Herman Brenner White facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Herman Brenner White
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White in Fermilab in 2005
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| Born | 28 September 1948 |
| Alma mater | Michigan State University Earlham College |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | Fermilab North Central College |
Herman Brenner White is an American physicist. He was born on September 28, 1948. He works at a famous science lab called Fermilab. In 2010, he won a special award called the American Physical Society Edward A. Bouchet Award.
Early Life and Learning
Herman White grew up in Tuskegee, Alabama. He went to Tuskegee Institute High School. There, he became very interested in nuclear engineering.
He lived in a time when communities were separated by race. He believed that being an excellent student could show that everyone deserved a good education. He studied nuclear physics at Earlham College.
Later, he earned his bachelor's degree in physics from Michigan State University in 1970. He also studied at CERN, a big science lab in Europe. He worked at Argonne National Laboratory too.
In 1974, he earned his master's degree. That same year, he joined Fermilab. He was the first African-American physicist to work there.
His Work in Science
Dr. White has had many important jobs at Fermilab since 1974. He worked with a supervisor named Ray Stefanski. Together, they found a simple way to figure out how many neutrinos were present.
He continued his studies and earned his PhD from Florida State University in 1991. He also worked on projects involving particles called kaons. In 1994, he became a professor at North Central College.
Dr. White has worked on big experiments. These include studying neutrino oscillation and other tiny particles. He studies how neutrinos interact with other matter.
In 2006, his life story was recorded by the HistoryMakers of Chicago. This is a special collection of oral histories.
Supporting Young Scientists
Dr. White cares a lot about helping students. He especially supports young people from different backgrounds. He wants them to have careers in physics.
In 2010, he received the Edward A. Bouchet Award. This award recognized his work on the Tevatron experiment. It also honored his great public service.
He helps guide several science groups. These include QuarkNet and the National Society of Black Physicists. He is also part of the Teachers Academy for Mathematics and Science in Chicago.
Dr. White has also advised important government groups. These include the United States Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation. He appeared in online videos for Science the Day! in 2017. In 2018, he shared his stories at The Story Collider event.
