Francis Eugene Low (1921, New York City – 16 February 2007, Haverford, Pennsylvania) was an American theoretical physicist. He was an Institute Professor at MIT, and served as provost there from 1980 to 1985.
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Biography
Early career
During the Second World War, Low worked on the Manhattan Project. He was based at what is now the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, working on the mathematics of uranium enrichment. He later entered the United States Army and served in the 10th Mountain Division.
After the war, Low completed his studies at Columbia University, earning a Ph.D. in Physics in 1950. He then worked at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, before taking up a faculty position at the University of Illinois.
Career at MIT
Low joined the MIT physics faculty in 1957. There his Ph.D. students included Alan Guth and Mitchell Feigenbaum.
He was director of MIT's Center for Theoretical Physics and the Laboratory for Nuclear Science.
In 1969, Low helped found the Union of Concerned Scientists, and briefly served as its chairman. He stepped down after a disagreement with other members, who refused to consider studying whether nuclear reactors could be made safe and reliable.
In 1980, Low was appointed provost of MIT. During his five-year tenure, he was instrumental in bringing the Whitehead Institute to MIT, and expanded humanities education at the Institute.
Low retired from MIT in 1991, but continued to teach for another few years. His text Classical Field Theory: Electromagnetism and Gravitation published in 1997 by John Wiley & Sons.
Personal life
In 1948, Low married Natalie Sadigur. Low had a son, two daughters, and six grandsons; he liked to joke that this was statistically improbable. He became a widower in 2004.
See also
External links
- "Physicist Francis E. Low, Former MIT Provost, Dies at 85". MIT News Office. 2007-02-20. http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2007/obit-low.html. Retrieved 2007-03-10.
- Francis E Low Foundation
- Francis E. Low Memorial Fund
- Classical Field Theory: Electromagnetism and Gravitation at Amazon.com
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