William Francis Gray Swann
Encyclopedia
William Francis Gray Swann (August 29, 1884 – January 29, 1962) was an Anglo
-American
physicist
. He was educated at Brighton
Technical College and the Royal College of Science
from which he obtained a B.Sc. in 1905. He worked as an Assistant Lecturer at the University of Sheffield
, while simultaneously pursuing a doctorate at University College London
, from which he received a D.Sc. in 1910.
Swann left Sheffield in 1913, when he went to the United States
to join the Carnegie Institute
, becoming head of the Physical Division of the Department of Terrestrial Magnetism. He later became a professor at the University of Minnesota
, then at the University of Chicago
and Yale University
. E. O. Lawrence, the 1939 Nobel Laureate in Physics, was one of Swann's doctoral students at Yale.
In 1927 at the age of 43, he became the first director of the Bartol Research Foundation of the Franklin Institute
. Among his first acts as Director was to arrange a contract to locate the Foundation at Swarthmore College
, which is fairly close to Philadelphia. He continued as Director of the Foundation until his retirement in 1959, when he was replaced by Martin A. Pomerantz
.
He is particularly noted for his research into cosmic rays and high-energy physics. He produced over 250 publications, including his influential, popular book The Architecture of the Universe (in 1934).
In addition to being a physicist, he was also known as an accomplished cellist and he founded the Swarthmore Symphony Orchestra. He retired in 1959, and died in 1962 in Swarthmore.
The crater Swann
on the Moon
is named after him.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
-American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
physicist
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...
. He was educated at Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
Technical College and the Royal College of Science
Royal College of Science
The Royal College of Science was a higher education institution located in South Kensington; it was a constituent college of Imperial College London from 1907 until it was wholly absorbed by Imperial in 2002. Alumni include H. G. Wells and Brian May and are distinguishable by the letters ARCS ...
from which he obtained a B.Sc. in 1905. He worked as an Assistant Lecturer at the University of Sheffield
University of Sheffield
The University of Sheffield is a research university based in the city of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. It is one of the original 'red brick' universities and is a member of the Russell Group of leading research intensive universities...
, while simultaneously pursuing a doctorate 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...
, from which he received a D.Sc. in 1910.
Swann left Sheffield in 1913, when he went to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to join the Carnegie Institute
Carnegie Institution for Science
The Carnegie Institution for Science is an organization in the United States established to support scientific research....
, becoming head of the Physical Division of the Department of Terrestrial Magnetism. He later became a professor at the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
, then at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
and Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
. E. O. Lawrence, the 1939 Nobel Laureate in Physics, was one of Swann's doctoral students at Yale.
In 1927 at the age of 43, he became the first director of the Bartol Research Foundation of the Franklin Institute
Franklin Institute
The Franklin Institute is a museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and one of the oldest centers of science education and development in the United States, dating to 1824. The Institute also houses the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial.-History:On February 5, 1824, Samuel Vaughn Merrick and...
. Among his first acts as Director was to arrange a contract to locate the Foundation at Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College is a private, independent, liberal arts college in the United States with an enrollment of about 1,500 students. The college is located in the borough of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, 11 miles southwest of Philadelphia....
, which is fairly close to Philadelphia. He continued as Director of the Foundation until his retirement in 1959, when he was replaced by Martin A. Pomerantz
Martin A. Pomerantz
Martin Arthur Pomerantz was an American physicist who served as Director of the Bartol Research Institute and who had been a leader in developing Antarctic astronomy. When the astronomical observatory at the United States Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station was opened in 1995, it was named the...
.
He is particularly noted for his research into cosmic rays and high-energy physics. He produced over 250 publications, including his influential, popular book The Architecture of the Universe (in 1934).
In addition to being a physicist, he was also known as an accomplished cellist and he founded the Swarthmore Symphony Orchestra. He retired in 1959, and died in 1962 in Swarthmore.
The crater Swann
Swann (crater)
Swann is a lunar crater that is located on the far side of the Moon, to the southeast of the prominent crater Compton. This is a heavily worn and battered formation that is now scarcely recognizable as a crater. The terrain along the rim and the interior resembles the surrounding surface, being...
on the Moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
is named after him.
External links
- http://amphilsoc.org/mole/view?docId=ead/Mss.B.Sw1-ead.xmlWilliam Francis Gray Swann Papers American Philosophical SocietyAmerican Philosophical SocietyThe American Philosophical Society, founded in 1743, and located in Philadelphia, Pa., is an eminent scholarly organization of international reputation, that promotes useful knowledge in the sciences and humanities through excellence in scholarly research, professional meetings, publications,...
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