Age, Biography and Wiki

Melba Phillips was born on 1 February, 1907 in Near Hazleton, Gibson County, Indiana, is an American physicist and science educator. Discover Melba Phillips's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Learn How rich is she in this year and how she spends money? Also learn how she earned most of networth at the age of 97 years old?

Popular As N/A
Occupation N/A
Age 97 years old
Zodiac Sign Aquarius
Born 1 February 1907
Birthday 1 February
Birthplace Near Hazleton, Gibson County, Indiana
Date of death 8 November, 2004
Died Place Petersburg, Indiana
Nationality United States

We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 1 February. She is a member of famous educator with the age 97 years old group.

Melba Phillips Height, Weight & Measurements

At 97 years old, Melba Phillips height not available right now. We will update Melba Phillips's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible.

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Dating & Relationship status

She is currently single. She is not dating anyone. We don't have much information about She's past relationship and any previous engaged. According to our Database, She has no children.

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Melba Phillips Net Worth

Her net worth has been growing significantly in 2023-2024. So, how much is Melba Phillips worth at the age of 97 years old? Melba Phillips’s income source is mostly from being a successful educator. She is from United States. We have estimated Melba Phillips's net worth, money, salary, income, and assets.

Net Worth in 2024 $1 Million - $5 Million
Salary in 2024 Under Review
Net Worth in 2023 Pending
Salary in 2023 Under Review
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Source of Income educator

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Timeline

1907

Melba Newell Phillips (February 1, 1907 – November 8, 2004) was an American physicist and a pioneer science educator.

Melba Phillips was born on February 1, 1907, near Hazleton, Gibson County, Indiana.

She was the only daughter and eldest of Eilda Elizabeth (Meehan) and Virgil B. Phillips' four children.

1922

Phillips graduated from Union High School in 1922 at the age of fifteen.

1926

Intending to become an educator, Phillips studied mathematics at Oakland City College in Indiana, where she earned a bachelor of arts degree in 1926.

Afterwards, Phillips taught at her former high school for two years before entering graduate school.

1928

Phillips earned a master's degree in physics from Battle Creek College in Michigan in 1928 and a doctorate in physics (PhD) at the University of California, Berkeley in 1933.

She was one of the first doctoral students of J. Robert Oppenheimer, who later became scientific head of the Manhattan Project, the Allied effort to develop the Atomic bomb.

Initially, she took part-time and temporary positions at Battle Creek College (1928–30) and at Connecticut College for Women (1937–38).

Phillips also held postdoctoral fellowships at the University of California and at Bryn Mawr College.

1933

One of the first doctoral students of J. Robert Oppenheimer at the University of California, Berkeley, Phillips completed her PhD in 1933, a time when few women could pursue careers in science.

1935

In 1935, Oppenheimer and Phillips published their description of the Oppenheimer–Phillips process, an early contribution to nuclear physics that explained the behavior of accelerated nuclei of radioactive hydrogen atoms.

In 1935, Oppenheimer and Phillips published their description of the Oppenheimer–Phillips process, which explained the behavior of accelerated nuclei of radioactive, "heavy hydrogen" atoms.

The Oppenheimer–Phillips effect was one of the earliest contributions to nuclear physics.

In an era when few women were working as scientists, Phillips became a leading science educator and spent the majority of her career as a professor of physics.

Phillips began teaching during the Great Depression.

1936

In early 1936 the American Association of University Women announced that Philips was the recipient of its Margaret E. Maltby award, one of six women to receive its research fellowships for the 1936–37 academic year.

Phillips's research focused on application of quantum mechanics to the study of nuclear physics.

1938

Phillips was also known for her refusal to cooperate with a U.S. Senate judiciary subcommittee's investigation on internal security during the McCarthy era which led to her dismissal from her professorship at Brooklyn College, where she was a professor of science from 1938 until 1952.

Before accepting a full-time faculty position at Brooklyn College in 1938, Phillips worked as a fellow at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey.

1941

Phillips also taught at the University of Minnesota (1941–44) and served as associate director of a teacher-training institute at Washington University in St. Louis (1957–62) before joining the faculty at the University of Chicago (1962–72) as a professor of physics.

Except for three years during World War II, when she taught at the University of Minnesota (1941–44), Phillips spent a decade as a professor of physics at Brooklyn College (1938–52).

She also conducted research on a part-time basis at the Columbia University Radiation Laboratory.

1945

In 1945, while teaching at Brooklyn College, Phillips helped organize the Federation of American Scientists at a meeting held in Washington, D.C.

1952

In 1952 Phillips was summoned to appear before the McCarran Commission, a judiciary subcommittee investigating internal security during the McCarthy era.

Although Phillips appeared before a subcommittee hearing in New York and agreed to answer questions relating to her work as a scientist and physics educator, she invoked her Fifth Amendment rights when asked about other topics, including questions about whether she was a member of the Communist party.

As a result of her refusal to cooperate with the commission as a matter of principle, Phillips, a highly regarded physics educator, was dismissed from her professorship at Brooklyn College and her part-time position at the Columbia University Radiation Laboratory.

She remained unemployed as a college professor for five years.

1957

While unemployed, Phillips lived on her modest savings and co-authored two science textbooks: Principles of Physical Science (1957), with Francis Bonner, and Classical Electricity and Magnetism (1955), with Wolfgang K. H. Panofsky.

Both of these publications became standard textbooks in collegiate-level science courses.

Phillips returned to teaching in 1957, when she became associate director of a teacher-training institute at Washington University.

1962

Phillips remained at St. Louis until 1962, when she joined the faculty at the University of Chicago as a professor of physics.

Under her guidance the university began teaching physical science courses to non-science majors.

She also made laboratory work part of its curriculum.

1972

During her retirement years, Phillips was a visiting professor at Stony Brook University (1972–75) and taught at the University of Science and Technology of China, Chinese Academy of Science (1980) in Beijing.

Phillips was a fellow of the American Physical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

In addition to teaching, Phillips co-authored science textbooks and was active in the American Association of Physics Teachers.

Phillips retired as a professor emerita from the University of Chicago in 1972, but continued to teach elsewhere.

1981

In 1981, the AAPT established the Melba Newell Phillips Medal in her honor to recognize outstanding service to the organization.

1987

(The college publicly and personally apologized to Phillips for the dismissal in 1987.)