Bernal, J. D. (John Desmond), 1901-

Variant names
Dates:
Birth 1901-05-10
Death 1971-09-15
Irish (Republic of Ireland),
English,

Biographical notes:

John Desmond Bernal, 1901-1971. Physicist (crystallography), Professor of physics at Birkbeck College, 1937-1963 and professor of crystallography at Birkbeck from 1963-1968. He published books and pamphlets on the role that science could play in society. He was a founder member of the World Peace Council, holding the presidency from 1958-1965. He was awarded the Lenin Peace Prize, 1958.

From the description of Papers, 1950-1966. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 80453315

Crystallographer and Fellow of the Royal Society. Died, 1971.

From the description of Correspondence with W. T. Astbury, 1941-1954. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 81949210

John Desmond Bernal, 1901-1971, was born in Nenagh, Ireland and educated at Bedford School and Emmanuel College, Cambridge. He embarked on a career in crystallography, becoming a lecturer and later Assistant Director of Research in Crystallography at Cambridge, 1934-1937, Professor of Physics at Birkbeck College, 1937-1963, and Professor of Crystallography at Birkbeck 1963-1968. He was made Honorary Fellow of Emmanuel College, Cambridge in 1965, and Fellow of Birkbeck College in 1969. He was also interested in the role that science could play in society and published books and pamphlets on this subject. He was a founder member of the World Peace Council, holding the presidency 1958-1965, and was awarded the Lenin Prize for Peace in 1958.

From the guide to the BERNAL, John Desmond, 1901-1971, physicist, 1939-1966, (British Library of Political and Economic Science)

John Desmond Bernal (1901-1971) was born on 10 May 1901. He attended Cambridge University, 1919-1923, before working in the Davy Faraday Laboratory, London, 1923-1927. He was appointed Lecturer in Structural Crystallography at Cambridge in 1927, and Assistant Director of Research in Crystallography, Cambridge, 1934. He was made Professor of Physics at Birkbeck College, University of London, in January 1938. During the War Bernal worked in the Ministry of Security, as a member of the Civil Defence Research Committee, 1939; at Bomber Command, 1941; and in Combined Operations, April 1942. He returned to Birkbeck in 1945, and carried out research at the Davy Faraday Laboratory, before working at the Biomolecular Research Laboratory, Torrington Square, opened in 1948. He was made Professor of Crystallography at Birkbeck College in September 1963. Bernal retired from Birkbeck in 1968, and died on 15 September 1971.

From the guide to the John Desmond Bernal: Scientific and Personal Papers, 20th century, (Cambridge University Library, Department of Manuscripts and University Archives)

Bernal, 1901-1971.

From the description of Papers. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 81716578

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Subjects:

  • Education
  • Meteorites
  • Peace
  • Peace
  • Peace movements
  • Physics
  • Science
  • Science
  • Science and civilization
  • Scientific literature
  • Solid state physics
  • Universities
  • World War

Occupations:

  • Crystallographers

Places:

  • Ghana (as recorded)