Richard Smalley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard Errett Smalley
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Richard Errett Smalley
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| Born | June 6, 1943 |
| Died | October 28, 2005 (aged 62) Houston, Texas, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Hope College University of Michigan Princeton University |
| Known for | buckminsterfullerene |
| Awards | Irving Langmuir Award (1991) E. O. Lawrence Award (1991) EPS Europhysics Prize (1994) Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1996) |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | Rice University |
| Thesis | The lower electronic states of 1,3,5 symtriazine (1974) |
| Doctoral advisor | Elliot R. Bernstein |
Richard Errett Smalley (June 6, 1943 – October 28, 2005) was an American chemist. He was a professor at Rice University. In 1996, he won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. He shared the prize with Robert Curl and Harold Kroto. They discovered a new form of carbon called buckminsterfullerene. These are also known as buckyballs. Smalley was also a big supporter of nanotechnology.
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Richard Smalley's Early Life and Education
Richard Smalley was born in Akron, Ohio, on June 6, 1943. He was the youngest of four children. He grew up in Kansas City, Missouri. His family greatly influenced his interest in science.
Family Influences on Smalley's Career
Richard's father worked with machines and electronics. His mother loved science and shared this passion with him. She even earned her college degree when Richard was a teenager. His aunt, Sara Jane Rhoads, was a pioneering chemist. She let him work in her lab. She also suggested he attend Hope College. This college had a strong chemistry program.
Smalley's College and Graduate Studies
Smalley first studied at Hope College. He then transferred to the University of Michigan. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree there in 1965. He also worked in industry, which helped him develop his unique leadership style. He later earned his Ph.D. from Princeton University in 1973. After that, he did special research at the University of Chicago. He helped create a new way to study molecules using lasers.
Smalley's Career at Rice University
In 1976, Smalley joined Rice University. He became a top professor of chemistry there in 1982. He helped start the Rice Quantum Institute in 1979. This institute focused on quantum science. He also helped create the Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology in 1990. He became its director in 1996.
He was recognized for his work by joining important groups. These included the National Academy of Sciences in 1990. He also joined the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1991.
Discovery of Fullerenes (Buckyballs)
Smalley's research involved studying tiny clusters of atoms. He used special tools to do this. Another chemist, Robert Curl, introduced him to Harry Kroto. They wanted to study carbon dust from old stars. This teamwork led to an amazing discovery. They found C60, which they called buckminsterfullerene. This was a new form of carbon.
Smalley realized that C60 looked like a soccer ball. It was made of 20 hexagons and 12 pentagons. He named it after Buckminster Fuller. Fuller was an architect known for his dome designs. This discovery was very important. It showed that carbon could exist in more forms than just diamond and graphite.
The research that won them the Nobel Prize was published in three main articles. These articles described the discovery of C60. They also talked about other similar carbon structures. Several graduate students helped with this important work.
Advancing Nanotechnology Research
After discovering fullerenes, Smalley continued his research. He explored other types of fullerenes. He also studied carbon nanotubes. These are tiny, tube-shaped carbon structures. Smalley was very interested in making them.
He convinced Rice University to create a center for molecular nanotechnology. This center focused on tiny materials. After Smalley's death, it was renamed in his honor. It is now called the Smalley-Curl Institute.
Smalley's lab focused mainly on carbon nanotubes. They even had a slogan: "If it ain't tubes, we don't do it." His group invented a method called HiPco. This method helps make large amounts of high-quality nanotubes. Smalley even started a company to develop these technologies.
Debate on Molecular Assemblers
Smalley was a strong critic of "molecular assemblers." These are imaginary tiny robots that could build things atom by atom. Another scientist, K. Eric Drexler, supported this idea. Smalley argued that these assemblers were not practical. He called his objections the "fat fingers problem" and the "sticky fingers problem." He also worried that talk of dangerous "gray goo" from these robots could harm nanotechnology research. He debated Drexler in published letters.
Smalley's Advocacy for Humanity
Starting in the late 1990s, Smalley spoke out about important global issues. He believed that finding cheap, clean energy was the biggest problem for humanity. He called this "The Terawatt Challenge." It meant finding new energy sources to double our energy output.
He also made a list of the "Top Ten Problems of Humanity for Next 50 Years." His list, in order, was:
- Energy
- Water
- Food
- Environment
- Poverty
- Terrorism & war
- Disease
- Education
- Democracy
- Population
Smalley saw that many problems were connected. He felt that better science education was key. He encouraged young students to become scientists. His slogan was: "Be a scientist, save the world."
Smalley also supported the National Nanotechnology Initiative in 2003. He spoke to Congress about how nanotechnology could help. He believed it could lead to new cancer treatments. A law supporting nanotechnology research was passed in 2003. Smalley was invited to the signing.
Richard Smalley's Personal Life
Smalley was married four times. He had two sons, Chad and Preston.
In 1999, Smalley was diagnosed with cancer. He bravely fought the disease. He died from leukemia on October 28, 2005, at age 62. The US Senate honored him after his death. They called him the "Father of Nanotechnology."
Smalley's Views on Religion
In his later years, Smalley rediscovered his religious beliefs. This was especially true while he was battling cancer. He wrote that he believed God created the universe. He also felt that humans have a special role. He believed we must take care of our planet.
Honors and Awards for Richard Smalley
Richard Smalley received many honors for his scientific work.
Fellowships
- Harold W. Dodds Fellow, Princeton University, 1973
- Alfred P. Sloan Fellow, 1978–1980
- Fellow of the American Physical Society, 1987
- Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2003
Awards and Prizes
- Irving Langmuir Prize in Chemical Physics, 1991
- Popular Science Magazine Grand Award in Science & Technology, 1991
- APS International Prize for New Materials, 1992 (with R. F. Curl & H. W. Kroto)
- Ernest O. Lawrence Memorial Award, U.S. Department of Energy, 1992
- Welch Award in Chemistry, 1992
- Auburn-G.M. Kosolapoff Award, 1992
- Southwest Regional Award, 1992
- William H. Nichols Medal, 1993
- The John Scott Award, 1993
- Hewlett-Packard Europhysics Prize, 1994 (with Wolfgang Kraetschmer, Don Huffman and Harold Kroto)
- Harrison Howe Award, 1994
- Madison Marshall Award, 1995
- Franklin Medal, 1996
- Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 1996
- Distinguished Civilian Public Service Award, 1997
- American Carbon Society Medal, 1997
- Top 75 Distinguished Contributors, Chemical & Engineering News, 1998
- Lifetime Achievement Award, Small Times Magazine, 2003
- Glenn T. Seaborg Medal, 2002
- Distinguished Alumni Award, Hope College, 2005
- 50th Anniversary Visionary Award, SPIE – International Society for Optical Engineering, 2005
- National Historic Chemical Landmark, 2010
- Citation for Chemical Breakthrough Award, 2015
Images for kids
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Richard Errett Smalley
See also
In Spanish: Richard Smalley para niños
