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Biography
AbstractImportant DatesOccupationPlacesSubjectsRelationships
PeopleInstitutionsResources
Archival as AuthorArchival as SubjectPublished as AuthorPublished as SubjectO. W. Richardson
Dates
April 26, 1879 – February 15, 1959
Authorized Form of Name
Richardson, O. W. (Owen Willans), 1879-1959
Additional Forms of Names
Richardson, Owen Willans, 1879-1959
Biography
Abstract
Owen Willans Richardson was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1928 "for his work on the thermionic phenomenon and especially for the discovery of the law named after him." He held positions at Cambridge University's Cavendish Laboratory, Princeton University, King's College of the University of London, and the Royal Society.
Important Dates
April 26, 1879Birth, Dewsbury (England).
1900Obtained BSc, Trinity College, Cambridge University, Cambridge (England).
1902Fellow, Trinity College, Cambridge University, Cambridge (England).
1904Obtained DSc, University College, London (England).
1906 – 1913Professor of Physics, Princeton University, Princeton (N.J.).
1911Member, American Philosophical Society.
1913Fellow, Royal Society.
1914 – 1944Wheatstone Professor of Physics, King's College, University of London, London (England).
1920Awarded the Hughes Medal, Royal Society.
1921President, British Association for the Advancement of Science.
1926 – 1928President, Physics Society, London (England).
1926 – 1944Yarrow Research Professor, Royal Society, London (England).
1928Awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics "for his work on the thermionic phenomenon and especially for the discovery of the law named after him".
1930Awarded the Royal Medal, Royal Society.
1939Knighted.
1959Death, Hampshire (England).
Occupation
Physicst.
Places
Birth
Undergraduate Education
Employment
Graduate Education
Death
Subjects
Relationships
People
Family
Richardson, Charlotte Maria Willans
Mother.
Richardson, Joshua Henry
Father.
Rupp, Henriette
Second wife, married 1948.
Wilson, Lilian Maud
First wife, married 1906-1945.
Advisors & Collaborators
Compton, Arthur Holly, 1892-1962
Advised by Richardon at Princeton University.
Compton, K. T. (Karl Taylor), 1887-1954
Advised by Richardson at Princeton University and co-wrote a few articles.
Goddard, Robert Hutchings, 1882-1945
Advised by Richardson at Princeton University.
Langevin, Paul, 1872-1946
Collaborated at Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge University.
Collaborated at Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge University.
Thomson, J. J. (Joseph John), 1856-1940
Advisor at Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge University.
Waterman, Alan Tower, 1892-1967
Advised by Richardson at Princeton University, "On the positive ionization from certian hot salts together with some observations on the electrical properties of molybdenite at high temperatures."
Wilson, Charles Thomson Rees, 1869-1959
Collaborated at Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge University.
Wilson, Harold A. (Harold Albert), 1874-1964
Brother-in-law and collaborated at Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge University.
Additional
Appleton, Edward Victor, Sir, 1892-1965
Aston, Francis William, 1877-1945
Barkla, C. G. (Charles Glover), 1877-1944
Blackett, P. M. S. (Patrick Maynard Stuart), Baron Blackett, 1897-1974
Bragg, William Henry, 1862-1942
Bridgman, P. W. (Percy Williams), 1882-1961
Cockcroft, John, Sir, 1897-1967
Davisson, Clinton Joseph, 1881-1958
Debye, Peter J. W. (Peter Josef William), 1884-1966
Dirac, P. A. M. (Paul Adrien Maurice), 1902-1984
Guillaume, Ch.-Ed. (Charles-Edouard), 1861-
Lawrence, Ernest Orlando, 1901-1958
Lorentz, H. A. (Hendrik Antoon), 1853-1928
Michelson, Albert A. (Albert Abraham), 1852-1931
Rao, S. Ramachandra
Shapley, Harlow, 1885-1972
Sommerfeld, Arnold, 1868-1951
Stuhlman, Otto, 1884-1965
Thomson, G. P. (George Paget), 1892-1975
Urey, Harold Clayton, 1893-1981
Veblen, Oswald, 1880-1960
Institutions
Major Positions
King's College (University of London)
Wheatstone Professor of Physics.
Princeton University. Department of Physics
Professor of Physics.
Royal Society (Great Britain)
Fellow; Yarrow Research Professor; and awarded Hughes Medal (1920) and the Royal Medal (1930).
Trinity College (University of Cambridge)
Received BSc degree (1900) and Fellow.
Professional Activities & Affiliations
American Philosophical Society
Member.
British Association for the Advancement of Science
President.
Physical Society (Great Britain)
President.
University College, London. Department of Physics
Received DSc degree (1904).
Resources
Archival Resources
Author
O. W. Richardson papers, 1897-1959 (bulk 1920-1940).
Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center
University of Texas at Austin
P.O. Drawer 7219, Austin, TX 78713-7219, USA
O.W. Richardson papers [microform], 1899-1947.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Subject
Ernest Rutherford correspondence [microform], 1906-1937
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
History of physics II [sound recording], 2011 May 2.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
King's College Department of Physics records, [1890]-1984.
King's College Archives
King's College
Strand, London WC2R 2LS, UK England
Niels Bohr scientific correspondence, supplement, 1910-1962.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Harlow Shapley, 1966 June 8 and August 25.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Otto Stuhlman, Jr., 1962 June 8.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Robert S. Shankland, 1974 August 20 and 21.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oswald Veblen papers, 1881-1960 (bulk 1920-1960).
Manuscript Division
Library of Congress
James Madison Memorial Building, First Street and Independence Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20540, USA
Published Resources
Author
Molecular hydrogen and its spectrum / by Owen Willans Richardson/
The electron theory of matter / by O.W. Richardson.
The emission of electricity from hot bodies.