Obituary [Robert Andrews Millikan]

Robert Andrews Millikan (M '22, HM '33), professor emeritus of physics and vice-president, Board of Trustees, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, died December 19, 1953. Dr. Millikan had received the Nobel Prize in physics in 1923 for his work in isolating and measuring the electron, and for his researches on the photoelectric effect. Dr. Millikan was born in Morrison, Ill., March 22, 1868. He received his bachelor of arts degree from Oberlin College in 1891 and his masters degree in physics from the same school in 1893. He received the award of a fellowship at Columbia University, where the doctor of philosophy degree in physics was conferred on him in 1895. Then he studied for 2 years in Berlin and Goettingen Universities in Germany. He was assistant in physics, University of Chicago, Ill., 1896–97; an associate in 1897–99; an instructor in 1899–1902; assistant professor in 1902–07; associate professor, 1907–10; and professor from 1910 until 1921. He had served as as director of the Norman Bridge Laboratory of Physics and as chairman of the executive council of the California Institute of Technology from 1921 to 1945. During World War II his scientific work on rocket and jet propulsion development won him the Presidential Medal of Merit. Technically retired as head of the California Institute of Technology in 1946, he had continued to make contributions to cosmic-ray studies. These studies made by Dr. Millikan aroused a universal interest. He started his researches on the phenomena in 1915. His theory on cosmic rays was that they originated from the interstellar spaces and were the “birth-cries” of new atoms of heavier elements such as iron, oxygen, and silicon, being created from the lighter ones, such as hydrogen and helium. In addition to the Nobel Prize, Dr. Millikan had received the Edison Medal from the AIEE in 1922, the Hughes Medal of the Royal Society of Great Britain, 1923; Faraday Medal of the London Chemical Society, 1924; Gold Medal of The American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 1926; the Franklin Medal of the Franklin Institute, 1937; and many others. He held honorary degrees from most of the leading universities and colleges in this country. He was a commander of the French Legion of Honor and a member of leading scientific socities in the United States and in Europe. He was the author of 18 books and a large number of contributions to scientific publications. He had served the AIEE on the Committees on the Edison Medal (1923–28, 1934–40) and Electrophysics (1923–30).