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Table of Contents

Institutional History

AbstractImportant DatesPlacesSubjectsCitations

Relationships

PeopleInstitutions

Resources

Archival as AuthorArchival as SubjectPublished as Author

University of Texas at Austin. Department of Physics

Photo

Dates

1884 – present

Authorized Form of Name

University of Texas at Austin. Department of Physics

Additional Forms of Names

Texas. University at Austin. Dept. of Physics

University of Texas at Austin. Dept. of Physics

Institutional History

Abstract

When the University of Texas opened in 1883, a professor of physics and chemistry, John W. Mallet, served as Chairman of the Faculty and a department of physics was created the following year. Currently, the department has close collaborations with scientists in other departments of the university and has research being done in areas such as atomic, molecular, and optical physics; nuclear physics; plasma physics; fluid dynamics; condensed matter physics; relativity and cosmology; and elementary particles.

Important Dates

1884The University created a Department of Physics, Austin (Tex.).

1894First Masters degree in physics was awarded.

1933New Physics and Astronomy building (later named Painter Hall) was completed.

1942First Bachelor of Science degree in physics was offered.

1972Moved to its current home in R. L. Moore Hall.

1973 – 2004Bryce DeWitt was on faculty.

1976 – 2008John Wheeler was on faculty.

1978 – presentHarry Swinney has been on faculty.

1979 – 1985H. Jeffrey Kimble was on faculty.

1982 – presentSteven Weinberg has been on faculty.

1984 – 1992Joseph Polchinski was on faculty.

2000 – presentAllan MacDonald has been on faculty.

Places

Headquarters

Austin (Tex.)

Subjects

Atomic and molecular physics.

Condensed matter.

Cosmology.

Elementary particles.

Fluid dynamics.

Nuclear physics.

Optics.

Physics -- Study and teaching.

Plasma physics.

Relativity (Physics).

Statistical mechanics.

Citations

Historical information from the History webpage of the University of Texas at Austin Department of Physics's website (https://ph.utexas.edu/about/history).

Relationships

People

Employees & Officers

DeWitt, Bryce S. (Bryce Seligman), 1923-2004

Professor; Director, Center for Relativity; Jane and Roland Blumberg Professor of Physics; and Jane and Roland Blumberg Emeritus Professor of Physics.

Gordy, Walter, 1909-1985

Visiting Professor.

Kimble, H. Jeff (Harry Jeffrey), 1949-

Professor of Physics.

MacDonald, A. H.

Sid W. Richardson Foundation Regents Chair in Physics.

Polchinski, Joseph Gerard

Assistant Professor; Associate Professor; and Professor of Physics.

Swinney, H. L., 1939-

Professor of Physics; Trull Centennial Professor of Physics; Sid Richardson Foundation Regents Professor of Physics; and Director, Center for Nonlinear Dynamics.

Weinberg, Steven, 1933-

Jack S. Josey Regental Professor of Science.

Wheeler, John Archibald, 1911-2008

Professor of Physics; Ashbel Smith Professor; Roland Blumberg Professor of Physics; Director, Center for Theoretical Physics; and Professor Emeritus of Physics.

Associates & Members

Alpher, Ralph, 1921-2007

Feenberg, Eugene

Received BA and MA.

Griffy, Thomas Alan, 1936-

Herman, Robert, 1914-

Kuehne, John Matthias

McKinney, Chester M.

Millett, Walter Elmer

Muir, Thomas Gustave

Pierce, George Washington, 1872-1956

Received BSc (1893) and MA (1894).

Schmitt, Roland W.

Received BS (1947) and MA (1948).

Shepley, Lawrence C., 1939-

Institutions

Institutional Hierarchy

University of Texas at Austin

Resources

Archival Resources

Author

So, you want to write a textbook! [videorecording] : colloquium at University of Texas, 1999 May 11.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Subject

Bryce S. DeWitt papers, 1950-2005.

Center for American History. University Archives

University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX 78713, USA

Collection on the mechanical harmonic synthesizer and multiharmonograph, 1939-1948 and undated.

Center for American History. University Archives

University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX 78713, USA

John Matthias Kuehne photograph collection, 1894-1950.

Center for American History. University Archives

University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX 78713, USA

Oral history interview with Bryce DeWitt and Cecile DeWitt-Morette, 1995.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Chester M. McKinney, 2002 October 22.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Eugene Feenberg, 1973 April 13 and 14.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Joseph Polchinski, 2009 March 18.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Lawrence Shepley, 1995.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Ralph Alpher and second session is joint interview with Robert Herman, 1983 August 11 and 12.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Tom G. Muir, 2007 October 29.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Tom Griffy, 1995.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Walter E. Millett papers, 1923-1928 and 1946-2003.

Center for American History. University Archives

University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX 78713, USA

Published Resources

Author

The Graduate journal.