The emergence and persistence of applied physics as a broad horizon

Prompted by this meeting's provocative theme of "The Broad Horizon of Careers in Physics," the author first gives a historical account as to how applied physics emerged during WW II in the United States as a way for persons trained in physics to "spend one's days." The physics departments were more or less emptied out and the faculty and graduate students went to a variety of government-sponsored labs, and there was also a huge importation of physicists from abroad. The work was heavy on physics and applied to defense problems, including radar, sonar, and of course nuclear energy. After the war, the defense-related applied physics work continued in a variety of newly created organizations, some carry-overs of those created during the war. Such became a major source of employment for physicists. Employing firms included the RAND Corporation, the Institute for Defense Analysis, MITRE, Avco, Arete, SAIC, Applied Physical Sciences, American Science and Engineering, Lincoln Laboratories, Physical Sciences, Inc., Cambridge Acoustical Associates, and many others. The report will dwell on how these firms got started, who funds them, who they hire, and the types of projects they work on. The procedures of starting small businesses of this type are discussed.