Frederick Seitz (1911–2008) was an American physicist. A pioneer of solid-state physics, he played an essential role in developing the atomic bomb.
Born in San Francisco, California, Seitz attended Princeton University. Together with his teacher E.P. Wigner, Seitz developed the Wigner-Seitz system to calculate the cohesive energy of metals. This led to his book The Modern Theory of Solids (1940) that helped further the development of the transistor.
During World War II, Seitz helped develop radar and ballistics. He later became director of the atomic energy training program at Oak Ridge (Tenn.) National Laboratory and taught physics at numerous top universities. Seitz was the fourth president of Rockefeller University from 1968–78 and the 17th president of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences from 1962–69.
Seitz was later a tobacco industry consultant and a prominent skeptic on the issue of global warming.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Frederick Seitz
A good scientist is a person in whom the childhood quality of perennial curiosity lingers on. Once he gets an answer, he has other questions.
—Frederick Seitz
Topics: Childhood
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