Sulamith Goldhaber facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sulamith Goldhaber
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| Born | November 4, 1923 Vienna, Austria
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| Died | December 11, 1965 (aged 42) Madras, India
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| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | M.Sc Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 1947, PhD. University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1951 |
| Spouse(s) | Gerson Goldhaber |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | High-energy physics |
Sulamith Goldhaber (Hebrew: שולמית גולדהבר; November 4, 1923 – December 11, 1965) was a brilliant physicist. She studied very tiny particles and how they interact. Sulamith was an expert on how certain particles, called K+ mesons, behaved when they met other particles called nucleons. She made many important discoveries in this area.
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Life and Education
Sulamith Goldhaber was born in Vienna, Austria, on November 4, 1923. Her family moved to Palestine when she was young. There, she attended the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. This is where she met her future husband, Gerson Goldhaber.
Sulamith earned her master's degree (M.Sc.) in 1947. She married Gerson in the same year. The couple then moved to the United States. They both studied for their doctorates at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. They both received their PhDs in 1951.
After their studies, Sulamith, Gerson, and their son Amos Nathaniel moved to New York City. Gerson worked at Columbia University. Sulamith, who had studied physical chemistry, found work there too. She became an assistant to Jack Steinberger and worked on exciting experiments with high-energy particles.
Moving to Berkeley and New Discoveries
Sulamith Goldhaber became a citizen of the United States in 1953. Later that year, the Goldhabers moved to Berkeley. Gerson got a job as a professor at the University of California.
Even though Sulamith had studied physical chemistry, she successfully switched to high-energy physics. She started working closely with her husband. They developed a special technique using something called "nuclear emulsion." This method helped them study tiny particle interactions.
They used their new technique with the Bevatron. This was the most powerful particle accelerator at the time. With it, they were among the first to see how K− mesons interacted with protons. Sulamith was also the first to observe how E hyperons split into different masses. She also saw the first nuclear interactions of the antiproton.
New Tools and Collaborations
In the 1960s, the Goldhabers realized they needed a new tool. They decided to use the bubble chamber for their research. This led them to form a group called the "Goldhaber-Trilling Group" with George Trilling.
Sulamith quickly became a top expert in using hydrogen bubble chambers. She was often asked to give talks at conferences. The Goldhabers were the first to measure the "spin" of the K* meson. They also studied how pairs of "resonant states" were produced at the same time. They even invented a special tool called the triangle diagram to help with their research.
During this time, both Sulamith and Gerson were fellows at CERN. CERN is a famous European research organization. They wrote a report together there.
Global Recognition and Final Journey
Sulamith Goldhaber was a very popular speaker at science conferences. She was known for her deep knowledge and her clear way of explaining things. In 1965, she gave a very important talk at the Rochester Conference. This talk marked a big change in how scientists studied strange particles. They started using particle accelerators instead of cosmic rays.
In the fall of 1965, the Goldhabers took a break from work. They traveled around the world to visit high-energy laboratories and give lectures. Their first stops were Oxford and CERN. At CERN, Sulamith discussed ways to automatically measure film from experiments.
Next, the Goldhabers traveled to Ankara to give lectures. They then spent a month at the Weizmann Institute in Israel. This was to prepare for lectures Sulamith was going to give in Madras, India.
Sadly, while in Madras, Sulamith became very ill. She suffered a stroke. Doctors found a growing brain tumor. She passed away on December 11, 1965, without waking up.
Sulamith Goldhaber had one son, Amos, with her husband. Her friends and colleagues remembered her as a brilliant scientist. They also remembered her as a wonderful homemaker, hostess, and a loving wife and mother.
Awards and Honors
- Sigma Xi member (a science honor society)
- 1964-65 Guggenheim Fellowship (a special award for research)
- 1960-61 Ford Foundation Fellow (another research award)
See also
In Spanish: Sulamith Goldhaber para niños
