2020-02-14 Fri

Herbert Aaron Hauptman was an American mathematician and crystallographer. He received the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1985 along with Jerome Karle for their work with X-ray crystal.

He was born on 14th February 1917, in New York City to the oldest child of Israel Hauptman and Leah Rosenfeld. At an early age, he developed a passion for math and science. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the City College of New York in 1937, a Master’s degree from Columbia University in 1939, and a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland in 1955. All of his degrees were in mathematics.

Hauptman has authored over 170 publications, including journal articles, research papers, chapters, and books. In 1970, Hauptman joined the crystallographic group of the Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute of which he became Research Director in 1972. In 2003, as an atheist and secular humanist, he was one of 22 Nobel laureates who signed the Humanist Manifesto.

In 2002, to honor him Demokratyske Kongoleeske Republik (Saire) Postal Department has issued a commemorative stamp featuring his portrait.

Image Source: colnect.com