heiBOOKS

In this series of, as presently envisaged, four volumes, former members of the renowned Faculty of Physics and Astronomy of the University of Heidelberg report on their scientific work and the history of their field. The individual contributions are based on autobiographic talks presented between 1991 and 2017. Much of  the vividness of oral presentations and the authenticity of personal recollections has been preserved in these texts.

 In captivating reports the authors describe their scientific lives and their paths to discoveries,  embedded in an often eventful life and a turbulent historic environment. Although the individual careers may differ considerably, the reader will discover many common traits. He will learn fist-hand how science happened, and still works, even in today's  epoch of interdisciplinary research and large international projects. The present first volume of this series includes talks centered around the history of physics around the middle of the twentieth century. The following volumes will report on the more recent developments.

This second volume continues the series of reports by retired Heidelberg physics and astronomy lecturers about their scientific research and the history of their respective field of expertise. All essays are based on autobiographical talks which - for the current volume - were given during a lecture series which took place from 2006 until 2008. The talks refer to the development of physics during the second half of the 20th century and especially focus on the progress of our understanding of the physics of the atomic nucleus as well as the renaissance of astrophysics at Heidelberg University. Apart from scientific content they offer insights into the particular contexts and paths which led to new findings, while the texts reflect the spirit of the oral report and the authenticity of personal memories.

"Reports from Heidelberg’s physicists" is initially planned as a four volume work, in which former lecturers in physics and astronomy at the University of Heidelberg look back at their lives in science and the history of their subjects. The contents of this volume consist of autobiographical lectures presented as part of a lecture series between 2015 and 2016.  The emphasis of this series was on the development of physics in the last third of the twentieth century and the start of the twenty-first century.  This period saw an expansion of the traditional research areas covered by physicists in Heidelberg, as well as an increase in the number of important current research topics including some taken from practical applications. As well as their scientific content, these contributions offer insights into the respective conditions and the way that scientific results are arrived at. The texts reflect the vitality of the spoken lectures and the authenticity of these personal recollections.

As with the previous volumes in the series „Report’s from Heidelberg’s Physicists”, in volume 4, intended to be the penultimate volume in the series, Heidelberg lecturers not only of Physics but also of Physical Chemistry, look back on the development of their scientific careers and developments in their subjects. This volume has a special emphasis on application, as is mentioned in the title, which in the tradition of physics in Heidelberg has played more of a marginal role.  The subtitle of the volume points on the one hand towards the personal academic development of the individual lecturers, and on the other hand towards the general tendency for basic research to open itself to being applied. In the texts presented in this volume this development occurs methodically, by applying the possibilities that result from the use of highly developed methods in laser spectroscopy, modern optics and spin resonance, to pose practical questions, often of an interdisciplinary nature, in areas such as biology, medicine, process engineering and materials science.  It is precisely this interdisciplinary aspect of the research being presented that is characteristic of a trend in science today.

As with the previous volumes in the series „Report’s from Heidelberg’s Physicists”, in volume 4, intended to be the penultimate volume in the series, Heidelberg lecturers not only of Physics but also of Physical Chemistry, look back on the development of their scientific careers and developments in their subjects. This volume has a special emphasis on application, as is mentioned in the title, which in the tradition of physics in Heidelberg has played more of a marginal role.  The subtitle of the volume points on the one hand towards the personal academic development of the individual lecturers, and on the other hand towards the general tendency for basic research to open itself to being applied. In the texts presented in this volume this development occurs methodically, by applying the possibilities that result from the use of highly developed methods in laser spectroscopy, modern optics and spin resonance, to pose practical questions, often of an interdisciplinary nature, in areas such as biology, medicine, process engineering and materials science.  It is precisely this interdisciplinary aspect of the research being presented that is characteristic of a trend in science today.