Donald Frederick Hornig (March 17, 1920 – January 21, 2013) was an American chemist, explosives expert, teacher and presidential science advisor. He served as president of Brown University from 1970 to 1976.
Hornig was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the son of Chester Arthur Hornig and Emma Knuth. He attended Milwaukee Country Day School, then earned his undergraduate degree in chemistry from Harvard University. He was awarded his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1943, at the age of 23, with a dissertation on An Investigation of the Shock Wave Produced by an Explosion in Air.[1] On July 17, 1943, he was married to scientist Lilli Hornig. The couple had four children together: three girls, Joanna, Ellen, and Leslie, and one boy, Christopher.
After graduating, he started work at the Underwater Explosives Laboratory of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. While there, according to one obituary, he received an invitation to begin a new job, but he was not told what his duties would be, nor, initially, to where he would relocate. At first he refused, but Harvard University President James B. Conant helped persuade him to reconsider.[2] Thus, he joined the Los Alamos Laboratory, where he was a group leader in the Manhattan Project. He worked on the firing unit that was used for the implosion of the plutonium device.[3] He helped prepare the first atomic bomb, Trinity, and witnessed its explosion, the first detonation of a nuclear device. He was sent up to the top of the tower twice the previous day to reassure a nervous Robert Oppenheimer that all was well.[2]
In 1946 he joined the staff of Brown University as an assistant professor, and became a full professor in 1951. From 1951 to 1952 he was associate dean of the graduate school, then acting dean the following year. In 1957 he became a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the same year he moved to Princeton University in 1957. Later became chairman of the Princeton chemistry department.[4]
Shortly before President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, he announced Hornig as the presidential science advisor. Hornig assumed office on January 24, 1964, but did not enjoy good relations with the new president, Lyndon Baines Johnson, who enjoyed a poor relationship with many scientists.[2] He left office at the end of the president's term in 1969, and accepted an executive position with Eastman Kodak Company.[5]
In 1970 he became president of Brown University, and he remained in office until he resigned in 1976. The end of his term was noted for financial cutbacks at the university, which was met by student protests. Thereafter he became Professor of Chemistry in Public Health at Harvard University. From 1987 to 1990 he served the Harvard University School of Public Health as chairman of the Department of Environmental Health. He retired in 1990.[6]
^ abcDonald Hornig, Last to See First A-Bomb, Dies at 92, The New York Times, January 26, 2013
^Borman, Stu (July 17, 1995). . Chemical & Engineering News Archive. Chemical & Engineering News. 73 (29): 53–63. doi:10.1021/cen-v073n029.p053. Archived from the original (Abstract) on May 13, 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-27.
^Staff. "Donald Hornig". Brown University. Retrieved 2008-05-27.
^Boffey, Philip M. (January 31, 1969). "The Hornig Years: Did LBJ Neglect His Science Advisor?". Science. 163 (3866): 453–458. Bibcode:1969Sci...163..453B. doi:10.1126/science.163.3866.453. ISSN 0036-8075. PMID 17731760.
^"Dr. Donald Hornig". Colorado University-Boulder. Retrieved 2008-05-27.
^. Archived from the original on 2013-06-16. Retrieved 2013-04-18.
^Morgan, Thomas J. (2013-01-22). "Donald F. Hornig dies; was president of Brown University". Breaking News. The Providence Journal. Retrieved 2013-07-23.
^"Charles Lathrop Parsons Award". American Chemical Society. Retrieved 2008-05-27.
^President's Office (August 5, 1996). . Boston College. Archived from the original on September 15, 2007. Retrieved 2008-05-27.
^Staff (June 19, 2006). "Honorary Degrees". University of Maryland Libraries. Retrieved 2008-05-27.
^Staff (2008). . Archives and Records Management, Syracuse University. Archived from the original on 2010-06-09. Retrieved 2008-05-27.
External linksedit
Episode of The Memory Palace podcast about Horning's peculiar role during the first A-Bomb test
donald, hornig, donald, frederick, hornig, march, 1920, january, 2013, american, chemist, explosives, expert, teacher, presidential, science, advisor, served, president, brown, university, from, 1970, 1976, 14th, president, brown, universityin, office, 1970, 1. Donald Frederick Hornig March 17 1920 January 21 2013 was an American chemist explosives expert teacher and presidential science advisor He served as president of Brown University from 1970 to 1976 Donald Hornig14th President of Brown UniversityIn office 1970 1976Preceded byRay HeffnerSucceeded byHoward SwearerDirector of the Office of Science and TechnologyIn office January 24 1964 January 20 1969PresidentLyndon B JohnsonPreceded byJerome WiesnerSucceeded byLee DuBridgePersonal detailsBornDonald Frederick Hornig 1920 08 17 August 17 1920Milwaukee Wisconsin U S DiedJanuary 21 2013 2013 01 21 aged 92 Providence Rhode Island U S EducationHarvard University BS MS PhD Contents 1 Life and career 2 In popular culture 3 Awards and honors 4 References 5 External linksLife and career editHornig was born in Milwaukee Wisconsin the son of Chester Arthur Hornig and Emma Knuth He attended Milwaukee Country Day School then earned his undergraduate degree in chemistry from Harvard University He was awarded his Ph D from Harvard University in 1943 at the age of 23 with a dissertation on An Investigation of the Shock Wave Produced by an Explosion in Air 1 On July 17 1943 he was married to scientist Lilli Hornig The couple had four children together three girls Joanna Ellen and Leslie and one boy Christopher After graduating he started work at the Underwater Explosives Laboratory of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute While there according to one obituary he received an invitation to begin a new job but he was not told what his duties would be nor initially to where he would relocate At first he refused but Harvard University President James B Conant helped persuade him to reconsider 2 Thus he joined the Los Alamos Laboratory where he was a group leader in the Manhattan Project He worked on the firing unit that was used for the implosion of the plutonium device 3 He helped prepare the first atomic bomb Trinity and witnessed its explosion the first detonation of a nuclear device He was sent up to the top of the tower twice the previous day to reassure a nervous Robert Oppenheimer that all was well 2 In 1946 he joined the staff of Brown University as an assistant professor and became a full professor in 1951 From 1951 to 1952 he was associate dean of the graduate school then acting dean the following year In 1957 he became a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the same year he moved to Princeton University in 1957 Later became chairman of the Princeton chemistry department 4 Shortly before President John F Kennedy was assassinated in 1963 he announced Hornig as the presidential science advisor Hornig assumed office on January 24 1964 but did not enjoy good relations with the new president Lyndon Baines Johnson who enjoyed a poor relationship with many scientists 2 He left office at the end of the president s term in 1969 and accepted an executive position with Eastman Kodak Company 5 In 1970 he became president of Brown University and he remained in office until he resigned in 1976 The end of his term was noted for financial cutbacks at the university which was met by student protests Thereafter he became Professor of Chemistry in Public Health at Harvard University From 1987 to 1990 he served the Harvard University School of Public Health as chairman of the Department of Environmental Health He retired in 1990 6 Since 2013 Hornig has been listed on the Advisory Council of the National Center for Science Education 7 Hornig died from Alzheimer s disease 8 in Providence Rhode Island on January 21 2013 9 In popular culture editIn the 2023 film Oppenheimer directed by Christopher Nolan Hornig was portrayed by actor David Rysdahl Awards and honors editWinner of the Charles Lathrop Parsons Award of the American Chemical Society 1967 10 Honorary LL D from Boston College November 12 1966 11 Honorary D Sc from the University of Maryland 1965 12 Honorary D Sc from Syracuse University 1968 13 Member of the National Academy of Sciences Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences Member of the American Philosophical Society Recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship Recipient of a Fulbright Fellowship References edit Donald Frederick Hornig at the Mathematics Genealogy Project a b c Donald Hornig Last to See First A Bomb Dies at 92 The New York Times January 26 2013 Borman Stu July 17 1995 Chemists Reminisce On 50th Anniversary Of The Atomic Bomb Chemical amp Engineering News Archive Chemical amp Engineering News 73 29 53 63 doi 10 1021 cen v073n029 p053 Archived from the original Abstract on May 13 2008 Retrieved 2008 05 27 Staff Donald Hornig Brown University Retrieved 2008 05 27 Boffey Philip M January 31 1969 The Hornig Years Did LBJ Neglect His Science Advisor Science 163 3866 453 458 Bibcode 1969Sci 163 453B doi 10 1126 science 163 3866 453 ISSN 0036 8075 PMID 17731760 Dr Donald Hornig Colorado University Boulder Retrieved 2008 05 27 Advisory Council ncse com National Center for Science Education 2008 07 15 Archived from the original on 2013 08 10 Retrieved 2018 10 30 American Institute of Physics Archived from the original on 2013 06 16 Retrieved 2013 04 18 Morgan Thomas J 2013 01 22 Donald F Hornig dies was president of Brown University Breaking News The Providence Journal Retrieved 2013 07 23 Charles Lathrop Parsons Award American Chemical Society Retrieved 2008 05 27 President s Office August 5 1996 Honorary Degrees Awarded by Boston College 1952 1995 Boston College Archived from the original on September 15 2007 Retrieved 2008 05 27 Staff June 19 2006 Honorary Degrees University of Maryland Libraries Retrieved 2008 05 27 Staff 2008 Recipient of Honorary Degrees Archives and Records Management Syracuse University Archived from the original on 2010 06 09 Retrieved 2008 05 27 External links editOral History Interview with Donald Hornig from the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library Episode of The Memory Palace podcast about Horning s peculiar role during the first A Bomb testGovernment officesPreceded byJerome Wiesner Director of the Office of Science and Technology1964 1969 Succeeded byLee DuBridgeAcademic officesPreceded byRay Heffner President of Brown University1970 1976 Succeeded byHoward Swearer Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Donald Hornig amp oldid 1170031896, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
