Lyle Benjamin Borst facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lyle Benjamin Borst
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| Born | 24 November 1912 |
| Died | 30 July 2002 (aged 89) |
| Alma mater | University of Illinois University of Chicago |
| Known for | Numerous inventions Nuclear Train |
| Spouse(s) | Ruth Barbara Mayer |
| Children | John Benjamin Borst Stephen Lyle Borst Frances Elizabeth Wright |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Nuclear physics |
| Institutions | Manhattan Project Clinton Engineering Works Oak Ridge National Laboratory Brookhaven National Laboratory University of Utah New York University State University of New York |
| Thesis | The Angular Distribution of Recoil Nuclei (1941) |
| Doctoral advisor | William Draper Harkins |
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Lyle Benjamin Borst (born November 24, 1912 – died July 30, 2002) was an American scientist who studied nuclear physics. This field looks at the tiny parts inside atoms. He was also a clever inventor.
Borst worked with other famous scientists like Enrico Fermi. He was also part of the top-secret Manhattan Project, which developed the first atomic bombs. He helped study tiny particles called neutrons.
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About Lyle Borst's Life
Lyle Benjamin Borst was born in Chicago, Illinois, on November 24, 1912. His parents were George William Borst and Jennie Beveridge. He lived a long life and passed away at his home in Williamsville, New York, on July 30, 2002.
He was married to Ruth Barbara Mayer Borst for 63 years. Together, they had three children: John Benjamin, Stephen Lyle, and Frances Elizabeth Wright. He also had many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Lyle Borst's Career in Science
Lyle Borst went to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for his first degrees. Later, he earned a special doctorate degree in chemistry from the University of Chicago in 1941.
From 1943 to 1946, Borst worked as a senior scientist on the Manhattan Project. This work took place at the Clinton Laboratories in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
Neutron Studies and Inventions
In 1944, Borst worked with Ernest O. Wollan to study how neutrons behave. They used a method called neutron diffraction to look at crystals like gypsum and salt.
In 1946, Borst and Karl Z. Morgan created a special film badge. This badge helped measure how much radiation workers were exposed to. It was important for safety in nuclear labs.
Leading Research and Teaching
From 1946 to 1951, Borst led the Department of Reactor Science and Engineering at Brookhaven National Laboratory. He was in charge of running the Brookhaven Graphite Research Reactor. He also helped design this important research reactor.
Borst later became a professor. He taught physics at the University of Utah from 1951 to 1953. Then, from 1956 to 1961, he led the Physics Department at New York University.
From 1961 to 1983, he was a physics professor at the State University of New York in Buffalo, New York. He was named a special "Professor Emeritus" in 1983, which means he kept his title after retiring. In 1969, he also served as the "Master" of Clifford Furnas College at the State University of New York at Buffalo.
Professional Groups and Service
Lyle Borst was part of several important scientific and public service groups:
- Member of the National Board of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
- Chairman of the ACLU's Niagara Frontier Chapter.
- Fellow of the American Physical Society.
- Member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
- A founding member of the Association of Oak Ridge Scientists.
- A founder of the Federation of Atomic Scientists.
Lyle Borst's Inventions (Patents)
Lyle Borst was a very active inventor and held many patents for his ideas. Here are some of them:
- Adjustable support for spectrometer reflectors. (1951)
- Method of testing hermetic containers. (1959)
- Central control system. (1959)
- Neutronic reactor shielding. (1961)
- Convergent Neutronic Reactor. (1962)
- Neutron amplifier. (1962)
- Process for cooling a nuclear reactor. (1962)
- Improvements in neutron reactors. (1962)
- Temperature measuring method and apparatus. (1963)
- Nuclear reactor for a railway vehicle. (1964)
- Neutron reactors. (1965)
- Nuclear power reactor. (1965)
- Process for controlling thermal neutron concentration in an irradiated system. (1966)
- Neutron amplifier. (1966)
- Photographic process. (1976)
