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Archival as SubjectPublished as AuthorPublished as SubjectFrits Zernike
Dates
July 16, 1888 – March 10, 1966
Authorized Form of Name
Zernike, Frits, 1888-1966
Additional Forms of Names
Zernike, F. (Frits), 1888-1966
Biography
Abstract
Frits Zernike was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1953 "for his demonstration of the phase contrast method, especially for his invention of the phase contrast microscope." His invention of the phase contrast microscope was not recognized for its worth for many years, only gaining popularity when Nazi’s seized and duplicated the technology during WWII. Zernike held positions at University of Groningen his entire career.
Important Dates
July 16, 1888Birth, Amsterdam (Netherlands).
1912B.Sc in Chemistry, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam (Netherlands).
1912Awarded a Gold Medal for work on opalescence in gases, Dutch Society of Science.
1913Assistant to Jacobus Kapteyn, Professor of Astronomy, University of Groningen, Groningen (Netherlands).
1915Lecturer in Mathematical Physics; and Professor of Theoretical and Technical Physics (1920), University of Groningen, Groningen (Netherlands).
1915Ph.D in Physics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam (Netherlands).
1930Discovered the phase-contrast phenomenon.
1946Member, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences.
1952Awarded the Rumford Medal, Royal Society.
1953Awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics "for his demonstration of the phase contrast method, especially for his invention of the phase contrast microscope".
1956Foreign Member, Royal Society.
March 10, 1966Death, Groningen (Netherlands).
Occupation
Theoretical and technical physicist.
Places
Birth
Undergraduate Education
Graduate Education
Employment
Death
Subjects
Relationships
People
Advisors & Collaborators
Bouwkamp, C. J. (Christoffel Jacob)
Advised by Zernike, University of Groningen.
Kapteyn, J. C. (Jacobus Cornelius), 1851-1922
Advisor, University of Groningen.
Nijboer, B.R.A. (Bernard Roelof Andries), -1999
Advised by Zernike, University of Groningen.
Ornstein, L. S. (Leonard Salomon), 1880-1941
Collaborated on critical opalescence research.
Smits, Andreas, 1870-1948
Advisor, University of Amsterdam.
Additional
Gorter, C. J. (Cornelis Jacobus), 1907-
Lorentz, H. A. (Hendrik Antoon), 1853-1928
Oort, Jan Hendrik
Waals, J. D. van der (Johannes Diderik), 1837-1923
Institutions
Major Positions
Rijksuniversiteit te Groningen
Research Assistant to Kapteyn; Lecturer in Mathematical Physics; and Professor of Theoretical and Technical Physics.
Professional Activities & Affiliations
Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen
Member; and awarded Gold Medal for work as a student.
Royal Society (Great Britain)
Foreign Member; and awarded the Rumford Medal (1952).
Universiteit van Amsterdam
B.Sc in Chemistry (1912); and Ph.D in Physics (1915).
Resources
Archival Resources
Subject
Oral history interview with Cornelis Jacobus Gorter, 1962 November 13.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Jan Hendrik Oort, 1977 November 10.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Published Resources
Author
The collected papers of Frits Zernike (1888-1966) / ed.: Henk Kubbinga.
Subject
Molecular Expressions: Fritz Zernike biography.
Nobel Prize Laureate Fritz Zernike biography and facts.
Physics Today obituary for Frits Zernike.