Gamow, George, 1904-1968

Variant names
Dates:
Birth 1904-03-04
Death 1968-08-19
Americans,
English,

Biographical notes:

George Gamow: physicist, astronomer, and author. Born Georgii Antonovič Gamov. Barbara Merrihew Perkins: editor and translator.

From the description of George Gamow and Barbara Gamow papers, 1915-1975 (bulk 1950-1975). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 70981157

Russian-born American physicist, early advocate of the "Big Bang" theory of the origin of the universe. Professor of Physics at George Washington University, 1934-1956. While a student at the Institute of Theoretical Physics, Gamow put forth an hypothesis that atomic nuclei can be treated as little droplets of "nuclear fluid." These discoveries led to today's theory of fusion and fission. He studied at Novorossia University during 1922 and 1923 and at the University of Leningrad, 1923-1929. He received his Ph.D in 1928 and traveled to Copenhagen in 1929. Niels Bohr offered him a scholarship from the Royal Danish Academy to study one year at the Institute of Theoretical Physics. After leaving Russia, Gamow accepted the chairmanship of the Physics Department at The George Washington University (GWU). His contribution to astronomy-research is mainly concerned with the origin of the Universe and the stars' evolution. While at GWU, Gamow hired Edward Teller and established a series of seminars in physics and astronomy that ran from 1935 to 1947. In 1938, Gamow and colleague Ralph Alpher wrote a text about the Big bang theory and how matter would have come into existence. Gamow also published numerous popular books on science.

From the description of George Gamow papers, [ca. 1935-ca. 1955]. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 50754520

Gamow was on the physics faculty at George Washington University from 1934 to 1956.

From the description of Papers. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 82630835

Theoretical physicist and amateur artist.

From the description of Postcard, 1934 Aug. 7. (Smithsonian Institution Libraries). WorldCat record id: 32748423

From the description of Postcard, 1934 Aug. 7. (Smithsonian Institution Libraries). WorldCat record id: 154324770

Biographical Note

George Gamow

1904, Mar. 4 Born Georgii Antonovic Gamov, Odessa, Russia 1928 Ph.D., physical science, University of Leningrad, Leningrad, USSR 1928 1929 Institute of Theoretical Physics, Copenhagen, Denmark 1929 1930 Rockefeller fellow, Cambridge University, Cambridge, England 1931 Married Lyubov Rho Vokhminzeva (divorced 1956) Published The Constitution of Atomic Nuclei and Radioactivity. Oxford: Clarendon Press 1931 1933 Professor, University of Leningrad, Leningrad, USSR 1933 1934 Lecturer, Paris, France, London, England, and University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich. 1934 1956 Professor of physics, George Washington University, Washington, D.C. 1935 Collaborated with Edward Teller on the theory of beta-decay, and formulated the so-called "Gamow-Teller Selection Rule for Beta Emission" 1939 Proposed neutrino theory of supernovae Published Mr. Tompkins in Wonderland. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 1940 Became naturalized American citizen Published The Birth and Death of the Sun. New York: Viking Press 1941 Published Biography of the Earth; Its Past, Present, and Future. New York: Viking Press 1942 Shell model of red giant stars 1947 Published One, Two, Three...Infinity. New York: Viking Press 1948 Theory of the origin of chemical elements 1952 Published The Creation of the Universe. New York: Viking Press 1956 Awarded Kalinga Prize by Unesco for popularization of science 1956 1968 Professor of physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colo. 1958 Published Matter, Earth, and Sky. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall Married Barbara Merrihew Perkins 1961 Published Biography of Physics. New York: Harper 1968, Aug. 20 Died, Boulder, Colo. 1970 Posthumous publication My World Line. New York: Viking Press

Barbara Gamow

1905, May 22 Born Barbara Merrihew Perkins, San Francisco, Calif. 1938 Married J. R. de la Torre Bueno (divorced circa 1943) circa 1950 1958 Employed by Cambridge University Press 1958 Married George Gamow 1976 Died

From the guide to the George Gamow and Barbara Gamow Papers, 1915-1975, (bulk 1950-1975), (Manuscript Division Library of Congress)

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Subjects:

  • Publishers and publishing
  • Astronomy
  • Astrophysics
  • Atoms
  • Big bang theory
  • Cell nuclei
  • Cosmology
  • Devices (Heraldry)
  • Genetics
  • Literature
  • Nuclear energy
  • Nuclear energy in art
  • Number theory
  • Physicists
  • Physics
  • Quasars
  • RNA
  • Science
  • Stars

Occupations:

  • Astronomers
  • Authors
  • Editors
  • Physicists
  • Translator

Places:

  • United States (as recorded)
  • Sun (as recorded)

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