Myriam Sarachik
Myriam Sarachik | |
|---|---|
| Born | Myriam Paula Morgenstein 8 August 1933 Antwerp, Belgium |
| Died | 7 October 2021 (aged 88) Manhattan, New York City, United States |
| Occupation | Experimental physicist |
| Years active | 1960s–2021 |
| Known for | First experimental verification of the Kondo effect; contributions to low-temperature solid-state physics |
Myriam Paula Sarachik (August 8, 1933 – October 7, 2021) was an experimental physicist of Belgian origin who made significant contributions to low-temperature solid-state physics in the United States. Beginning in 1996, she held the position of distinguished professor of physics at the City College of New York. She is recognized for providing the first experimental verification of the Kondo effect during the 1960s.
Early life and education
Born as Myriam Paula Morgenstein on August 8, 1933, in Antwerp, Belgium, Sarachik was raised by Orthodox Jewish parents originally from Poland. Her father was employed as a diamond cutter and dealer. The family communicated in Yiddish at home and fled Belgium following the German occupation in 1940. After several escape attempts and a period of internment in French camps, they managed to cross into Spain before ultimately settling in Cuba as refugees. It was there that Sarachik attended school and acquired proficiency in Spanish and English. In 1947, the family moved to New York City.
Sarachik completed her secondary education at the Bronx High School of Science in 1950 and earned a Bachelor of Arts from Barnard College in 1954. She pursued graduate studies at Columbia University, where she obtained her M.S. in 1957 and Ph.D. in 1960 under the mentorship of Richard Garwin. Her doctoral thesis examined magnetic field attenuation in Type-I superconducting films, yielding crucial experimental evidence supporting BCS theory by analyzing how magnetic field penetration depth varied with temperature in lead. This enabled her to determine the superconducting energy gap, aligning with direct measurement results. Her findings were published in Physical Review Letters and the IBM Journal of Research and Development during the year she completed her doctorate.
Academic career
Between 1962 and 1964, Sarachik conducted postdoctoral research at Bell Laboratories, where she demonstrated that magnetic impurities embedded within non-magnetic metals generate localized magnetic moments that increase electrical resistance at low temperatures. These experiments constituted the first empirical confirmation of the Kondo effect.
Although advised to pursue less challenging positions, Sarachik joined the physics faculty at City College of New York as an assistant professor in 1964. She advanced to associate professor by 1967 and attained full professorship in 1971. In 1996, she was honored with the title of distinguished professor of physics.
Her scientific interests centered on low-temperature condensed matter physics, with an emphasis on molecular nanomagnets and emergent behaviors observed in dilute two-dimensional electron systems. She explored the Metal–insulator transition, investigating under what conditions insulating materials become conductive through experiments conducted near absolute zero temperature. Additionally, Sarachik studied transport phenomena and magnetic characteristics within semiconductors as well as quantum tunneling effects.
In recognition of her impactful work on electronic transport properties in solids and molecular magnetism, she was awarded the American Physical Society (APS) Medal for Exceptional Achievement in Research in 2020. She served as APS president in 2003 and received the prestigious Oliver E. Buckley Condensed Matter Prize in 2005. Furthermore, she was elected to serve on the governing council of the National Academy of Sciences in 2008.
Beyond her scientific accomplishments, Sarachik was a committed advocate for scientists' human rights. She held leadership roles within APS's Committee on the International Freedom of Scientists, participated actively on the Human Rights of Scientists Committee at the New York Academy of Sciences, and served on the board of the Committee of Concerned Scientists.
Honors and awards
Among Sarachik's distinguished recognitions are:
- Elected Member of the National Academy of Sciences (1994)
- Inducted Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (1999)
- Fellow of the American Physical Society
- Fellow of the New York Academy of Sciences
- Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
- Recipient of the 1995 NYC Mayor's Award for Excellence in Mathematical, Physical, and Engineering Sciences
- Honored with the 2004 Sloan Public Service Award from the Fund for the City of New York
- Awarded the 2005 L'Oréal/UNESCO For Women in Science Laureate for North America
- Co-recipient of the 2005 APS Oliver E. Buckley Prize in Condensed Matter Physics alongside David Awschalom and Gabriel Aeppli
- Conferred an Honorary Doctor of Science degree by Amherst College in 2006
- Awarded the APS Medal for Exceptional Achievement in Research in 2020
- Presented with the 2020 President's Medal from the Institute of Physics (IOP)
- Honored with the National Medal of Science in 2023
Personal life
In 1954, Myriam wed Philip Sarachik, who was a professor specializing in electrical engineering at New York University. Together, they had two daughters named Karen and Leah. In a tragic event in 1970, their five-year-old daughter Leah was abducted by their household caretaker; both were subsequently discovered deceased.
Myriam Sarachik died on October 7, 2021, at the age of 88 in Manhattan.