William J. Price, 1940
B.A., Denison University
M.S., Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Ph.D., Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Silver Spring, Md.
Citation awarded on Saturday, June 12, 1965
Dr. William James Price is a recognized physicist whose accomplishments within the scientific community of the United States Air Force are known and highly regarded.
His activities for the Air Force over the last 14 years include eight years engaged in basic and applied research and six years managing basic research, in-house laboratory programs. His effectiveness has been recognized in several ways including his appointment, first as chief of modern physics research in 1957, later as chief scientist of aerospace research laboratories in 1959, and currently as executive director of the Air Force office of scientific research in Washington, D.C. since 1963. He is the author of a widely-used textbook in nuclear science and numerous other publications. His research experience includes work on early semiconductor devices, ultrasonic delay lines, thermionic emission, nucleonics measurements, attenuation of fast neurons, and the discovery of trirefringence phenomena in solids. He is also well-known as a Lutheran Church lay leader, currently helping to establish the Yoke Fellowship of the Nation’s Capital, the purpose of which is to spread the small group lay movement in vocational as well as neighborhood situations.
Dr. Price’s achievements, made possible by his insight and dedication, developed scientific resources for the defense of our way of life, increased the scope of man’s knowledge, and enriched the human experience.
