"Frontiers" marks Pauling centennial

The only person ever to have won two unshared Nobel prizes was also one of Caltech’s own for more than four decades. Linus Pauling, one of the most prominent scientists of the 20th century, earned his PhD in chemistry and mathematical physics at the Institute in 1925. He was a member of the faculty from 1927 to 1964, serving for 20 years as chair of the chemistry and chemical engineering division.

In honor of what would have been his 100th birthday this year, Caltech’s Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering is presenting “Frontiers in Science: A Centennial Celebration of Linus Pauling” on Friday, March 2, in Beckman Auditorium. Open to the public, the day-long symposium features scientists who will explore topics reflecting his wide-ranging interests. They will also remember Pauling, who died in 1994, as a friend and colleague.

Linus Pauling received the 1954 Nobel Prize in chemistry for his ground-breaking research on chemical bonding. When he and an associate identified the cause of sickle cell anemia as molecular, the science of molecular medicine was born, paving the way for the subsequent growth of fields such as immunology and applied genetics. His discovery of the alpha helix in 1948 was crucial to later work on the structure of proteins and DNA, and his books, The Nature of the Chemical Bond and General Chemistry, revolutionized the teaching of chemistry.

Over the years, however, his vocal opposition to nuclear weapons testing—viewed at the time as unpatriotic and potentially damaging to national security—led to increasing disapproval from some Caltech administrators and trustees. After Pauling’s antinuclear efforts garnered him the 1962 Nobel Peace Prize, he decided to leave the Institute.

“Although the politics of the early 1960s were such that Professor Pauling came to feel he should leave Caltech, it’s clear that his decision to resign came with regrets on all sides,” said David Tirrell, current chair of the chemistry and chemical engineering division. “The Institute and the Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering worked hard to maintain ties to Professor Pauling after his departure, and the centennial marks the latest in a series of Caltech events celebrating his invaluable contributions to chemistry and to the Institute.”

Tirrell will serve as an opening speaker for the program and chair its morning session. Other speakers will include Pauling’s fellow Nobel laureates Ahmed Zewail, Caltech’s Pauling Professor of Chemistry; Elias Corey of Harvard; and Charles Townes of UC Berkeley; as well as Richard Lerner of the Scripps Research Institute; Jack Dunitz of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology; Thomas Steitz from Yale; and Alexander Rich of MIT.

For more information on the Pauling Centennial, contact the CCE Division Office at 395-6024, or visit the Web site at http://chemistry.caltech.edu/pauling.html.
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