Percy williams bridgman biography sample

Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1882, Percy Bridgman studied at Harvard University. He received his B.S. in 1900 and graduated summa cum laude in physics in 1904. The following year he received his M.A. and in 1908 he earned his Ph.D. Early in his career, Bridgman was drawn to studying the behavior of material when subjected to high pressures. Bridgman remained at Harvard after his student years; he was named research fellow and later professor in physics. During his research into high-pressure physics, Bridgeman explored the properties of many liquids and solids and designed innovative experimental equipment. He proposed a process for synthesizing diamonds, which was finally successfully implemented in 1955. This technique was favorably applied to other problems of mineral synthesis, and his work became the grund for a new school of geology based on experiments conducted at high pressures and temperatures. During the rise of totalitarianism in

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Percy Williams Bridgman Biography (1882-1961)

Nationality

American

Gender

Male

Occupation

physicist

Birth Details

April 21, 1882

Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States

Death Details

August 20, 1961

Randolph, New Hampshire, United States

American physicist Percy Williams Bridgman was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on April 21, 1882. He attended public schools in Newton, Massachusetts, and then entered Harvard University in 1900. He earned his bachelors, masters,and finally, his doctorate (1908) at Harvard. Upon graduation, Bridgman wasappointed to the faculty at Harvard, where he remained for the rest of his life. Even after his retirement in 1954, he continued doing research at the university's Jefferson Physical Laboratory. Bridgman devoted his academic careerto a single topic, high pressure physics. In the 1880s French physicists Louis Paul Cailletet (1832-1913) and Emile Hilaire Amagat (1841-1915) invented devices for studying the effects of pressures as high a

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Bridgman, Percy Williams

(b. Cambridge, Massachusetts, 21 April 1882; d. Randolph, New Hampshire, 20 August 1961)

physics, philosophy of science.

Bridgman was the only son of Raymond Landon Bridgman, a newspaper correspondent and the author of a number of books on public affairs, and Ann Maria Williams Bridgman. The family moved to Newton, Massachusetts, where Percy attended the public schools until he entered Harvard College in 1900. He graduated with a B.A., summa cum laude, in 1904, with rigorous training in physics and mathematics. He remained at Harvard for his M.A. (1905) and Ph.D. (1908) in physics, whereupon he was immediately appointed research fellow in the department of physics, then instructor in 1910. In 1912 Bridgman married Olive Ware. The couple had two children. Bridgman was appointed assistant professor in 1913, professor in 1919, Hollis professor of mathematics and natural philosophy in 1926, Higgins university professor in 1950, and professor emeritus