Henry Blosser, 1928-2013

August 4, 2014 (PO34). Henry Blosser passed away in March of 2013 at the age of 85.

Henry received his bachelor’s degree, master's degree, and his PhD from the University of Virginia. From 1954 to 1958 he worked at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. He served as founding director and co-director of the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL) at Michigan State University (MSU) from 1958 until his retirement in 1989. He was also an adjunct professor in the Wayne State University Department of Radiation Oncology in Detroit. He was a Guggenheim Fellow in 1973-74. In 1994 the American Physical Society awarded him the Tom W. Bonner Award for his contributions to nuclear physics. In 1984 the Detroit News named him "Michiganian of the year."

Henry was an innovator who supervised the construction of two superconducting cyclotrons at NSCL beginning in 1978 and into the 1980’s. These cyclotrons are still accelerating heavy ions at MSU. He also built a superconducting medical cyclotron for neutron therapy for use in a Detroit-area hospital. This cyclotron was used to treat patients from 1992 until 2012. It was the only such facility in the United States.