McMillan pursued his higher education at the California Institute of Technology, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1928. He then continued his academic journey at Princeton University, successfully completing his Ph.D. in 1932.
During his doctoral studies, McMillan focused on molecular beams and conducted research as a National Research Fellow, aiming to measure the magnetic moment of the proton using a molecular beam method.
In 1934, McMillan joined the Radiation Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley, working under the guidance of Ernest Lawrence. There, he engaged in research related to nuclear reactions and their outcomes, contributing to the design and construction of cyclotrons and other scientific equipment. He began his teaching career at Berkeley as an Instructor in the Department of Physics in 1935, steadily advancing to Assistant Professor in 1936, Associate Professor in 1941, and ultimately becoming a Professor in 1946.
Throughout World War II, McMillan conducted research on radar and sonar and played a significant role in the development of the first atomic bomb. From 1954 to 1958, he served as a member of the General Advisory Committee to the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission.
In 1940, McMillan employed a particle accelerator to irradiate uranium with neutrons, successfully generating an element with an atomic number of 93. This groundbreaking achievement marked the first artificial creation of a transuranium element. McMillan named the newly discovered element "neptunium." In 1941, together with Glenn Seaborg, Joseph W. Kennedy, and Arthur Wahl, he successfully isolated another new element with an atomic number of 94. Adhering to McMillan's practice of naming element 93 after a planet, Seaborg christened element 94 "plutonium."
In 1942, McMillan contributed to the selection process for Los Alamos and relocated there to conduct research on implosion techniques.
In recognition of their remarkable contributions to the field of transuranium elements, Edwin M. McMillan and Glenn T. Seaborg were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1951.
While collaborating with his colleagues, McMillan and his team also produced a second new element. However, as McMillan shifted his focus to radar development during World War II, others were responsible for confirming the discovery of this element. Seaborg led the group that accomplished this task and named the new element "plutonium," following the tradition of naming elements after planets.
After the passing of Ernest O. Lawrence in 1958, McMillan assumed the role of director of the laboratory, which he held until his retirement in 1973. In recognition of his significant contributions, McMillan was awarded the National Medal of Science in the year preceding his death in 1991.
Edwin M. McMillan passed away on September 7, 1991.
Edwin Mattison McMillan - American nuclear physicist
