William Dale Phillips facts for kids

William Dale Phillips (born October 10, 1925 – died December 15, 1993) was an American chemist. He was an expert in a special science tool called Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. He also advised the United States government on science topics. William Phillips was a member of the United States National Academy of Sciences, a group of top scientists. He was born in Kansas City, Missouri, and passed away in St. Louis, Missouri.

Early Life and Education

William Phillips finished high school and joined the U.S. Navy in 1943. He was part of a special college program for the Navy called V-12. In this program, he studied mechanical engineering at the University of Texas.

After serving in the Navy, he left active duty in 1946. Phillips then went to the University of Kansas, where he earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry in 1948. He continued his studies at MIT and received his PhD in physical chemistry. His research there focused on how organic molecules vibrate.

A Career in Chemistry

In 1951, William Phillips started working at DuPont Central Research. He began as a research chemist and moved up to become a research supervisor and manager.

Exploring NMR Spectroscopy

Phillips became very interested in a new field called Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR). NMR is a powerful scientific method that helps scientists understand the structure of molecules. He first used NMR to study how molecules move in organic systems.

He also worked with another scientist, Earl Muetterties, to study molecular movement in inorganic systems. Because DuPont worked a lot with chemicals containing fluorine and carbon, Phillips used NMR to study these special compounds. His work on molecules that are magnetic (paramagnetic) helped create modern MRI imaging, which doctors use to see inside the human body.

Focus on Biology

Later, Phillips became interested in using NMR to study biological things. He especially focused on proteins called ferredoxins and an enzyme called lysozyme. He also studied the NMR and ESR (Electron Spin Resonance) of nucleic acids and other large biological molecules.

To learn more about how living things work, he took a special study leave in 1962. He went to MIT to study biochemistry, which is the chemistry of life. In 1973, he worked with Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) to help them make protein for animal feed. They did this by using fermentation to grow microbes on methane.

Later Career and Public Service

Phillips retired from DuPont Central Research in 1978. After that, he became the head of the chemistry department at Washington University in St. Louis. He was also named the Charles Allen Thomas Professor of Chemistry there.

In 1984, he joined a company called Mallinckrodt, Inc., as a senior vice-president for research and development. William Phillips also served on the Science Advisory Board for President George H. W. Bush. He led the National Critical Technologies Panel through the United States National Academy of Sciences. He also helped guide several scientific journals and served on the boards of various companies and science centers.