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At the age of 27, Stadler published a paper on the nature of cosmic rays that turned every other theory about them on its head. This won for him, three years later, recognition as the foremost theoretical physicist of that era. In 1931, at the age of thirty-two, he became Professor and Chairman of Physics at the Patrick Henry University (not to be confused with the real-life [[Patrick Henry College]]), which was located in [[Cleveland]], [[Ohio]]. He would hold that position for eight years. And in a sense that he never understood, his fame went to his head. He convinced himself that he was ''entitled'' to his fame, and to the adulation that the public lavished on him.
At the age of 27, Stadler published a paper on the nature of cosmic rays that turned every other theory about them on its head. This won for him, three years later, recognition as the foremost theoretical physicist of that era. In 1931, at the age of thirty-two, he became Professor and Chairman of Physics at the Patrick Henry University (not to be confused with the real-life [[Patrick Henry College]]), which was located in [[Cleveland]], [[Ohio]]. He would hold that position for eight years. And in a sense that he never understood, his fame went to his head. He convinced himself that he was ''entitled'' to his fame, and to the adulation that the public lavished on him.
[[Hugh Akston]] would later show that he understood this much about Robert Stadler's character: {{cquote|He never identified his proper homeland. He hated stupidity. It was the only emotion I had ever seen him display toward people—a bitting, bitter, weary hatred for any ineptitude that dared oppose him. He wanted his own way, he wanted to be left alone to pursue it, he wanted to brush peole out of his path—and he never identified the means to it or the natur of his path or of his enemies.}}
Or perhaps he did. Hugh Akston never understood that Robert Stadler's hatred was an unfocused resentment against everyone around him.
== Three students ==
In his last four years at that institution, he had three extraordinary students who he was never to forget. First, the three came to him when they were sixteen years old. Second, they majored in physics and in [[philosophy]], a demanding double major and a highly unusual choice.
In his last four years at that institution, he had three extraordinary students who he was never to forget. First, the three came to him when they were sixteen years old. Second, they majored in physics and in [[philosophy]], a demanding double major and a highly unusual choice.