Robert Gomer

Robert Gomer ( born March 24, 1924 in Vienna) is an Austrian- American physicist and chemist ( physical chemistry).

Life and work

Gomer received in 1944 from Pomona College in Bachelor of Arts. In 1949 he received his doctorate at the University of Rochester in chemistry. He went in 1949 as AEC Fellow in Chemistry at Harvard University, where he remained for a year. Since 1950 he worked at the University of Chicago, first as an instructor and later as a professor at the James Frank Institute ( 1950-1977 ), whose director he was from 1977 to 1983. From 1984 to 1996 he was there then CW Eisendrath Distinguished Professor and Professor Emeritus since 1996.

In 1981 he was a Fulbright professor in Austria.

Gomer served in numerous scientific committees, including the President's Science Advisory Committee (1961-1965), the Advisory Committee for the Directorate of Physical Sciences Air Force Office of Scientific Research ( 1961-1975 ). He was also a member of the Board of Directors of the Universities Space Research Association ( 1976-1978 ).

Gomer deals with the physics and chemistry of surfaces, field emission and ion emission, surface diffusion, electron -stimulated desorption and metal coatings. He is the author of Field Emission and Field Ionization from 1958, a pioneer work for students.

He has been married since 1955 and has two children. He is a U.S. citizen.

Awards and Memberships (Selection)

Writings

• Field emission and field ionization, Harvard University Press 1961
• With E. Bauer, M. Boudart Interaction on metal surfaces, Topics in applied physics 4, Springer Verlag 1975