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Over a few months in 1887, a gregarious physics professor known for his artistic and musical talents, and a rather quiet chemist about to gain world renown for determining the atomic weight of oxygen, conducted a series of experiments that would go down in history as one of the most successful failures of modern science.
Albert A. Michelson, professor of physics at Case School of Applied Science, and Edward W. Morley, professor of chemistry at Western Reserve University, attempted to measure the velocity of two separate beams of light traveling in two different directions. Based on the prevailing theory of the era, they expected the speed of these beams to vary based on the effects of "ether drift."
When the results of these experiments did not match the hypothesis - both streams of light arrived at the end point at the same time - the scientific community was hesitant to accept them. Over time, however, the results would change the scientific landscape in University Circle and physics theory around the world.
On a local level, the Michelson-Morley experiments marked one of the first collaborations between researchers at Case School of Applied Science and Western Reserve University, almost a century before federation. They also exemplify the type of multidisciplinary collaborations that remain a Case trademark to this day.
On a global scale, the results of the Michelson and Morley experiments provided some of the raw data that would eventually impact a number of new theories including the Lorentz contraction and Albert Einstein’s special theory of relativity.
While Michelson left Case shortly after the conclusion of his work with Morley, the legacy of excellence the two helped establish has continued throughout the school’s history. The faculty roll of Case and Western Reserve reads like a who’s who list of the last 125 years of science and engineering.
This continues today, as the Case School of Engineering boasts world-class researchers in every one of its disciplines. The school is well represented in the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and in the leadership ranks of countless scholarly and professional organizations.
Case even hosted a 2005 NAE regional symposium that brought 1,000 people to campus to debate the nation’s energy future.
"Case is an important institution on the national and international levels," says Arthur H. Heuer, University Professor and Kyocera Professor of Ceramics, himself a National Academy member since 1990. "A faculty presence in these types of organizations serves as an example of that fact. Case people are being recognized on an international level for the work they are doing right here."
In total, Case School of Engineering research awards have more than doubled since 2001 to nearly $60 million. Continuing to expand the research enterprise is an important component of Dean Robert F. Savinell’s strategic vision for the school.
"We’re strong in research, but we can be even stronger," Savinell says. "Over the next few years, we will aggressively seek out research opportunities that build on our strengths in biomedical engineering, advanced materials and energy, and engineering fundamentals, while we continue to encourage faculty to find new ways to work together across disciplines."
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