Nicolás Cabrera
Encyclopedia
Nicolás Cabrera was a Spanish
physicist
who did important work on the theories of crystal
growth (specifically the Burton-Cabrera-Frank theory) and the oxidisation of metal
s. He was the son of another famous Spanish physicist Blas Cabrera
and the father of American Physicist Blas Cabrera
. He spent many years in exile
during the dictatorship
of Francisco Franco
. He was Professor
of the Department of physics
in the University of Virginia
, where he worked from 1952. He became known for his interests in engineering and material science. He founded the physics department and was Professor at the Autonomous University of Madrid
(UAM), from 1971. He is considered to have given an impulse to the study of physics in Spain from the time of his return. For a time Javier Solana
, whom he met at the University of Virginia, was his assistant in Madrid. Solana has described him as being a brilliant man but badly organised. The Nicolás Cabrera Institute, founded in 1989 in the UAM, is named after him.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
physicist
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
who did important work on the theories of crystal
Crystal
A crystal or crystalline solid is a solid material whose constituent atoms, molecules, or ions are arranged in an orderly repeating pattern extending in all three spatial dimensions. The scientific study of crystals and crystal formation is known as crystallography...
growth (specifically the Burton-Cabrera-Frank theory) and the oxidisation of metal
Metal
A metal , is an element, compound, or alloy that is a good conductor of both electricity and heat. Metals are usually malleable and shiny, that is they reflect most of incident light...
s. He was the son of another famous Spanish physicist Blas Cabrera
Blas Cabrera Felipe
Blas Cabrera y Felipe was a Spanish physicist.-Biography:Cabrera received his baccalaureate in La Laguna . He then moved to Madrid where he began studying law, following family tradition. He met at that time Santiago Ramón y Cajal, who convinced him to abandon law and study science...
and the father of American Physicist Blas Cabrera
Blas Cabrera
Blas Cabrera is a physicist at Stanford University best known for his experiment in search of magnetic monopoles. He is the son of Spanish physicist Nicolás Cabrera and the grandson of the Blas Cabrera Felipe, also a Spanish physicist....
. He spent many years in exile
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
during the dictatorship
Dictatorship
A dictatorship is defined as an autocratic form of government in which the government is ruled by an individual, the dictator. It has three possible meanings:...
of Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
. He was Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of the Department of physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
in the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
, where he worked from 1952. He became known for his interests in engineering and material science. He founded the physics department and was Professor at the Autonomous University of Madrid
Autonomous University of Madrid
The Autonomous University of Madrid is one of the top university of Spain and commonly known by its Spanish initials UAM or as "la Autónoma"...
(UAM), from 1971. He is considered to have given an impulse to the study of physics in Spain from the time of his return. For a time Javier Solana
Javier Solana
Francisco Javier Solana de Madariaga, KOGF is a Spanish physicist and Socialist politician. After serving in the Spanish government under Felipe González and Secretary General of NATO , he was appointed the European Union's High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, Secretary...
, whom he met at the University of Virginia, was his assistant in Madrid. Solana has described him as being a brilliant man but badly organised. The Nicolás Cabrera Institute, founded in 1989 in the UAM, is named after him.