Floyd Karker Richtmyer (October 12, 1881 – November 7, 1939) was a
physicist
A physicist is a scientist who specializes in the field of physics, which encompasses the interactions of matter and energy at all length and time scales in the physical universe.
Physicists generally are interested in the root or ultimate caus ...
and educator in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
.
Biography
Richtmyer was born October 12, 1881, in the rural community of
Cobleskill, New York.
He studied with
Perley Nutting at
Cornell University
Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to teach an ...
; both were students of Edward L. Nichols. Richtmyer graduated with his A.B. in 1904 and Ph.D. in 1910.
He taught physics at
Drexel University
Drexel University is a private research university with its main campus in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Drexel's undergraduate school was founded in 1891 by Anthony J. Drexel, a financier and philanthropist. Founded as Drexel Institute of Art, S ...
, but returned to Cornell as instructor in 1906, where he remained for the duration of his career.
He became assistant professor of physics in 1911, full professor in 1918, and then dean of the graduate school in 1931.
He also taught summer classes at the
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant u ...
,
Stanford University
Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is consider ...
, and
Columbia University
Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
.
Richtmyer is an honorary member of
Sigma Pi Sigma
Sigma Pi Sigma (), founded at Davidson College on December 11, 1921, is the oldest and only American honor society for physics and astronomy. It is an organization within the Society of Physics Students and the American Institute of Physics and ...
the physics honors society.
When the new Journal of the
Optical Society of America
Optica (formerly known as The Optical Society (OSA) and before that as the Optical Society of America) is a professional society of individuals and companies with an interest in optics and photonics. It publishes journals and organizes conference ...
(
JOSA
The ''Journal of the Optical Society of America'' is a peer-reviewed scientific journal of optics, published by Optica (society), Optica. It was established in 1917 and in 1984 was split into two parts, A and B.
''Journal of the Optical Society ...
) began in 1917, Richtmyer wrote the very first article, on page 1 of volume 1, titled "Opportunities for Research."
In 1918 and 1919, he served as OSA’s vice president, and president in 1920. In 1928, he published a very popular textbook ''Introduction to Modern Physics'' (with E.H.Kennard,T. Lauritsen and John N. Cooper in later revisions). In 1933, he succeeded Paul Foote as editor of JOSA, and he served until his death. He published 11 items in JOSA, mostly in the period between 1922 and 1929.
His son
Robert Davis Richtmyer was also a physicist and mathematician. He had a daughter Sarah R. Richtmyer who married John T. Mann, and another son Lawson E. Richtmyer.
In 1929 he was awarded the Louis E. Levy Medal of the
Franklin Institute
The Franklin Institute is a science museum and the center of science education and research in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is named after the American scientist and statesman Benjamin Franklin. It houses the Benjamin Franklin National Memori ...
for the study of
X-ray
An X-ray, or, much less commonly, X-radiation, is a penetrating form of high-energy electromagnetic radiation. Most X-rays have a wavelength ranging from 10 picometers to 10 nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30&nb ...
s.
After his death from a
coronary thrombosis
Coronary thrombosis is defined as the formation of a blood clot inside a blood vessel of the heart. This blood clot may then restrict blood flow within the heart, leading to heart tissue damage, or a myocardial infarction, also known as a heart at ...
on November 7, 1939,
the
American Association of Physics Teachers
The American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) was founded in 1930 for the purpose of "dissemination of knowledge of physics, particularly by way of teaching." There are more than 10,000 members in over 30 countries. AAPT publications includ ...
, which he had helped form, established the
Richtmyer Memorial Award The Richtmyer Memorial Award is an award for physics education, named for physicist Floyd K. Richtmyer and given annually by the American Association of Physics Teachers. Its recipients include over 15 Nobel Prize winners.
Establishment and award c ...
, which is conferred annually, and is typically given to educators who have made outstanding contributions as teachers in their fields. It is awarded to those who have not only produced important current research in physics, but to those who have, by means of communication to both students and other educators, imparted information and motivation to participants in the field. Winners deliver the Richtmyer Memorial Lecture.
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See also
*
Optical Society of America#Past Presidents of the OSA
References
External links
*
Past Presidents of the Optical Society of America
{{DEFAULTSORT:Richtmyer, Floyd K.
20th-century American physicists
Cornell University alumni
Cornell University faculty
Columbia University faculty
Presidents of Optica (society)
1881 births
1939 deaths
Philanthropists from New York (state)
People from Cobleskill, New York
Scientists from New York (state)
20th-century American philanthropists
Optical physicists
Presidents of the American Physical Society