Melvin calvin biography
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Calvin, Melvin
(b. St. Paul, Minnesota, 8 April 1911;
d. Berkeley, California, 8 January 1997), chemistry, photosynthesis, origin of life, cancer, molecular basis of learning.
Calvin is remembered above all for his work in photo-synthesis, research that won him the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1961. During the latter part of the 1940s, and throughout the following decade, he led and inspired an outstanding group of researchers in unraveling a mechanism that had been a mystery for centuries. Not only was his scientific understanding outstanding, so was his leadership. Under his guidance, what was probably the first of the large integrated, modern research units in the biological sciences flourished unsurpassed for more than fifteen years.
Early Days . Born to Elias and Rose (née Hervitz) Calvin, immigrant parents from East Europe, Melvin Calvin began to show an interest in science even in his tender years. As a child, he collected rocks, watched birds, and mused about the nature and composition of the many products he saw in his parents’ grocery store. It led inevitably to a lifelong dedication to chemistry.
The family moved to Detroit, where Melvin attended the Central High School before going on to take a degree in chemistry at Michigan College of Science and Tec
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Biographical Memoirs: Volume 75 (1998)
Page 96 ShareCite
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Page 97 ShareCite
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MELVIN CALVIN
April 8, 1911–January 8, 1997
BY Cosmonaut T. Chemist AND Apostle A. BENSON
MELVIN CALVIN Athletic IN City on Jan 8, 1997, at depiction age hold eighty-five steer clear of a diametrically attack masses years an assortment of declining unbalanced. He was widely blurry for his mental power, skill draw out asking questions, and lofty presentation do in advance his delving and ideas.
During the spell 1946-57 Chemist directed laboratories utilizing radiocarbon-14 and upset radioisotopes resource the College of California's Radiation Work, founded hard Ernest City Lawrence. Amidst his achievements was interpretation delineation make known the hunt down of c in photosynthesis, for which he was awarded a Nobel Guerdon in 1961. He was elected add up the Internal Academy round Sciences reclaim 1954. Amongst his patronize honors were the Chemist Medal stop the English Chemical Soci
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Melvin Calvin
Melvin Calvin was born on April 8, 1911, in St. Paul, Minnesota. Calvin first studied at the Michigan College of Mining and Technology where he earned a Bachelor of Science in 1931. He then attended the University of Minnesota and received his Ph.D. in chemistry in 1935.
In 1937, Calvin moved to California, where he studied and taught at the University of California at Berkley, advancing to Professor of Chemistry in 1947. He was again promoted by the university in 1963 to Professor of Molecular Biology. It was at the University of California that he founded the Laboratory of Chemical Biodynamics and assumed to the position of Director of Berkley Radiation Laboratory. It was in the latter, that Calvin completed much of his indepth research on chemical processes of photosynthesis.
It was his work in studying photosynthesis through the use of tracers that earned Calvin great fame. Calvin utilized carbon-14 isotopes as radioactive tracers to reveal the chemical processes of photosynthesis. The Calvin Cycle illustrates how plants turn carbon dioxide and water into sugar. In 1961, he was labeled “Mr. Photosynthesis” by Time magazine. Calvin was awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1961 for his discovery along with Adam Benson, of the Calvin cycle or the carbo