Historical perspective on R. Bruce Lindsay, A. O. Williams, R. T. Beyer, and P. J. Westervelt: Connections and branches surrounding the Brown era

Abstract

Starting from a timeline when R(obert) Bruce Lindsay graduated from Brown (1920), there is a lineage of so-called great-grandfather, grandfather, and father advisors leading up to his own research, and branches connecting new Ph.D.’s. His Ph.D. on the atomic models of the alkali metals began in Copenhagen, Denmark, under Niels Bohr and H.A. Kramers in 1922, and was completed at M.I.T. in 1924. Bruce Lindsay returned to Brown University in 1930 (from Yale), became chair in 1934 and Hazard professor in 1936. His interests in atomic physics switched to acoustics during and after WWII, obtained strong support from ONR and kindled a legendary relationship with the ASA, including 20 years as Editor-in Chief, and a gold medal. He brought on board Art Williams (1940), Robert Beyer (1945), and Peter Westervelt (1951). They also received medals. R.T. Beyer’s advisor at Cornell, Harry Sack, was a former student of Peter Debye. A.O. William’s and P. J. Westervelt’s advisors were Bruce Lindsay and Richard Bolt (M.I.T.), respectively. This poster presentation will also include threading together acoustics at Brown in an era including Jordan Markham, Bob Morse, Rohn Truell, Bruce Chick, Wes Nyborg, Charles Elbaum, and Humphrey Maris.