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Erwin Hahn
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Born
Erwin Louis Hahn

(1921-06-09)June 9, 1921
Died September 20, 2016(2016-09-20) (aged 95)
Berkeley, California
Alma mater Juniata College
University of Illinois
Awards Oliver E. Buckley Condensed Matter Prize (1971)
Wolf Prize in Physics (1983/4)
Scientific career
Fields Physics
Institutions Stanford University
University of California

Erwin Louis Hahn was an American physicist. He was born on June 9, 1921, and passed away on September 20, 2016. He is best known for his important work with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). In 1950, he made a big discovery called the spin echo. This discovery helped doctors see inside the human body.

Early Life and Education

Erwin Hahn grew up in Sewickley, Pennsylvania. He earned his first degree in Physics from Juniata College. Later, he studied at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. There, he earned his Master's and Ph.D. degrees. During his time in the United States Navy, he taught about radar and sonar.

His Work in Physics

From 1955 to 1991, Professor Hahn taught physics. He worked at the University of California, Berkeley. After 1991, he became a Professor Emeritus. This means he was still connected to the university. His work on pulsed magnetic resonance was very important. He also developed ways to refocus signals. These ideas are key to how modern MRI machines work today.

Awards and Recognition

Erwin Hahn received many awards for his amazing work. In 1971, he became a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He also won the Comstock Prize in Physics in 1993. This award came from the National Academy of Sciences.

In 2013, a famous scientist named Sir Peter Mansfield said something special. He mentioned that Hahn should have won the Nobel Prize. This was for his ideas about spin echoes. In 2016, Hahn received the Gold Medal. This was from the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM). It is the highest honor from that group. He passed away at 95 years old in 2016.

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