"Physicist" John Trowbridge Hand Written Letter Written In 3rd Party Dated 1908

Description

Up for auction
"Physicist" John Trowbridge Hand Written Letter Written In 3rd Party Dated 1908
ES-3485
John Trowbridge
(August 5, 1843 – February 18, 1923) was an American physicist, noted for his research into electricity and magnetism, and for his innovations in scientific education. Born into a long-established New England family, John Trowbridge could trace his roots in
Massachusetts
and
Connecticut
back to the early seventeenth century. His father, John Howe Trowbridge, was a graduate of
Harvard Medical School
, but did not pursue a professional career, having inherited a sufficient fortune to finance a life of ease. Evidently this state of affairs did not last, however, and the younger Trowbridge would later recount that he was obliged to support himself in youth by monetising his talents as a painter. Also an accomplished pianist and writer, a career in arts and letters seemingly beckoned, but pragmatic considerations led him ultimately to pursuit of the sciences. Trowbridge studied physics at the
Lawrence Scientific School
of
Harvard University
, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1865. Thereafter, he taught maths at Harvard (1866-69) and physics at
MIT
(1870), before his appointment as Assistant Professor in Physics at Harvard in 1870. He was awarded a Doctorate in 1873, under the supervision of
Joseph Lovering
. An innovator in scientific education, Trowbridge stressed the importance of a close link between teaching and experimental research. He is widely credited with bringing about a sea change in attitudes towards the teaching of physics at Harvard, and played a major role in establishing the Jefferson Physical Laboratory (1884) albeit Joseph Lovering was to be its first Director. In 1888, however, Trowbridge not only succeeded Lovering in this Directorship, but also was appointed
Rumford Professor of Physics
(in succession to
Oliver Wolcott Gibbs
).He was a member of the
National Academy of Sciences
from 1878, and was President of the
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
(1908-1916). Despite heavy teaching and administrative responsibilities, Trowbridge nevertheless published prolifically on his main research topics of electricity and magnetism, including works on the analysis of
solar spectra
and on the generation of
Röntgen radiation (X-Rays)
.