James Andrew Harris (March 26, 1932 – December 12, 2000) was a pioneering African American nuclear chemist who made significant contributions to the field of element discovery. Born in Waco, Texas, Harris later moved to Oakland, California, before returning to Texas to earn his Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from Huston-Tillotson College in 1953.
After serving in the U.S. Army, Harris faced racial discrimination in his job search but persevered, eventually securing a position as a radiochemist at Tracerlab in Richmond, California, in 1955. In 1960, he joined the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory (now Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) at the University of California, Berkeley, where he would spend the next 28 years of his career.
At Lawrence Berkeley Lab, Harris led the Heavy Isotopes Production Group in the Nuclear Chemistry Division. His expertise in preparing highly pure target materials was crucial in the discovery of two new elements: rutherfordium (element 104) in 1969 and dubnium (element 105) in 1970. Harris’s contributions made him the first African American scientist to play a key role in the discovery of new elements. Throughout his career, Harris was known for his scientific acumen, accessibility, and commitment to inspiring young scientists, particularly in underrepresented communities.
References:
- https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/james-andrew-harris-1932-2000/
- https://www.acs.org/education/whatischemistry/african-americans-in-sciences/james-andrew-harris.html
- https://chemistry.berkeley.edu/news/james-andrew-harris-and-element-discovery-berkeley-lab
- https://chemistry.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/acs.jchemed.0c01054.pdf
Image: By Unknown – Original publication: UnknownImmediate source: Twitter: @BerkeleyLab (archive), Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=63078353
