Augustus Prince
Augustus "Gus" Prince | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1924 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Died | 2018 |
| Education | B.S. University of Pennsylvania, M.S. Drexel Institute of Technology, Ph.D. University of Cincinnati |
| Occupation | Nuclear scientist |
| Employer | Brookhaven National Laboratory |
Augustus “Gus” Prince was an American nuclear scientist at the Brookhaven National Laboratory who developed the standard methodology for the analysis of deformed nuclei.[1][2][3] He was the first Black radarman in the Navy, having served as a second class officer radarman during World War II from 1944 to 1945.[1][2] He died on January 5, 2018.[3]
Early life and education[edit]
Prince was born on January 11, 1924, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[1][3] He grew up in a single-parent household where his mother emphasized discipline and education.[1] His favorite subjects in school were math and science.[1] Upon graduating high school, Prince began working at the Sun Shipyard in Chester, Pennsylvania, to afford a college education.[3][1] Prince later served on a Navy ship that was built at the same Sun Shipyard.[1][3]
Prince began his career in the Navy during World War II, 1944 to 1945.[1][2] He was accepted to radar school and served as the first Black radarman in the Navy.[1] During the war, he served as a radarman on board the escort carrier USS Santee (CVE-29).[1][2][3] While on tour, Prince taught algebra to other radar men and would spend his free time training as a middleweight boxer.[3][1] During his service with the Navy, he earned the rank of second class officer radarman.[1]
Following an honorable discharge from the Navy in 1945, Prince graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1952 with a bachelor's degree in science.[2][3] He then continued his education with a master's degree in physics from the Drexel Institute of Technology, specializing in nuclear physics.[2][3] Later, Prince obtained his Ph.D. in physics from the University of Cincinnati, where he served as a faculty advisor for the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity as well as an instructor for several years.[2][3] From 1962 to 1964, he served as a laboratory instructor for general physics at the University of Cincinnati.[3] In 1964, he taught evening courses in atomic and nuclear physics at the University of Cincinnati while concurrently working as a senior physicist in the nuclear material and propulsion division at General Electric.[3]
Family life[edit]
Prince was born to August Prince and Jeanette Prince. He had two brothers, Eugene and Walter.[1] While working at the University of Cincinnati he met his wife Willa L. Prince.[3] With his wife, he had two daughters Gloria Chapman and Marilyn Prince.[3]
Career[edit]
In 1966, Prince joined the Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) as a nuclear scientist in the data evaluation management group.[2][3] At BNL, Prince developed the standard method for analyzing deformed nuclei and contributed to the Evaluated Nuclear Data File, along with codes used for the design, operation, and decommissioning of nuclear reactors.[2] During his time at BNL, he also served as a consultant on France's nuclear physics program, carrying out theoretical nuclear investigations for France's Atomic Energy Commission.[3]
Prince retired from BNL in 1993, but continued to drive recruitment of minority students for BNL.[2][3] After retiring to Florida, he became an adjunct professor of mathematics at the Daytona Beach Community College and tutored at Flagler-Palm Coast High School.[3]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Augustus Prince Collection". Library of Congress. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Celebrating Augustus 'Gus' Prince: 'I'm as Good as Anybody'". Brookhaven National Laboratory. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "Augustus Prince Obituary - Flagler Beach, FL". Dignity Memorial. Retrieved 2023-11-03.