Background
Arthur Compton was born on September 10, 1892 in Wooster, Ohio, United States. He was the son of Elias Compton, a Presbyterian minister, professor and university dean and Otelia Catherine (Augspurger) Compton.
Arthur Compton was born on September 10, 1892 in Wooster, Ohio, United States. He was the son of Elias Compton, a Presbyterian minister, professor and university dean and Otelia Catherine (Augspurger) Compton.
In 1913 Compton got Bachelor of Science degree at College of Wooster. In 1914 Arthur attained Master of Arts degree at Princeton University and in 1916 he received Doctor of Philosophy degree.
Compton began his career in 1916 as an instructor at University of Minnesota and held the position till 1917, when he started to work as a research engineer at Westinghouse Lamp Company in East Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Arthur held the post of a research engineer till 1918. Beginning from 1919 till 1920 he served as a National Research Fellowship recipient, working on research relating to the structure of atoms with J. J. Thomson and Ernest Rutherford at Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge University, England.
Since 1920 till 1927 Compton was a professor of physics and physics department head at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. In 1927 he started to work as a professor of physics, then Arthur became a founder and director of the Metallurgical Laboratory at University of Chicago. Also, in 1938 Compton was a co-chairman of National Conference Christians and Jews.
Beginning from 1942 to 1945 he was a director of Metallurgical Atomic Project. What is more, Arthur was appointed a chancellor of Washington University in 1945 and held the post till 1954. It is important to note, that since 1954 he served as a Distinguished Service Professor of Natural Philosophy. Compton acted on this position till 1961. Since 1961 to 1962 Arthur worked at the College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio, United States and at the University of California in Berkeley, California, United States.
Arthur Compton was a president of American Association of Scientific Workers from 1939 to 1940.
Lincean Academy , Italy
Royal Prussian Academy of Sciences , Germany
Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences , Netherlands
Brazilian Academy of Sciences , Brazil
National Academy of Sciences of Peru , Peru
Academy of Sciences Leopoldina , Germany
American Association of Scientific Workers , United States
1939 - 1940
Presidential Commision on Higher Education
1946
American Physical Society
American Association for the Advancement of Science
Western Society of Engineers
American Philosophical Society
National Academy of Sciences
1938 - 1941
Royal Society of New Zealand
Indian Academy Sciences
Austrian Academy of Sciences
Chinese Physical Society
Arthur Holly Compton was married to Betty Charity McCloskey. They had two children: Arthur Alan and John Joseph.