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Places of birth and training of physicists

DEC 01, 1950
In the September issue of Physics Today the authors of the present article summarized the activities of some 1700 physicists who received their PhD’s in the period between 1936 and 1948, showing where they work and what they do. This article, an extension of the same ONR‐sponsored study, shows where these physicists were born and where they received their doctorates. Many of the basic data reported here were collected by M. H. Trytten, director of the National Research Council’s Office of Scientific Personnel.

DOI: 10.1063/1.3066705

Bernard C. Murdoch
Marsh W. White

There is no obvious formula for predicting the future scientific manpower needs of the United States, but if we depend upon experience gained during the past several years there is every reason to suppose that these needs will become increasingly pronounced for quite some time to come. A number of federal agencies, acting in concert with certain of the professional organizations, are now methodically investigating each of the many factors involved in the present scientific manpower picture in order to see what may be done to insure the country’s long‐term scientific future. The existing state of international unrest may well extend over a considerable number of years, and it is necessary under the circumstances to know as precisely as possible where we stand with respect to an adequate potential reservoir of scientific and technical manpower. This of course depends largely upon the rate at which American scientists are being trained, as well as upon the quality of the finished product, but any meaningful assessment of the problem must also include a better understanding of some other factors.

More about the Authors

Bernard C. Murdoch. Muskingum College, New Concord, Ohio.

Marsh W. White. Pennsylvania State College.

This Content Appeared In
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Volume 3, Number 12

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