Mark Oliphant - University of Birmingham

University of Birmingham

In 1937, Oliphant was appointed as a professor of physics at the University of Birmingham, in England. While visiting prototype radar stations, he realised that shorter-wavelength radio waves were needed urgently. In 1939, he obtained a grant from the British Admiralty to develop radar systems with wavelengths less than 10 centimetres, compared with the best available at the time of 150 cm.

In 1939, Oliphant also visited Berkeley, California, where he met Ernest Lawrence, who gave him a complete set of specifications for his 60-inch cyclotron. A copy was commenced at Birmingham, but World War II prevented this one from being completed until 1950.