Harrie Massey
Encyclopedia
Sir Harrie Stewart Wilson Massey FRS (16 May 1908 - 27 November 1983) was an influential Australia
n mathematical physicist. He worked primarily in the fields of atomic
and atmospheric physics
.
, Australia, but grew up in the rural community of Hoddles Creek. Massey enrolled in the local state school in 1913. At the age of 16 he won a Senior Government Scholarship to the University of Melbourne
. There he studied physics and chemistry
and graduated with a first class honours BSc in 1927. He stayed on to study mathematics
and was awarded another first class degree, a BA, in 1929. At that time, the university did not offer a PhD program but, clearly gifted, he took on an MSc with both experimental and theoretical components. The former dealt with soft X-ray
deflection from metal surfaces and the latter with wave mechanics. His external examiner was Ralph Fowler from the University of Cambridge
who was Paul Dirac
's PhD supervisor.
In 1929, with the benefit of another scholarship, Massey went to Trinity College, Cambridge
to perform research at the Cavendish Laboratory
led by Ernest Rutherford
. Fowler was appointed as Massey's supervisor although it was clear that he did not need any supervision per se.
Massey obtained his PhD on the The Collision of Material Particles in 1932. He co-authored a book on atomic collision processes with Nevill Mott shortly afterwards. He then became a lecturer at the Queen's University of Belfast
in 1933 and left to take up a chair in Mathematics at University College London
five years later. This was to create a strong academic link between QUB and UCL which persists to this day.
During the Second World War
he worked for the Admiralty Mining Establishment
. He had a great influence on the future careers of nearly every scientist that worked there including David Bates
, who was invited to join the staff at UCL, and Robert Boyd, who was offered a research assistant post. Francis Crick
was introduced to Maurice Wilkins
by Massey.
Massey was made head of the UCL Physics department in 1950
and remained its head after the department was merged with Astronomy in 1973. He retired
in 1975.
He was the first chairman of the British National Committee for Space Research
, the first Chairman of the European Space Sciences Committee and
helped found the European Space Research Organization as well as the Mullard Space Science Laboratory
at UCL.
He has had a number of awards named after him;
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n mathematical physicist. He worked primarily in the fields of atomic
Atomic physics
Atomic physics is the field of physics that studies atoms as an isolated system of electrons and an atomic nucleus. It is primarily concerned with the arrangement of electrons around the nucleus and...
and atmospheric physics
Atmospheric physics
Atmospheric physics is the application of physics to the study of the atmosphere. Atmospheric physicists attempt to model Earth's atmosphere and the atmospheres of the other planets using fluid flow equations, chemical models, radiation balancing, and energy transfer processes in the atmosphere...
.
Life and career
Harrie Massey was born in St. Kilda, MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia, but grew up in the rural community of Hoddles Creek. Massey enrolled in the local state school in 1913. At the age of 16 he won a Senior Government Scholarship to the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
. There he studied physics and chemistry
and graduated with a first class honours BSc in 1927. He stayed on to study mathematics
and was awarded another first class degree, a BA, in 1929. At that time, the university did not offer a PhD program but, clearly gifted, he took on an MSc with both experimental and theoretical components. The former dealt with soft X-ray
X-ray
X-radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation. X-rays have a wavelength in the range of 0.01 to 10 nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 petahertz to 30 exahertz and energies in the range 120 eV to 120 keV. They are shorter in wavelength than UV rays and longer than gamma...
deflection from metal surfaces and the latter with wave mechanics. His external examiner was Ralph Fowler from the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
who was Paul Dirac
Paul Dirac
Paul Adrien Maurice Dirac, OM, FRS was an English theoretical physicist who made fundamental contributions to the early development of both quantum mechanics and quantum electrodynamics...
's PhD supervisor.
In 1929, with the benefit of another scholarship, Massey went to Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
to perform research at the Cavendish Laboratory
Cavendish Laboratory
The Cavendish Laboratory is the Department of Physics at the University of Cambridge, and is part of the university's School of Physical Sciences. It was opened in 1874 as a teaching laboratory....
led by Ernest Rutherford
Ernest Rutherford
Ernest Rutherford, 1st Baron Rutherford of Nelson OM, FRS was a New Zealand-born British chemist and physicist who became known as the father of nuclear physics...
. Fowler was appointed as Massey's supervisor although it was clear that he did not need any supervision per se.
Massey obtained his PhD on the The Collision of Material Particles in 1932. He co-authored a book on atomic collision processes with Nevill Mott shortly afterwards. He then became a lecturer at the Queen's University of Belfast
Queen's University of Belfast
Queen's University Belfast is a public research university in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The university's official title, per its charter, is the Queen's University of Belfast. It is often referred to simply as Queen's, or by the abbreviation QUB...
in 1933 and left to take up a chair in Mathematics at University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
five years later. This was to create a strong academic link between QUB and UCL which persists to this day.
During the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he worked for the Admiralty Mining Establishment
Admiralty Mining Establishment
The Admiralty Mining Establishment was a technical department of the Royal Navyresponsible for both the design of naval mines and the development of suitable countermeasures. In keeping with many technical departments it employed both military and highly skilled, civilian personnel...
. He had a great influence on the future careers of nearly every scientist that worked there including David Bates
David Bates (physicist)
Sir David Robert Bates, FRS was an Irish mathematician and physicist.Born in Omagh, County Tyrone, Ireland, he moved to Belfast with his family in 1925, attending the Royal Belfast Academical Institution. He enrolled with the Queen's University of Belfast in 1934...
, who was invited to join the staff at UCL, and Robert Boyd, who was offered a research assistant post. Francis Crick
Francis Crick
Francis Harry Compton Crick OM FRS was an English molecular biologist, biophysicist, and neuroscientist, and most noted for being one of two co-discoverers of the structure of the DNA molecule in 1953, together with James D. Watson...
was introduced to Maurice Wilkins
Maurice Wilkins
Maurice Hugh Frederick Wilkins CBE FRS was a New Zealand-born English physicist and molecular biologist, and Nobel Laureate whose research contributed to the scientific understanding of phosphorescence, isotope separation, optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction, and to the development of radar...
by Massey.
Massey was made head of the UCL Physics department in 1950
and remained its head after the department was merged with Astronomy in 1973. He retired
in 1975.
He was the first chairman of the British National Committee for Space Research
British National Committee for Space Research
The British National Committee for Space Research was Britain's regional membership group of Committee on Space Research .-History:It was set up by the Royal Society in 1958...
, the first Chairman of the European Space Sciences Committee and
helped found the European Space Research Organization as well as the Mullard Space Science Laboratory
Mullard Space Science Laboratory
The UCL Mullard Space Science Laboratory is the United Kingdom's largest university space research group. MSSL is the Department of Space and Climate Physics of the University College London. UCL was one of the first universities in the world to conduct space research...
at UCL.
Honours & awards
- Royal SocietyRoyal SocietyThe Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
Hughes medalHughes MedalThe Hughes Medal is awarded by the Royal Society of London "in recognition of an original discovery in the physical sciences, particularly electricity and magnetism or their applications". Named after David E. Hughes, the medal is awarded with a gift of £1000. The medal was first awarded in 1902 to...
1955 - Knighted 1960
He has had a number of awards named after him;
- Royal Society/COSPARCOSPARThe Committee on Space Research was established by the International Council for Science in 1958.Among COSPAR's objectives are the promotion of scientific research in space on an international level, with emphasis on the free exchange of results, information, and opinions, and providing a forum,...
Massey Award. http://www.cosparhq.org/Awards/awards.htm - Australian Institute of Physics Harrie Massey Medal and Prize. http://www.aip.org.au/content/massey
See also
- Atomic physicsAtomic physicsAtomic physics is the field of physics that studies atoms as an isolated system of electrons and an atomic nucleus. It is primarily concerned with the arrangement of electrons around the nucleus and...
- British Atomic Scientists AssociationBritish Atomic Scientists AssociationThe British Atomic Scientists Association , was founded by Joseph Rotblat in 1946.It was a politically neutral group, composed of eminent physicists and other scientists and was concerned with matters of British public policy regarding applications and dangers of nuclear physics .In so doing it...
- Mullard Space Science LaboratoryMullard Space Science LaboratoryThe UCL Mullard Space Science Laboratory is the United Kingdom's largest university space research group. MSSL is the Department of Space and Climate Physics of the University College London. UCL was one of the first universities in the world to conduct space research...