Donald Hornig
Encyclopedia
Donald Frederick Hornig (born March 17, 1920) is an American
chemist, explosives expert, teacher and presidential science advisor. He served as president of Brown University
, 1970–1976.
Hornig was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
, the son of Chester Arthur Hornig and Emma Knuth. He attended Milwaukee Country Day School
, then earned his undergraduate degree in chemistry from Harvard University
. He was awarded his Ph.D. from Harvard University
in 1943 with a dissertation on An Investigation of the Shock Wave Produced by an Explosion in Air. On July 17, 1943 he was married to Lilli S. Hornig, who became a chemistry professor. The couple would have four children together: three girls, Joanna, Ellen, and Leslie, and one boy, Christopher.
After graduating, he started work at the Underwater Explosives Laboratory of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. Later he joined the Los Alamos Laboratory, where he was a participant in the Manhattan Project
. He worked on the firing unit that was used for the implosion of the plutonium device.
In 1946 he joined the staff of Brown University
as an assistant professor, and became a full professor in 1951. From 1951–52 he was Associate Dean of the Graduate School, then acting dean the following year. In 1957 he became a member of the National Academy of Sciences
and the same year he moved to Princeton University
in 1957. Later became chairman of the Princeton chemistry department.
Shortly before President John F. Kennedy
was assassinated in 1963, he announced Dr. Hornig as the presidential science advisor. Dr. Hornig assumed office on January 24, 1964, but did not enjoy good relations with the new president, Lyndon Baines Johnson. He left office at the end of the president's term in 1969, and accepted an executive position with Eastman Kodak Company.
In 1970 he became president of Brown University
, and he remained in office until he resigned in 1976. The end of his term was noted for financial cutbacks at the university, which was met by student protests. Thereafter he became Professor of Chemistry in Public Health at Harvard University. From 1987–90 he served the Harvard University School of Public Health as chairman of the Department of Environmental Health. He retired in 1990.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
chemist, explosives expert, teacher and presidential science advisor. He served as president of Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
, 1970–1976.
Hornig was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
, the son of Chester Arthur Hornig and Emma Knuth. He attended Milwaukee Country Day School
University School of Milwaukee
The University School of Milwaukee is a private pre-kindergarten through secondary preparatory school located on in River Hills and Milwaukee, Wisconsin...
, then earned his undergraduate degree in chemistry from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. He was awarded his Ph.D. from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1943 with a dissertation on An Investigation of the Shock Wave Produced by an Explosion in Air. On July 17, 1943 he was married to Lilli S. Hornig, who became a chemistry professor. The couple would have four children together: three girls, Joanna, Ellen, and Leslie, and one boy, Christopher.
After graduating, he started work at the Underwater Explosives Laboratory of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. Later he joined the Los Alamos Laboratory, where he was a participant in the Manhattan Project
Manhattan Project
The Manhattan Project was a research and development program, led by the United States with participation from the United Kingdom and Canada, that produced the first atomic bomb during World War II. From 1942 to 1946, the project was under the direction of Major General Leslie Groves of the US Army...
. He worked on the firing unit that was used for the implosion of the plutonium device.
In 1946 he joined the staff of Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
as an assistant professor, and became a full professor in 1951. From 1951–52 he was Associate Dean of the Graduate School, then acting dean the following year. In 1957 he became a member of the National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
and the same year he moved to Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
in 1957. Later became chairman of the Princeton chemistry department.
Shortly before President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
was assassinated in 1963, he announced Dr. Hornig as the presidential science advisor. Dr. Hornig assumed office on January 24, 1964, but did not enjoy good relations with the new president, Lyndon Baines Johnson. He left office at the end of the president's term in 1969, and accepted an executive position with Eastman Kodak Company.
In 1970 he became president of Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
, and he remained in office until he resigned in 1976. The end of his term was noted for financial cutbacks at the university, which was met by student protests. Thereafter he became Professor of Chemistry in Public Health at Harvard University. From 1987–90 he served the Harvard University School of Public Health as chairman of the Department of Environmental Health. He retired in 1990.
Awards and honors
- Winner of the Charles Lathrop Parsons award of the American Chemical SocietyAmerican Chemical SocietyThe American Chemical Society is a scientific society based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. Founded in 1876 at New York University, the ACS currently has more than 161,000 members at all degree-levels and in all fields of chemistry, chemical...
, 1967. - Honorary LL.D from Boston College, November 12, 1966.
- Honorary D.Sc. from the University of Maryland, 1965.
- Honorary D.Sc. from Syracuse University, 1968.
- Member of the National Academy of Sciences.
- Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
- Member of the American Philosophical Society.
- Recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship.
- Recipient of a Fulbright Fellowship.