Oral history interview with William M. Brobeck, 1975 June 19 to 1 February 1976.

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Oral history interview with William M. Brobeck, 1975 June 19 to 1 February 1976.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/79973202

Born 1908 in Berkeley, California. Family background and early education. Stanford University undergraduate studies in engineering, from 1926. MIT Master's Program in Engineering, from 1930. Comparison between Stanford and MIT. Job with Doble Steam Motors (Besler Systems), 1932. University of California Radiation Laboratory (receiving no salary for severher faculty members, 1937-1940. Theoretical Physics Journal Club with J. Robert Oppenheimer. Extensive discussions of the 37-inch cyclotron, planning and building of the 60-inch cyclotron (Donald Cooksey and Brobeck). War research: radio frequency systems, fission work, security at the laboratory, planning and early part of construction of the 184-inch cyclotron, 1941; stopped due to the uranium project. Conversion of 37-inch cyclotron for mass spectroscopy (Frank Oppenheimer). Establishment of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Brobeck's involvement); the Alpha-1 race track breakdown. Postwar reorganization: the use of the calutron, political issues, loyalty oath (Bernard Peters), getting the lab off war work, completion of the 184-inch cyclotron (Alfred Loomis' interest and fund raising; Leslie Groves). Lawrence's weekly meetings with Luis Alvarez, Brobeck, Donald Cooksey, Edward McMillan, and Edward Teller. Comments on Lawrence as a leader. Plans for 10 BeV Bevatron (problems with the name). Comments on the "Rad Lab Style." The Materials Testing Accelerator.

4 sessions.Transcript: 164 p.

American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library

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SNAC Resource ID: 8238242

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