- Eugene Guth
Eugene Guth (Born in
Budapest ,Hungary , Aug. 21, 1905. Died July 5, 1990) was an Americanphysicist who made contributions topolymer physics and to nuclear andsolid state physics . He was awarded a Ph.D. inTheoretical Physics by theUniversity of Vienna in 1928. He was a Postdoctoral Research Associate withWolfgang Pauli ) at the Austrian-German Science Foundation, Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich, and University of Leipzig, withWerner Heisenberg from 1930 to 1931. He was Professor at theUniversity of Vienna (1932-1937) and theUniversity of Notre Dame 1937-1955. He was atOak Ridge National Laboratory from 1955 to 1971.He is noted for several pioneering discoveries that advanced the field of
polymer physics , which was recognised by the award of theBingham Medal forrheology in 1965. These included the treatment of the flexible, randomly kinked molecule inBrownian motion of polymers; the explanation of theentropic origin of the elastic force; and the Kinetic Theory of Rubber Elasticity. [ H. Leaderman, "Physics Today ", August (1965) ] [ A. J. Staverman, "Journal of Polymer Science " Polymer Symposium, 51, 45 (1975) ] [ Herman Mark, "Journal of Chemical Education ", 58, 527 (1981) ]Aside from establishing the first Polymer Physics Laboratory at an academic institution in America, Dr. Guth had an international reputation in physics and polymer science. In 1976, he delivered the first plenary lecture on "Birth and Rise of Polymer Science - Myth and Truth," before the International Symposium on Applied Polymer Science. Two years later, he received the University of Vienna's Distinguished Alumnus Award, and in 1979, he was awarded the Honor Cross of Science and Arts by President
Rudolf Kirchschläger of the Republic of Austria. He remained interested in science throughout his entire life. His last article was published posthumously in 1991 in the "Journal of Polymer Science ".A book, co-edited by his long time friend and colleague Professor J. E. (Jim) Mark of the
University of Cincinnati , was designed to celebrate Eugene Guth's 85th birthday, but subsequently was published as a memorial. The book is entitled ELASTOMERIC POLYMER NETWORKS, Prentice Hall Publishers, 1992, ISBN 0132494833. The oval picture to the right is found in the inside preface to that collected papers volume.References
External links
* [http://michaelguth.com/family/eugeneguth.htm Homepage of Dr. Eugene Guth]
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