Evan James Williams

Rowland Wynne

Description

This book presents the life and work of Professor Evan James Williams, described as one of Wales’s most eminent scientists. Williams played a prominent part in the early twentieth-century revolution in physics with the emergence of quantum science, and was an able experimentalist and accomplished theoretician who made notable contributions in atomic physics and the discovery of a new elementary particle. From humble beginnings in rural Cardiganshire, his stellar career is charted in this book as he climbed the academic ladder at a number of universities, culminating in his appointment as Professor of Physics at Aberystwyth, and election to a Fellowship of the Royal Society. During the Second World War, Williams was instrumental in applying Operational Research to thwart the threat of German submarines in the Atlantic; his career was cut short, however, by his early death in 1945.

Series Editor’s Foreword
List of illustrations
Preface xiii
1 ‘I have a dream’
2 Shaking the foundations
3 Doctorates
4 New horizons
5 Achieving eminence
6 Securing the seas
7 Hope unfulfilled
8 Epilogue
Notes
List of publications by Evan James Williams
Information on works cited
Index

Sujets

• Quantum Theory
• Sciences et techniques
• Physics
• Wales
• Science

Informations

• Publié par: University of Wales Press
• Date de parution: 01 juin 2020
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781786835727
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 19 Mo

Extrait

S C I E N T I S T S O F W A L E S

Evan James Williams

S C I E N T I S T S O F W A L E S

Series Editor Garet Fowc Roberts Bangor University

Editorial Panel ïwan Rys Morus Aberystwyt University

Jon V. Tucker Swansea University

S C I E N T I S T S O F W A L E S

Evan James Williams

ATOMIC PHYSICIST

R O W L A N D W Y N N E

Translation by Gareth Ffowc Roberts and Rowland Wynne

UNïVERSïTY OF WAES PRESS 00

Pucra sunt quae vîdentur, Pucrorîa quare scîentur, onge pucerrîma quae îgnorantur.

Nîels Steensen (1638–86) Danîs scîentîst and Catolîc prîest

Beautîu are te tîngs we see, More beautîu tose we understand, Muc te most beautîu tose we do not compreend.

trans. Abraam Paîs, înNiels Bohr’s Times, in Physics, Philosophy, and Polity(Oxord: Oxord Unîversîty Press, 1991)

Evan James Wîîams (wit te kind permission of te Niels Bor Arcive, Copenagen)

© Rowand Wynne, 00

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CONTENTS

Serîes Edîtor’s Foreword îst o îustratîons Preace

       

‘ï ave a dream’ Sakîng te oundatîons Doctorates New orîzons Acîevîng emînence Securîng te seas Hope unuIed Epîogue

Notes îst o pubîcatîons by Evan James Wîîams Bîbîograpy ïndex

îx xî xîîî

       

   

To my grandcildren Alex, Iwan, Mali and Ruby

SERIES EDITOR’S FOREWORD

aes as a ong and împortant îstory o contrîbutîons to scî- W entîIc and tecnoogîca dîscovery and înnovatîon stretcîng rom te Mîdde Ages to te present day. From medîeva scoars to contemporary scîentîsts and engîneers, Wes îndîvîduas ave been at te oreront o eforts to understand and contro te word around us. For muc o Wes îstory, scîence as payed a key roe în Wes cuture: bards drew on scîentîIc îdeas în teîr poetry; renaîssance gente- men devoted temseves to natura îstory; te eaders o eary Wes Metodîsm Ied teîr ymns wît scîentîIc reerences. Durîng te nîneteent century, scîentîIc socîetîes Lourîsed and Waes was trans- ormed by engîneerîng and tecnoogy. ïn te twentîet century te work o Wes scîentîsts contînued to înLuence deveopments în teîr Ieds. Muc o tîs excîtîng and vîbrant Wes scîentîIc îstory as now dîsappeared rom îstorîca memory. he aîm o te Scîentîsts o Waes serîes îs to resurrect te roe o scîence and tecnoogy în Wes îstory. ïts voumes trace te careers and acîevements o Wes învestîgators, settîng teîr work wîtîn teîr cutura contexts. hey demonstrate ow scîentîsts and engîneers ave contrîbuted to te makîng o modern Waes as we as sowîng te ways în wîc Waes as payed a crucîa roe în te emergence o modern scîence and engîneerîng.