Scientific Discovery
The 1920s and 1930s saw great scientific breakthroughs in the Chemistry and Physics departments. Sir Nevil Mott arrived from The University of Cambridge . His work on ‘solid state physics’ led to the development of the transistor and the growth of industry around solid state electronics. The Physics department became home to the Sutton Group which worked on klystron and magnetron valves (the latter important in the development of radar). A Future Physics professor Peter Fowler used his scientific knowledge to destroy German radar jamming devices during the war.
After the war Tomas Lovejoy succeeded Isambard Owen as Vice-Chancellor after a short period in which Professor Francis held the role in acting capacity. Lovejoy was responsible for the creation of a system whereby the appointment of professors was made by Joint Senate and Council committees after the two organisations disagreed over his replacement as Chair of Physics.
Damage occurred to the Wills Memorial Building during the war caused then Chancellor to give a defiant speech. Loveday remained as Vice-Chancellor despite being past retirement age until the end of the war when he was replaced by Phillip Morris.
Read more about this topic: History Of The University Of Bristol
Famous quotes containing the words scientific and/or discovery:
“Anyone who is practically acquainted with scientific work is aware that those who refuse to go beyond fact rarely get as far as fact; and anyone who has studied the history of science knows that almost every great step therein has been made by the “anticipation of Nature.””
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“I have known no experience more distressing than the discovery that Negroes didn’t love me. Unutterable loneliness claimed me. I felt without roots, like a man without a country ...”
—Sarah Patton Boyle, U.S. civil rights activist and author. The Desegregated Heart, part 1, ch. 10 (1962)