Robert William Boyle
Encyclopedia
Robert William Boyle was a Newfoundlander physicist
and one the of most important early pioneers in the development of sonar
.
Boyle trained at McGill University
under Nobel Prize
winner Sir Ernest Rutherford
, in the then fledgling field of radioactivity. He earned McGill's first PhD
in physics in 1909. He then moved to England to continue his work by following Rutherford to the University of Manchester
.
In 1912 he returned to Canada at the request of Henry Marshall Tory
to become head of the physics department at the University of Alberta
, and shifted his research to ultrasonics
.
During the First Great War Boyle volunteered his expertise to the British Admiralty and, with the help of his old teacher Ernest Rutherford, he shortly joined the Board of Inventions and Research and worked with British physicist Albert Beaumont Wood
, a fellow student of Rutherford's. Before 1917 the scientific teams from the Allied countries
worked separately, but after joining forces with French researchers Boyle produced a working protoype of what the British called "ASDIC" (the first sonar). Early versions of the technology were being installed on British ships just as the war came to an end.
In 1919 Boyle returned to Alberta and shortly thereafter became dean the Faculty of Applied Science, a position he held until 1929. That year he joined the National Research Council of Canada
as the director of physics, where he supervised research into radar
during the Second World War. He continued to work at the National Research Council until his retirement in 1948, when he moved back to England.
He was elected to the Royal Society of Canada
in 1921 and awarded the Flavelle Medal
in 1940.
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...
and one the of most important early pioneers in the development of sonar
Sonar
Sonar is a technique that uses sound propagation to navigate, communicate with or detect other vessels...
.
Boyle trained at McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
under Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
winner Sir 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...
, in the then fledgling field of radioactivity. He earned McGill's first PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in physics in 1909. He then moved to England to continue his work by following Rutherford to the University of Manchester
Victoria University of Manchester
The Victoria University of Manchester was a university in Manchester, England. On 1 October 2004 it merged with the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology to form a new entity, "The University of Manchester".-1851 - 1951:The University was founded in 1851 as Owens College,...
.
In 1912 he returned to Canada at the request of Henry Marshall Tory
Henry Marshall Tory
Henry Marshall Tory was the first president of the University of Alberta , the first president of the Khaki University, the first president of the National Research Council and the first president of Carleton College...
to become head of the physics department at the University of Alberta
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
, and shifted his research to ultrasonics
Ultrasonics
Ultrasonics is a term meaning the application of ultrasound. It is often used in industry as a shorthand term for any equipment employing ultrasonic principles....
.
During the First Great War Boyle volunteered his expertise to the British Admiralty and, with the help of his old teacher Ernest Rutherford, he shortly joined the Board of Inventions and Research and worked with British physicist Albert Beaumont Wood
Albert Beaumont Wood
Albert Beaumont Wood OBE DSc was a British physicist, known for his pioneering work in the field of underwater acoustics and sonar....
, a fellow student of Rutherford's. Before 1917 the scientific teams from the Allied countries
Allies of World War I
The Entente Powers were the countries at war with the Central Powers during World War I. The members of the Triple Entente were the United Kingdom, France, and the Russian Empire; Italy entered the war on their side in 1915...
worked separately, but after joining forces with French researchers Boyle produced a working protoype of what the British called "ASDIC" (the first sonar). Early versions of the technology were being installed on British ships just as the war came to an end.
In 1919 Boyle returned to Alberta and shortly thereafter became dean the Faculty of Applied Science, a position he held until 1929. That year he joined the National Research Council of Canada
National Research Council of Canada
The National Research Council is an agency of the Government of Canada which conducts scientific research and development.- History :...
as the director of physics, where he supervised research into radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
during the Second World War. He continued to work at the National Research Council until his retirement in 1948, when he moved back to England.
He was elected to the Royal Society of Canada
Royal Society of Canada
The Royal Society of Canada , may also operate under the more descriptive name RSC: The Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada , is the oldest association of scientists and scholars in Canada...
in 1921 and awarded the Flavelle Medal
Flavelle Medal
The Flavelle Medal is an award of the Royal Society of Canada "for an outstanding contribution to biological science during the preceding ten years or for significant additions to a previous outstanding contribution to biological science". It is named in honour of Joseph Wesley Flavelle and is...
in 1940.