James Andrew Harris facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James Andrew Harris
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| Born | March 26, 1932 |
| Died | December 12, 2000 (aged 68) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Nuclear chemist |
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Notable work
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Co-discovery of rutherfordium and dubnium |
James Andrew Harris (born March 26, 1932 – died December 12, 2000) was an American scientist. He was a radiochemist, which means he studied radioactive materials. Harris helped discover two new chemical elements: rutherfordium (element 104) and dubnium (element 105). He led a special group at the University of California-Berkeley. Harris was also the first African American to help discover new elements.
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About James Andrew Harris
James A. Harris was born on March 26, 1932, in Waco, Texas. His parents divorced when he was young. After that, he moved to Oakland, California with his mother.
Harris met his wife Helen at Huston-Tillotson College. They were both studying there. They got married in 1957 and had five children. Their children were Cedric, Keith, Hilda, Kimberly, and James II.
Before he got married, Harris served in the Army. He worked as a personnel supervisor specialist. He enjoyed playing golf, traveling, and helping his community. James A. Harris passed away suddenly on December 12, 2000.
His Education Journey
James A. Harris finished high school at McClymonds High School in Oakland, California. After high school, he went back to Texas. He attended Huston-Tillotson College in Austin, Texas.
He first went to college on a music scholarship. But he soon changed his major to chemistry. He earned his bachelor of science degree in 1953. In 1975, Harris earned a master's degree. This was in Public Administration from California State University, Hayward.
In 1973, Huston-Tillotson College gave Harris an honorary doctorate. This special award recognized his help in discovering rutherfordium and dubnium. Harris was also a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, a group for African American men.
His Scientific Career
Harris's first job in science was as a radiochemist. He worked at Tracerlab Inc., a research lab in Richmond, California. He worked there for five years.
Harris then joined the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory. This lab was part of the University of California, Berkeley. He worked in the nuclear chemistry department. His early work involved studying how atoms decay.
He also helped improve a method called neutron activation analysis. This method uses germanium detectors. Harris then joined the Heavy Isotopes Production Group. This team worked to make new, heavy elements.
Discovering New Elements
Harris's main job was to create very pure targets. These targets were used in Berkeley's Heavy Ion Linear Accelerator. This machine helped discover elements 104 and 105. The targets had to be very clean, with almost no lead. His co-workers praised his excellent work.
Harris and his team also studied element 104. They wanted to see how it behaved. This helped them figure out where it should go on the periodic table.
Two science teams were trying to discover elements 104 and 105 at the same time. One was Harris's team in California. The other was a group of Russian scientists. Both teams found the elements around 1969 and 1970. Because of this, there was a debate about who found them first.
In 1997, the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry made a decision. Element 104 was named rutherfordium. This name was suggested by the American team. It honors Ernest Rutherford, a famous British physicist. Element 105 was named dubnium. This name honors Dubna, the city where the Russian team worked.
Later Career and Outreach
As the leader of the Heavy Isotopes Production Group, Harris kept looking for other heavy elements. Scientists hoped these elements might be more stable. This could make them useful for medicine or energy.
Six years after finding elements 104 and 105, Harris took a new job. He worked for the Berkeley Lab Office of Equal Opportunity. There, he helped recruit more women and minority scientists. He worked with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). He also formed partnerships with engineering colleges.
In 1977, Harris was promoted again. He became the Head of Engineering and Technical Services Division. He retired from the lab in 1988.
During his career and after retiring, Harris worked with students. He encouraged African American students to study science. He received many awards for this work. These awards came from groups like the Urban League. He also received awards from the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers.
Awards and Honors
- Honorary PhD from Huston-Tillotson College (1973)
- Scientific Merit Award from the Mayor of Richmond, CA
- Certificate of Merit from the Black Dignity Science Association
Organizations He Joined
Harris was a member of these organizations:
- National Society of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers
- Nuclear Target Society
- American Chemical Society
- AEC Transplutonium Program
- Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity
See also
In Spanish: James Andrew Harris para niños
