David Shoenberg facts for kids

David Shoenberg (born January 4, 1911 – died March 10, 2004) was a British physicist. He was very important in the field of condensed matter physics. This area of physics looks at how materials behave. Shoenberg helped us understand how electricity moves through metals. He did this by studying something called the De Haas–Van Alphen effect.

Life of David Shoenberg

David Shoenberg was born in St. Petersburg on January 4, 1911. He was the fourth of five children. His father, Isaac Shoenberg, was an engineer. He was a pioneer in radio and television. When David was three, his family moved to England.

David went to Latymer Upper School. He was a very good student. He won a scholarship to Trinity College, Cambridge. He started there in October 1929. At first, he wanted to study mathematics. But after one year, he switched to physics. He did very well in physics in 1932. This meant he could continue his studies. He became a research student. He worked on low-temperature physics. This was done at the new Mond Laboratory. His supervisor was Peter Kapitza.

In August 1934, Kapitza went to a conference in Moscow. He also visited his parents. But he was not allowed to leave Russia. This left Shoenberg mostly on his own. When a special machine, a helium liquefier, was finished, Shoenberg chose two main topics for his research. These topics kept him busy for the rest of his career. They were superconductivity and the De Haas-Van Alphen effect (dHvA).

In 1937, Shoenberg was invited to Moscow. A new laboratory had been built for Kapitza there. David spent a year in Moscow. He continued his work on the dHvA effect. He made big steps in understanding it.

During World War II, Shoenberg helped with the war effort. He worked on finding mines. He also worked on special delayed-action fuses. For his important work, he received an award. He was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1944.

For most of his career, Shoenberg made the dHvA effect a powerful tool. It helped scientists understand how electrons behave in metals. In 2011, a scientist named V M Pudalov wrote a special tribute. It honored Shoenberg’s amazing work and contributions.

David Shoenberg's Family Life

In March 1940, David Shoenberg got married. He married Catherine (Kate) Félicité Fischmann in Cambridge. Kate was born in Belgium. Her family was from Russia. She became a British citizen before they married. She studied physiology at University College London. Kate worked on tissue culture in Cambridge. She worked at the Strangeways Research Laboratory.

David and Kate had two daughters, Ann and Jane. They also had a son named Peter. Kate passed away in Cambridge in 2003. She was 97 years old. David died on March 10, 2004. He passed away at Addenbrooke's Hospital after a stroke. He was cremated in Cambridge on March 18.

Awards and Important Roles

David Shoenberg received many honors and held important positions:

• 1944: He was awarded the MBE.
• 1944-1952: He was a University Lecturer in Physics at Cambridge University.
• 1947-1973: He was the Head of the Royal Society Mond Laboratory.
• 1947-1973: He was a Corporate Official Fellow at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge.
• 1952-1973: He became a Reader in Physics.
• 1953: He became a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). This is a very high honor for scientists.
• 1964: He received the Fritz London Memorial Prize. This award is for work in low-temperature physics.
• 1973-1978: He became a Professor of Physics (Emeritus). This means he was a retired professor but still held the title.
• 1973-1978: He was the Head of the Low Temperature Physics Group at Cavendish Laboratory.
• 1973-2004: He became a Life Fellow.
• 1982: He was made an International Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences.
• 1995: He was awarded the Hughes Medal. This medal is given by the Royal Society for important discoveries in physics.