Background:
Herbert Mottram Clark was born on September 3, 1918 in Derby, Connecticut.
He attended Shelton High School and graduated as salutatorian of his class in 1936.
Clark then obtained his B.S. and Ph.D. in Chemistry from Yale University in 1940
and 1944, respectively.
He attended Shelton High School and graduated as salutatorian of his class in 1936.
Clark then obtained his B.S. and Ph.D. in Chemistry from Yale University in 1940
and 1944, respectively.
Herbert Clark then lived out his career primarily as a professor of chemistry at
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He came to be primarily known for his involvement
in the World War II Manhattan project, as well as civil involvements within the
Troy and Albany, NY communities.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He came to be primarily known for his involvement
in the World War II Manhattan project, as well as civil involvements within the
Troy and Albany, NY communities.
Herbert Clark died at the age of 90 on August 20, 2009.
Troy Radioactivity Incident:
One of Clark’s most notable involvements took place in 1953, when Clark and his
students read unusually high levels of radioactivity on geiger counters they had
installed previously. The readings were reported as about 5000 times the normal
level of radioactivity, on April 26, 1953. Several hours before, nuclear tests were
being performed in Utah, where a shot kicked up debris and waste, which rode a jet
stream to the northeastern United States, causing a deposit to become concentrated
in the Capital Region of New York. This exposed the people of the area to about ten
times the normal annual dose of radiation.
students read unusually high levels of radioactivity on geiger counters they had
installed previously. The readings were reported as about 5000 times the normal
level of radioactivity, on April 26, 1953. Several hours before, nuclear tests were
being performed in Utah, where a shot kicked up debris and waste, which rode a jet
stream to the northeastern United States, causing a deposit to become concentrated
in the Capital Region of New York. This exposed the people of the area to about ten
times the normal annual dose of radiation.
Herbert Clark led the RPI Civil Engineering Department’s sanitary engineering
group under an Atomic Energy Commission-sponsored 1953 summer research project
to investigate the reservoirs after the nuclear testing. From this, the AEC released that
the concentrated fallout had no significance in relation to public health. The storm was
deemed as something comparable to a chest x-ray. However numerous studies and public
interest afterwards had looked towards Iodine-131 in food supplies and milk in the area.
These studies found a correlation to a detrimental effect on public health. After other
scientists such as Ralph Lapp pushed the issue further, New York health officials released
figures on childhood cancer rates, which had doubled after the latency period after the event.
group under an Atomic Energy Commission-sponsored 1953 summer research project
to investigate the reservoirs after the nuclear testing. From this, the AEC released that
the concentrated fallout had no significance in relation to public health. The storm was
deemed as something comparable to a chest x-ray. However numerous studies and public
interest afterwards had looked towards Iodine-131 in food supplies and milk in the area.
These studies found a correlation to a detrimental effect on public health. After other
scientists such as Ralph Lapp pushed the issue further, New York health officials released
figures on childhood cancer rates, which had doubled after the latency period after the event.
Clark was an important for the advancement of radioactive and chemical research in
the United States, and his legacy stands within the Troy community for his career’s work.
the United States, and his legacy stands within the Troy community for his career’s work.
Source: Institute Archives and Special Collections, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY.
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