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Institutional History
AbstractImportant DatesPlacesSubjectsCitationsRelationships
PeopleInstitutionsResources
Archival as AuthorArchival as SubjectPublished as AuthorPublished as SubjectUniversity of Pennsylvania. Department of Physics and Astronomy
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
Subjects
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
Professor of Physics.
Professor of Physics; Mary Amanda Wood Professor of Physics; and Emeritus Mary Amanda Wood Professor of Physics.
Assistant Professor to Professor of Physics and Emeritus Professor of Physics.
Visiting Professor.
Received PhD in Physics (1971). Research Associate in Physics and Professor of Physics.
Research Professor of Astronomy.
Received AB (1967). Trustee Chair Professor of Physics.
Associate Professor of Physics.
Adjunct Professor of Physics.
Assistant Professor of Physics; Associate Professor of Physics; Professor of Physics; and Acting Vice-Provost for Research.
Harrison Fellow and Instructor in Physics.
Assistant Professor of Physics.
Post Doctoral Fellow and Research Assistant Professor.
Adjunct Professor of Physics.
Assistant Professor of Physics to Professor of Physics.
Assistant Professor of Physics.
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.
Professor of Physics.
Meyerhof, Walter E. (Walter Ernst), 1922-
Received MA (1944) and PhD (1946) and Research Physicist.
Visiting Professor and Professor of Nuclear Physics.
Received PhD in Physics (1969). Assistant Professor of Physics.
Instructor in Physics.
Associate Professor of Physics; Professor of Physics; and William Smith Professor of Physics.
Primakoff, H. (Henry), 1914-1983
Professor of Physics.
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.
Received AB (1960), MS (1961) and PhD (1965). Research Associate in Particle Physics.
Assistant Professor of Physics and Associate Professor of Physics, Randal Morgan Laboratory of Physics; and Member, Board of Overseers, Faculty of Arts and Sciences.
Assistant Professor of Physics; Associate Professor of Physics; Professor of Physics; and Mary Amanda Wood Professor of Physics.
Received PhD (1961). Fellow and Research Associate in Physics.
Professor of Physics.
PhD Students
Received PhD in Physics (1986).
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)
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
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
Received BA (1966).
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
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
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
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
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
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.