The following sections of this BookRags Literature Study Guide is offprint from Gale's For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare & Contrast, What Do I Read Next?, For Further Study, and Sources.
(c)1998-2002; (c)2002 by Gale. Gale is an imprint of The Gale Group, Inc., a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Gale and Design and Thomson Learning are trademarks used herein under license.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction: "Social Concerns", "Thematic Overview", "Techniques", "Literary Precedents", "Key Questions", "Related Titles", "Adaptations", "Related Web Sites". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults: "About the Author", "Overview", "Setting", "Literary Qualities", "Social Sensitivity", "Topics for Discussion", "Ideas for Reports and Papers". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
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Ghiorso was born in Vallejo, California, on July 15, 1915. He received his bachelor of science degree from the University of California in 1937 and, in 1966, was awarded an honorary Ph.D. from Gustavus Adolphus College.
Ghiorso has been involved in the discovery of every synthetic element from americium (number 95) through element 106. In 1944, for example, working with Glenn T. Seaborg and R. A. James, he produced americium by bombarding plutonium -239 with alpha particles.
In later years, his research teams have explored the possibilities of producing heavier elements by using ions, such as beryllium-9, nitrogen -14, and oxygen-16, as projectiles in the accelerator at the University of California at Berkeley. Working with T. Sikkeland, A. D. Larsh, and R. M. Latimer in 1961, for example, he produced the first sample of element 103 ( lawrencium) by bombarding californium with boron nuclei.
Since 1969, Ghiorso has been director of the Heavy Ion Linear Accelerator at Berkeley. His research interests also include the development of nuclear fission counters, electrical apparatus used in the study of nuclear radiation, and reactions produced by heavy ions.