Who Went Where? - UChicago Edition

Eckhardt Research Center

Today, the University of Chicago is well known as a university of high research activity. The university runs approximately 150 research centers on campus and is also associated with a number of other research institutions off campus. Many UChicago scholars have been pioneers in research in fields spanning from physics to sociology to medicine and the arts, advancing our understanding of all that is around us with breakthroughs that have made a lasting impact on the world.

Parker Solar Probe, named after Eguene Parker

This is demonstrated by the news that just recently, on May 31, NASA renamed its first mission to go to the sun, which will be launched in 2018, from the Solar Probe Plus to the Parker Solar Probe, honoring Professor Eugene Parker, a physicist at the University of Chicago. Parker is the first living person NASA has named a space mission after. UChicago has always had a long history of strong background in astronomy and physics: launched in 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope was named after UChicago alumnus Edwin Hubble, and the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory was named after Arthur Holly Compton, a UChicago professor – just to name a few.

Jame Watson, co-discoverer of DNA structure

However, physics and astronomy are not the only fields UChicago has a strong background in. UChicago has many other notable and reputable alumni and faculty in the almost every field as well. James Watson, another alumnus, is best known as one of the three people who discovered the double-helix structure of DNA, revolutionizing everything in biology and the study of genetics. Similarly, in the business field, there is Satya Nadella, current CEO of Microsoft. Going a bit farther back, there is also psychologist John Watson, who established the psychological school of behaviorism.

In government and politics, throughout UChicago’s history, five of University of Chicago’s alumni have become presidents or prime ministers of governments. President Barack Obama, while not an alumnus, has served on the faculty teaching the University of Chicago Law School prior to his presidency.

Former President Barack Obama speaking at the UChicago Law School

Delirium trilogy by Lauren Oliver

For some alumni that are more recent, the UChicago alumnus most widely known right now is probably Bernie Sanders, the widely favored Democratic candidate in last year’s presidential campaign. Sanders had graduated from the university with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science in 1964. In addition, those who are into young adult literature might also recognize the name of Chicago alumnus Lauren Oliver, the author of hit novels including the Delirium trilogy and the Before I Fall, which became a major motion picture this year. (As I doing my research, she was the first name I recognized, since her Delirium trilogy is one of my favorite series, because of its amazing and beautiful prose.)

From the time it was established in 1890 to present-day, the University of Chicago has built itself a long, prestigious history of notable alumni and faculty - physicists, biologist, politicians, writers, and much more - who have all, in their own way, impacted the world with their many talents.