Physics History Network
Over 1000 biographies of physicists and histories of institutions with information pertaining to their lives, careers, and research.
Tip: Search within this page by using Ctrl + F or ⌘ + F
Search Our Catalogs
Archives BooksCollections
Emilio Segré Visual Archives Digital Collections Oral Histories Archival Finding Aids Physics History Network Member Society Portals Ethical Cataloging StatementPreservation and Support
Donating Materials Suggest a Book Purchase Saving Archival Collections Grants to Archives Documentation Projects History NewslettersCenter for History of Physics
Scholarship & OutreachMain Navigation
HomeAboutTopic GuidesFeedbackTable of Contents
Institutional History
AbstractImportant DatesPlacesSubjectsCitationsRelationships
PeopleInstitutionsResources
Archival as AuthorArchival as SubjectRutgers University. Department of Physics and Astronomy
Dates
1771 – present
Authorized Form of Name
Rutgers University. Department of Physics and Astronomy
Additional Forms of Names
Rutgers University. Department of Physics
Rutgers University. Dept. of Physics and Astronomy
Institutional History
Abstract
The Department of Physics and Astronomy at Rutgers University began in 1771 as part of Queen's College. With the appointment of Francis C. Van Dyck in 1880, the department grew and enrolled their first graduate students during his tenure. The department continued to grow throughout the twentieth century adding new programs in various areas of physics until today it has over sixty faculty members and is seen as one of the leading physics departments in the country with an emphasis on its programs of research and instruction.
Important Dates
1771Opened as Queen's College and natural philosophy and astronomy were taught to every student from the earliest days, New Brunswick (N.J.).
1880 – 1917Francis C. Van Dyck was appointed to the Department and was responsible for the physics program until his retirement.
1883First graduate student in physics was enrolled.
1892First graduate student in astronomy was enrolled.
1926Physics Department moved into a new building named in honor of Van Dyck.
1935First PhD in physics was awarded to Donald Hill.
1950Bernard Serin and his collaborators demonstrated the isotope effect in superconductivity.
1950sPrograms in nuclear physics and high-energy physics were initiated.
1956 – presentElihu Abrahams has been on faculty.
1970sProgram in astrophysics began.
1974 – 1977John Perdew was on faculty.
1977Departments of Physics and Astronomy combined to create a single department.
1977 – 1978David Ceperley was on faculty.
1977 – presentJoel Lebowitz has been on faculty.
1978 – 1980Thomas Spencer was on faculty.
1980sProgram in surface physics and a new string theory program were started.
1982 – 1987Michael Aizenman was on faculty.
1989 – 1997Nathan Seiberg was on faculty.
1990sAstronomy program grew by joining a consortium to build one of the largest telescopes in the world.
1990 – presentAlexander Zamolodchikov has been on faculty.
1991 – 1995Shirley Ann Jackson was on faculty.
1996 – 1997Juan Maldacena was on faculty.
1999 – 2001Andrew Millis was on faculty.
2000 – presentMorrel Cohen has been on faculty.
2002 – 2008Yves Chabal was on faculty.
2002 – presentJames Phillips has been on faculty.
Places
Headquarters
Subjects
Astronomy -- Study and teaching.
Physics -- Study and teaching.
Citations
Historical information from Robbins, Allen B. A Brief History of Physics and Astronomy at Rutgers, http://www.physics.rutgers.edu/dept/history/.
Relationships
People
Employees & Officers
Assistant Professor to Associate Professor and Professor to Bernard Serin Professor of Physics.
Associate Professor of Physics; Professor of Physics; and Professor II of Physics.
Professor of Physics.
Distinguished Scientist.
Visiting Scientist.
Professor of Physics.
George William Hill Professor of Physics.
Research Associate.
Professor of Physics and Associate Director, University of Maryland-Rutgers Materials Research Science and Engineering Center.
Distinguished Visiting Professor.
Postdoctoral Researcher.
Visiting Professor.
Professor and Professor II.
Serin, Bernard
With his collaborators, they demonstrated the isotope effect in superconductivity.
Professor.
Van Dyck, Francis C. (Francis Cuyler), 1873-1916
Professor of Physics and first Head, Department of Physics.
Professor of Physics and Board of Governors Professor of Physics.
Associates & Members
Atkinson, Robert d'Escourt, 1898-1982
Postdoctoral Fellow.
Obtained BS.
Fein, Jay S., 1937-
Greenslade, Thomas B., Jr.
Kreidl, N. J.
Postdoctoral Fellow.
Received MS (1985).
Torrey, Henry Cutler, 1911-
Received BS (1942).
Institutions
Institutional Hierarchy
Rutgers University
Associates
American Institute of Physics. Center for History of Physics
Participated in the study of multi-institutional collaborations.
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
New Brunswick Astronomical Society (N.J.)
Resources
Archival Resources
Author
Remarks given at dedication and naming of the Rutgers University Physics Laboratories for Bernard Serin, 1975.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Subject
Henry Cutler Torrey papers, 1935-1976.
Libraries. Special Collections and Archives
Rutgers University
New Brunswick, NJ 08903, USA
Micro-Electronics Oral History Project.
Archives Center
Smithsonian Institution. National Museum of American History
MRC 601, 12th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20560, USA
N. J. Kreidl autobiography for physics institute, 1965.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
New Brunswick Astronomical Society records, 1892-1909 (inclusive).
Libraries. Special Collections and Archives
Rutgers University
New Brunswick, NJ 08903, USA
Oral history interview with Jay S. Fein and Anjuli Bamzai, 2013 April 18.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Robert d'Escourt Atkinson, 1977 April 22.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interviews. High-Energy Physics. Probes: CESR-CLEO: The CLEO Experiment at CESR, 1991.
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
Thomas B. Greenslade, Jr. recollections of Amhert and Rutgers, 2008.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA