Standing on their shoulders
DOI: 10.1063/PT.3.3539
People like Dave Jackson come along only rarely (see his obituary in Physics Today, October 2016, page 68 ). I was privileged to take his electrodynamics course at the University of Illinois, and along with many other aspiring physics graduate students, I struggled with his “problems.”
I write to share a personal interaction I had with Professor Jackson when I was attempting to understand special relativity’s twin paradox. At a point of extreme frustration I went to his office and confessed my inability to get my head around the concept. He surprised me by saying that he didn’t understand it either, and then the two of us worked together for a while to gain some understanding. The interaction is one I will never forget; it exposed me to a very special human being.
More about the authors
Allan R. Hoffman, (arh0531@gmail.com) Reston, Virginia.
