Robert Otto Pohl Explained

Robert Otto Pohl (born December 17, 1929, in Göttingen) is a German-American physicist, specializing in condensed matter physics topics such as solid state physics, thermal conductivity, and thin films,[1] who is the Goldwin Smith Emeritus Professor of Physics at Cornell University where he has been on the faculty since the 1950s.

Education and career

Robert O. Pohl's father was the physicist Robert Wichard Pohl (1884–1976), whose maternal grandfather was Friedrich Wichard Lange (1826–1884), a member of the Hamburg Parliament. After completing undergraduate study at the University of Freiburg, Robert O. Pohl matriculated as a graduate student at the University of Erlangen. There he graduated with a Diplom (M.S.) in 1955 and a doctorate in 1957 and worked as an assistant in physics for the academic year 1957–1958.[1] He emigrated to the United States in 1958.

At Cornell University he was a research associate from 1958 to 1960), an assistant professor from 1960 to 1963, an associate professor from 1963 to 1968), a full professor from 1968 to 2000, and Goldwin Smith Emeritus Professor of Physics from 2000 to the present. He has held visiting appointments at RWTH Aachen University (1964), the University of Stuttgart (1966–1967), the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, the University of Konstanz, the University of Regensburg, New Zealand's University of Canterbury, China's Tongji University, and the Nuclear Research Center in Jülich.[2]

Robert O. Pohl has done research on experimental investigations of glass and glassy materials, as well as heat transport and lattice transport behavior in crystalline solids and in amorphous solids, structure of glass, cryogenic techniques, and energy problems.[2]

In 1985 he received the Oliver E. Buckley Condensed Matter Prize for "his pioneering work on low energy excitations in amorphous materials and continued important contributions to the understanding of thermal transport in solids."[3] It was considered the highest recognition in condensed matter physics.[4]

Pohl was elected in 1972 a fellow of the American Physical Society,[5] in 1984 a fellow of American Association for the Advancement of Science[6] and in 1999 a member of the National Academy of Sciences.[7] For the academic year 1973–1974 he was a Guggenheim Fellow.[8] In 1980 he received the Humboldt US Senior Scientist Award.[2]

His doctoral students include Venkatesh Narayanamurti.[9]

Springer published Robert Wichard Pohl's 3-volume edition of Einführung in die Physik (vol. 1, Mechanik und Akustik, 1930; vol. 2, Elektrizitätslehre, 1927; vol. 3, 1940, Optik) with many later editions and a 2-volume edition edited by Klaus Lüders and Robert O. Pohl (vol. 1, Mechanik, Akustik und Wärmelehre, 19th edition, 2004; vol. 2, 22nd edition, 2006). Robert O. Pohl added videos of demonstration experiments for the latest editions.[10]

Pohl's opinions on nuclear waste disposal

In addition to his main research interests, Robert O. Pohl was concerned about radioactive waste disposal and its effects on the environment and human health.[11] During the Carter administration he served on a Presidential advisory committee on nuclear waste disposal.[12]

In a 1982 article published in Physics Today, Pohl wrote:[13]

See also

Selected publications

Articles

Books

References

  1. Web site: Robert O. Pohl. Physics History Network, AIP (American Institute of Physics).
  2. Web site: Robert Pohl . Department of Physics, Cornell University.
  3. Web site: 1985 Oliver E. Buckley Condensed Matter Physics Prize Recipient, Robert O. Pohl. American Physical Society (aps.org).
  4. News: Faculty Notes . Cornell Arts & Sciences Newsletter . Cornell University . Spring 1985 . 7.
  5. Web site: APS Fellow Archive, search on year 1972 and institution Cornell University. American Physical Society.
  6. Web site: Historic Fellows. American Association for the Advancement of Science. (Search on "Pohl".)
  7. Web site: Robert O. Pohl. National Academy of Sciences.
  8. Web site: Robert O. Pohl. John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation.
  9. Web site: Robert Otto Pohl, Ph.D.. Physics Tree.
  10. Web site: Physikalische Experimente nach Robert Wichard Pohl (1884 - 1976) (Physical experiments according to Robert Wichard Pohl) . TIB (Technische Informationsbibliothek) AV-Portal . 2003. The German National Library of Science and Technology (TIB), in collaboration with the Hasso Plattner Institute (HPI), developed the AV Portal, which is a user-oriented platform for scientific and technological videos.
  11. Pohl, Robert O.. Land-use for Nuclear and for Solar Energy. Environmental Conservation. 4. 4. 1977. 289–290. 10.1017/S0376892900026217 . 85774778 .
  12. Web site: Robert O. Pohl papers, 1973-1998. Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.
  13. Pohl, R.O.. December 1982. Debate on radioactive waste disposal. Will it stay put?. Physics Today. 35. 12. 37–45. 10.1063/1.2914882. 1982PhT....35l..37P .

External links

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