Alwyn van der Merwe (born November 1927 in

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

) is an American

theoretical physicist Theoretical physics is a branch of physics that employs mathematical models and abstractions of physical objects and systems to rationalize, explain, and predict natural phenomena. This is in contrast to experimental physics, which uses experi ...

. He is Emeritus Professor of Physics in the Department of Physics and Astronomy,

University of Denver The University of Denver (DU) is a private research university in Denver, Colorado, United States. Founded in 1864, it has an enrollment of approximately 5,700 undergraduate students and 7,200 graduate students. It is classified among "R1: D ...

Life and career

He attended the University of Stellenbosch, completing his bachelor's degree in 1947 and master's degree in 1949 with summa cum laude honors. Van der Merwe studied theoretical physics at the University of Amsterdam under Professors Jan de Boer and S. A. Wouthuysen and received doctorates from the University of Amsterdam and, later, the University of Bern, where he graduated summa cum laude. He taught applied mathematics at the University of Natal in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, first as lecturer then as senior lecturer. Alwyn van der Merwe was a research associate of professor of physics and natural philosophy Henry Margenau at Yale University and professor Hans Jensen at the University of Heidelberg. His first appointment in the United States was at Carleton College, in Northfield, Minnesota. He then became an assistant professor at Queens College, City University of New York (CUNY). He stayed on for two years at CUNY until he was offered an associate professorship in 1964 (and a full professorship a few years later) at the University of Denver (DU). He has acted extensively as editor in theoretical physics and the

philosophy of science Philosophy of science is the branch of philosophy concerned with the foundations, methods, and implications of science. Amongst its central questions are the difference between science and non-science, the reliability of scientific theories, ...

. In 1988 van der Merwe became the founding editor of the journal ''Foundations of Physics Letters'', until its incorporation in 2007 into its sister journal

Foundations of Physics ''Foundations of Physics'' is a monthly journal "devoted to the conceptual bases and fundamental theories of modern physics and cosmology, emphasizing the logical, methodological, and philosophical premises of modern physical theories and procedur ...

, of which he succeeded Margenau as co-editor in 1975.

Education

B.Sc. University of Stellenbosch, R.S.A. (1947) (summa cum laude), M.Sc. University of Stellenbosch, R.S.A. (1949) (summa cum laude) Ph.D. University of Amsterdam (1954) and University of Bern (1971) (summa cum laude).

Selected publications

* (Dover reprint of 1966 original) As editor: * * * * * (pbk reprint of 1988 original) * (pbk reprint of 1994 original) * (pbk reprint of 1997 original) * (pbk reprint of 1985 original)p. 105p. 106
/ref> * (pbk reprint of 1988 reprint) * (pbk reprint of 2003 original) * * (pbk reprint of 1988 original)

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Van der Merwe, Alwyn 1927 births Living people 21st-century American physicists Afrikaner people South African people of Dutch descent American theoretical physicists South African emigrants to the United States University of Denver faculty University of Amsterdam alumni University of Bern alumni