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A Celebration of Pioneering African Americans in Physics
From Imes to Moore at the University of Michigan
The Physics Department is hosting a special celebration to honor pioneering African Americans in physics.
March 17, 2004
340 West Hall
1:00-5:45 pm
Reception to follow in 337 West Hall,
directly across from the auditorium.
Speakers include:
Mary Sue Coleman, President, University of Michigan
Judy Franz, Executive Officer, American Physical Society
James Jackson, Professor of Psychology, University of Michigan
Samuel Krimm, Professor Emeritus of Physics, University of Michigan
Earl Lewis, Dean of the Rackham Graduate School, University of Michigan
Terrence McDonald, Dean of the College of Literature, Science and Arts, University of Michigan
Ronald Mickens, Calloway Professor of Physics, Clark Atlanta University
Homer Neal, Goudsmit Professor of Physics, University of Michigan
Gerhard Schmidt, Vice President for Research & Advanced Engineering, Ford Motor Co.
Ctirad Uher, Chair, Department of Physics, University of Michigan
Donnell Walton, Corning Incorporated
Keynote Address:
John H. Marburger III, Science Advisor to the President of the United States
and Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy
Please view the entire symposium program.
The diagram above shows the infrared spectrometer used by Elmer S. Imes in his thesis work [E.S. Imes, Astrophys. J. 50, 251 (1919)] that was done
under the direction of Professor Harrison Randall.
This spectrometer was built in the U-M shops; it was designed and first used by W. W. Sleator (the grandfather of Tycho Sleator, a colleague of our current senior atomic theorist, Professor Paul Berman) for studies on the infra-red spectrum of water vapor.
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Elmer Samuel Imes
(1883-1941)
Elmer S. Imes is the second African-American to earn a doctorate in physics and the first to make a significant research contribution.
He earned his Ph.D. at the University of Michigan in 1918. After receiving his masters degree at Fisk University, he entered the graduate program at the University of Michigan in 1915 where he worked under the direction of Professor Harrison Randall. His thesis research was a pioneering work on the infrared spectroscopy of diatomic molecules, and he received his doctorate in 1918. In 1919, the first of two important papers by Elmer Imes appear as the first published research of a Black physicist. After his degree, Imes worked as an engineer and applied physicist in the New York area before returning to Fisk in 1930. In addition to his research contributions, he maintained close ties to the University of Michigan and was responsible for sending several students to the program at Michigan in the 1930s.
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Willie Hobbs Moore
(1934-1994)
Willie Hobbs Moore was the first African-American female to receive a Ph.D. in physics, which she accomplished in 1972 at the University of Michigan.
Her thesis research, conducted under U-M Physics Professor Samuel Krimm, solved important problems in the vibrational analysis of macromolecules. After her doctorate, she continued her research with Professor Krimm on the spectral analysis of proteins. While at Michigan, Moore worked for Datamax Corporation. She has also held engineering positions at Bendix Aerospace Systems, Barnes Engineering, and Sensor Dynamics where she was responsible for the theoretical analysis. Her later career was with the Ford Motor Company, where she worked on improving the reliability of engineering and manufacturing processes.
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For additional information contact Carol Rabuck (734) 763-2588 or crabuck@umich.edu
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