(Murnane, Margaret - 2020) -- Benjamin Franklin Medal
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A husband-and-wife team at the forefront of laser science at CU Boulder is following in the footsteps of the Curies, winning a prestigious Benjamin Franklin Medal. The Franklin Institute announced today that Henry Kapteyn and Margaret Murnane would receive this year’s medal in physics—one of several awards handed out annually by the center named after scientist and founding father Benjamin Franklin. Kapteyn and Murnane are fellows in JILA, a joint research institute between CU Boulder and the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST). With their talented research group, they have pioneered new advancements in X-ray lasers, devices that shoot out incredibly fast pulses of X-ray radiation. The researchers, also professors in the Department of Physics, are only the third married couple to receive a Benjamin Franklin Medal. The first couple was Marie and Pierre Curie, who took home the prize for chemistry in 1909. “We are quite excited and humbled to be so recognized by the Franklin Institute,” Kapteyn said. “Margaret and I have been exploring science together for many years now, so it is especially delightful to be following the path of the Curies—a personal inspiration for us—in being recognized by such a longstanding, prestigious organization.” John Cumalat, chair of physics at CU Boulder, said Murnane and Kapteyn are highly-acclaimed, international leaders in laser science.
Credit: Glenn Asakawa/CU Boulder
“The Department of Physics takes great pride in their recognition as 2020 Franklin Institute Award Winners,” he said. “They are remarkable scientists, professors and mentors of our students.”
