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Biography
AbstractImportant DatesOccupationPlacesSubjectsRelationships
PeopleInstitutionsResources
Archival as AuthorArchival as SubjectPublished as AuthorPublished as SubjectClarence Zener
Dates
December 1, 1905 – July 2, 1993
Authorized Form of Name
Zener, Clarence, 1905-
Additional Forms of Names
Zener, Clarence (Melvin), 1905-
Biography
Abstract
Zener was a theoretical physicist whose love for thermodynamics influenced him to pursue research in many fields including metallurgy, materials science, solid-state physics, and viscoelasticity. He discovered the "Zener effect" which is an electrical breakdown due to the tunneling of electrons. He is one of the founding members of the Institute for the Study on Metals at the University of Chicago.
Important Dates
December 1, 1905Birth, Indianapolis (Ind.).
1926Obtained BS in Mathematics, Stanford University, Stanford (Calif.).
1929Obtained PhD in Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge (Mass.).
1932 – 1934Research Fellow, University of Bristol, England.
1935 – 1937Professor of Physics, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis (Mo.).
1937 – 1940Professor of Physics, City College of New York, New York (N.Y.).
1940 – 1942Professor of Physics, Washington State University, Pullman (Wash.).
1942 – 1945Principle Physicist, Watertown Arsenal, Watertown (Mass.).
1945 – 1951Professor of Solid-State Physics, University of Chicago, Chicago (Ill.).
1951 – 1965Director of Research, Westinghouse Research Laboratory, Pittsburgh (Pa.).
1957Awarded the Bingham Medal, Society of Rheology.
1959Awarded Wetherill Medallion, The Franklin Institute.
1965Awarded the Alber Souveur Achievement Award, American Society for Metals.
1965 – 1968Dean of the College of Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station (Tex.).
1968 – 1993University Professor of Physics, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh (Pa.).
1974Awarded the Gold Medal, American Society for Metals.
1982Awarded the von Hipel Award, Material Research Society.
July 2, 1993Death, Pittsburgh (Pa.).
Occupation
Theoretical physicist.
Places
Birth
Undergraduate Education
Graduate Education
Employment
Death
Subjects
Relationships
People
Family
Cross, Ruby
Wife.
Advisors & Collaborators
Advised by Zener at University of Chicago in solid state physics.
Hollomon, J. Herbert (John Herbert)
Creation of the Zener-Holloman parameter.
Kemble, Edwin C. (Edwin Crawford), 1889-
PhD advisor at Harvard University.
Nowick, Arthur S.
Advised by Zener at the University of Chicago.
Post, Heinz
Advised by Zener at the University of Chicago.
Colleagues
Allison, Samuel King, 1900-1965
Both employed by the University of Chicago.
Both employed by the University of Chicago.
Chandrasekhar, S. (Subrahmanyan), 1910-1995
Both employed by the University of Chicago.
Both employed by the University of Chicago.
Both employed by the University of Chicago.
Both employed by the University of Chicago.
Both employed by the University of Chicago.
Both employed by the City College of New York.
Both employed by the University of Chicago.
Both employed by the University of Chicago.
Griffiths, R. B. (Robert Budington)
Both employed by the Carnegie Mellon University.
Both employed by the University of Chicago.
Both employed by the University of Chicago.
Mayer, Maria Goeppert, 1906-1972
Both employed by the University of Chicago.
Both employed by the University of Chicago.
Both employed by the University of Chicago.
Simpson, John A. (John Alexander), 1916-2000
Both employed by the University of Chicago.
Both employed by the Carnegie Mellon University.
Both employed by the University of Chicago.
Both employed by the University of Chicago.
Both employed by the University of Chicago.
Both employed by the University of Chicago.
Both employed by the Carnegie Mellon University.
Both employed by the University of Chicago.
Zinn, Walter H. (Walter Henry), 1906-2000
Both employed by the City College of New York.
Additional
Linschitz, Henry, 1919-
Smoluchowski, Roman
Institutions
Major Positions
Carnegie-Mellon University. Physics Department
University Professor of Physics.
College of the City of New York (1926-1961). City College. Physics Department
Professor of Physics.
Texas A & M University. Department of Physics
Dean of the College of Sciences.
University of Bristol
Research Fellow.
University of Chicago. Department of Physics
Professor of Solid-State Physics.
Washington State University. Department of Physics
Professor of Physics.
Washington University (Saint Louis, Mo.). Department of Physics
Professor of Physics.
Watertown Arsenal (Mass.)
Principal Physicist.
Westinghouse Research Laboratories
Director of Research.
Professional Activities & Affiliations
American Society for Metals
Awarded the 1965 Albert Sourveur Achievement Award and the 1974 Gold Medal.
Franklin Institute (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Awarded the 1959 Wetherill Medallion.
Harvard University. Department of Physics
Obtained PhD in Physics (1929).
Materials Research Society
Awarded the 1982 von Hippel Award.
Awarded the 1957 Bingham Medal.
Stanford University. Department of Physics
Obtained BS in Mathematics (1926).
Resources
Archival Resources
Author
Clarence Zener papers, 1876-1991.
Hunt Library. University Archives.
Carnegie Mellon University.
4909 Frew Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
Subject
American Physical Society Division of Solid State Physics records of Roman Smoluchowski, 1943-1947.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Edwin C. Kemble papers [microform], 1919-1937.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
On the occasion of the 80th birthday celebration for Clarence Melvin Zener, 1985
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Clarence Melvin Zener, 1981 April 1.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with David Lazarus, 1981 December 4.
Niels Bohr Archive
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Henry Linshitz, 1988 February 23.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Morrel H. Cohen, 1981 March 31 and June 5.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Published Resources
Author
Elasticity and anelasticity of metals.