Freeman Dyson - Introduction to the American way of life (54/157)

To listen to more of Freeman Dyson’s stories, go to the playlist:    • Freeman Dyson (Scientist)  

Freeman Dyson (1923-2020), who was born in England, moved to Cornell University after graduating from Cambridge University with a BA in Mathematics. He subsequently became a professor and worked on nuclear reactors, solid state physics, ferromagnetism, astrophysics and biology. He published several books and, among other honours, was awarded the Heineman Prize and the Royal Society's Hughes Medal. [Listener: Sam Schweber; date recorded:1998]

TRANSCRIPT: So I came - actually it was the middle of September, and I remember very well arriving at Cornell on an exceedingly hot day and it was blazing hot outside and I came into this ice cold physics building where the air conditioners were running full blast. It was my introduction to the American way of life, and I introduced myself at the Department Chairman's office, and there was the secretary sitting huddled over an electric heater. So I found it all rather shocking coming from the austerities of war time England. But one soon gets used to it.