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Biography
AbstractImportant DatesOccupationPlacesSubjectsRelationships
PeopleInstitutionsResources
Archival as AuthorArchival as SubjectPublished as AuthorPublished as SubjectJean Perrin
Dates
September 30, 1870 – April 17, 1942
Authorized Form of Name
Perrin, Jean, 1870-1942
Additional Forms of Names
Perrin, Jean Baptiste, 1870-1942
Perrin, Jean-Baptiste, 1870-1942
Biography
Abstract
Jean-Baptiste Perrin was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1926 "for his work on the discontinuous structure of matter, and especially for his discovery of sedimentation equilibrium." His work with Brownian motion verified Albert Einstein’s theory and confirmed the atomic nature of matter. The majority of his career was spent at the University of Paris-Sorbonne.
Important Dates
September 30, 1870Birth, Lille (France).
circa 1894Obtained BSc degree, École Normale Supérieure, Paris (France).
1894 – 1897Research Assistant, Physics department, École Normale Supérieure, Paris (France).
1897Obtained PhD, University of Paris (Université de Paris), Paris (France).
1897 – 1940Readership (1897) and Professor of Physical Chemistry (1910-1940), University of Paris-Sorbonne (Université de Paris IV: Paris-Sorbonne), Paris (France).
1911Member, Solvay Committee, Brussels.
1912Awarded Vallauri Prize of Bologna.
1913Published book, "Les Atomes".
1914Awarded La Case Prize, French Academy of Sciences (Académie des sciences).
1914 – 1918Officer, Engineer Corps of France.
1921Member, Solvay Committee, Brussels.
1923Member, French Academy of Sciences (Académie des sciences).
1926Commander, Legion of Honour.
1926Awarded Nobel Prize in Physics "for his work on the discontinuous structure of matter, and especially for his discovery of sedimentation equilibrium".
1936Appointed Under-Sectretary of State for Scientific Research, France.
1938President, French Academy of Sciences (Académie des sciences).
1938President, French Government Department of Scientific Research (Centre national de la recherche scientifique (France)).
1940Escaped to United States following Nazi invasion of France.
April 17, 1942Death, New York (N.Y.).
Occupation
Molecular physicist.
Places
Birth
Undergraduate Education
Graduate Education
Employment
Death
Subjects
Relationships
People
Family
Perrin, Francis
Son and Professor of Mathematics and Physics.
Perrin-Duportal, Henriette
Wife, married 1897.
Advisors & Collaborators
Auger, Pierre, 1899-1993
Advised by Perrin at University of Paris (Université de Paris).
Brillouin, Marcel Louis
PhD advisor at University of Paris (Université de Paris).
Advised by Perrin at University of Paris (Université de Paris).
Cauchois, Y. (Yvette), 1908-
Advised by Perrin at University of Paris (Université de Paris).
Haenny, Charles Bertrand
Advised by Perrin at University of Paris-Sorbonne (Université de Paris IV: Paris-Sorbonne).
Violle, Jules, 1841-1923
PhD advisor at University of Paris (Université de Paris).
Additional
Allard, Georges
Bauer, Edmond
Burger, Herman Carel, 1893-1965
Dirac, P. A. M. (Paul Adrien Maurice), 1902-1984
Gentner, Wolfgang, 1906-1980
Guéron, Jules
Korn, Elizabeth P.
Kowarski, Lew
Langevin, Jean
Loeb, Leonard B. (Leonard Benedict), 1891-
Loeb briefly worked in Perrin's laboratory in Paris.
Lorentz, H. A. (Hendrik Antoon), 1853-1928
Lucas, René Auguste, 1898-
Nye, Mary Jo
Smoluchowski, Marian, 1872-1917
Institutions
Major Positions
Universite de Paris IV: Paris-Sorbonne
Readership and Professor, Physical Chemistry.
Professional Activities & Affiliations
Académie des Sciences (France)
Member; President; and awarded La Case Prize (1914).
Centre national de la recherche scientifique (France)
President.
École normale supérieure (France). Laboratoire de physique
Received BSc (approx. 1894) and Research Assistant.
Instituts Solvay
Member, attended first and third Solvay Conferences, 1911, 1921.
Royal Society (Great Britain)
Awarded Joule Prize (1896).
Université de Paris
Received PhD (1897).
Resources
Archival Resources
Author
Jean Perrin papers, 1887-1942.
Archives et Patrimoine historique
Académie des Sciences
23 quai de Conti, 75006 Paris, France
Subject
Columbia University Department of Physics Historical Records, 1862-1997.
Rare Book and Manuscript Library
Columbia University
Butler Library, 6th Floor East, New York, NY 10027, USA
Elizabeth P. Korn sketches, 1928-1940s.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
French government records concerning the Services des Missions (in charge of scientific expeditions during the 19th century), 1864-1945.
Archives nationales de France
Archives nationales de France
60 rue de Francs-Bourgeois, 75141 Paris France
Leonard Loeb autobiography, 1962.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Marian Smoluchowski personal archives, 1890-1917.
Dept. of Manuscripts
Biblioteka Jagiellonska.
A. Mickiewicza 22, 30-059 Cracow
Max Born Jounrey to Russia, 1945.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Edmond H. Bauer, 1963 Janurary 8 and 14.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Georges Allard, 1963 January 10.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Herman Carel Burger, 1962 November 15.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Jean Langevin, 1963 Janurary 11.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Jules Gueron, 1978 April 14, 15, and 21.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Léon Brillouin, 1962 March 29 and 3 April.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Leonard B. Loeb, 1962 August 7.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Louis de Broglie, 1963 January 7 and 14.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with René Auguste Lucas, 1963 January 10.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Wolfgang Gentner, 1971 November 15.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Published Resources
Author
À la surface des choses : Physique générale / Par Jean Perrin.
Atoms / by Jean Perrin, authorised translation, by D. Ll. Hammick.
Die Brown'sche Bewegung und die wahre Existenz der Moleküle / von J. Perrin ; Deutsch von J. Donau.
Grains de matière et de lumière / par Jean Perrin.
La science et l'espérance / par Jean Perrin ; préfaces de Louis de Broglie [et] Léon Blum.
Les atomes / Présentation et compléments par Francis Perrin.
Les éléments da la physique / par Jean Perrin.
Notice sur les travaux scientifiques / de Jean Perrin.
Oeuvres scientifiques de Jean Perrin / Jean Perrin.
Traité de chimie physique : Les Principes / par Jean Perrin.
Subject
1921 Solvay Conference Proceedings.
Jean Perrin Nobel Prize biography.
Molecular reality, a perspective on the scientific work of Jean Perrin.