William Siri
Encyclopedia
William E. Siri (January 2, 1919 – August 24, 2004) was an American biophysicist
, mountaineer
and environmentalist
. He was born in Philadelphia, PA and attended school in Audubon, NJ.
with a bachelor's degree in physics in 1942. He joined the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
(then called the Radiation Laboratory) in 1943 and spent his entire career there. He was assigned to the Manhattan Project
from 1943 to 1945. His post-war scientific work was in the field of nuclear medicine
, with an emphasis on the use of radioisotopes to study red blood cells in humans. He edited the Handbook of Radioactivity and Tracer Methodology, published by the Army Air Corps
in 1948. He developed an interest in how red blood cells respond to physiological stress, such as exposure to high elevations. He was a member of a research team headed by John H. Lawrence
.
. They were turned back by bad weather at 23,000 feet. This was the first American expedition to the Himalaya.
In 1957, he participated in a joint American-British Antarctic expedition which studied the effects of extreme cold on human blood.
He was deputy leader and scientific coordinator of the successful American expedition to Mount Everest in 1963 that put five Americans and a Sherpa
on the summit, although Siri himself did not make it to the summit. About Everest, Siri wrote, "Other mountains share with Everest a history of adventure, glory and tragedy, but only Everest is the highest place on earth. More than two-thirds of the earth's atmosphere lies below its summit, and for an unacclimatized man without oxygen, the top of the mountain is more endurable than outer space by only two or three minutes. The primitive, often brutal struggle to reach its top is an irresistible challenge to our built-in need for adventure."
for 1979.
at his home in Berkeley
, California after suffering from Alzheimer's disease
for a decade.
Biophysics
Biophysics is an interdisciplinary science that uses the methods of physical science to study biological systems. Studies included under the branches of biophysics span all levels of biological organization, from the molecular scale to whole organisms and ecosystems...
, mountaineer
Mountaineering
Mountaineering or mountain climbing is the sport, hobby or profession of hiking, skiing, and climbing mountains. While mountaineering began as attempts to reach the highest point of unclimbed mountains it has branched into specialisations that address different aspects of the mountain and consists...
and environmentalist
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
. He was born in Philadelphia, PA and attended school in Audubon, NJ.
Education and scientific career
Siri graduated from the University of ChicagoUniversity of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
with a bachelor's degree in physics in 1942. He joined the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory , is a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory conducting unclassified scientific research. It is located on the grounds of the University of California, Berkeley, in the Berkeley Hills above the central campus...
(then called the Radiation Laboratory) in 1943 and spent his entire career there. He was assigned to the Manhattan Project
Manhattan Project
The Manhattan Project was a research and development program, led by the United States with participation from the United Kingdom and Canada, that produced the first atomic bomb during World War II. From 1942 to 1946, the project was under the direction of Major General Leslie Groves of the US Army...
from 1943 to 1945. His post-war scientific work was in the field of nuclear medicine
Nuclear medicine
In nuclear medicine procedures, elemental radionuclides are combined with other elements to form chemical compounds, or else combined with existing pharmaceutical compounds, to form radiopharmaceuticals. These radiopharmaceuticals, once administered to the patient, can localize to specific organs...
, with an emphasis on the use of radioisotopes to study red blood cells in humans. He edited the Handbook of Radioactivity and Tracer Methodology, published by the Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
in 1948. He developed an interest in how red blood cells respond to physiological stress, such as exposure to high elevations. He was a member of a research team headed by John H. Lawrence
John H. Lawrence
John Hundale Lawrence was an American physicist and physician best known for pioneering the field of nuclear medicine. -Background:John Hundale Lawrence was born in Canton, South Dakota...
.
Mountaineering and polar exploration
In 1954, he led a ten-man Sierra Club expedition that unsuccessfully attempted to climb MakaluMakalu
Makalu is the fifth highest mountain in the world at and is located southeast of Mount Everest, on the border between Nepal and China...
. They were turned back by bad weather at 23,000 feet. This was the first American expedition to the Himalaya.
In 1957, he participated in a joint American-British Antarctic expedition which studied the effects of extreme cold on human blood.
He was deputy leader and scientific coordinator of the successful American expedition to Mount Everest in 1963 that put five Americans and a Sherpa
Sherpa people
The Sherpa are an ethnic group from the most mountainous region of Nepal, high in the Himalayas. Sherpas migrated from the Kham region in eastern Tibet to Nepal within the last 300–400 years.The initial mountainous migration from Tibet was a search for beyul...
on the summit, although Siri himself did not make it to the summit. About Everest, Siri wrote, "Other mountains share with Everest a history of adventure, glory and tragedy, but only Everest is the highest place on earth. More than two-thirds of the earth's atmosphere lies below its summit, and for an unacclimatized man without oxygen, the top of the mountain is more endurable than outer space by only two or three minutes. The primitive, often brutal struggle to reach its top is an irresistible challenge to our built-in need for adventure."
Environmentalism
Siri served on the board of directors of the Sierra Club from 1956 to 1974. He served as president of the Sierra Club from 1964 to 1966. He was the winner of the Sierra Club's Francis P. Farquhar Mountaineering AwardFrancis P. Farquhar Mountaineering Award
The Francis P. Farquhar Mountaineering Award is given by the Sierra Club, and is named after club leader, historian and mountaineer Francis P. Farquhar. According to the Sierra Club, this award "honors an individual's contribution to mountaineering and enhancement of the Club's prestige in this...
for 1979.
Death
Siri died of pneumoniaPneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
at his home in Berkeley
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
, California after suffering from Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
for a decade.