Robert M. Walker (physicist)

Robert M. Walker (February 6, 1929 – February 12, 2004) was an American physicist, a planetary scientist, the founder and director of McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, noted for his co-discovery of the etchability of nuclear particle tracks in solids,[1] as well as his conjecture that meteorites and lunar rocks contain a record of the ancient radiation history of various stars including the Sun.[2][3][4][5][5][6][7] Asteroid 6372 was named Walker in his honor by the International Astronomical Union.[4] Walker was a member of the National Academy of Sciences.[4][5] Walker was also a fellow of the American Physical Society,[5] the American Geophysical Union,[5] the Meteoritical Society[5] and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.[5] He was also a founder and the first president of Volunteers in Technical Assistance (VITA).[5][7]

Notable distinctions

• 1964 American Nuclear Society Annual Award[5]
• 1966 Yale Engineering Association Annual Award for Contributions to Basic and Applied Science[4][5]
• 1967 Doctor, honoris causa, Union College[4][7]
• 1970 NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Award[4][5]
• 1971 E. O. Lawrence Memorial Award of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission[4][5]
• 1973 Elected to the National Academy of Sciences[4]
• 1975 Docteur, honoris causa, University of Clermont-Ferrand, France[4]
• 1985 Antarctic Service Medal of the National Science Foundation[5]
• 1991 J. Lawrence Smith Medal, National Academy of Sciences[4][5]
• 1992 Officier de l’Ordre des Palmes Academiques[4][5]
• 1993 Leonard Medal of the Meteoritical Society[4][5]
• 1997 Peter Raven Lifetime Achievement Award, St. Louis Academy of Science[4]
• 1999 Asteroid 6372 named Walker by International Astronomical Union[4]
• 2004 Doctor, honoris causa (posthumous), Washington University[4]

Life and career

• February 6, 1929, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• 1950 graduated from Union College with a degree in physics
• 1954 Ph.D. in physics, Yale University
• 1966 the McDonnell Professor of Physics, Washington University
• February 12, 2004 died in Brussels, Belgium stomach cancer

References

1. R. L. Fleischer, P. Buford Price, and Robert M. Walker (1975) Nuclear Tracks in Solids (U. California Press, Berkeley).
2. New York Times:Big Science; Is It Worth the Price?; Small-Scale Science Feels the Pinch From Big Projects; page 3 of 5;September 4, 1990
3. New York Times:PLANES SOAR INTO STRATOSPHERE TO SNARE BITS OF THE COSMIC PAST;page 2 of 3; May 11, 1982
4. National Academies Press:National Academy of Sciences;Biographical Memoirs;Robert M. Walker;By P. Buford Price and Ernst Zinner
5. Washington University, St. Louis;Robert M Walker;1929 - 2004
6. Washington University, St. Louis;Robert M Walker;Meteoritics and Planetary Science
7. New York Times:Union College:Robert M, walker, director of the laboratory for space physics