Jerrold Reinach Zacharias

Biography

Abstract

Jerrold Zacharias was Professor of Physics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (1946-1966). Other institutional affiliations include Hunter College, Los Alamos Laboratory, and the President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC). His research interests included molecular beam magnetic resonance, nuclear magnetic moments and electric quadrupole moments of various nuclei, hyperfine separation in atomic hydrogen, and atomic clocks.

Important Dates

January 23, 1905Birth, Jacksonville (Fla.).

1926Obtained AB, Columbia University, New York (N.Y.).

1929 – 1930Tutor in Physics, City College of New York, New York (N.Y.).

1931 – 1940Instructor (1931-1936) and Assistant Professor (1936-1940), Hunter College, New York (N.Y.).

1932Obtained PhD in Physics, Columbia University, New York (N.Y.).

1941 – 1945Staff Member, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Radiation Laboratory, Cambridge (Mass.).

1945Leader, Engineering Division, Manhattan Project, Los Alamos Laboratory.

1946 – 1986Professor of Physics (1946-1966); Director, Laboratory for Nuclear Science (1946-1956); Institute Professor (1966-1970); Director, Educational Research Center (1968-1972); and Emeritus Institute Professor (1970-1986), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge (Mass.).

1951 – 1957Member, Science Advisory Committee, United States Office of Defense Mobilization.

1957Member, National Academy of Sciences.

1957 – 1958Member, President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

1961 – 1964Member, President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

July 16, 1986Death, Belmont (Mass.).

Occupation

Nuclear physicist.

Places

Birth

Jacksonville (Fla.)

Undergraduate Education

New York (N.Y.)

Graduate Education

New York (N.Y.)

Employment

New York (N.Y.)

Cambridge (Mass.)

Death

Belmont (Mass.)

Subjects

Atomic clocks.

Magnetic resonance.

Molecular beams.

Nuclear physics.

Physics -- Study and teaching.

Relationships

People

Family

Rubenstein, Beryl

Adopted brother.

Zacharias, Dorothea

Sister.

Zacharias, Isadore

Father.

Zacharias, Leona Hurwitz

Wife. Married in 1927.

Advisors & Collaborators

Bederson, Benjamin

Advised by Zacharias at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); both employed at Los Alamos National Laboratory, Manhattan Project and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Eisinger, Josef, 1924-

Advised by Zacharias at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), "The magnetic moment and hyperfine structure anomaly of K⁴⁰".

King, John, 1925-2014

Advised by Zacharias at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Quimby, Shirley L.

PhD advisor at Columbia University.

Weiss, Rainer

Advised by Zacharias at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), "Stark effect and hyperfine structure of hydrogen fluoride," and both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Colleagues

Agnew, Harold M.

Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Allison, Samuel King, 1900-1965

Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Anderson, Herbert Lawrence

Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Bacher, Robert F. (Robert Fox), 1905-2004

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC) and United States Office of Defense Mobilization.

Baker, William O. (William Oliver), 1915-2005

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

Bardeen, John

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

Barschall, H. H. (Henry Herman), 1915-1997

Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Benedek, George Bernard, 1928-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Berkner, Lloyd V. (Lloyd Viel), 1905-1967

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

Bertsch, George F.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Bethe, Hans A. (Hans Albrecht), 1906-2005

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC) and United States Office of Defense Mobilization.

Birgeneau, Robert J. (Robert Joseph), 1942-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Bitter, Francis, 1902-1967

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Bradbury, Norris, 1909-1997

Both worked at United States Office of Defense Mobilization.

Bronk, Detlev W. (Detlev Wulf), 1897-1975

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC) and United States Office of Defense Mobilization.

Brooks, Harvey

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

Buckley, Oliver Ellsworth, 1887-1959

Both worked at United States Office of Defense Mobilization.

Callen, Herbert B.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Calvin, Melvin, 1911-1997

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

Case, Kenneth M.

Both employed at the Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Chamberlain, O. (Owen)

Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Charney, Jule G.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Christy, Robert F.

Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Compton, K. T. (Karl Taylor), 1887-1954

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Conant, James Bryant, 1893-1978

Both worked at United States Office of Defense Mobilization.

Coppi, B.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Corson, Dale R.

Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Creutz, E.

Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Davidson, Ronald C.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Deutsch, Martin, 1917-2002

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Doty, Paul M., 1920-2011

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

Drell, Sidney D. (Sidney David), 1926-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Dresselhaus, M. S.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Dryden, Hugh L. (Hugh Latimer), 1898-1965

Both worked at United States Office of Defense Mobilization.

DuBridge, Lee A. (Lee Alvin), 1901-1994

Both worked at United States Office of Defense Mobilization.

Duffield, Robert B.

Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Enge, Harald A.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Feshbach, Herman

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Fisk, James B. (James Brown), 1910-1981

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC) and United States Office of Defense Mobilization.

Fitch, Val L., 1923-2015

Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Friedman, Jerome I. (Jerome Isaac), 1930-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Galt, John Kirtland, 1920-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Garwin, Richard L.

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Gilliland, Edwin Richard, 1909-1973

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

Glauber, Roy J., 1925-

Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Glimm, James

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Goldberger, Marvin L.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Goldstone, Jeffrey

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Guth, Alan H.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Handler, Philip, 1917-1981

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

Haroche, S.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Haskins, Caryl P. (Caryl Parker), 1908-2001

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC) and United States Office of Defense Mobilization.

Hornig, Donald F., 1920-2013

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

Jackiw, Roman W.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Jackson, John David, 1925-2016

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Javan, Ali, 1926-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Joannopoulos, J. D. (John D.), 1947-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Kastner, Marc A.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Kendall, Henry W. (Henry Way), 1926-1999

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Keyes, Frederick G. (Frederick George), 1885-1976

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Killian, James Rhyne, 1904-1988

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC) and United States Office of Defense Mobilization.

Kistiakowsky, George B. (George Bogdan), 1900-1982

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

Klein, Martin J.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Kleppner, Daniel

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Kraushaar, William L.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Land, Edwin Herbert, 1909-1991

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC) and United States Office of Defense Mobilization.

Lauritsen, Charles Christian, 1892-1968

Both worked at United States Office of Defense Mobilization.

Lax, Benjamin

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Lee, P. A. (Patrick A.), 1946-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Lieb, Elliott H.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Livingston, M. Stanley (Milton Stanley)

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Loeb, Robert F. (Robert Frederick), 1895-1973

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC) and United States Office of Defense Mobilization.

Long, Franklin A., 1910-1999

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

Low, Francis E. (Francis Eugene), 1921-2007

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

MacDonald, Gordon J. (Gordon James), 1929-2002

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

MacLeod, Colin M. (Colin Munro), 1909-

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

Marshak, Robert E. (Robert Eugene), 1916-1992

Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Mayer, Maria Goeppert, 1906-1972

Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

McDaniel, Boyce D. (Boyce Dawkins), 1917-

Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

McElroy, William David, 1917-

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

Morrison, Philip

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Morse, Philip M. (Philip McCord), 1903-1985

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Oppenheimer, J. Robert, 1904-1967

Both worked at United States Office of Defense Mobilization.

Orowan, E. (Egon), 1902-1989

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Panofsky, Wolfgang K. H. (Wolfgang Kurt Hermann), 1919-2007

Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project and President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

Phillips, William D. (William Daniel), 1948-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Pierce, John R. (John Robinson), 1910-2002

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

Piore, Emanuel Ruben, 1908-2000

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

Porkolab, Miklos

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Press, Frank, 1924-

Both employed by President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

Purcell, Edward M.

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

Rabi, I. I. (Isidor Isaac), 1898-1988

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC) and United States Office of Defense Mobilization.

Rasmussen, Norman C.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Read, Nicholas

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Rieser, Leonard M.

Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Robertson, H. P. (Howard Percy), 1903-1961

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

Rossi, Bruno, 1905-1993

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Schiff, Leonard I. (Leonard Isaac), 1915-1971

Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Schulz, George J., 1925-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Seaborg, Glenn T. (Glenn Theodore), 1912-1999

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

Seitz, Frederick, 1911-2008

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

Shull, Clifford Glenwood

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Slater, John C. (John Clarke), 1900-1976

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Slichter, Charles P.

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

Spruch, Larry

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Stanley, H. Eugene (Harry Eugene), 1941-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Stratton, Julius Adams, 1901-1994

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Thomas, Charles Allen

Both worked at United States Office of Defense Mobilization.

Ting, S. C. C. (Samuel Chao-chung), 1936-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Townes, Charles H.

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Tukey, John W. (John Wilder), 1915-2000

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

Turkevich, Anthony, 1916-2002

Both employed at Los Alamos Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Van de Graaf, Robert Jemison, 1901-1967

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Waterman, Alan Tower, 1892-1967

Both worked at United States Office of Defense Mobilization.

Weinberg, Alvin Martin, 1915-2006

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

Weinberg, Steven, 1933-

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Weiss, Paul S.

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

Weisskopf, Victor Frederick, 1908-2002

Both employed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Wiesner, Jerome B. (Jerome Bert), 1915-1994

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and United States Office of Defense Mobilization.

York, Herbert F. (Herbert Frank)

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

Zinn, Walter H. (Walter Henry), 1906-2000

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

Additional

Bleaney, B. (Brebis)

Blewett, John P. (John Paul), 1910-

Evans, Robley Dunglison, 1907-

Hill, A. G. (Albert Gordon), 1910-1996

Kelly, Harry C.

Loomis, F. W. (Francis Wheeler), 1889-1976

Pound, Robert V.

Ramsey, Norman, 1915-2011

Roman, Nancy Grace, 1925-

Sakharov, Andreĭ, 1921-1989

Schwinger, Julian, 1918-1994

Strandberg, M. W. P. (Malcolm Woodrow Pershing), 1919-

Institutions

Major Positions

College of the City of New York (1926-1961). City College. Physics Department

Tutor in Physics.

Hunter College

Instructor and Assistant Professor.

Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory

Leader, Engineering Division, Manhattan Project.

Manhattan Project (U.S.)

Leader, Engineerign Division, Los Alamos Laboratory.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Physics

Professor of Physics; Institute Professor; and Emeritus Institute Professor.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Education Research Center

Director.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Laboratory for Nuclear Science.

Director.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Radiation Laboratory

Staff Member.

Professional Activities & Affiliations

Brookhaven National Laboratory

Columbia University. Department of Physics

Obtained AB (1926) and PhD (1932).

National Academy of Sciences (U.S.)

Member.

United States. President's Science Advisory Committee

Member.

United States. Science Advisory Committee

Member.

Resources

Archival Resources

Author

Jerrold R. Zacharias papers, 1912-1986.

Institute Archives and Special Collections

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

M.I.T. Libraries, Rm. 14N-118, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA

Jerrold Zacharias response to early 1930s Ph.D.s Survey, 1980.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oersted medalist acceptance speech [sound recording], 1961 February.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Jerrold Reinach Zacharias, 1982 June 21.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Subject

Alan Tower Waterman papers, 1918-1967 (bulk 1940-1963).

Manuscript Division

Library of Congress

James Madison Memorial Building, First Street and Independence Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20540, USA

Brookhaven National Laboratory interview transcripts, 1966-1986.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Charles C. Lauritsen papers, 1927-1977 (bulk 1946-1973).

Institute Archives.

California Institute of Technology

1201 East California Blvd. (Mail Code 015A-74), Pasadena, CA 91125, USA

Education Development Center records, 1957-1971.

Institute Archives and Special Collections

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

M.I.T. Libraries, Rm. 14N-118, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA

F. W. Loomis papers, 1920-1976.

University Archives.

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

1408 West Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL 61801, USA

Jerome B. Wiesner papers, 1949-1983.

Institute Archives and Special Collections

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

M.I.T. Libraries, Rm. 14N-118, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA

John Clarke Slater papers, 1908-1976.

Library.

American Philosophical Society

105 South Fifth Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA

Karl Taylor Compton lectures records, 1985.

Institute Archives and Special Collections

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

M.I.T. Libraries, Rm. 14N-118, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA

MIT Office of the President records of Karl Taylor Compton and James Rhyne Killian, 1930-1959.

Institute Archives and Special Collections

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

M.I.T. Libraries, Rm. 14N-118, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA

Oral history interview with Albert G. Hill, 1991 August 5.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Brebis Bleaney, 1982 January 15.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Edward Mills Purcell, 1977 June 8 and 14.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Harry C. Kelly, 1975 October 27.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with John G. King, 2009 November 17.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with John P. Blewett, 1979 March 22 and May 11.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Malcolm Woodrow Pershing Strandberg, 1983 June 15.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Nancy Grace Roman, 1980 August 19.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Norman Ramsey, 1978 December 19, 1979 January 5 and 18.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Norman Ramsey, 1983 July 12.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Rainer Weiss, 2000 May 10.

Institute Archives

California Institute of Technology

1201 East California Blvd. (Mail Code 015A-74), Pasadena, CA 91125, USA

Oral history interview with Robert V. Pound, 2006 September 23, November 4, 18, 2007 February 19 and April 22.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Robley D. Evans, 1972 May 2, 3, 1974 May 5 and 1978 June 14.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Physical Science Study Committee oral history collection, 1956-1976.

Institute Archives and Special Collections

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

M.I.T. Libraries, Rm. 14N-118, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA

President's Science Advisory Committee records, 1957-1961.

Dwight D. Eisenhower Library

Abilene, KS 67410, USA

Responses to Early 1930s Ph.D.s Survey, 1980.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Published Resources

Subject

"Jerrold R. Zacharias: 1905-1986", Biographical Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences

A different sort of time : the life of Jerrold R. Zacharias, scientist, engineer, educator / Jack S. Goldstein.

Jerrold Reinach Zacharias Physics Today obituary.

Scientists in the Classroom: The Cold War Reconstruction of American Science Education (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2002)