Harold Urey (1893 - 1991)
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Harold Urey attended the University of Montana from 1914-1917. He received a BS in Biology and a minor in Chemistry. He served food in a woman's dormitory to fund his education at UM. During WWI he worked as a research chemist at Barrett Chemical Company, then returned to UM to teach Chemistry for two years. In 1921, he did graduate work in Chemistry at UC Berkeley. He attended other universities, and continued to make groundbreaking discoveries. Urey received the Nobel Prize for discoveries in chemistry and served as an advisor to the Manhattan Project. His discoveries contributed to the bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima in 1945. He was an advocate against the use of atomic weapons.
Harold Urey represents conflicting genius, and the type of academic quality that can be found in individuals that attend UM. Yet, the merit of his discoveries can hold different weight for those observing the result of his findings. It challenges us to consider the implications of our research, and think about the impact we want to have on the world with our intellectual pursuit. For more information, and specificity to his scientific discoveries visit: Nobel Prize, Britannica, and UC Berkeley |