Alwyn Van der Merwe

Alwyn van der Merwe (born November 1927 in South Africa) is an American theoretical physicist. He is Emeritus Professor of Physics in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Denver.

Life and career He attended the University of Stellenbosch, completing his bachelor's degree in 1947 and master's degree in 1949 with summa cum laude honors.

Van der Merwe studied theoretical physics at the University of Amsterdam under Professors Jan de Boer (Jan de Boer was not born yet when Merwe did phd) .and S. A. Wouthuysen and received doctorates from the University of Amsterdam and, later, the University of Bern, where he graduated summa cum laude.

He taught applied mathematics at the University of Natal in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, first as lecturer then as senior lecturer.

Alwyn van der Merwe was a research associate of professor of physics and natural philosophy Henry Margenau at Yale University and professor Hans Jensen at the University of Heidelberg.

His first appointment in the United States was at Carleton College, in Northfield, Minnesota.

He then became an assistant professor at Queens College, City University of New York (CUNY).

He stayed on for two years at CUNY until he was offered an associate professorship in 1964 (and a full professorship a few years later) at the University of Denver (DU).

He has acted extensively as editor in theoretical physics and the philosophy of science. In 1988 van der Merwe became the founding editor of the journal Foundations of Physics Letters, until its incorporation in 2007 into its sister journal Foundations of Physics, of which he succeeded Margenau as co-editor in 1975.

Education

B.Sc. University of Stellenbosch, R.S.A. (1947) (summa cum laude), M.Sc. University of Stellenbosch, R.S.A. (1949) (summa cum laude) Ph.D. University of Amsterdam (1954) and University of Bern (1971) (summa cum laude).

Selected publications (Dover reprint of 1966 original)

As editor:

(pbk reprint of 1988 original) (pbk reprint of 1994 original) (pbk reprint of 1997 original) (pbk reprint of 1985 original) (pbk reprint of 1988 reprint) (pbk reprint of 2003 original)

(pbk reprint of 1988 original)