The Forgotten Woman Pioneer of Quantum Mechanics
Theoretical Physicist, Professor Hendrika Johanna van Leeuwen was born in The Hague, Netherlands on 3 July 1887. She did her secondary school in her hometown, she continued her training in physics at the University of Leiden.
Her doctorate thesis in 1919 entitled “Problems of the electronic theory of Magnetism” focused on explaining why magnetism is essentially a quantum mechanical effect, a result now known as the Bohr-van Leeuwen theorem.
The Bohr–Van Leeuwen theorem states that when statistical mechanics and classical mechanics are applied consistently, the thermal average of the magnetization is always zero. This makes magnetism in solids solely a quantum mechanical effect and means that classical physics cannot account for paramagnetism, diamagnetism and ferromagnetism. Inability of classical physics to explain triboelectricity also stems from the Bohr–Van Leeuwen theorem.
Van Leeuwen continued to investigate magnetic materials at the “Technische Hogeschool Delft” (now called the Delft University of Technology), first as “assistant” in 1920, and then she was promoted to reader in theoretical and applied physics. She was present at the celebration of the golden anniversary of the doctorate of Lorentz, on 11 December 1925, and on that occasion reported on the role of Lorentz as scientist and teacher.
In 1947 she was appointed as a professor at the TH Delft, becoming the first woman professor at this institution. Until her retirement in 1952, she lectured on ferromagnetism and special relativity.
Hendrika Johanna van Leeuwen died at her home in Delft, the Netherlands, on 26 February 1974, aged 86.
SheQuantum salutes this great woman physicist, Van Leeuwen for her immense contributions towards quantum mechanics in the electronic theory of Magnetism
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