密立根与中国

Millikan and China

作为一位杰出的科学家、教育家,密立根执教一生,桃李满天下。他不仅为美国培养了大批高水平的科学家和工程师,而且也为中国培养了一批杰出的科学家,对中国科学事业的发展作出了有益的贡献。第一个随密立根学习的中国学生是李耀邦。李耀邦可能是于1903年赴美,入芝加哥大学物理系学习物理。当时,密立根正在实际上主管着该系的研究与教学工作,并且给高年级学生和研究生开设电子理论、热力学等课程,李在这里就读的时候,应直接随密立根学习过这些现代物理学理论。1913年,李进入该系的赖尔森实验室,在密立根的指导下,从事有关电子问题的研究。

Robert A. Millikan was one of the most famous American scientists in the first half of 20th Century. On the basis of the historical materials recalled by some Chinese scientists who came into contact with him, the paper explores the relationship between Millikan and China. Among the few Chinese scientists who earned Doctor’s degrees of Physics abroad before the 1920’s, two were instructed by Millikan. From 1921 to 1945, Millikan and California Institute of Technology led by him, trained a number of senior scientists for China and therefore made some contributions to the development of China’s Science. He was held in great respect in China’s academic circles. His works were published many times in China and he was engaged as an honorary member of China Physics Society. In view of these facts, Millikan was closely related with China’s academic circles.