William E. Gordon

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William E. Gordon (born January 8, 1918) is a physicist and astronomer. He is referred to as the "father of the Arecibo Observatory".

Born and raised in Paterson, New Jersey, he received a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Cornell University in 1953. He was a faculty member at Cornell University from 1953 - 1966. He joined the faculty Rice University in 1966, serving as Dean of Science and Engineering, Dean of Natural Sciences, and Provost and Vice President.

Gordon wanted to study the properties of the Earth's upper atmosphere, the ionosphere, and thought that he could use a radar system to measure the density and temperature in this difficult-to-study atmospheric region. His calculations indicated that an antenna approximately 305 meters (1,000 feet) in diameter would do the job, but would be far too expensive to build using existing designs for radio and radar antennas. He designed the massive radar (later upgraded to also function as a radio telescope) and oversaw its construction in the karst foothills just south of Arecibo, Puerto Rico.

He served as the Director of the resultant Arecibo Ionospheric Observatory from 1960 to 1965. Encouraged by work at the Platteville Atmospheric Observatory, Gordon was influential in getting an ionospheric heater built at Islote, about 30 km from the Arecibo Observatory.

He retired in 1986 to become Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Space Physics and Astronomy and of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Rice University. He is a member of many respected professional and academic societies, including the National Academy of Sciences (since 1968) and National Academy of Engineering (since 1975). He has been a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, (since 1986). He currently resides in Ithaca, New York.

[edit] External links

  • William E. Gordon Papers collection at the Fondren Library, Woodsen Research Center at Rice University.

    The William E. Gordon Papers range in date from 1947 to 1994, inclusive (bulk 1975-1990), and arranged in three series: Material in the collection includes publications and research reports (many of which concern findings from research conducted at the Arecibo Ionospheric Observatory in Puerto Rico), talks and lectures, reprints, office files, and alphabetical subject files, which include records of professional organizations and activities in which Dr. Gordon participated.