C. Maurice Patterson

C. Maurice Patterson also known as Pat or Maurice Patterson (24 December 1913 – 21 May 1989) a pioneer in the establishment of health physics as a profession and part of a select group of engineers and scientists that made this happen.

Life and career

Patterson was born in 1913 and died in 1989 in Aiken, South Carolina. Patterson received his academic training in pharmacy. After school, he went to work for the DuPont Company and World War II had started. In 1943 he went to Oak Ridge to receive training. During 1944–1951 Patterson oversaw the operational health physics group at the Hanford Works. Patterson was a leader of Du Pont’s radiation protection program at the Hanford Plant in the state of Washington during World War II. He went to Hanford to join the newly formed radiation protection group led by Herbert M. Parker. After World War II in the spring of 1951 he went back to DuPont at the headquarters in Delaware. In 1952 Patterson moved to the Savannah River Project (SRP) to become superintendent of the Health Physics Department and the Site Survey Group. William C. Reinig was a key member of this group. Until retirement in 1978 he successfully led the radiation protection program at SRP.[1][2][3]

Health Physics Society

Patterson was a key member in the formation of the Health Physics Society and represented the Savannah River Project.[4][5]

  • Founding member and Director
  • Representative from Savannah River Project
  • President, 1962
  • Founders Award, 1979
  • Fellow, 1984
  • Diplomat, American Board of Health Physics

Publications

  • Patterson, C. M. (1958). Proceedings U. N. Intern. Conf. Peaceful Uses Atomic Energy, 2nd, Geneva, 23: 295.
  • Monitoring of tritium in gases, liquids, and in the environment.[6]
  • Environmental Radiation at the Start[7]

References

  1. Reinig, William C. "Environmental Radioactivity On and Near the Savannah River Site Before the Start of Nuclear Operations." Prepared for the US Department of Energy Under Contract No. DE-ACO9-96SR18500 Westinghouse Savannah River Company Savannah River Site, Aiken, SC 29808: 265.
  2. Patterson, C. M. (1987). Environmental Radiation at the Start, USDOE Report DP-1745, Savannah River Site, Aiken, SC 29808.
  3. Reinig, William C. (July/August 1989). C.M. Patterson 1913-1989. HPS Newsletter, XVII(7/8): 19-20.
  4. "News of Science". Science. 122 (15 July 1955): 112. 15 July 1955. doi:10.1126/science.122.3159.112.
  5. Reinig, William C. (July/August 1989). C.M. Patterson 1913-1989. HPS Newsletter, XVII(7/8): 19-20.
  6. Marter, W.L. and C. M. Patterson. (1971). Monitoring of tritium in gases, liquids, and in the environment. Transactions, Amer. Nucl. Soc. 14(1): 162-163.
  7. Patterson, C. M. (1987). Environmental Radiation at the Start, USDOE Report DP-1745, Savannah River Site, Aiken, SC 29808.
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