Manson Benedict (October 9, 1907 – September 18, 2006) was an American

nuclear engineer Nuclear engineering is the branch of engineering concerned with the application of breaking down atomic nuclei ( fission) or of combining atomic nuclei ( fusion), or with the application of other sub-atomic processes based on the principles of n ...

and a professor of nuclear engineering at the

Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private land-grant research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, MIT has played a key role in the development of modern technology and science, and is one of the ...

(MIT). From 1958 to 1968, he was the chairman of the advisory committee to the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission.

Biography

Born in Lake Linden, Michigan to a Jewish family, Benedict received a B.S. from

Cornell University Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to tea ...

in chemistry, and worked for two years at National Aniline and Chemical Co. before returning to graduate school, earning a Ph.D. from MIT in

physical chemistry Physical chemistry is the study of macroscopic and microscopic phenomena in chemical systems in terms of the principles, practices, and concepts of physics such as motion, energy, force, time, thermodynamics, quantum chemistry, statistica ...

. It was at MIT where he met his wife Marjorie, who also received a Ph.D. in chemistry. He then became a research chemist at the M. W. Kellogg Limited, where his contributions included the 1940 publication of the

Benedict–Webb–Rubin equation The Benedict–Webb–Rubin equation (BWR), named after Manson Benedict, G. B. Webb, and L. C. Rubin, is an equation of state used in fluid dynamics. Working at the research laboratory of the M. W. Kellogg Company, the three researchers rearranged ...

. Benedict was well known for his pioneering role in nuclear engineering. He developed the gaseous diffusion method for separating the isotopes of uranium and supervised the engineering and process development of the

K-25 K-25 was the codename given by the Manhattan Project to the program to produce enriched uranium for atomic bombs using the gaseous diffusion method. Originally the codename for the product, over time it came to refer to the project, the prod ...

plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, where fissionable material for the atomic bomb was produced. He received many awards for his work on the

Manhattan Project The Manhattan Project was a research and development undertaking during World War II that produced the first nuclear weapons. It was led by the United States with the support of the United Kingdom and Canada. From 1942 to 1946, the project w ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, and for his later career as a scientist, educator, and public servant, which focused on

nuclear power Nuclear power is the use of nuclear reactions to produce electricity. Nuclear power can be obtained from nuclear fission, nuclear decay and nuclear fusion reactions. Presently, the vast majority of electricity from nuclear power is produced ...

and other peaceful uses of atomic energy. Among his awards were: the William H. Walker award in 1947, the

Perkin Medal The Perkin Medal is an award given annually by the Society of Chemical Industry (American Section) to a scientist residing in America for an "innovation in applied chemistry resulting in outstanding commercial development." It is considered the ...

in 1966, the Robert E. Wilson Award in 1968, the

Enrico Fermi Award The Enrico Fermi Award is a scientific award conferred by the President of the United States. It is awarded to honor scientists of international stature for their lifetime achievement in the development, use, or production of energy. It was establ ...

in 1972, the Golden Plate Award of the

American Academy of Achievement The American Academy of Achievement, colloquially known as the Academy of Achievement, is a non-profit educational organization that recognizes some of the highest achieving individuals in diverse fields and gives them the opportunity to meet ...

in 1973, and the

National Medal of Science The National Medal of Science is an honor bestowed by the President of the United States to individuals in science and engineering who have made important contributions to the advancement of knowledge in the fields of behavioral and social scienc ...

from President Gerald Ford in 1975. He was elected a Fellow of the

American Academy of Arts and Sciences The American Academy of Arts and Sciences (abbreviation: AAA&S) is one of the oldest learned societies in the United States. It was founded in 1780 during the American Revolution by John Adams, John Hancock, James Bowdoin, Andrew Oliver, a ...

in 1952, a member of the National Academy of Sciences in 1956, and a member of the

American Philosophical Society The American Philosophical Society (APS), founded in 1743 in Philadelphia, is a scholarly organization that promotes knowledge in the sciences and humanities through research, professional meetings, publications, library resources, and communit ...

in 1977. From 1958 to 1968, Benedict was a member and chair of the Advisory Committee of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, appointed by Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy. He established the Nuclear Engineering department at MIT in 1958 (prior to 1958 it was a program in Chemical Engineering started by Benedict in 1951), and was head of the department until 1971. He had a role in educating over 500 graduate students. He died at his home in

Naples, Florida Naples is a city in Collier County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the historical city (i.e. in the immediate vicinity of downtown Naples) was 19,115. Naples is a principal city of the Naples-Marco Island, Flori ...

, aged 98. His wife Marjorie died in 1995 after 59 years of marriage. Two daughters, Marjorie Cohn of

Arlington, Massachusetts Arlington is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. The town is six miles (10 km) northwest of Boston, and its population was 46,308 at the 2020 census. History European colonists settled the Town of Arlington in 1635 as a village w ...

, and Mary Sauer of

Naperville, Illinois Naperville ( ) is a city in DuPage County, Illinois, DuPage and Will County, Illinois, Will counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is in the Chicago metro area, west of the city. Naperville was founded in 1831 by Joseph Naper. The city was ...

and Naples, Florida, three grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren survive him.

References

External links

MIT Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering

{{DEFAULTSORT:Benedict, Manson 1907 births 2006 deaths Jewish American scientists Jewish engineers American nuclear engineers Cornell University alumni Manhattan Project people Massachusetts Institute of Technology School of Science alumni MIT School of Engineering faculty National Medal of Science laureates Oak Ridge National Laboratory people People from Houghton County, Michigan Members of the United States National Academy of Sciences Members of the United States National Academy of Engineering American physical chemists Enrico Fermi Award recipients 20th-century American engineers 20th-century American Jews 21st-century American Jews Members of the American Philosophical Society