Allen Shenstone facts for kids

Allen Goodrich Shenstone (born July 27, 1893 – died February 16, 1980) was a Canadian physicist. He studied at Princeton University and the University of Cambridge. He became a professor of physics at Princeton, where he also led the department for many years. Shenstone was known for his work in atomic spectroscopy, which is the study of how light interacts with atoms. He also served in both World War I and World War II, earning special awards for his bravery and scientific contributions.

Early Life and Family

Allen Shenstone was born in Toronto, Canada, on July 27, 1893. He was the youngest of six children. His father, Joseph Newton Shenstone, was a top leader at the Massey-Harris Company. This company made farm equipment and later became Massey Ferguson. It was quite rare for all six children in a family to go to university back then, but they all did.

In 1923, Shenstone married Molly Chadwick. They had three children, but only one, their son Michael, lived to be an adult. Molly passed away in 1967. Two years later, Allen married Tiffin Harper.

Education and World War I Service

Shenstone went to school in Toronto before heading to Princeton University in the United States in 1910. He was the only Canadian among the 400 new students that year. At Princeton, he was a good student and played on the ice hockey team. He graduated with honors in 1914.

After Princeton, he spent some time at the Cavendish Laboratory at the University of Cambridge in England. There, he worked on experiments with famous scientists like J. J. Thomson and C. T. R. Wilson.

Serving in World War I

In 1915, Shenstone left his studies to join the Royal Engineers during World War I. He quickly became an officer and led a group of 400 men who built trenches. He fought in major battles like Passchendaele and the Hindenburg Line.

He was promoted to captain in 1917 and received the Military Cross. This award is given for bravery during battle. After the war ended, he returned to Canada in 1919.

Returning to Studies

In the fall of 1919, Shenstone went back to Princeton to continue his studies. It was hard for him to get back into research after five years of war. However, he earned a special scholarship. He received his master's degree from Princeton in 1920.

He went back to the Cavendish Laboratory in 1921. This time, he worked with Ernest Rutherford on experiments about radioactivity. He earned another degree from Cambridge. In 1922, he finished his highest degree, a Ph.D., from Princeton. His research looked at how electricity and light might be connected.

Academic Career and World War II

In 1922, Shenstone started working at the University of Toronto. Here, he became very interested in atomic spectroscopy. This field studies how atoms absorb and emit light, which helps scientists understand what atoms are made of. He did his first experiments in this area.

In 1925, he moved to Princeton University as a professor. He stayed at Princeton for the rest of his career. He brought new equipment to the university and did important experiments. His work on the spectrum of copper was especially well-known. He became a full professor in 1938.

Serving in World War II

Shenstone again used his scientific skills to help during World War II. In 1940, he moved to Ottawa, Canada. He worked as a special assistant to the head of the Canadian National Research Council. His job was to connect Canadian scientists with American scientists, even though the U.S. was not officially in the war yet.

In 1942, he moved to London, England. He worked there with other scientists on projects related to the war until it ended. In 1943, he was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. This is a special honor given for important service.

Later Career and Retirement

After the war, Shenstone returned to Princeton in 1945. He continued his research in spectroscopy. He also helped create a committee for the United States National Research Council that studied the line spectra of different elements. He led this committee from 1961 to 1965.

In 1949, he became the head of Princeton's physics department. He held this important position until 1960. He was recognized by many scientific groups, becoming a Fellow of the American Physical Society in 1931 and a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1950.

Shenstone retired from Princeton in 1962. However, he kept working on his experiments until 1976 and published scientific papers as late as 1977. In 1971, he received the William F. Meggers Award for his important work in spectroscopy. He passed away on February 16, 1980, in Princeton.