William Cochran (physicist)
Encyclopedia
William Cochran (30 July 1922 – 28 August 2003) was a prominent Scottish physicist
.
Bill Cochran was born in Scotland and educated at Boroughmuir High School
in Edinburgh. He studied physics at the University of Edinburgh
. He completed his PhD under Arnold Beevers in the Chemistry Department in X-ray crystallography
of sucrose
using isomorphous replacement. Moving to Cambridge University to work with Lawrence Bragg, obtaining tenure in 1951. He realised that isomorphous replacement was the key to solving protein
structures. With Francis Crick
he invented methods for deducing helical patterns from crystallographic data, which ultimately led to the solution of the structure of DNA.
Cochran went on to study neutron diffraction
with Bertram Brockhouse
and used lattice dynamics and to explain the phenomenon of ferroelectricity
in terms of lattice instabilities. This was tested by his students Stuart Pawley, Roger Cowley
and Richard Nelmes. This idea was also advanced around the same time by Philip Anderson
, but Cochran, with his unfailing modesty, credits Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman
and Negundagi with the original idea. Cochrane's basic idea is that on cooling from a high temperature state, symmetry breaking can occur.
Cochrane returned to Edinburgh in 1964 as Chair of Natural Philosophy
. In this same year Peter Higgs
introduced the idea of the Higgs boson
and Higgs field. Higgs basic idea is that on cooling from a high temperature state, symmetry breaking can occur, and it has been claimed that the original insight leading to the Higgs Boson was due to Philip Anderson
.
He became Head of Department in 1975, and was instrumental in the merger of the Natural Philosophy and Mathematical Physics departments. He was vice-principal from 1984-1987.
He died with motor-neurone disease in 2003
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in Mar, 1962 and won their Hughes Medal
in 1978. He won the Howard N. Potts Medal
of the Franklin Institute in 1984.
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...
.
Bill Cochran was born in Scotland and educated at Boroughmuir High School
Boroughmuir High School
Boroughmuir High School is a non-denominational secondary school in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was founded in 1904, and moved to its current site near the city centre in 1913. Its catchment area is in the south side of the city...
in Edinburgh. He studied physics at the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
. He completed his PhD under Arnold Beevers in the Chemistry Department in X-ray crystallography
Crystallography
Crystallography is the experimental science of the arrangement of atoms in solids. The word "crystallography" derives from the Greek words crystallon = cold drop / frozen drop, with its meaning extending to all solids with some degree of transparency, and grapho = write.Before the development of...
of sucrose
Sucrose
Sucrose is the organic compound commonly known as table sugar and sometimes called saccharose. A white, odorless, crystalline powder with a sweet taste, it is best known for its role in human nutrition. The molecule is a disaccharide composed of glucose and fructose with the molecular formula...
using isomorphous replacement. Moving to Cambridge University to work with Lawrence Bragg, obtaining tenure in 1951. He realised that isomorphous replacement was the key to solving protein
Protein
Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...
structures. With 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...
he invented methods for deducing helical patterns from crystallographic data, which ultimately led to the solution of the structure of DNA.
Cochran went on to study neutron diffraction
Neutron diffraction
Neutron diffraction or elastic neutron scattering is the application of neutron scattering to the determination of the atomic and/or magnetic structure of a material: A sample to be examined is placed in a beam of thermal or cold neutrons to obtain a diffraction pattern that provides information of...
with Bertram Brockhouse
Bertram Brockhouse
Bertram Neville Brockhouse, was a Canadian physicist. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics "for pioneering contributions to the development of neutron scattering techniques for studies of condensed matter", in particular "for the development of neutron spectroscopy".-Life:Brockhouse was...
and used lattice dynamics and to explain the phenomenon of ferroelectricity
Ferroelectricity
Ferroelectricity is a property of certain materials which possess a spontaneous electric polarization that can be reversed by the application of an external electric field. The term is used in analogy to ferromagnetism, in which a material exhibits a permanent magnetic moment. Ferromagnetism was...
in terms of lattice instabilities. This was tested by his students Stuart Pawley, Roger Cowley
Roger Cowley
Roger Arthur Cowley, FRS, FRSE, FInstPhys is an English physicist who has specialised in the excitations of solids. He obtained a B.A. in physics from Trinity Hall, University of Cambridge in 1960 and a Ph.D. in 1963...
and Richard Nelmes. This idea was also advanced around the same time by Philip Anderson
Philip Anderson
Philip Anderson may refer to:* Phil Anderson , cyclist* Philip Carr Anderson, , professor of medicine* Philip W. Anderson , film editor* Philip Warren Anderson , physicist-See also:...
, but Cochran, with his unfailing modesty, credits Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman
Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman
Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman, FRS was an Indian physicist whose work was influential in the growth of science in the world. He was the recipient of the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1930 for the discovery that when light traverses a transparent material, some of the light that is deflected...
and Negundagi with the original idea. Cochrane's basic idea is that on cooling from a high temperature state, symmetry breaking can occur.
Cochrane returned to Edinburgh in 1964 as Chair of Natural Philosophy
Natural philosophy
Natural philosophy or the philosophy of nature , is a term applied to the study of nature and the physical universe that was dominant before the development of modern science...
. In this same year Peter Higgs
Peter Higgs
Peter Ware Higgs, FRS, FRSE, FKC , is an English theoretical physicist and an emeritus professor at the University of Edinburgh....
introduced the idea of the Higgs boson
Higgs boson
The Higgs boson is a hypothetical massive elementary particle that is predicted to exist by the Standard Model of particle physics. Its existence is postulated as a means of resolving inconsistencies in the Standard Model...
and Higgs field. Higgs basic idea is that on cooling from a high temperature state, symmetry breaking can occur, and it has been claimed that the original insight leading to the Higgs Boson was due to Philip Anderson
Philip Anderson
Philip Anderson may refer to:* Phil Anderson , cyclist* Philip Carr Anderson, , professor of medicine* Philip W. Anderson , film editor* Philip Warren Anderson , physicist-See also:...
.
He became Head of Department in 1975, and was instrumental in the merger of the Natural Philosophy and Mathematical Physics departments. He was vice-principal from 1984-1987.
He died with motor-neurone disease in 2003
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in Mar, 1962 and won their Hughes Medal
Hughes Medal
The 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...
in 1978. He won the Howard N. Potts Medal
Howard N. Potts Medal
The Howard N. Potts Medal was a science and engineering award presented by the Franklin Institute, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.Also see The Franklin Institute Awards.-Laureates:Following people received the Howard N. Potts Medal:...
of the Franklin Institute in 1984.
External links
- http://publishing.royalsociety.org/media/bio_mems/Cochran%20press.pdf