Paul Scherrer

Biographical data:

1890   Born on 3rd February in Herisau near St. Gallen.        
1908   Studies for two terms botany, afterwards mathematics and        
       physics at ETH Zurich.        
1912   Spends one term at the University of Königsberg and       
       studies then at the University of Göttingen.       
1916   Develops, together with Peter Debye, a method to determine        
       the atomic structure of crystals by means of X-rays     
       (Debye-Scherrer-Method).        
       Is awarded his doctorate in Göttingen with a dissertation        
       on the Faraday effect of the hydrogen molecule.        
1918   Lecturer in Göttingen.
1920   Professor for experimental physics at the ETH Zurich.
1925   Organizes the first international congress of        
       physicists after the First World War.        
1927   Head of the Physical Institute at the ETH Zurich.        
1928   Becomes Wolfgang Pauli's superior and soon a close  
       friend of his.        
       Devotes himself more and more to nuclear physics.
1940   Has an overriding share in the construction of the cyclotron        
       at the ETH Zurich.
1946   Is appointed by the Swiss Federal Council to be the
       president of the Swiss Commission of Studies on Atomic 
       Energy.
       Makes a decisive contribution to foundation and development
       of CERN near Geneva (1954) and of Reaktor AG at Würenlingen.     
1958   Becomes president of the Swiss Commission for Atomic Sciences.
1960   Retirement at ETH.
       Lectures at the University of Basel.
       He dies on 25th September 1969 (Scherrer was a horse enthusiast,
       probably due to a stroke he fell down the basement stairs in
       a restaurant where he wanted to recover after having a ride
       on September 19,1969).