Council Remembers Wolfgang Panofsky

Photo courtesy of www-conf.slac.stanford.edu

At its November meeting, APS Council passed a memorial resolution on the death of Wolfgang K. H. “Pief” Panofsky, founding director of SLAC and APS President in 1974. Panofsky died in September at the age of 88. The text of the resolution follows.

The Council of the American Physical Society notes with great sadness the death of Wolfgang K.H. Panofsky of Stanford University. He leaves a legacy of research in particle physics, the accelerator he built, and his work for nuclear arms control and international peace. He was Director of the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center from its inception in 1961 until his retirement in 1984. He received both the National Medal of Science, in 1969, and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Enrico Fermi Award, in 1979. He was a Fellow of the American Physical Society and served as its president in 1974. Dr. Panofsky was on the President’s Science Advisory Committee during the Eisenhower, Kennedy and Johnson Administrations. Influenced by his work on the Manhattan Project, he was involved with the Atmospheric Test Ban Treaty during Kennedy’s tenure and the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in 1972. Following his retirement, he participated in the National Academy of Science’ Committee on International Security and Arms Control, serving as its chairman from 1985 to 1993. The Council expresses its deep appreciation for his participation in the work of the Society and conveys its sincere sympathy to his family and many friends around the world.