Edwin M. McMillan
Who was Edwin M. McMillan?
Nobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1951)
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Edwin M. McMillan (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Edwin Mattison McMillan was born on September 18, 1907, in Redondo Beach, California. After finishing high school at Pasadena High School, he went to the California Institute of Technology for his undergraduate studies in physics and chemistry. He continued his academic journey at Princeton University, where he earned his doctorate in 1933. After graduation, McMillan joined the Berkeley Radiation Laboratory, where he made significant contributions to science.
At Berkeley, McMillan discovered several important aspects of nuclear physics, including the identification of oxygen-15 and beryllium-10. His most notable achievement was producing neptunium, the first artificially created element heavier than uranium. This breakthrough showed that heavier elements could be made in labs, advancing the understanding of nuclear structure and radioactive decay.
During World War II, McMillan's skills were crucial to military research. He worked on developing microwave radar at the MIT Radiation Laboratory and later on sonar research at the Navy Radio and Sound Laboratory. In 1942, he joined the Manhattan Project to help develop atomic weapons. At the Los Alamos Laboratory, McMillan led work on the gun-type nuclear weapon and contributed to the implosion-type weapon used in atomic bombs.
After the war, McMillan returned to Berkeley and worked on developing particle accelerators. He co-invented the synchrotron with Soviet physicist Vladimir Veksler. This new type of particle accelerator could reach much higher energies and changed experimental particle physics, allowing scientists to study subatomic particles more closely. Recognizing his leadership skills, the Berkeley Radiation Laboratory appointed him associate director in 1954, deputy director in 1958, and director after Ernest Lawrence's death that year. He remained director until his retirement in 1973, guiding the lab during a time of major growth and scientific success. McMillan passed away on September 7, 1991, in El Cerrito, California.
Before Fame
Edwin McMillan grew up at a time when atomic theory was rapidly changing, and nuclear physics was becoming its own field. In the early 20th century, key discoveries were made in radioactivity, the nuclear model of the atom, and isotopes. He studied during the prime years of American physics research, especially at places like Caltech and Princeton, which were becoming major centers for scientific breakthroughs.
The 1920s and 1930s were periods of significant progress in understanding atomic structure and nuclear reactions. When McMillan started graduate school, physicists were investigating artificial nuclear transmutation and finding new radioactive isotopes. The Berkeley Radiation Laboratory, where he would do his most important work, was leading this movement, equipped with advanced cyclotrons that allowed researchers to hit atomic nuclei with high-energy particles.
Key Achievements
- First scientist to produce a transuranium element (neptunium) in 1940
- Nobel Prize in Chemistry recipient in 1951, shared with Glenn Seaborg
- Co-inventor of the synchrotron particle accelerator with Vladimir Veksler
- Led teams developing gun-type nuclear weapons during the Manhattan Project
- Directed the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory from 1958 to 1973
Did You Know?
- 01.McMillan was just 24 years old when he completed his PhD at Princeton University in 1933
- 02.He named the element neptunium after the planet Neptune, following the tradition of naming elements after celestial bodies
- 03.During World War II, McMillan worked on three separate major military research projects: radar, sonar, and atomic weapons
- 04.The synchrotron principle he co-discovered allows particle accelerators to maintain constant particle speeds while increasing their energy
- 05.He served as director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory for 15 years, longer than its founder Ernest Lawrence
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Nobel Prize in Chemistry | 1951 | for their discoveries in the chemistry of the transuranium elements |
| Atoms for Peace Award | — | — |
| National Medal of Science | 1990 | — |
| Fellow of the American Physical Society | — | — |
| Golden Plate Award | 1964 | — |