George Samuel Hurst facts for kids

George Samuel Hurst (born October 13, 1927 – died July 4, 2010) was an important American scientist. He was a health physicist and a physics professor. He taught at the University of Kentucky. Health physics is about protecting people from radiation.

Early Life of George Hurst

George Hurst was born on October 13, 1927. His hometown was Ponza, Bell County, Kentucky. This was a small, rural town near Pineville, Kentucky. His parents were James H. and Myrtle Wright Hurst.

George grew up on his family's farm. He had two brothers and two sisters. As a boy, he was very interested in Thomas Edison. Edison was a famous inventor. George Hurst passed away in 2010. He was buried at Oak Ridge Memorial Park.

George Hurst's Education

George Hurst went to Bell County High School. It was located in Pineville, Kentucky. He was very smart and started college early. At just 15 years old, he enrolled at Berea College.

In 1947, he earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree. His main subject was physics. He also studied mathematics. After Berea College, he went to the University of Kentucky. He earned his Master of Science (M.S.) degree in physics in 1948.

While at the University of Kentucky, he met Rufus Ritchie. They became good friends. They also worked on many projects together. Later, in 1959, Hurst earned his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree. He studied physics at the University of Tennessee.

George Hurst's Work and Research

In 1948, George Hurst began working at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). He joined the Health Physics Division. His job was to help develop ways to measure radiation. He also worked on tools for detecting radiation.

Radiation Measurement and Safety

Hurst made big contributions to radiation safety. He helped create better radiation detectors. These tools measure how much radiation is present. He also worked on ways to measure neutron radiation. Neutrons are tiny particles found in atoms.

He worked on projects for the United States Atomic Energy Commission. This included Operation Upshot–Knothole and Operation Plumbbob. These were tests at the Nevada Test Site. Hurst helped collect data on radiation exposure. This was important for human safety during the tests.

Electron Transport Studies

In the 1960s, Hurst led research on how electrons move. He worked with a team of scientists. They studied electron movement in different gases. These gases included ethylene, water vapor, and hydrogen.

They used a method called "time-of-flight." This method measures how long it takes for electrons to travel. This research helped scientists understand how electrons behave. It also helped determine how easily gases capture electrons.

Awards and Honors

George Hurst received many awards for his work.

• IR-100 Award: He won this award three times. It recognizes new and important inventions.
• Union Carbide: He was named a Corporate Fellow.
• American Physical Society: He was recognized as a Fellow.
• University of Kentucky: He was inducted into the Alumni Association Hall of Distinguished Alumni.
• Berea College: He received an honorary Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) degree.
• University of Tennessee: He received the Physics Department's Distinguished Alumni Award in 2005.
• University of Tennessee: A scholarship fund was created in his and his wife's name. It supports physics students.
• Bell County High School: He is recognized as a notable alumni.

Professional Groups

George Hurst was part of several important groups.

• Florida State University: He was a visiting professor there.
• Health Physics Society: This is a group for health physicists.
• Scientists and Engineers for Appalachia (SEA): He helped start this group.
• University of Tennessee: He founded and directed the Institute of Resonance Ionization Spectroscopy.

Inventions and Patents

George Hurst was also an inventor. He held 15 patents. A patent protects an invention. It means others cannot make or sell it without permission. His inventions included:

• Ways to detect atoms using special light.
• Methods for detecting noble gas atoms.
• Systems for analyzing samples.
• Sensitive ways to count atoms.
• A special mass spectrometer.
• Radiation detector systems.
• Radon monitor and control systems.
• Systems to determine radon health risks.
• Instrument simulator systems.
• Touch screen technologies.

Businesses George Hurst Started

George Hurst also started or helped start five businesses.

• Elographics: Founded in 1971. This company developed a type of resistive touchscreen technology. Many of his patents were related to this.
• Atom Sciences
• Pellissippi International: Started in 1988.
• Consultec Scientific: Started in 1990.