News from PRINCETON UNIVERSITY Office of Communications Stanhope Hall Princeton, New Jersey 08544-5264 Telephone 609-258-3601; Fax 609-258-1301 For immediate release: May 18, 2001 Contact: Lauren D. Robinson-Brown (609) 258-5732, lauren@princeton.edu Battelle to establish professorship in physics PRINCETON, NJ -- Princeton University officials today announced a commitment by Battelle to establish a new professorship in physics to honor John Archibald Wheeler, the Joseph Henry Professor of Physics, Emeritus, at the University. The professorship will be created with a $3 million gift to the University. The John Archibald Wheeler/Battelle Professorship in Physics recognizes Wheeler's groundbreaking research in theoretical physics, his service to the nation, and his service to Battelle, where he was a trustee for 30 years. "We are grateful to Battelle for its generous gift to our Physics Department," said University President Harold T. Shapiro. "And we are delighted that this distinguished chair will honor one of the greatest scientists and teachers in Princeton's history." One of the first American scientists to concentrate on nuclear fission, Wheeler received his Ph.D. in physics from Johns Hopkins University in 1933. He went on to work at the University of Copenhagen with eminent physicist Niels Bohr, with whom he co-authored the original paper on the mechanism of nuclear fission. After World War II, Wheeler joined the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory Project for a year, playing a central role in developing the hydrogen bomb and serving as a mentor to physicist Richard Feynman. A member of the Princeton faculty from 1938 until his retirement in 1976, Wheeler then served as director of the Center for Theoretical Physics at the University of Texas until 1986. He has been an outspoken advocate on a number of issues involving public policy in science and research. Wheeler's autobiography, Geons, Black Holes, and Quantum Foam: A Life in Physics, was published in 1998. "Throughout his long career, John Wheeler has played a central role in expanding our understanding of theoretical physics, and he has been a major contributor to his country, to his students and university, and to Battelle," said Douglas E. Olesen, Battelle President and CEO. "We are proud to be able to establish this Chair at Princeton, where he conducted much of the pioneering research that has helped to advance the world around us." Battelle focuses on technology development and commercialization. Its markets include pharmaceutical and medical products, chemical products, automotive technology, agrifood, national security, NASA technology, environment, health and human services, and transportation. Its successes include the development of the office copier machine (Xerox), pioneering work on the compact disc, medical technology breakthroughs, and optical networking technology for telecommunications. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Battelle has 7,500 staff at more than 70 locations worldwide.   /pr/news/01/q2/0518-battelle.htm