The two Ernests—I

SEP 01, 1966

Some personal recollections of Ernest Rutherford and Ernest Lawrence in the period 1927–1939. Rutherford, who dominated the Cavendish Laboratory, gave his physicists a minimum of equipment hut a maximum of personal interest in their research. Lawrence developed the Radiation Laboratory into a prototype facility for research with large, expensive equipment. Both inspired others to produce and interpret nuclear reactions.

DOI: 10.1063/1.3048466

Mark L. Oliphant

ON 11 JANUARY 1939 after a visit to Berkeley, I wrote a letter to Ernest Lawrence that contained the following paragraph:

“I find it very difficult to thank you for the magnificent and instructive time which I had in Berkeley. It was truly fine of you to be so liberal of time and of thought on my behalf. I know of no laboratory in the world at the present time which has so fine a spirit or so grand a tradition of hard work. While there I seemed to feel again the spirit of the old Cavendish, and to find in you those qualities of a combined camaraderie and leadership which endeared Rutherford to all who worked with him. The essence of the Cavendish is now in Berkeley. I am sincere in this, and for these reasons I shall return again some day, and I hope very soon.”

References

1. E. L. Lawrence, E. M. McMillan, R. L. Thornton, Phys. Rev. 48, 493 (1935).https://doi.org/PHRVAO

More about the authors

Mark L. Oliphant, Research School of Physical Sciences, Australian National University.