Helen T. Edwards
Encyclopedia
Helen Thom Edwards is an American physicist
. She led the effort to design and build the Tevatron
, then the world's highest energy
particle accelerator
and the first high-energy accelerator completely based on superconducting magnet
s.
The Tevatron was one of the first high-energy antiproton
-proton
colliders.
It requires the storage of antiprotons
for days in order
to produce the luminosity
necessary for the experimental program at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
which has
resulted in important new discoveries in physics such as the top quark
.
Her technical decisions were critical to the success of the Tevatron project.
The HERA
and the Large Hadron Collider
are based on the technology pioneered at the Tevatron.
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
. She led the effort to design and build the Tevatron
Tevatron
The Tevatron is a circular particle accelerator in the United States, at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory , just east of Batavia, Illinois, and is the second highest energy particle collider in the world after the Large Hadron Collider...
, then the world's highest energy
particle accelerator
Particle accelerator
A particle accelerator is a device that uses electromagnetic fields to propel charged particles to high speeds and to contain them in well-defined beams. An ordinary CRT television set is a simple form of accelerator. There are two basic types: electrostatic and oscillating field accelerators.In...
and the first high-energy accelerator completely based on superconducting magnet
Superconducting magnet
A superconducting magnet is an electromagnet made from coils of superconducting wire. They must be cooled to cryogenic temperatures during operation. In its superconducting state the wire can conduct much larger electric currents than ordinary wire, creating intense magnetic fields...
s.
The Tevatron was one of the first high-energy antiproton
Antiproton
The antiproton is the antiparticle of the proton. Antiprotons are stable, but they are typically short-lived since any collision with a proton will cause both particles to be annihilated in a burst of energy....
-proton
Proton
The proton is a subatomic particle with the symbol or and a positive electric charge of 1 elementary charge. One or more protons are present in the nucleus of each atom, along with neutrons. The number of protons in each atom is its atomic number....
colliders.
It requires the storage of antiprotons
for days in order
to produce the luminosity
Luminosity
Luminosity is a measurement of brightness.-In photometry and color imaging:In photometry, luminosity is sometimes incorrectly used to refer to luminance, which is the density of luminous intensity in a given direction. The SI unit for luminance is candela per square metre.The luminosity function...
necessary for the experimental program at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
Fermilab
Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory , located just outside Batavia, Illinois, near Chicago, is a US Department of Energy national laboratory specializing in high-energy particle physics...
which has
resulted in important new discoveries in physics such as the top quark
Top quark
The top quark, also known as the t quark or truth quark, is an elementary particle and a fundamental constituent of matter. Like all quarks, the top quark is an elementary fermion with spin-, and experiences all four fundamental interactions: gravitation, electromagnetism, weak interactions, and...
.
Her technical decisions were critical to the success of the Tevatron project.
The HERA
Hadron Elektron Ring Anlage
HERA was a particle accelerator at DESY in Hamburg. It began operating in 1992. At HERA, electrons or positrons were collided with protons at a center of mass energy of 318 GeV. It was the only lepton-proton collider in the world while operating...
and the Large Hadron Collider
Large Hadron Collider
The Large Hadron Collider is the world's largest and highest-energy particle accelerator. It is expected to address some of the most fundamental questions of physics, advancing the understanding of the deepest laws of nature....
are based on the technology pioneered at the Tevatron.
Honors
- E. O. Lawrence AwardErnest Orlando Lawrence AwardThe Ernest Orlando Lawrence Award was established in 1959 in honor of a scientist who helped elevate American physics to the status of world leader in the field....
, U.S. Department of Energy 1986 - MacArthur Foundation FellowshipMacArthur Fellows ProgramThe MacArthur Fellows Program or MacArthur Fellowship is an award given by the John D. and Catherine T...
1988 - National Medal of TechnologyNational Medal of TechnologyThe National Medal of Technology and Innovation is an honor granted by the President of the United States to American inventors and innovators who have made significant contributions to the development of new and important technology...
1989
Positions
- 1966-70 Research Associate, 10 GEV Electron Synchrotron, Cornell University
- 1970-87 Associate Head of the Booster Group, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
- 1987-89 Head, Accelerator Division, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
- 1989-92 Head & Associate Director, Superconducting Division, Superconducting Supercollider Laboratory, Dallas
- 1988- MacArthur Fellow
- 1992–present Guest Scientist, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
Education
- B.A. Cornell University 1957
- M.S. Cornell University 1963
- Ph.D. Cornell University 1966
Sources
- Helen Thom Edwards in Contributions of 20th Century Women to Physics, CWP