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Death Notice

William A. Shurcliff

27 March 27 1909 - 20 June 2006
Cambridge, MA

Submitted by Physics Today Editorial Staff

Published on 30 June 2006

William A. Shurcliff, died 20 June at his home in Cambridge, Mass from complications of pneumonia. Shurcliff was known by the public for his role in banning supersonic civilian aircraft during the 1970s, and for his research and promotion of solar energy systems. During the 1980s he was a leading opponent of President Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative. In the physics community he was more well known for his work with the Manhatten Project, including being the co-editor of the Smyth Report, the official history of the project.

Shurcliff received a physics doctorate from Harvard University, and then joined American Cyanamid Co. During World War II, he worked for the U.S. Office of Scientific Research, evaluating proposals and helping to keep Manhattan Project patents from becoming public knowledge.

From 1948 to 1960, he worked for the Polaroid Co., collecting more than 20 patents involving polarized light and other optical technologies. He then moved to Harvard to work on the Cambridge Electron Accelerator until it closed in 1973, the year he "officially" retired.

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New York Times obituary

LA Times obituary