Walter Kohn American theoretical physicist Date of Birth: 09.03.1923 Country: USA

1. Early Life and Education
2. Refugee in World War II
3. Academic Pursuits in Canada
4. Scientific Career and Nobel Prize
5. Honors and Recognition
6. Personal Life
7. Legacy

Early Life and Education

Walter Kohn was born on March 9, 1923, in Vienna, Austria, to Solomon and Gitl Rappaport Kohn. His parents were intellectuals, with his father running an art postcard business and his mother a homemaker. From a young age, Walter displayed an aptitude for linguistics, studying Latin and Greek throughout his childhood.

Refugee in World War II

In 1938, with the Nazi invasion of Austria, Walter and his sister were sent to England as part of the Kindertransport rescue operation. Later, they moved to Canada to escape the horrors of the Holocaust. His parents were deported to concentration camps and killed during the war.

Academic Pursuits in Canada

Despite the challenges faced by Jewish refugees seeking higher education in Canada, Walter managed to enter the University of Toronto. Due to his German citizenship, he was prohibited from attending the chemistry department and instead pursued physics and mathematics. After graduating, he was awarded a fellowship to Harvard University, where he received his doctorate in 1948.

Scientific Career and Nobel Prize

Walter Kohn's illustrious career spanned several universities, including Harvard, the Carnegie Institute of Technology, and the University of California, San Diego. In 1979, he joined the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he remained an emeritus professor of physics and research professor until his passing. His significant contributions to theoretical physics, particularly in the development of density functional theory, led him to share the Nobel Prize in Chemistry with John Pople in 1998.

Honors and Recognition

Throughout his life, Walter Kohn received numerous awards and accolades, including the Oliver Buckley Prize, Guggenheim Fellowship, Davisson-Germer Prize, National Medal of Science, Eugene Feenberg Memorial Medal, Three Physicists Prize, and Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art. He was also a member of prestigious scientific organizations, including the National Academy of Sciences USA, Royal Society of London, and Austrian Academy of Sciences.

Personal Life

Walter Kohn was married twice. His first marriage to Lois M. Adams produced three daughters: Marilyn, Ingrid, and Rosalind. His second marriage to Mara Vishniac Kohn remained until his death.

Legacy

Walter Kohn's pioneering work in density functional theory revolutionized the field of quantum chemistry, enabling more accurate predictions of molecular structures and properties. His intellectual legacy continues to inspire generations of scientists and contribute to the advancement of science.