Benjamin Levich (1917-1987)
1987; Nature Portfolio; Volume: 325; Issue: 6104 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1038/325485a0
ISSN1476-4687
Autores ResumoB~JAM~ u~~~j~j!!y~~~iC~, ~91 ~u~n;"8t?Lh d,,_1'refusnik' scientist to be allowed to emi-from them.But the campaign was suddengrate from the Soviet Union, died on 19 Iy halted with the news that Levich had January.Levich was known international-reached a gentleman's agreement with the Iy for his work in physicochemical hydro-emigration authorities: if the public outcry dynamics, which he was the first to estab-ceased, Alexander and Evgenii would be Iish as a separate scientific discipline.His allowed to emigrate at once together with research activities included gas-phase their wives, and Benjamin and Tanya collision reactions, the quantum mecha-would follow a year later.But when the nics of electron transfer and the develop-time came for the senior members of the ment of a rotating-disk electrode as a tool Levich family to emigrate, the Soviet authfor research.orities denied any knowledge of such an By 1972, he had attained the post of Pro-agreement.fessor of Chemical Mechanics at MoscowIn 1977, a conference on physico-State University (the chair was created chemical hydrodynamics was held in Oxespecially for him), and was a correspond-ford, in honour of Levich's 60th birthday.ing member of the Soviet Academy of Sci-Such an honour is virtually a matter of ences.But in that same year, after consul-routine for scientists of his rank in the tations with his wife Tanya and his sons Soviet Union, but, in his circumstances, no Alexander and Evgenii, he decided to Soviet honours could be expected.The conapply for emigration to Israel.ference was so successful scientifically that Immediately his teaching post was abo-it was decided to launch a regular series of Iished, he was demoted to the rank of a Levich conferences.The second was held 'scientific worker', and shortly afterwards in Washington, DC in 1978, and within his younger son Evgenii was illegally trans-three weeks, Benjamin and Tanya Levich ported to a military camp in the Soviet arrived in the west.They settled first in Arctic.Levich was informed that he would Israel, where Levich had a chair reserved never be allowed to emigrate, because of for him at Tel Aviv University, and in his knowledge of state secrets.1979, he accepted the Albert Einstein chair A campaign for the Levich family was of physics at New York City College, organized by Dr Brian Spalding of Im-commuting regularly between the United perial College London.This campaign States and Israel.Shortly after he took up attracted considerable attention, particu-this post, however, his wife Tanya had to larly when it became known that western have massive heart surgery, from which publications including Nature, distri-she never fully recovered.She died buted in photostat form in the Soviet Un-in 1984.Vera Rich
Referência(s)