Sigurd Zienau (1921–1976) 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 cau ...

notable for the theory of the

polaron A polaron is a quasiparticle used in condensed matter physics to understand the interactions between electrons and atoms in a solid material. The polaron concept was proposed by Lev Landau in 1933 and Solomon Pekar in 1946 to describe an electro ...

Education

His undergraduate studies were in mathematics at

Birkbeck College Birkbeck, University of London (formally Birkbeck College, University of London), is a public research university located in London, England, and a member institution of the University of London. Established in 1823 as the London Mechanics' ...

. His further studies in physics were very much in the 'old school' European style at the time and he variously studied under

Walter Heitler Walter Heinrich Heitler (; 2 January 1904 – 15 November 1981) was a German physicist who made contributions to quantum electrodynamics and quantum field theory. He brought chemistry under quantum mechanics through his theory of valence bondi ...

Wolfgang Pauli Wolfgang Ernst Pauli ( ; ; 25 April 1900 – 15 December 1958) was an Austrian theoretical physicist and a pioneer of quantum mechanics. In 1945, after having been nominated by Albert Einstein, Pauli received the Nobel Prize in Physics "for the ...

, and Herbert Fröhlich. While at University, Zienau was friends with Alfred Sohn-Rethel. Sohn-Rethel published a pamphlet about an incident where Zienau observed some rats stealing eggs. Sohn-Rethel, Alfred. Sigurds Ratten. Buchladen Bettina Wassmann, 1989.

Career

In 1954, he became an ICI Fellow and lecturer at the

University of Liverpool The University of Liverpool (abbreviated UOL) is a Public university, public research university in Liverpool, England. Founded in 1881 as University College Liverpool, Victoria University (United Kingdom), Victoria University, it received Ro ...

. Then in 1965, he became a Reader in Physics at

University College London University College London (Trade name, branded as UCL) is a Public university, public research university in London, England. It is a Member institutions of the University of London, member institution of the Federal university, federal Uni ...

until his early death at the age of 55. As well as his work on

s he is remembered for his insightful revisions of

's book ''Quantum Theory of Radiation'' and

Nevill Francis Mott Sir Nevill Francis Mott (30 September 1905 – 8 August 1996) was a British physicist who won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1977 for his work on the electronic structure of magnetic and disordered systems, especially amorphous semiconductor ...

& Harrie Massey's book ''The Theory of Atomic Collisions.''

References

* E. A. Power and F. F. Heymann, "Sigurd Zienau," (Obituary) ''Nature'', Vol. 266, pp. 201–202, 1977.

Notes

External links

*
Zienau letter to Needham

* ttps://archive.org/details/sigurds-ratten/ Sohn-Rethel, Alfred. Sigurds Ratten {{DEFAULTSORT:Zienau, Sigurd 1976 deaths Alumni of Birkbeck, University of London Academics of University College London Academics of the University of Liverpool British physicists 1920s births

Education

Career

See also

References

Notes

External links