Spencer R. Weart

Spencer R. Weart ( born 1942 in Detroit ) is an American historian of science. He was until 2009 Director of the Center for History of Physics of the American Institute of Physics (AIP ).

Life

Weart studied physics and Cornell University (BA, 1963) and received his Ph.D. Physics and Astrophysics of the University of Colorado, Boulder ( 1968). He then worked for three years at the California Institute of Technology, where he taught physics and operational research to the atmosphere of the sun and telescopes.

In 1971 he changed direction and studied history at the University of California, Berkeley. From 1974 he was director of the Center for History of Physics until retirement in 2009.

Private life

1971 married Weart Carole Ege; with her he has two children. His hobbies include Victorian novels and science fiction, backpacking and photography.

Work

Wearts specialty is the history of physics and the history of geophysics. After he initially published as a physicist scientific articles in professional journals, he later wrote several books on various topics. His activities also include two children's books, a film about the solar atmosphere, and a photo exhibition on Albert Einstein. He contributed a large part of the online publication of the Center for History of Physics. He also served as co-editor for Harvard University Press, and has taught courses on the history of science at Johns Hopkins University, the New School and Princeton University. In addition, public lectures, and radio and television appearances.

His book The Discovery of Global Warming, which deals with the history of science of global warming, has been translated into five languages.

Books (selection)

• Scientists in Power. Harvard University Press, 1979. ISBN 0674795156th
• Nuclear Fear: A History of Images. Harvard University Press, 1988. ISBN 9,780,674,628,359th
• The Discovery of Global Warming. Harvard University Press, 2003 ISBN. 0,674,011,570th ( Revised edition 2008, ISBN 067403189X. )