Robert M. Walker (physicist)

Robert M. Walker (February 6, 1929 – February 12, 2004) was an American physicist, a planetary scientist, the founder and director of McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, noted for his co-discovery of the etchability of nuclear particle tracks in solids,[1] as well as his conjecture that meteorites and lunar rocks contain a record of the ancient radiation history of various stars including the Sun.[2][3][4][5][6] Asteroid 6372 was named Walker in his honor by the International Astronomical Union.[4] Walker was a member of the National Academy of Sciences.[4][5] Walker was also a fellow of the American Physical Society,[5] the American Geophysical Union,[5] the Meteoritical Society[5] and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.[5] He was also a founder and the first president of Volunteers in Technical Assistance (VITA).[5][6]

Notable distinctions
  • 1964 American Nuclear Society Annual Award[5]
  • 1966 Yale Engineering Association Annual Award for Contributions to Basic and Applied Science[4][5]
  • 1967 Doctor, honoris causa, Union College[4][6]
  • 1970 NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Award[4][5]
  • 1971 E. O. Lawrence Memorial Award of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission[4][5]
  • 1973 Elected to the National Academy of Sciences[4]
  • 1975 Docteur, honoris causa, University of Clermont-Ferrand, France[4]
  • 1985 Antarctic Service Medal of the National Science Foundation[5]
  • 1991 J. Lawrence Smith Medal, National Academy of Sciences[4][5]
  • 1992 Officier de l’Ordre des Palmes Academiques[4][5]
  • 1993 Leonard Medal of the Meteoritical Society[4][5]
  • 1997 Peter Raven Lifetime Achievement Award, St. Louis Academy of Science[4]
  • 1999 Asteroid 6372 named Walker by International Astronomical Union[4][7]
  • 2004 Doctor, honoris causa (posthumous), Washington University in St. Louis[4]

Life and career
  • February 6, 1929, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • 1950 graduated from Union College with a degree in physics
  • 1954 Ph.D. in physics, Yale University
  • 1966 the McDonnell Professor of Physics, Washington University
  • February 12, 2004 died in Brussels, Belgium stomach cancer

Personal life

Walker was married to the cosmochemist Ghislaine Crozaz.[8]

References
  1. R. L. Fleischer, P. Buford Price, and Robert M. Walker (1975) Nuclear Tracks in Solids (U. California Press, Berkeley).
  2. New York Times:Big Science; Is It Worth the Price?; Small-Scale Science Feels the Pinch From Big Projects; page 3 of 5;September 4, 1990
  3. New York Times:PLANES SOAR INTO STRATOSPHERE TO SNARE BITS OF THE COSMIC PAST;page 2 of 3; May 11, 1982
  4. National Academies Press:National Academy of Sciences;Biographical Memoirs;Robert M. Walker;By P. Buford Price and Ernst Zinner
  5. Washington University in St. Louis;Robert M Walker;1929 - 2004
  6. New York Times:Union College:Robert M, walker, director of the laboratory for space physics
  7. "(6372) Walker". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names. Springer. 2003. p. 528. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_5826. ISBN 978-3-540-29925-7.
  8. Sciences, National Academy of (2005). Biographical Memoirs: Volume 86. doi:10.17226/11429. ISBN 978-0-309-10369-5.
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