Leonard I. Schiff
Encyclopedia
Leonard Isaac Schiff was born in Fall River, Massachusetts
on March 29, 1915 and died on Jan 21, 1971.
He was a physicist best known for his book Quantum Mechanics.
at age 14. Schiff received his B.S. & M.S. from Ohio State University
and his doctorate from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
in 1937.
and the California Institute of Technology
. From 1940-1945 he was a faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania
. From 1945-1947, he worked at Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory and joined the physics
faculty at Stanford University
in 1947.
In 1948, Schiff became one of the initial directors of Varian Associates
who provided technical support to the company, along with Edward Ginzton
, William Hanson
, and Marvin Chodorow.
In the late 1959 and 1960 Schiff and fellow physicist George Pugh wrote papers which advocated using orbiting gyroscopes to test general relativity. Teaming with fellow Stanford faculty Bob Cannon and Bill Fairbank
to conduct research that provided part of the foundation for the Gravity Probe B
(GP-B) to test Einstein's theory of relativity.
Schiff was elected a fellow of the National Academy of Sciences
in 1957. In 1966, he received the Oersted Medal
of the American Association of Physics Teachers
. Also, he received the Dinkelspiel Award for Excellence in Teaching at Stanford University
.
He married Francis Ballard in 1941. They were the parents of two children: Leonard Schiff and Ellen Schiff. His wife was a cousin of Artemus Ginzton who was married to Schiff's friend and colleague Edward Ginzton
.
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
on March 29, 1915 and died on Jan 21, 1971.
He was a physicist best known for his book Quantum Mechanics.
Education
Leonard Schiff entered Ohio State UniversityOhio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
at age 14. Schiff received his B.S. & M.S. from Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
and his doctorate from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
in 1937.
Career
Schiff was a theoretical physicist who, after completing his doctorate, worked as a research associate for two years at the University of CaliforniaUniversity of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
and the California Institute of Technology
California Institute of Technology
The California Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering...
. From 1940-1945 he was a faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
. From 1945-1947, he worked at Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory and joined the physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
faculty at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
in 1947.
In 1948, Schiff became one of the initial directors of Varian Associates
Varian Associates
Varian Associates was one of the first high-tech companies in Silicon Valley. It was founded in 1948 by Russell H. and Sigurd F. Varian, William Webster Hansen, and Edward Ginzton to sell the klystron, the first tube which could generate electromagnetic waves at microwave frequencies, and other...
who provided technical support to the company, along with Edward Ginzton
Edward Ginzton
Edward Leonard Ginzton was a Ukrainian-American physicist.-Education:Ginzton completed his B.S. and M.S. in Electrical Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley and his Ph.D...
, William Hanson
William Hanson
William Hanson is an etiquette consultant, social commentator and broadcaster, based in Manchester and who has been hailed by Sky News as 'the UK's leading consultant in etiquette & protocol' He rose to prominence with the tag 'Britain's youngest manners and etiquette expert'...
, and Marvin Chodorow.
In the late 1959 and 1960 Schiff and fellow physicist George Pugh wrote papers which advocated using orbiting gyroscopes to test general relativity. Teaming with fellow Stanford faculty Bob Cannon and Bill Fairbank
William M. Fairbank
William Martin Fairbank is an American physicist known in particular for his work on liquid helium....
to conduct research that provided part of the foundation for the Gravity Probe B
Gravity Probe B
Gravity Probe B is a satellite-based mission which launched on 20 April 2004 on a Delta II rocket. The spaceflight phase lasted until 2005; its aim was to measure spacetime curvature near Earth, and thereby the stress–energy tensor in and near Earth...
(GP-B) to test Einstein's theory of relativity.
Schiff was elected a fellow of the National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
in 1957. In 1966, he received the Oersted Medal
Oersted Medal
The Oersted Medal recognizes notable contributions to the teaching of physics. Established in 1936, it is awarded by the American Association of Physics Teachers. The award is named for Hans Christian Ørsted. It is the Association's most prestigious award....
of the American Association of Physics Teachers
American Association of Physics Teachers
The American Association of Physics Teachers was founded in 1930 for the purpose of "dissemination of knowledge of physics, particularly by way of teaching." There are more than 10,000 members that reside in over 30 countries. AAPT publications include two peer-reviewed journals, the American...
. Also, he received the Dinkelspiel Award for Excellence in Teaching at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
.
Family
Leonard Schiff was the son of Edward and Mathilda Schiff and was of Lithuanian Jewish descent.He married Francis Ballard in 1941. They were the parents of two children: Leonard Schiff and Ellen Schiff. His wife was a cousin of Artemus Ginzton who was married to Schiff's friend and colleague Edward Ginzton
Edward Ginzton
Edward Leonard Ginzton was a Ukrainian-American physicist.-Education:Ginzton completed his B.S. and M.S. in Electrical Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley and his Ph.D...
.
External links
- http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=577&page=300 National Academies Press Biography - Leonard Schiff
- http://www.oac.cdlib.org/view?docId=tf609nb1db;developer=local;query=;style=oac4 Guide to the Leonard I. Schiff Papers, 1948–1971
- http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Schiff%2c+Leonard+I. Leonard I. Schiff, The Free Dictionary
- http://www.stanford.edu/dept/physics/history/# Quantum Mechanics and Leonard Schiff