Henry Way Kendall

Henry Way Kendall (December 9, 1926 – February 15, 1999) was an American particle physicist who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1990 jointly with Jerome Isaac Friedman and Richard E. Taylor for their pioneering investigations concerning deep inelastic scattering of electrons on protons and bound neutrons, which have been of essential importance for the development of the quark model in particle physics.

Early life and education

Kendall was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and attended Deerfield Academy, a prep school in Deerfield, Massachusetts. He completed his undergraduate studies at Amherst College in 1950. He then moved to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he obtained his Ph.D. in 1955.

Career

After obtaining his doctorate, Kendall accepted a position as a research associate at Stanford University, where he worked on experiments in particle physics. In 1961, he returned to MIT as a faculty member, where he remained for the rest of his career.

Kendall's most significant work was on deep inelastic scattering of electrons on protons and bound neutrons. This work, conducted with Jerome Isaac Friedman and Richard E. Taylor, led to the development of the quark model in particle physics, which earned them the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1990.

In addition to his work in physics, Kendall was also known for his environmental activism. He was a founding member of the Union of Concerned Scientists and served as its chairman from 1973 until his death in 1999.

Personal life and death

Kendall was an avid mountaineer and photographer. He died in a diving accident in Wakulla Springs State Park, Florida, in 1999.

Legacy

Kendall's contributions to particle physics and his environmental activism have left a lasting legacy. The Henry Kendall Award, established by the Union of Concerned Scientists, is named in his honor.

See also

• List of Nobel laureates in Physics
• Union of Concerned Scientists

References

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