Chauncey Guy Suits
Encyclopedia
Chauncey Guy Suits often known as C. Guy Suits, was a distinguished director of the General Electric
(GE) Research Laboratory, and a founding member of the National Academy of Engineering
.
Suits was born in Oshkosh, Wisconsin
, studied physics and mathematics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
, and received his A.B. in 1927. He then began doctoral studies at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology
in Zurich
, where he had hoped to study under Wolfgang Pauli
(who moved to Leipzig
before he arrived), and completed his Doctor of Science in physics in 1929. He then spent one additional year at Wisconsin before joining General Electric as a research physicist in 1930.
His research work in the 1930s concerned non-linear electric circuits, and subsequently electric arc
s and high temperature plasma
phenomena. In 1940 he became Assistant to the Director of Research at GE, and simultaneously from 1942-1946 was in the National Defense Research Committee
of the Office of Scientific Research and Development
, heading Division 15 in Electronics which was responsible for radio and radar countermeasures. In 1945, he became Vice President and Director of Research at GE, holding that post until 1965.
The Suits-Bueche Planetarium in Schenectady, New York
, is named in his honor.
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
(GE) Research Laboratory, and a founding member of the National Academy of Engineering
National Academy of Engineering
The National Academy of Engineering is a government-created non-profit institution in the United States, that was founded in 1964 under the same congressional act that led to the founding of the National Academy of Sciences...
.
Suits was born in Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Oshkosh, Wisconsin
As of the census of 2000, there were 62,916 people, 24,082 households, and 13,654 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,662.2 people per square mile . There were 25,420 housing units at an average density of 1,075.6 per square mile...
, studied physics and mathematics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
, and received his A.B. in 1927. He then began doctoral studies at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology
ETH Zurich
The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich or ETH Zürich is an engineering, science, technology, mathematics and management university in the City of Zurich, Switzerland....
in Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
, where he had hoped to study under Wolfgang Pauli
Wolfgang Pauli
Wolfgang Ernst Pauli was an Austrian theoretical physicist and one of the pioneers of quantum physics. In 1945, after being nominated by Albert Einstein, he received the Nobel Prize in Physics for his "decisive contribution through his discovery of a new law of Nature, the exclusion principle or...
(who moved to Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
before he arrived), and completed his Doctor of Science in physics in 1929. He then spent one additional year at Wisconsin before joining General Electric as a research physicist in 1930.
His research work in the 1930s concerned non-linear electric circuits, and subsequently electric arc
Electric arc
An electric arc is an electrical breakdown of a gas which produces an ongoing plasma discharge, resulting from a current flowing through normally nonconductive media such as air. A synonym is arc discharge. An arc discharge is characterized by a lower voltage than a glow discharge, and relies on...
s and high temperature plasma
Plasma (physics)
In physics and chemistry, plasma is a state of matter similar to gas in which a certain portion of the particles are ionized. Heating a gas may ionize its molecules or atoms , thus turning it into a plasma, which contains charged particles: positive ions and negative electrons or ions...
phenomena. In 1940 he became Assistant to the Director of Research at GE, and simultaneously from 1942-1946 was in the National Defense Research Committee
National Defense Research Committee
The National Defense Research Committee was an organization created "to coordinate, supervise, and conduct scientific research on the problems underlying the development, production, and use of mechanisms and devices of warfare" in the United States from June 27, 1940 until June 28, 1941...
of the Office of Scientific Research and Development
Office of Scientific Research and Development
The Office of Scientific Research and Development was an agency of the United States federal government created to coordinate scientific research for military purposes during World War II. Arrangements were made for its creation during May 1941, and it was created formally by on June 28, 1941...
, heading Division 15 in Electronics which was responsible for radio and radar countermeasures. In 1945, he became Vice President and Director of Research at GE, holding that post until 1965.
The Suits-Bueche Planetarium in Schenectady, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, is named in his honor.