Kamaloddin Jenab
Encyclopedia
Kamaloddin Jenab was an Iranian pioneer physicist. He is often credited for founding academic experimental science in Iranian universities.
He was the first Iranian to obtain a PhD in nuclear physics, and is often credited for laying the foundations of that science in Iran as well.
Born in 1908 in Isfahan, he earned a scholarship to study abroad, taking him to France where he studied physics at Nancy-Université
, chemistry at Sorbonne University, and finally culminating in a PhD from California Institute of Technology
in the U.S.
Jenab studied under Robert Millikan
at Caltech where he completed his PhD in Nuclear Physics
in 1936. He also participated in the 1936 student Olympics, and being an avid swimmer, swam across the English Channel
at the age of 25.
After returning to Iran, Dr. Jenab served as faculty at Tehran University until his retirement in 1975 after 40 years of service. He authored many of Iran's first textbooks in modern physics
.
In 2004, a film was made to honor his services to Iran's physics community, and he was honored as one of Iran's founding fathers in modern science.
He died on August 26, 2006 at the age of 98.
He was the first Iranian to obtain a PhD in nuclear physics, and is often credited for laying the foundations of that science in Iran as well.
Born in 1908 in Isfahan, he earned a scholarship to study abroad, taking him to France where he studied physics at Nancy-Université
Nancy-Université
Nancy-Université federates the three principal institutes of higher education of Nancy, in Lorraine, France:* Henri Poincaré University : natural sciences, wrapping several faculties and engineering schools...
, chemistry at Sorbonne University, and finally culminating in a PhD from California Institute of Technology
California Institute of Technology
The California Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering...
in the U.S.
Jenab studied under Robert Millikan
Robert Millikan
Robert A. Millikan was an American experimental physicist, and Nobel laureate in physics for his measurement of the charge on the electron and for his work on the photoelectric effect. He served as president of Caltech from 1921 to 1945...
at Caltech where he completed his PhD in Nuclear Physics
Nuclear physics
Nuclear physics is the field of physics that studies the building blocks and interactions of atomic nuclei. The most commonly known applications of nuclear physics are nuclear power generation and nuclear weapons technology, but the research has provided application in many fields, including those...
in 1936. He also participated in the 1936 student Olympics, and being an avid swimmer, swam across the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
at the age of 25.
After returning to Iran, Dr. Jenab served as faculty at Tehran University until his retirement in 1975 after 40 years of service. He authored many of Iran's first textbooks in modern physics
Modern physics
The term modern physics refers to the post-Newtonian conception of physics. The term implies that classical descriptions of phenomena are lacking, and that an accurate, "modern", description of reality requires theories to incorporate elements of quantum mechanics or Einsteinian relativity, or both...
.
In 2004, a film was made to honor his services to Iran's physics community, and he was honored as one of Iran's founding fathers in modern science.
He died on August 26, 2006 at the age of 98.