Personal History Melvin Calvin was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, on April 8, 1911, his father was a Lithuanian immigrant and his mother was from Russian Georgia. His parents owned a small grocery store in Detroit, where Melvin helped work at while going to Central High School. In the store, Melvin was curious about what the make up was made out of, this was when he recognized how important chemistry was.
Calvin received a B.S. degree in Chemistry at the Michigan College of Mining and Technology in 1931. He had obtained the Ph.D degree in Chemistry from the University of Minnesota in 1935. He also spent his academic years from 1935-1937 at the University of Manchester, England, as well as beginning an academic career at the University of California at Berkeley in 1931, as an instructor. In addition, Calvin has been a full-time professor since 1947. He earned his undergraduate degrees from the Michigan College of Mining and Technology in 1931. And received his Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Minnesota in 1935.
Dr. Calvin was married to the former Genevieve Jemtegaard, daughter of Norwegian emigrant parents, they have two daughters, Elin and Karole, and one son, Noel. Though sadly, Melvin Calvin died on January 8, 1997 at the age of eighty-five from a heart attack along with the following years of declining health.
Interesting Facts Melvin Calvin was the Director of the Big-organic Chemistry group in the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory since 1946. The group's name was later changed to the Laboratory of Chemical Biodynamics in 1960. Calvin had also been awarded with many medals, awards, and lectureships throughout his lifetime, including the the numerous memberships in learned societies. He was also labeled "Mr.Photosynthesis" by Time magazine in 1961.
A List of Major Experiments, Contributions,or Discoveries
Won The Nobel Prize in Chemistry in the year, 1961 for identifying the path of carbon in photosynthesis.
melvin calvin Photosynthesis
He started with a thesis on the electron affinity of halogens. This was done under the direction of Professor George A. Glocker at the University of Minnesota and completed in 1935.
image showing Electron affinity: cityscape periodic periodicity in a cityscape style for the chemical elements
Established the Chemical Biodynamics Division
Calvin was a recipient of many awards and honors:
National Medal of Science, which he received from President Bush in 1989
Priestly Medal from the American Chemical Society
The Davy Medal from the Royal Society of London
Gold Medal from the American Institute of Chemists
Has developed many different theories and applications in Chemistry:
The Chemistry of Metal Chelate Compounds (Developed with Professor Polyani at the University of Manchester)
Oxygen-Carrying Synthetic Chelate Compounds (Developed with Professor Polyani at the University of Manchester)
The Color of Organic Substances (Developed with Professor Gilbert N. Lewis upon arriving at Berkeley, California)
The Theory of Organic Chemistry (Developed with Professor G.E.K. Branch upon arriving at Berkeley, California)
Isotopic Carbon and its application to the exploration of photosynthetic carbon dioxide reduction,
The Path of Carbon in Photosynthesis (Began experiment in 1945)
Calvin Cycle Clips:
Mini-Quiz!!!
Questions:
1) In the year of 1961, Melvin Calvin won a Nobel Prize, what did he identify?
2) When did Calvin become interested in Chemistry?
3) What thesis did Melvin Calvin start at the University of Minnesota?
Answers: 1) Melvin Calvin identified the path of carbon in photosynthesis.
2) When he was in high school and was working in his parent's grocery store in Detroit. He wondered what makeup was made up of, and then realized how important chemistry was. 3) He started a thesis on the electron affinityof halogens under the direction of Professor George A. Glocker.
MELVIN CALVINAmerican Biochemist
Personal History
Melvin Calvin was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, on April 8, 1911, his father was a Lithuanian immigrant and his mother was from Russian Georgia. His parents owned a small grocery store in Detroit, where Melvin helped work at while going to Central High School. In the store, Melvin was curious about what the make up was made out of, this was when he recognized how important chemistry was.
Calvin received a B.S. degree in Chemistry at the Michigan College of Mining and Technology in 1931. He had obtained the Ph.D degree in Chemistry from the University of Minnesota in 1935. He also spent his academic years from 1935-1937 at the University of Manchester, England, as well as beginning an academic career at the University of California at Berkeley in 1931, as an instructor. In addition, Calvin has been a full-time professor since 1947. He earned his undergraduate degrees from the Michigan College of Mining and Technology in 1931. And received his Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Minnesota in 1935.
Dr. Calvin was married to the former Genevieve Jemtegaard, daughter of Norwegian emigrant parents, they have two daughters, Elin and Karole, and one son, Noel. Though sadly, Melvin Calvin died on January 8, 1997 at the age of eighty-five from a heart attack along with the following years of declining health.
Interesting Facts
Melvin Calvin was the Director of the Big-organic Chemistry group in the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory since 1946. The group's name was later changed to the Laboratory of Chemical Biodynamics in 1960. Calvin had also been awarded with many medals, awards, and lectureships throughout his lifetime, including the the numerous memberships in learned societies. He was also labeled "Mr.Photosynthesis" by Time magazine in 1961.
A List of Major Experiments, Contributions,or Discoveries
Calvin Cycle Clips:
Mini-Quiz!!!
Questions:1) In the year of 1961, Melvin Calvin won a Nobel Prize, what did he identify?
2) When did Calvin become interested in Chemistry?
3) What thesis did Melvin Calvin start at the University of Minnesota?
Answers:
1) Melvin Calvin identified the path of carbon in photosynthesis.
2) When he was in high school and was working in his parent's grocery store in Detroit. He wondered what makeup was made up of, and then realized how important chemistry was.
3) He started a thesis on the electron affinity of halogens under the direction of Professor George A. Glocker.
References:
Lynn Yaris. "Melvin Calvin, Who Unraveled the Secrets of Photosynthesis, Dies." Berkeley Lab: Lawrence Berkely National Laboratory. <http://www.lbl.gov/Science-Articles/Archive/Melvin-Calvin-obit.html>. September 27, 2008.
Nobeprize.org. The Nobel Foundation 1961. September 18, 2008.
<http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/1961/calvin-bio.html>.
Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. September 16, 2008. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. September 18, 2008. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melvin_Calvin>.
Page created by: Peggy Fung, Diana Shen, Joscelyn Siemens, Yasmin Dem, Block A, Chemistry 11.