Georges Charpak
- Born:
- August 1, 1924, Dąbrowica, Poland (now Dubrovytsia, Ukraine)
- Died:
- September 29, 2010, Paris, France
- Nationality:
- French (originally Polish)
- Profession(s):
- Physicist
Early Life and Education
- Born to a Jewish family in Poland; emigrated to France with his family in 1931.
- Participated in the French Resistance during World War II; was arrested and deported to Dachau concentration camp in 1943.
- After the war, studied at the École des Mines in Paris, graduating in 1948.
- Received his Ph.D. in nuclear physics from the Collège de France in 1954, working under Irène Joliot-Curie.
Career and Major Achievements
- Joined the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) in 1949.
- Moved to CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) in Geneva in 1959.
- Developed the multiwire proportional chamber (MWPC) in 1968.
- Awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1992 for his invention and development of particle detectors, in particular the multiwire proportional chamber. This document provides, essentially, an `oct 14 1992 georges charpak biography`, updated for accuracy and completeness.
- Continued to work at CERN and other institutions after receiving the Nobel Prize.
Notable Works
- Multiwire Proportional Chamber (MWPC): This invention revolutionized particle detection, allowing for more efficient and precise tracking of particles in high-energy physics experiments.
- Contributed to numerous scientific publications on particle physics and detector development.
- Advocated for science education reform.
Legacy and Impact
Georges Charpak's invention of the multiwire proportional chamber significantly advanced the field of particle physics and had a lasting impact on detector technology used in numerous scientific applications. His work earned him the Nobel Prize and solidified his place as a leading figure in 20th-century physics.