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Biographies
DOCTOR
ROBERT ANDREWS MILLIKAN
Doctor Robert Andrews Millikan, physicist, was born in Morrison, Illinois, on March 22, 1968; son of Reverend Silas Franklin and Mary Jane (Andrews).
Received the A.B. degree from Oberlin in 1891 and the A.M. degree in 1893 (Sc.D. degree, 1911); Ph.D. degree from Columbia in 1895 (Sc.D. degree, 1917); studied in the Universities of Berlin and Gottingen, 1895-96; received the Sc.D. degree from Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, Amherst, University of Dublin, Yale University, Leeds University, Princeton, New York University, Harvard, University of Rochester, University of Melbourne; LL.D. degree from University of California, University of Colorado, University of Michigan, University of Southern California, Mills College, Loyola University, University of Chicago, William Jewell College (Missouri); honorary Ph.D. degree from King John Casimer University (Poland), University of Ghent; Docteur Honoris Causa from University of Liege and University of Paris.
Doctor Millikan was a tutor in physics at Oberlin, 1891-93; member of physics staff at University of Chicago, 1896-1921; director of Norman Bridge Laboratory of Physics, and chairman of Executive Council of California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, 1921-46; professor emeritus and vice president of Board of Trustees since 1946.
Served as lieutenant colonel with the signal Corps, United States Army, 1918, and chief of Science and Research Division of the Air Corps, then in the Signal corps; American member on Committee on Intellectual Cooperation of League of Nations, 1923-1930; Fellow in Germany of Oberlaender Trust, 1931; trustee of Huntington Library; Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, A.A.A.S. (President, 1929); member of National Academy of Sciences, American Philosophical Society, American Physical Society (president, 1916-18), and honorary member of twenty-one foreign scientific societies; member of Sigma Xi, Phi Beta Kappa; associate of Royal Academy of Belgium, 1935; honorary Fellow of Indian Academy of Sciences, Stanford University, 1941. Member of the University Club of New York and Sunset Club of Los Angeles.
Doctor Millikan is the author (or co-author) of “Experiments in Physics,” 1898; “Theory of Optics” (translated from the German), 1900; “Mechanics, Molecular Physics and Heat,” 1903; “A First Course in Physics,” 1906; “A Laboratory Course in Physics for Secondary Schools,” 1906; “Electricity, Sound and Light,” 1908; “The Electron,” 1917, ‘25; “Science and Life,” 1923; “Elements of Physics,” 1917; “Evolution of Science and Religion,” 1927; “A First Course in Physics for Colleges,” 1928; “Science and the New Civilization,” 1930; “Time, Matter and Values,” 1932; “Electrons (plus and minus), Protons, Photons, Neutrons and Cosmic Rays,” 1935, revised and enlarged edition, 1947; “New Elementary Physics,” 1936; “Mechanics, Molecular Physics, Heat and Sound,” 1937; “Cosmic Rays,” 1939; Autobiography, Prentice Hall, 1950. Contributor to technical journals.
On April 10, 1902, he married Greta Irvin Blanchard; children: Clark Blanchard, Glenn Allan (deceased) and Max Franklin.
Doctor Millikan has received more than eighteen awards and decorations from societies and institutions, both in American and foreign countries.
Home: 1640 Oak Grove Avenue, San Marino, California.
Address: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California.
Transcribed: 1-28-14 Marilyn R. Pankey.
Source: Eminent
Californians 1953, by Lee E. Johnson & C. W. Taylor. Pages 219-220, C. W. Taylor
Publ., Palo Alto, California, 1953.
© 2014 Marilyn R. Pankey.
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