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Biography
AbstractImportant DatesOccupationPlacesSubjectsRelationships
PeopleInstitutionsResources
Archival as AuthorArchival as SubjectPublished as AuthorPublished as SubjectN. F. Mott
Dates
September 30, 1905 – August 8, 1996
Authorized Form of Name
Mott, N. F., Sir (Nevill Francis), 1905-1996
Additional Forms of Names
Mott, Nevill (Nevill Francis), 1905-1996
Mott, Nevill, Sir, 1905-1996
Mott, Nevill Francis, Sir, 1905-1996
Biography
Abstract
Sir Nevill F. Mott won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1977, alongside Philip W. Anderson and John H. Van Vleck, "for their fundamental theoretical investigations of the electronic structure of magnetic and disordered systems." Additionally, his work at the University of Bristol and Cambridge University advanced the field of physics.
Important Dates
September 30, 1905Birth, Leeds (England).
1927Obtained BSc degree, St. John's College, Cambridge University, Cambridge (England).
1929Lecturer, University of Manchester, Manchester (England).
1930Obtained Master's degree, St. John's College, University of Cambridge, Cambridge (England).
1930Fellow and Lecturer, Gonville and Caius College, University of Cambridge, Cambridge (England).
1933 – 1971Chair of Theoretical Physics (1933); Henry Overton Wills Professor of Physics and Director, Henry Herbert Wills Physical Laboratory (1948-1954); Cavendish Professor of Physics (1954-1971), Bristol University.
1941Awarded Hughes Medal, Royal Society.
1951President, International Union of Physics.
1953Awarded Royal Medal, Royal Society.
1959Master, Gonville and Caius College, University of Cambridge, Cambridge (England).
1962Knighted.
1965Began Nobel Prize winning research regarding electronic structure of magnetic and disordered systems.
1965Chairman, Pugwash meeting, Cambridge (England).
1972Awarded Copley Medal, Royal Society.
1977Awarded Nobel Prize in Physics alongside Philip W. Anderson and John H. Van Vleck, "for their fundamental theoretical investigations of the electronic structure of magnetic and disordered systems".
August 8, 1996Death, Milton Keynes (England).
Occupation
Condensed matter physicist.
Places
Birth
Undergraduate Education
Graduate Education
Employment
Death
Subjects
Relationships
People
Family
Horder, Ruth Eleanor
Wife, married in 1930.
Mott, Charles Francis
Father.
Reynolds, Lilian Mary
Mother.
Richardson, John, Sir, 1787-1865
Grandfather.
Advisors & Collaborators
Alexandrov, A. S.
Anderson, P. W. (Philip W.), 1923-
Received 1977 Nobel Prize along with J. H. Van Vleck for "their fundamental theoretical investigations of the electronic structure of magnetic and disordered systems."
Cabrera, Nicolás
Advised by Mott at University of Bristol.
Davis, E. A. (Edward Arthur), 1936-
Collaborated with Mott on "Electronic processes in non-crystalline materials."
Edwards, P. P. (Peter P.)
Advised by Mott at Cambridge University.
Evetts, J.
Advised by Mott at Cambridge University.
Fowler, R. H. (Ralph Howard), 1889-1994
Advisor at Cambridge University.
Friedel, J. (Jacques)
Advised by Mott at University of Bristol.
Gurney, Ronald W. (Ronald Wilfrid)
Collaborated with Mott on "Electronic processes in ionic crystals."
Heine, Volker
Advised by Mott at Cambridge University.
Jones, H. (Harry), 1905-1986
Collaborated with Mott on "The theory of the properties of metals and alloys."
Massey, Harrie Stewart Wilson, Sir, 1908-1983
Collaborated with Mott on "The theory of atomic collisions."
Schroeder, Peter A.
Advised by Mott at University of Bristol.
Seeger, A. K. (Alfred Karl), 1927-
Advised by Mott at University of Bristol.
Sneddon, Ian Naismith
Collaborated with Mott on "Wave mechanics and its applications."
Van Vleck, J. H. (John Hasbrouck), 1899-1980
Received 1977 Nobel Prize along with P. W. Anderson for "their fundamental theoretical investigations of the electronic structure of magnetic and disordered systems."
Additional
Bethe, Hans A. (Hans Albrecht), 1906-2005
Blackett, P. M. S. (Patrick Maynard Stuart), Baron Blackett, 1897-1974
Bragg, William Henry, 1862-1942
Bragg, William Lawrence, Sir, 1890-1971
Burbidge, Geoffrey R.
Dirac, P. A. M. (Paul Adrien Maurice), 1902-1984
Evans, Ivor
Fumi, F.
Gamow, Barbara, 1905-1976
Giulotto, Luigi, 1911-1986
Gowing, Margaret
Hoddeson, Lillian
Holden, Alan
Koehler, James S. (James Stark), 1914-2006
Kronig, R. (Ralph), 1904-
Leverenz, Humboldt W.
Maurer, Robert Joseph, 1913-
Migdal, A. B. (Arkadii Beinusovich), 1911-1991
Moller, C. (Christian), 1904-1980
Nix, Foster Cary, 1905-
Oppenheimer, Frank, 1912-1985
Peierls, Rudolf E. (Rudolf Ernst), 1907-1995
Rosenfeld, L. (Leon), 1904-1974
Runcorn, S. K.
Tamm, I. E. (Igor' Evgen'evich), 1895-1971
Touschek, Bruno, 1921-
Waller, Ivar, 1898-1991
Institutions
Major Positions
Gonville and Caius College
Fellow; Lecturer; and Master.
University of Bristol. Department of Physics
Chair of Theoretical Physics; Henry Overton Wills Professor of Physics and Director, Henry Herbert Wills Physical Laboratory; and Cavendish Professor of Physics.
University of Manchester. Physics Department
Lecturer.
Professional Activities & Affiliations
International Union of Pure and Applied Physics
President.
Royal Society (Great Britain)
Awarded Hughes Medal (1941), Royal Medal (1953); and Copley Medal (1972).
St. John's College (University of Cambridge)
Received BSc (1927) and Master's Degree (1930).
Resources
Archival Resources
Author
Nevill F. Mott corresponce with Rudolf Peierls.
Bodleian Library
Department of Western Manuscripts, University of Oxford
Oxford, England, UK
Nevill F. Mott correspondence with Niels Bohr, 1929-1958,
Niels Bohr Archive
Niels Bohr Archive
Blegdamsvej 17, Copenhagen, Denmark
Oral history interview with Sir Nevill Francis Mott, 1963 May 13.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Sir Nevill Francis Mott, 1971 May 21.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Sir Nevill Francis Mott, 1981 Janurary 15 and December 30.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Sir Nevill Mott, 1974 November 1.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Physics Department Records.
Arts and Social Sciences Library. Special Collections
University of Bristol
Tyndall Avenue, Bristol, BS8 ITJ, England, UK
Press conference with Sir Nevill Mott and Philip Anderson after they won the Nobel Prize [sound recording] / 1977 March.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Sir Nevill Francis Mott papers and correspondence, 1902-2003.
Department of Manuscripts and University Archives
Cambridge University
West Road, Cambridge, CH3 9DR
The beginnings of solid state physics [sound recording] : a symposium / organized by Sir Nevill Mott, held 30 April - 2 May 1979.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
The education of physicists between the wars [sound recording]: by those who were eductated them / 1985 October 30.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
The Origins of Solid State Physics in Italy: 1945-1960 conference proceedings [sound recording], 1987.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Subject
Bruno Touschek papers, 1947-1978.
Dipartimento di Fisica
Università di Roma "La Sapienza"
Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Rome, Italy
Christian Møller papers, 1928-1980.
Niels Bohr Archive
Niels Bohr Archive
Blegdamsvej 17, Copenhagen, Denmark
George and Barabara Gamow papers, 1915-1975 (bulk 1950-1975).
Manuscript Division
Library of Congress
James Madison Memorial Building, First Street and Independence Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20540, USA
Igor E. Tamm papers, 1921-1971.
In private hands
Ivar Waller papers, circa 1912-1989.
Centrum för Vetenskapshistoria
Kungl. Svenska vetenskapsakademien
Stockholm, Sweden
Ivor Evans papers and correspondence, 1941-1978.
Department of Documents
Imperial War Museum
Lambeth Road, London SE1 6HZ, England
Leon Rosenfeld papers, 1911-1974.
Niels Bohr Archive
Niels Bohr Archive
Blegdamsvej 17, Copenhagen, Denmark
Lillian Hoddeson papers, 1904-2001.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Margaret Gowing papers, 1932-[ongoing].
Museum of the History of Science
Broad Street, Oxford OX1 3AZ
Niels Bohr correspondence, supplement, 1910-1962.
Niels Bohr Archive
Niels Bohr Archive
Blegdamsvej 17, Copenhagen, Denmark
Niels Bohr material collected elsewhere, 1912-1962.
Niels Bohr Archive
Niels Bohr Archive
Blegdamsvej 17, Copenhagen, Denmark
Oral history interview with A. B. Migdal, 1977 May 25.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Alan Holden, 1974 July 30 and 1976 June 21.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with David Pines, 1981 April 13 and 16.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Fausto Gherardo Fumi, 1982 November 27.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Foster Cary Nix, 1975 June 27.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Frank Oppenheimer, 1973 February 9 and May 21.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Frederick Seitz, 1981 Junrary 26, 27, March 24, and 1982 March 16.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Geoffrey Burbidge, 1977 Obtober 21.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Geoffrey R. Burbidge, 1974 November 15.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Humboldt Walter Leverenz, 1979 July 10.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with James Stark Koehler, 1981 March 6.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Léon Rosenfeld, 1963 July 1, 19, 22.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Luigi Giulotta, 1982 December 7.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with P. M. S. Blackett, 1962 December 17.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Robert Jospeh Maurer, 1981 December 22.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Rudolf Ernst Peierls, 1977 May 20.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with S. Keith Runcorn, 1993 September 16 and 17.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Philip M. Morse autobiographical data, circa 1962.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Ralph Kronig correspondence, 1925-1977?.
Handschriftenabteilung
Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich
Zurich, Switzerland
Sir Rudolf Earnst Peierls papers and correspondence, 1898-1996.
Bodleian Library
Department of Western Manuscripts, University of Oxford
Oxford, England, UK
Sir William Lawrence Bragg papers.
Royal Institution of Great Britain
London, Englank UK
Symposium honoring the 1977 Nobel Prize in physics recipients [sound recording].
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
The Princeton years and beyond, 1930-1940: Invited paper for the American Physical Society, 1992.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Published Resources
Author
A life in science / Nevill Mott.
An outline of wave mechanics / by N.F. Mott…
Electronic processes in ionic crystals, by N.F. Mott and R. W. Gurney.
Electronic processes in non-crystalline materials / by N.F Mott and E. A. Davis.
Sir Nevill Mott: 65 years in physics / editors, N.F. Mott & A.S. Alexandrov.
The theory of atomic collisions, by N.F. Mott and H.S.W. Massey.
The theory of the properties of metals and alloys / by N.F. Mott… and H. Jones…
Wave mechanics and its applications / by N.F. Mott and I.N. Sneddon.
Subject
Nevill Francis Mott Physics Today obituary.
Nevill Mott : reminiscences and appreciations / edited by E. A. Davis.