Training ground for Space scientists

Van Allen trained a long line of outstanding graduate students. During only the decade of the 1950s, he served as thesis advisor for 19 graduating students. By the end of his career, that number had grown to 60.5

Many of those students went on to seed the entire magnetospheric, interplanetary, and solar physics research arena. Some established major new programs at other in­stitutions. To list the earliest of those pioneering students, Les Meredith formed a new space research group at the Naval Research Laboratory in 1954, and in 1958 played a key role in establishing the outstanding space research capabilities at NASA’s newly formed Goddard Space Flight Center. Larry Cahill formed a space research group at the University of New Hampshire in 1959, and later led the space research labo­ratory at the University of Minnesota. Carl Mcllwain initiated a space research pro­gram at the University of California at La Jolla in 1962. John Freeman went to Rice University in Texas. And so it has continued through the intervening years.

Senior postdoctoral fellows, assistant professors, and associate professors orga­nized their own programs within Van Allen’s cosmic ray group, benefited from that association, and carried their skills and knowledge to other laboratories. In doing so, they played key roles in elevating the global space science program to its present scope and state of maturity. A few of those earliest pioneers were Frank McDonald, Kinsey Anderson, Pamela Rothwell, Sekiko Yoshida, and Brian O’Brian.

In addition to the physicists, a progression of outstanding engineers played key roles in the Iowa program, and also went on to help spread the Van Allen methodology. Most notable among those during the 1950s were Dale (Pete) Chinburg, Donald (Don) Enemark, Donald (Don) Stilwell, and William (Bill) Whelpley.

The researchers and staff were assisted by many highly talented and dedicated research aides, undergraduate students, instrument makers, draftsmen, data readers, clerical staff, and others. Many of those people also went to other locations to help spread the Van Allen way of doing things.