John H. Van Vleck
Physicist and Mathematician
3/13/1899 – 10/27/1980
Key Achievement
John Hasbrouck Van Vleck was a physicist and mathematician. He was co-awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics (1/3 share) in 1977, for his “fundamental theoretical investigations of the electronic structure of magnetic and disordered systems.”
Van Vleck’s PhD topic was a very difficult quantum theory problem. He was ultimately recognized to be one of the most important quantum theorists born in the USA. He was one of the founders of the modern fields of solid state and chemical physics, which form much of the basis of modern electronic technology.
Van Vleck’s PhD topic was a very difficult quantum theory problem. He was ultimately recognized to be one of the most important quantum theorists born in the USA. He was one of the founders of the modern fields of solid state and chemical physics, which form much of the basis of modern electronic technology.
Connection to Wisconsin
John’s father, Edward Van Vleck was a distinguished mathematics professor at UW-Madison. John was educated in Madison public schools and went on to earn an AB degree at UW-Madison in 1920. He went to Harvard for his PhD but returned to UW-Madison as a professor from 1928 to 1934.