Alvin Martin Weinberg

Biography

Abstract

Alvin Weinberg was Distinguished Fellow at Oak Ridge Associated Universities (1985-2006). Other institutional affiliations included Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory. His research interests included nuclear reactors and mathematical biophysics.

Important Dates

April 20, 1915Birth, Chicago (Ill.).

1935Obtained AB, University of Chicago, Chicago (Ill.).

1936Obtained MS, University of Chicago, Chicago (Ill.).

1939Obtained PhD in Physics, University of Chicago, Chicago (Ill.).

1939 – 1942Assistant in Mathematical Biophysics, University of Chicago.

1942 – 1945Researcher, Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

1945 – 1974Physicist, Clinton Laboratories (1945-1948); Director, Physics Division (1948-1949); Director of Research (1949-1955); and Director (1955-1974), Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge (Tenn.).

1956 – 1959Member, Scientific Advisory Board, United States Air Force.

1959 – 1960President, American Nuclear Society.

1960 – 1962Member, President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

1961Member, National Academy of Sciences.

1974Director, Office of Energy Research and Development, United States Federal Energy Administration.

1975 – 2006Director, Institute for Energy Analysis (1975-1985) and Distinguished Fellow (1985-2006), Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Oak Ridge (Tenn.).

1980Awarded Enrico Fermi Award, United States Department of Energy.

October 18, 2006Death, Oak Ridge (Tenn.).

Occupation

Nuclear physicist.

Places

Birth

Chicago (Ill.)

Undergraduate Education

Chicago (Ill.)

Graduate Education

Chicago (Ill.)

Employment

Chicago (Ill.)

Oak Ridge (Tenn.)

Death

Oak Ridge (Tenn.)

Subjects

Nuclear energy.

Nuclear physics.

Nuclear reactors.

Physics -- Administration.

Relationships

People

Advisors & Collaborators

Wigner, Eugene Paul, 1902-1995

Co-wrote "The Physical Theory of Neutron Chain Reactors." Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Colleagues

Allison, Samuel King, 1900-1965

Both employed at University of Chicago and the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Alvarez, Luis W., 1911-1988

Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Anderson, Herbert Lawrence

Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Bardeen, John

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

Beadle, George Wells, 1903-1989

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

Breit, Gregory, 1899-1981

Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

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

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

Brooks, Harvey

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

Christy, Robert F.

Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Compton, Arthur Holly, 1892-1962

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Daniels, Farrington, 1889-1972

Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Dempster, Arthur Jeffrey

Both employed at University of Chicago and at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Doty, Paul M., 1920-2011

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

Eckart, Carl, 1902-1973

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Ference, Michael, 1911-

Both employed at University of Chicago.

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

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

Franck, James, 1882-1964

Both employed at University of Chicago and the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Friedman, Francis L. (Francis Lee), 1918-

Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

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).

Goldberger, Marvin L.

Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Hilberry, Norman, 1899-

Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Hornig, Donald F., 1920-2013

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

Killian, James Rhyne, 1904-1988

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

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

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

Konopinski, Emil Jan, 1911-

Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

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

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

Long, Franklin A., 1910-1999

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

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

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

Metropolis, N. (Nicholas), 1915-

Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Morrison, Philip

Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Mulliken, Robert Sanderson

Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Murray, Forest

Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Ohlinger, Leo

Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Piore, Emanuel Ruben, 1908-2000

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

Plass, Gilbert N.

Both employed at Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Press, Frank, 1924-

Both worked on 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).

Rieser, Leonard M.

Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Rossi, Bruno, 1905-1993

Both employed at University of Chicago.

Schwinger, Julian, 1918-1994

Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

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

Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Seitz, Frederick, 1911-2008

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

Serber, R. (Robert)

Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Simpson, John A. (John Alexander), 1916-2000

Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Smyth, Henry De Wolf, 1898-1986

Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Szilard, Leo

Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Teller, Edward, 1908-2003

Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

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

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

Turkevich, Anthony, 1916-2002

Both employed at Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Wheeler, John Archibald, 1911-2008

Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

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

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

Young, Gale Jay

Both employed at the Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory, Manhattan Project.

Zacharias, Jerrold Reinach, 1905-1986

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

Elliott, William P.

Kurchatov, I. V. (Igorʹ Vasilʹevich), 1903-1960

Needell, Allan A.

Wilson, Robert R., 1914-2000

Institutions

Major Positions

Manhattan Project (U.S.)

Researcher, Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory.

Oak Ridge Associated Universities

Director, Institute for Energy Analysis and Distinguished Fellow.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Physicist, Clinton Laboratories; Director, Physics Division; Director of Research; and Director.

United States. Office of Scientific Research and Development. Metallurgical Laboratory

Researcher, Manhattan Project.

University of Chicago. Department of Physics

Obtained AB (1935), MS (1936), and PhD (1939). Assistant in Mathematical Biophysics.

Professional Activities & Affiliations

American Nuclear Society

President.

National Academy of Sciences (U.S.)

Member.

United States. Air Force

Member, Scientific Advisory Board.

United States. Department of Energy

Received 1980 Enrico Fermi Award.

United States. Federal Energy Administration

Director, Office of Energy Research and Development.

United States. President's Science Advisory Committee

Member.

Resources

Archival Resources

Author

Alvin Weinberg papers, 1940-1960.

Children's Museum of Oak Ridge.

461 West Outer Dr., Oak Ridge, TN 37830, USA

High energy physics session [sound recording], 1964 April 30.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Manhattan Project videohistory collection [videorecording], 1987-1990.

Smithsonian Institution. Archives.

Capital Gallery, Suite 3000, MRC 507, 600 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20024-2520, USA

Proceedings [sound recording] : papers presented at the Enrico Fermi and the beginnings of nuclear fission Centennial Conference. 2001 November 15 and 16.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Subject

Allan A. Needell research records, 1944-1981.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Fifty years with nuclear fission [videorecording]: highlights of the 1989 conference.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Igor V. Kurchatov papers.

Kurchatov Museum.

Kurchatov, I. V., Institute of Atomic Energy.

ul. Kurchatova, 46, Moscow 123182, Russia

Oral history interview with William P. Elliott, 1991 April 24.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

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

Dwight D. Eisenhower Library

Abilene, KS 67410, USA

Published Resources

Author

Continuing the nuclear dialogue : selected essays / Alvin M. Weinberg ; selected and with introductory comments by Russell M. Ball.

Nuclear reactions : science and trans-science / Alvin M. Weinberg.

Reflections on big science / [by] Alvin M. Weinberg.

The first nuclear era : the life and times of a technological fixer / Alvin M. Weinberg.

The physical theory of neutron chain reactors, by Alvin M. Weinberg & Eugene P. Wigner.

The Second nuclear era : a new start for nuclear power / Alvin M. Weinberg ... [et al.] ; Russ Manning, editor.

Theory of neutron chain reactions / by Alvin M. Weinberg, L. C. Noderer.

Subject

Alvin Martin Weinberg Physics Today obituary.

Alvin Weinberg National Academy of Sciences Biographical Memoir.

The presentation of the Atoms for Peace Award to Leo Szilard, Eugene Paul Wigner, Alvin Martin Weinberg, Walter Henry Zinn at the National Academy of Sciences, Washington, D.C., May 18, 1960.