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Table of Contents

Institutional History

AbstractImportant DatesPlacesSubjectsCitations

Relationships

PeopleInstitutions

Resources

Archival as AuthorArchival as SubjectPublished as AuthorPublished as Subject

University of Pennsylvania. Department of Physics and Astronomy

Photo

Dates

1791 – present

Authorized Form of Name

University of Pennsylvania. Department of Physics and Astronomy

Additional Forms of Names

University of Pennsylvania. Department of Physics & Astronomy

University of Pennsylvania. Dept. of Physics and Astronomy

Institutional History

Abstract

Natural Philosophy and Physics have been actively taught subjects since the founding of the University of Pennsylvania in 1791. The Department now includes two interdisciplinary research centers: the Laboratory for Research on the Structur eof Matter (LRSM) and the Nano-Bio Interface Center (NBIC) and includes research in astrophysics, cosmology, biophysics, condensed matter, high energy physics, particle cosmology, and the physics of living matter.

Important Dates

1791University of Pennsylvania is created when the College of Philadelphia and the University of the State of Pennsylvania merged, Philadelphia (Pa.).

1890sOrganized laboratory courses were introduced to students, Philadelphia (Pa.).

1905"New" physics courses began appearing in the graduate curriculum.

1939 – 1941Robert Hofstadter was on faculty.

1939 – 1942Frederick Seitz was on faculty.

1940 – 1947Leonard Schiff was on faculty.

1944 – 1946Walter Meyerhof was on faculty.

1947 – 1950Walter Elsasser was on faculty.

1950 – 1952David Pines was on faculty.

1952 – 1954Vernon Hughes was on faculty.

1956 – 1959Keith Brueckner was on faculty.

1958 – 1960Joaquin Luttinger was on faculty.

1958 – presentElias Burstein has been on faculty.

1960 – 1983Donald Langenberg was on faculty.

1960 – 1983Henry Primakoff was on faculty.

1961 – 1962Phillip Stiles was on faculty.

1962 – 1969Douglas Scalapino was on faculty.

1962 – 1979J. Robert Schrieffer was on faculty.

1962 – 1982Alan Heeger was on faculty.

1964The Physics building built after World War II is renamed the David Rittenhouse Laboratory.

1964 – 2004Roy Middleton was on faculty.

1965 – 1966Frank Sciulli was on faculty.

1969 – 1970Aron Pinczuk was on faculty.

1971 – 1972Paul Chaikin was on faculty.

1971 – presentThomas Lubensky has been on faculty.

1973 – 1992E. Ward Plummer was on faculty.

1976 – 1978John Kirtley was on faculty.

1979Steven Kivelson was on faculty.

1979 – 1980Steven Louie was on faculty.

1981 – 1998Paul Stienhardt was on faculty.

1983 – 1988Paul Chaikin was on faculty.

1984 – 2001Raymond Davis Jr. was on faculty.

1985 – 1993Herbert Callen was on faculty.

1989 – 1996Gerald Dolan was on faculty.

1995 – 1999David Weiz was on faculty.

Places

Headquarters

Philadelphia (Pa.)

Subjects

Astronomy.

Astrophysics.

Biophysics.

Condensed matter.

Cosmology.

Physics -- Study and teaching.

Citations

Historical information from Gross, Marvin A. "A history of the University of Pennsylvania Department of Physics," Niels Bohr Library & Archives.

Relationships

People

Employees & Officers

Brueckner, Keith A.

Professor of Physics.

Burstein, Elias, 1917-2017

Professor of Physics; Mary Amanda Wood Professor of Physics; and Emeritus Mary Amanda Wood Professor of Physics.

Callen, Herbert B.

Assistant Professor to Professor of Physics and Emeritus Professor of Physics.

Cardona, Manuel, 1934-

Visiting Professor.

Chaikin, Paul M.

Received PhD in Physics (1971). Research Associate in Physics and Professor of Physics.

Davis, Raymond, 1914-2006

Research Professor of Astronomy.

Dolan, Gerald

Received AB (1967). Trustee Chair Professor of Physics.

Elsasser, Walter M., 1904-

Associate Professor of Physics.

Gollub, J. P., 1944-2019

Adjunct Professor of Physics.

Heeger, Alan J.

Assistant Professor of Physics; Associate Professor of Physics; Professor of Physics; and Acting Vice-Provost for Research.

Hofstadter, Robert, 1915-1990

Harrison Fellow and Instructor in Physics.

Hughes, Vernon W.

Assistant Professor of Physics.

Kirtley, John R.

Post Doctoral Fellow and Research Assistant Professor.

Krumhansl, J. A. (James A.)

Adjunct Professor of Physics.

Langenberg, D. N., 1932-

Assistant Professor of Physics to Professor of Physics.

Louie, Steven G., 1949-

Assistant Professor of Physics.

Lubensky, T. C.

Assistant Professor of Physics; Associate Professor of Physics; Professor of Physics; Mary Amanda Wood Professor of Physics; Chair, Department of Physics and Astronomy; and Christopher H. Browne Distinguished Professor of Physics.

Luttinger, Joaquin M.

Professor of Physics.

Meyerhof, Walter E. (Walter Ernst), 1922-

Received MA (1944) and PhD (1946) and Research Physicist.

Middleton, Roy, 1927-2004

Visiting Professor and Professor of Nuclear Physics.

Pinczuk, Aron

Received PhD in Physics (1969). Assistant Professor of Physics.

Pines, David, 1924-2018

Instructor in Physics.

Plummer, E. Ward

Associate Professor of Physics; Professor of Physics; and William Smith Professor of Physics.

Primakoff, H. (Henry), 1914-1983

Professor of Physics.

Scalapino, Douglas J.

Research Associate; Assistant Professor; Associate Professor; and Professor of Physics.

Schiff, Leonard I. (Leonard Isaac), 1915-1971

Instructor; Assistant Professor of Physics; Acting Chair, Department of Physics; and Associate Professor of Physics.

Schrieffer, J. R. (John Robert), 1931-

Professor and Mary Amanda Wood Professor.

Sciulli, Frank J.

Received AB (1960), MS (1961) and PhD (1965). Research Associate in Particle Physics.

Seitz, Frederick, 1911-2008

Assistant Professor of Physics and Associate Professor of Physics, Randal Morgan Laboratory of Physics; and Member, Board of Overseers, Faculty of Arts and Sciences.

Steinhardt, Paul J.

Assistant Professor of Physics; Associate Professor of Physics; Professor of Physics; and Mary Amanda Wood Professor of Physics.

Stiles, Phillip J.

Received PhD (1961). Fellow and Research Associate in Physics.

Weitz, David A.

Professor of Physics.

PhD Students

Levine, D.

Received PhD in Physics (1986).

Spruch, Larry

Received PhD (1948).

Associates & Members

Ajzenberg-Selove, Fay, 1926-

Anderson, Thomas Foxen, 1911-1991

Barker, George F. (George Frederick), 1835-1910

Bateson, Frank M.

Bazzoni, Charles B. (Charles Blizard), 1886-

BenDaniel, David J.

Brodsky, M. H. (Marc Herbert), 1938-

Chance, Britton

Cope, Thomas D. (Thomas Darlington)

Corrsin, Stanley, 1920-

Received BS (1940).

Frazer, John Fries, 1812-1872

Fusfeld, Herbert I.

Goldstine, Herman H. (Herman Heine), 1913-2004

Harnwell, G. P. (Gaylord Probasco), 1903-1982

Hildebrand, Joel Henry, 1881-1983

Ives, Herbert Eugene, 1882-1953

Received BS.

Johnson, Vivian A. (Vivian Annabelle), 1912-

Karcher, J. C. (John Clarence), 1894-1978

Kivelson, Steven

Research Fellow.

Koehler, James S. (James Stark), 1914-2006

Lucian, Arsene N., 1888-1976

Maurer, Robert Joseph, 1913-

Miller, Park Hays, Jr.

Patterson, Robert M. (Robert Maskell)

Richards, Horace Clark

Schweber, S. S. (Silvan S.)

Selove, Walter

Shochet, Melvyn J.

Received BA (1966).

Smith, George E., 1930-

Received BS (1955).

Stuhlman, Otto, 1884-1965

Wales, Walter D., 1933-

Wood, Frank Bradshaw, 1915-

Yergin, Paul Flohr, 1923-

Institutions

Institutional Hierarchy

Laboratory for Research on the Structure of Matter (University of Pennsylvania)

One of two National Science Foundation (NSF) funded multi-disciplinary laboratories.

University of Pennsylvania

Associates

Accademia delle scienze di Torino

American Institute of Physics. Center for History of Physics

Participated in the study of multi-institutional collaborations.

Resources

Archival Resources

Author

University of Pennsylvania College of Arts and Sciences Department of Physics records, 1901-1953.

University Archives and Records Center

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA 19104-6320, USA

Subject

A History of Physics in Industry [sound recording], 2013 March 20.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

A history of the University of Pennsylvania Department of Physics, 1973.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Accademia delle scienze di Torino correspondence, 1824-1912.

Accademia delle scienze di Torino

Torino, Italy

AIP Center for History of Physics Project on the History of Recent Physics addition to records, 1955-1981 (bulk 1961-1966).

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Ben Bederson interview of Larry Spruch, Sidney Borowitz and Ed Gerjuoy [videorecording], 26 July 2004.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Britton Chance papers, 1940-1995.

University Archives and Records Center

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA 19104-6320, USA

Charles B. Bazzoni papers, 1913-1940.

Library

American Philosophical Society

105 South Fifth Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA

Discovery of the S(O) particle by team headed by Julius Halpern: Press release, issued by the University of Pennsylvania News Bureau, on Halpern's announcement at 1965 American Physical Society Meeting.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Frederick Seitz biographical notes for London meeting, 1979.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Gaylord P. Harnwell papers, 1889-1992 (bulk 1924-1982).

University Archives and Records Center

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA 19104-6320, USA

George Frederick Barker papers, circa 1870-1900.

Archives

University of Pennsylvania

North Arcade, Franklin Field, Philadelphia PA 19104-6320, USA

Horace Clark Richards collection, 1871-1944.

University Archives and Records Center

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA 19104-6320, USA

John Fries Frazer papers, 1834-1871.

Library

American Philosophical Society

105 South Fifth Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA

Keith Brueckner manuscript biography, 1986.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Larry Spruch papers, 1943-2005 (bulk 1950-2002).

Archives. Elmer Holmes Bobst Library

New York University

70 Washington Square South, New York, NY 10012, USA

Oral history interview with Alan J. Heeger, 2006 March 13 and 16.

The Beckman Center for History of Chemistry

Chemical Heritage Foundation

315 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106-2702, USA

Oral history interview with David BenDaniel, 2008 October 20.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Frank Bradshaw Wood, 1977 November 4.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Frank M. Bateson, 1985 May 16.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Frederick Seitz, 1981 January 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 Herbert I. Fusfeld, 2005 April 2.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Herman Heine Goldstine, 1977 March 14.

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 Joel Henry Hildebrand, 1962 August 6.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Marc Brodsky, 2008 January 8.

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 Park Hays Miller, 1983 March 26.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Robert Joseph Maurer, 1981 March 10 and 15.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Sam Schweber, 1998 October 18.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Vivian Annabelle Johnson, 1981 July 13.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Walter D. Wales, 1987.

Archives

University of Pennsylvania

North Arcade, Franklin Field, Philadelphia PA 19104-6320, USA

Oral history interviews with Arsene N. Lucian, 1969-1971.

University Archives and Records Center

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA 19104-6320, USA

Oral history interviews. High-Energy Physics. Selected Experiments: BNL-E-650: Single Electron Production in Proton-Proton Collisions, 1990-1991.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interviews. High-Energy Physics. Selected Experiments: BNL-E-654: Search for Charmed Particles During Test Phase, 1990-1991.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interviews. High-Energy Physics. Selected Experiments: BNL-E-734: A Measurement of the Elastic Scattering of Neutrinos from Electrons and Protons, 1990-1991.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interviews. High-Energy Physics. Selected Experiments: BNL-E-791: Study of Very Rare K-Long Decays, 1990-1991.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interviews. High-Energy Physics. Selected Experiments: SLAC-SP-007B: Search for Asymmetry in E+ E- -- MU+ MU- due to a Weak Neutral Current and FNAL-E-310: Further Study of High Energy Neutrino Interactions at NAL, 1990-1991.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Otto Stuhlman papers, 1907-1960.

Library. Manuscripts Department. Southern Historical Collection

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Wilson Library CB# 3926, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3926, USA

Paul Yergin response to 1981 History of Nuclear Physics Survey, 1982.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Radium and its rays, 1914.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Robert Hofstadter response to 1988 History of Nuclear Physics Survey, 1985-1988.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Robert M. Patterson papers, 1775-1853.

Library

American Philosophical Society

105 South Fifth Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA

The Princeton years and beyond, 1930-1940: Invited paper for the March 1992 meeting of the American Physical Society, 1992.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

The reflection seismograph: Its invention and use in the discovery of oil and gas fields, circa 1973.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Thomas D. Cope papers, 1926-1960.

Archives

University of Pennsylvania

North Academic Center, New York, NY 10031, USA

Thomas Darlington Cope papers, circa 1909-1964.

Library

American Philosophical Society

105 South Fifth Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA

Thomas Foxen Anderson papers, 1928-1989.

Library

American Philosophical Society

105 South Fifth Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA

Walter Selove and Fay Ajzenberg-Selove papers, 1957-2001.

University Archives and Records Center

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA 19104-6320, USA

Published Resources

Author

Experimental meson spectroscopy--1972 (third Philadelphia conference). Editors: Arthur H. Rosenfeld and Kwan-Wu Lai.

Neutrinos--1974 (Philadelphia) / editor, Charles Baltay.

Nuclear fission and atomic energy, by William E. Stephens, editor and [others]

Subject

Benjamin Franklin and the University of Pennsylvania / edited by Francis Newton Thorpe.