Manson Benedict (October 9, 1907 – September 18, 2006)
was an American
nuclear engineer and a professor of
nuclear engineering at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a Private university, private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1861, MIT has played a significant role in the development of many areas of moder ...
(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 university, private Ivy League research university based in Ithaca, New York, United States. The university was co-founded by American philanthropist Ezra Cornell and historian and educator Andrew Dickson W ...
in
chemistry
Chemistry is the scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a physical science within the natural sciences that studies the chemical elements that make up matter and chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules a ...
, 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, statistical mech ...
. 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.
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 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 program undertaken during World War II to produce the first nuclear weapons. It was led by the United States in collaboration with the United Kingdom and Canada.
From 1942 to 1946, the ...
during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, 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 by ...
and other peaceful uses of atomic energy. Among his awards were: the William H. Walker award in 1947, the
Perkin Medal in 1966, the Robert E. Wilson Award in 1968, the
Enrico Fermi Award in 1972, the Golden Plate Award of the
American Academy of Achievement 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 science, behavior ...
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 (The Academy) 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, and other ...
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) is an American scholarly organization and learned society founded in 1743 in Philadelphia that promotes knowledge in the humanities and natural sciences through research, professional meetings, publicat ...
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, 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, United States. The town is six miles (10 km) northwest of Boston, Massachusetts, Boston, and its population was 46,308 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census.
History
Europe ...
, 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 a southwestern suburb of Chicago located west of the city on the DuPage River. As of the 2020 United State ...
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