Samuel Untermyer II

Samuel Untermyer II, (25 November 1912 – 26 January 2001) was a United States nuclear scientist who theorized that steam bubble formation in a nuclear reactor core would not produce unstable reactions, but would instead result in an inherently stable and self-controlling reactor design. This was eventually proved in the BORAX experiments, which led to the design of the Boiling water reactor. In recognition of his fundamental development work on water-cooled reactors, the American Nuclear Society now has an award named after him for work in this field.

He was awarded the Newcomen Medal in 1980.

External links

• Samuel Untermyer II Award page at American Nuclear Society
• Paid Notice: Deaths Untermyer, Samuel II (The New York Times)
• "Boiling Water Reactor Simulator with Passive Safety Systems - IAEA" On page 14 there is a brief summary of Samuel Untermyer's work at Argonne National Laboratory on the BORAX experiments; (PDF, 11 MB).
• Chapter on Untermyer and the BORAX experiments in the Idaho National Laboratory's history Proving the Principle.