WALTER KOHN NATIONAL MEDAL OF SCIENCE

 

Prestigious National Medal of Science won by Walter Kohn, presented to the Nobel Prize winning scientist by President Ronald Reagan in 1988. Kohn rose to great heights in his life after being rescued as a child from the Nazis during World War II through the Kindertransport program. Kindertransport was established by the United Kingdom in 1938 immediately after the ''Night of Broken Glass'' pogrom in Germany, authorizing the safe passage of almost 10,000 children into the UK. The children were placed in homes throughout the British empire, with Kohn ultimately placed in a home in Canada after both his parents were killed in the Holocaust.

The National Medal of Science is one of the most prestigious scientific awards in the world and the highest scientific honor in the United States, bestowed by the President to individuals who have made significant contributions in the field of science. Kohn won this Medal as the architect of density functional theory (DFT), a computational quantum mechanical modeling system which has allowed scientists to understand the nuclear structure of microscopic matter. Though the underlying structure of NFT is complex, the actual equations are now commonplace among scientists, with countless practical results ranging from discovering trace impurities in chemicals to modeling planetary systems.

Designed by noted medal artist Donald DeLue, front of medal depicts a man surrounded by the Earth, sea and sky, attempting to understand the natural order symbolized by the crystal in his hand. The reverse reads, ''Awarded by the President of the United States of America to Walter Kohn / 1988''. Bronze medal measures 3.25'' and weighs 306 grams, with copyright statement on rim, ''1987 Maco-Bronze''. Medal is in near fine condition. Consigned by the Kohn family.

 

To read the complete lot description, see:
Lot #33: National Medal of Science Won by Walter Kohn (https://natedsanders.com/LotDetail.aspx?inventoryid=68533)

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
BIDEN AWARDS NATIONAL MEDALS (https://www.coinbooks.org/v28/esylum_v28n02a23.html)

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