by Erin Lamb

Nobel laureates and famous physicists honored the memory of physics professor George Gamov at a 1996 GW conference in his honor. Gamov, who taught at the University from 1936 to 1956, helped develop the Big Bang theory and participated in similar GW conferences in the 1930s that included momentous announcements, such as the discovery of nuclear fission. Gamov was born in 1904 and died Aug. 16, 1968.

In attendance at the April 12 meeting were three Nobel laureates, including Hans Bethe, who had made the nuclear fission announcement at one of the first conferences. Bethe spoke at length about Gamov, especially of the importance of the 1938 Fourth Annual Washington Conference on Theoretical Physics. Bethe's work on stellar energy production led to him receiving the Nobel Prize for physics in 1967.

Ralph Alper, who received his Ph.D. in 1949 from GW, spoke about collaborating with Gamov on the generation of light elements in the universe. Robert Herman went on to show how Alperıs work with Gamov led to the prediction of the existence of cosmic background radiation, later discovered by researchers at AT&T and Bell Laboratories. One of those researchers, Robert Wilson, gave his account of the discovery at the conference.

Alex Rich, a physicist from MIT, spoke about his work with Gamov and Francis Crick, and Gamov's suggestions on how to unravel DNA. Crick won the 1962 Nobel Prize, along with James Watson and Maurice Wilkins, for their discovery of the DNA double helix.

Edward Teller, who worked with Gamov at GW and later was instrumental in the Manhattan Project, could not attend due to health issues but addressed the gathering on tape.

Many former students of Gamov discussed their recollections of him, as well as their own research and discoveries. Vera Rubin, a former student of Gamov, spoke about her work, begun under Gamov in the 1950s.

Gamov's son, Igor, and many of Gamovıs former colleagues and friends wrapped up the conference with memories of the late scientist, whom the Universityıs physics newsletter described as "larger than life." All agreed that the day was a fitting tribute for a man who devoted his life to science and the pursuit of knowledge.