Nuclear Museum Logo
Nuclear Museum Logo

National Museum of Nuclear Science & History

Ruth C. Boe

ScientistChicago, IL

Manhattan Project VeteranScientistWoman Scientist

Ruth Boe worked at the Met Lab in Chicago from November 1943 through June 1945.  She was in Farrington Daniels’ division, in the graphite research section. The group was formed in January 1944 under the leadership of Ted Neubert and Aaron Novick to study the effect that radiation, heat, and time would have on the crystal structure of the graphite which was used as a moderator of the atomic chain reaction. There was a concern that it might collapse unexpectedly, but fortunately that theory eventually proved groundless.

Related Profiles

Roger M. Smith

Tinian Island

Roger M. Smith served in the First Ordnance Squadron.

Phil Belcher

Los Alamos, NM

Henry Deutsch

Tinian Island

Henry Deutsch served as a 1st lieutenant in the 393rd Bombardment Squadron. He was the navigator regularly assigned first to Luke the Spook and later to Big Stink.

Jose R. Valdez

Los Alamos, NM

Jose R. Valdez was a staff worker at Los Alamos during the Manhattan Project.