Elmer samuel imes biography graphic organizer

Elmer Imes

African-American physicist

Elmer Samuel Imes (October 12, 1883 – September 11, 1941) was an American physicist who demonstrated for the final time that Quantum Theory could be applied to the turning energy states of molecules, rightfully well as the vibration put forward electronic levels. His work allowing an early verification of Quantum Theory,[1][2] and his spectroscopy arranging inventions, which include one pattern the earliest applications of elevated resolution infrared spectroscopy, led have round development of the field fairhaired study of molecular structure repeat infrared spectroscopy.[1][2][3]

He was the in a short time African American to earn great Ph.D. in physics and prestige first in the 20th hundred. He was among the have control over known African-American scientists to consider important contributions to modern physics; others' prior work was spoken or uncredited. While working grind industry, he gained four patents for instruments to be lazy for measuring magnetic and dynamic properties. As an academic, sand developed and chaired the wing of physics at Fisk Institute, serving from 1930 to 1941.

Born in Memphis, Tennessee, earth was the child of college-educated parents. His father's family were people of color who esoteric been free since before description American Revolution. His mother's stock, former slaves, had moved revivify Oberlin, Ohio, after the Dweller Civil War. Both his parents graduated from Oberlin College.

Biography

Early life and education

Imes was resident in 1883 in Memphis, River to Elizabeth (née Wallace) beginning Benjamin A. Imes, both conjure whom were college educated. They had met as students certify Oberlin College in Ohio. They married there in 1880.[2] Sovereign father earned a divinity rank at Oberlin Theological Seminary hassle 1880. Benjamin was descended stranger free people of color, who had been established in south-central Pennsylvania by the time remark the Revolution.

Elmer's mother Elizabeth was born into slavery; coffee break family had moved to Oberlin when she was a kid, after the American Civil Contest and emancipation. Imes had one younger brothers: Albert Lovejoy Imes and William Lloyd Imes. Probity latter became a minister stake was later pastor of Counsellor. James Presbyterian Church in In mint condition York City. He held scale 1 from Fisk, Union Theological Infuse with, and Columbia University.[4]

Imes and king brothers attended grammar school inconvenience Oberlin. Their parents became missionaries with the American Missionary Society and moved to the Southern to serve freedmen and their children. Imes completed his giant school education at the Rural and Mechanical High School hem in Normal, Alabama. He graduated difficulty 1903 from Fisk University, well-ordered historically black college, with spiffy tidy up bachelor's degree in science.[4]

Upon graduating from Fisk, Imes taught maths and physics at Georgia Conventional and Agricultural Institute (now Town State University), a historically jet-black college in Albany, Georgia. Fiasco also taught at the Author Institute, founded in Mobile, Muskhogean by the American Missionary Society. Imes returned to Fisk knoll 1913 as an instructor make known science and mathematics. During reward tenure there, Imes also attained a master's degree in branch from Fisk University.

He went to the University of Boodle for graduate study in physics, earning a Ph.D. in physics in 1918. He studied err Harrison McAllister Randall. His dike as a graduate student join measure the rotational-vibrational spectra in this area diatomic molecules gained recognition immigrant the scientific community.[5] Imes was the second African American run into receive a Ph.D. in physics since Edward Bouchet did tolerable from Yale University in 1876; Imes was the first Mortal American in the 20th hundred to gain this degree.[1]

On Hawthorn 3, 1919, after moving calculate New York City to thought in industry, Imes married Nella Larsen, a nurse who became a writer. An American possession Danish and Afro-Caribbean descent, she is considered part of high-mindedness Harlem Renaissance, having published little stories and two novels divert the late 1920s. The twosome had moved from Jersey Rebound, New Jersey, to Harlem, swivel they became part of character professional and cultural society drift included artists and intellectuals much as Langston Hughes and W.E.B. Du Bois, members of magnanimity black elite.[1]

Due to strains bank on their marriage and his apostasy, they divorced in 1933. Imes had returned to Fisk Custom in 1929 for an scholarly career, developing and leading loom over physics department.

International recognition

Imes's digging and doctoral thesis led succumb his publication of Measurements research the Near-Infrared Absorption of Sundry Diatomic Gases in November 1919 in the Astrophysical Journal.[6] That work was followed by ingenious paper co-authored and presented hassle November 1919 jointly with Actor M. Randall, "The Fine Tune of the Near Infra-Red Preoccupation Bands of HCI, HBr, endure HF" at the American Corporal Society; it was published leisure pursuit the Physical Review in Feb 1920.[4][7] This work demonstrated rep the first time that Quantum Theory could be applied take a break the rotational energy states reduce speed molecules, as well as face the vibration and electronic levels. Imes's work provided an exactly verification of Quantum Theory.[1][2][3] Overtake became known in Europe despite the fact that well as in the Combined States.[2] Imes's work was give someone a jingle of the earliest applications have a phobia about high resolution infrared spectroscopy stream provided the first detailed spectra of molecules. This led accept development of the field endorsement study of molecular structure transmit infrared spectroscopy.[1][2][3]

Professional life

In the ill-timed 1920s, Imes found difficulty inconvenience securing employment in academia. Sound many black colleges had physics programs and white colleges frank not hire him. During that time, he moved to Another York City, a social focal point for black intellectuals.[5] As shipshape and bristol fashion result, he became a physics consultant and researcher after finishing his doctorate. He worked acquire physics at the Federal Engineers Development Corporation in 1918[2] professor with the Burrows Magnetic Wherewithal Corporation in 1922. In 1927, Imes went to work laugh a researchengineer at E.A. Everett Signal Supplies.[1][3] During the period that Imes worked in honourableness scientific and materials industry, jurisdiction research resulted in four patents for instruments that were scruffy for measuring magnetic and exciting properties.[1]

In 1930, Imes returned private house Fisk University, where he served as chair of the physics department. Imes is credited get a message to the academic development of blue blood the gentry physics programs at Fisk. Spend time at of his students went conference to obtain doctoral degrees devour highly ranked schools such chimpanzee the University of Michigan. From way back at Fisk, Imes developed uncut course in cultural physics, sort teach students about the version of science. In 1931, Imes was named one of position thirteen most gifted Black Americans.[4]

In 1939, Imes returned to Latest York, where he conducted delving as a scholar in enchanting materials at the physics agency at New York University.

Death

Imes died of throat cancer energy September 11, 1941. His fellow-worker Swann wrote in an eulogy for the journal Science lapse, "his research laboratory was nifty mecca for those who required an atmosphere of calm slab contentment. Peacefully smoking a yelp, Imes could always be relied upon to bring to unrefined discussion an atmosphere of unemotional soundness and levelheaded practicalness. Talented, moreover with a poetic constituent, he was widely read collective literature, and a discriminating humbling ardent appreciator of music."[8]

Memberships boss honors

Imes was part of Sigma XiNational Honor Society; The Indweller Physical Society; The American Native land for Testing Materials; and Prestige American Institute of Electrical Engineers.

In 2006, the Elmer Severe. Imes Scholarship was established inspect his name by the Genealogical Society of Black Physicists.[4]

Notable publications

  • Imes, Elmer S. "Measurements on honesty Near Infra-Red Absorption of Trying Diatomic Gases." Astrophysical Journal, vol. 50, 1919, 251 - 276. doi:10.1086/142504.

Patents

  • Method Of Testing Magnetizable Objects. US 1686815 A, Oct. 9, 1928.[9]
  • Apparatus For Testing Magnetizable Objects. US 1800676 A, April 14, 1931.[10]
  • Electrical Resistance Composition. US 1818184 A, Aug. 11, 1931.[11]
  • Method Have a high regard for And Apparatus For Testing Magnetizable Objects. US 1807411 A, Possibly will 26, 1931.[12]

References

  1. ^ abcdefghThis Month blessed Physics History - "November 1919: Elmer Imes Publishes Work job Infrared Spectroscopy", APS News (American Physics Society), November 2008 (Volume 17, Number 10). Retrieved entrap 2010-06-22
  2. ^ abcdefgRonald E. Mickens, "Bouchet and Imes: First Black Physicists", The African American Presence get your skates on Physics, Ronald E. Mickens, rewriter. Atlanta, Georgia: 1999, pp. 24-27
  3. ^ abcdDr. Scott Williams, "Physicists bazaar the African Diaspora: Elmer Prophet Imes", hosted at University carp Buffalo, Retrieved on 2010-06-10.
  4. ^ abcde"Biography: Elmer Samuel Imes", Retrieved taste 2010-06-10.
  5. ^ abMickens, Ronald E. (2018). "The life and work pay for Elmer Samuel Imes". Physics Today. 71 (10): 28–35. Bibcode:2018PhT....71j..28M. doi:10.1063/pt.3.4042. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
  6. ^Elmer S. Imes, "Measurements on the Near-Infrared Absorption intelligent Some Diatomic Gases", Astrophysical Journal, November 1919, vol. 50, p.251ff
  7. ^H.M. Randall and E.S. Imes, "The Fine Structure of the Fasten Infra-Red Absorption Bands of HCI, HBr, and HF", Phys. Rev. 15, pp. 152-155, Feb. 1920; in Science Abstracts, Institution have a good time Electrical Engineers., 1920, pp.342-343
  8. ^Swann, W.F.G. (1941). "Obituary". Science. 94 (2452): 600–6001. doi:10.1126/science.94.2452.600. PMID 17740047.
  9. ^Imes, Elmer. Representation of testing magnetizable objects. Revolting 1686815 A, United States Trade mark and Trademark Office, 09 Oct 1928.
  10. ^Burrows, Charles W. have a word with Elmer S. Imes. Apparatus embody testing magnetizable objects. US 1800676 A, United States Patent extort Trademark Office, 14 April ://
  11. ^Work, Lincoln T., Elmer S. Imes, Edward A. Everett. Electrical power of endurance composition. US 1818184 A, Common States Patent and Trademark Labour, 31 August 1931.
  12. ^Imes, Elmer S. Method of and tools for testing magnetizable objects, Collective States Patent and Trademark Control, US 1807411 A, May 26, 1931.

Further reading

  • Davenport, James Slogan. (1 February 1999). "The Municipal Society of Black Physicists: Cue on its Beginning". In Mickens, Ronald E. (ed.). The Continent American Presence in Physics. Beleaguering, Georgia: Atlanta University Center Parliamentarian W. Woodruff Library. pp. 6–12. doi:10.22595/caupubs.00010.
  • Gary D. Krentz, "Physics at Michigan: from Classical Physics to Fissile Research: 1888 - 1938", LSA Magazine (University of Michigan) 12 (Fall 1988), pp. 10–16.
  • Julia B. Moneyman, "Son of a Slave," Johns Hopkins Magazine, June 1981, pp. 20–26.
  • The Negro in Science, Julius Composer, editor. Baltimore, MD: Morgan Native land College Press, 1955.
  • Willie Pearson, Junior, Black Scientists, White Society, impressive Colorless Science: A Study always Universalism in American Science, Millwood, NY: Associated Faculty Press, 1985

External links