Henry Hurwitz, Jr.

Henry Hurwitz, Jr. (December 25, 1918 - April 14, 1992), was a physicist at General Electric Company who pioneered the theory and design of nuclear power plants and helped engineer the reactor for the Seawolf nuclear submarine.

Biography

He was born in Manhattan on December 25, 1918. He graduated from Cornell University in 1938, with an M.S. in physics. He then went to Harvard University in 1939 and received a Ph.D. in in quantum mechanics in 1941. His first marriage ended in divorce.

In 1943 he was recruited by Hans Bethe to help Edward Teller's staff of researchers at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico develop the thermonuclear reactions for the hydrogen bomb. In 1946, Hurwitz became one of the first scientists to work at GE's Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory in Schenectady, New York. In 1947 he transferred to the GE Research and Development Center to become manager of the Nucleonics and Radiation Branch. His team of scientists used advanced theta-pinch techniques to harness fusion reactions.

In 1955, a year after Fortune Magazine named him as one of the top 10 scientists in U.S. industry, Hurwitz contributed to establishing the first atomic containment sphere for GE. The development advanced industry-wide safety protocols for enclosing nuclear reactors.

His interest in electronic devices, computer applications, and chemical engineering prompted GE to recognize Hurwitz's accomplishments in 1975 by naming him a Coolidge Fellow, the GE R&D Center's highest honor. Hurwitz also is noted for his efforts to raise awareness about the dangers of Radon, and later received the Glenn T. Seaborg Medal in 1989 from the American Nuclear Society.

He died on April 14, 1992 in Schenectady, New York of cancer, at age 73.Cite news
last = Lambert
first = Bruce
title = Henry Hurwitz, 73; Research Physicist Developed Reactors
publisher = New York Times
quote = Henry Hurwitz Jr., a research physicist who worked on plans for the hydrogen bomb and later helped develop nuclear power plants, died on Tuesday at his home in Schenectady, N.Y. He was 73 years old. He died of cancer, his family said.
date = April 16, 1992
url = http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE4DA1738F935A25757C0A964958260]

References

Further reading

*Cite web
title = People Briefs: Henry Hurwitz, Jr.
publisher = The Scientist
date = May 25, 1992
url = http://www.the-scientist.com/article/display/11375/
*Cite web
title = Henry Hurwitz
publisher = Access to Energy Newsletter
date = June 01, 1992
url = http://www.accesstoenergy.com/view/atearchive/s76a5755.htm
*Cite web
title = Henry Hurwitz Jr.
publisher = The Earnest Orlando Lawrence Award
date = 1961
url = http://www.science.doe.gov/lawrence/html/Laureates/1960s/henryh.htm
*Cite web
title = Henry Hurwitz Jr.
publisher = Seaborg Medal
date = 1961
url = http://www.ans.org/honors/recipients/va-seaborg
*Cite web
title = Henry Hurwitz Jr. on Radon
url = http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DEEDD1239F930A2575AC0A961948260&sec=&spon=