Robert Bruce Lindsay
| Robert Bruce Lindsay | |
|---|---|
| Born |
January 1, 1900 New Bedford, Massachusetts, USA |
| Died | March 2, 1985 (aged 85) Newport, Rhode Island, USA |
| Nationality | United States |
| Fields | Physicist |
| Institutions |
Yale University Brown University |
| Alma mater |
Brown University University of Copenhagen Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| Doctoral advisor |
Niels Bohr Hendrick A. Kramers |
| Doctoral students | Thomas G. Barnes |
| Known for |
Acoustics Philosophy of physics Physics textbooks |
| Notable awards | ASA Gold Medal (1962) |
Robert Bruce Lindsay (1 January 1900 – 2 March 1985) was an American physicist and physics professor, known for his prolific authorship of physics books in acoustics, and historical and philosophical analyses of physics.
R(obert) Bruce Lindsay's January 1, 1900 birth date hailed a new century. At the age of 20, he received both a BA and an MS in physics from Brown University. Before receiving his Ph.D. for atomic models of alkali metals from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1924, he spent the 1922-23 academic year as a Fellow of The American-Scandinavian Foundation at the University of Copenhagen under Niels Bohr and Hans Kramers. Lindsay and his wife Rachel translated Kramers’ book, The Atom and the Bohr Theory of its Structure, in 1923, receiving approximately $125, on which they toured Europe. Lindsay went to Yale University in 1923 as instructor in physics, and was promoted to assistant professor in 1927. He returned to Brown in 1930 as associate professor of theoretical physics, and was named Hazard Professor of Physics in 1936. He acted as chairman of the Physics Department at Brown from 1934 until he became dean of the Graduate School in 1954. Lindsay received the ASA Gold Medal in 1962, before retiring as dean of the Graduate School in 1966 and from teaching in 1970. He died March 2, 1985 in Newport, Rhode Island.
A specialist in acoustics, particularly underwater sound, Lindsay’s career began in experimental physics, but eventually focused on the creation of thought-provoking physics books and courses. His innovative courses, such as “The Role of Science in Civilization” and “Energy and Man”, went beyond mere technical knowledge. Most of Lindsay’s books were reprinted multiple times, and many remain in print. He is the namesake of the prestigious R. Bruce Lindsay Award, presented by the Acoustical Society of America since 1942.
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