhouse

Nobel Prize Bertram N. Brockhouse biography.

The Royal Society Publishing: Bertram Neville Brockhouse 15 July 1918-13 October 2003