Albert Silverman

Silverman, Albert

Albert Silverman, who led pioneering experiments in particle physics during his thirty eight years as a professor at Cornell University, died on January 17 at the age of 92. Silverman contributed importantly to the success of the Cornell Laboratory of Nuclear Studies. At a time when most universities were closing their accelerator facilities, the group at Cornell built a progression of five electron accelerators, the last of which, the collider CESR, placed Cornell at the forefront of world physics. Silverman contributed substantially to every phase of the construction of the accelerators, in the development of new particle detectors, and to their use for research. Notably, he was in charge of the design and construction of CLEO, the detector of CESR. When the collider began taking data in 1979, he played the leading role in its use for scientific research until he retired in 1990. As part of that program, he organized a large collaboration of physicists who came to use CLEO from all over the world. Among the discoveries and measurements made at Cornell were the B meson, Charm Physics, and precise measurements of tau leptons. Silverman did important research utilizing innovative techniques continuously during his tenure at Cornell. He was also a brilliant teacher. During his career Silverman served on various advisory boards: the Program Advisory and Scientific Policy Committees of the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, the Visiting Committee and Board of Overseers of Fermilab, and Trustee of the Universities Research Association. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1944-1946. He received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley in 1950. Al, born in Boston, had broad interests in music and art as well as in science. In later years he collaborated with colleagues in other departments at Cornell on the use of physics in the investigation of old paintings and other artworks. Al had friends in many fields. He is survived by his wife, Irene, to whom he was married for seventy years; his sister, Marilyn; his brother, Phillip; his step brother, Maurice; his daughter, Lynn; his son, Martin; and three grandchildren: Matthew, Alexandra, and Philippe. A memorial service will be announced in the near future. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Al's name may be made to The Alzheimer's Association, 399 Market St. Suite 102, Philadelphia, PA, 19106. Bangs Funeral Home is assisting the family.