Timeline Description: Robert Millikan was a noted scientist of his day. He helped bring an understanding of science to the common man, and he made leaps and bounds in the field during his career.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| March 22, 1868 | Robert Millikan is born Robert was born into a family that had emigrated from England. He was born and raised in Illinois. |
| 1880's | Robert's school years In his childhood, Robert attended school with his peers. He attended Maquoket High School while also working as a court reporter. |
| 1893 | College graduation Robert studied at Oberlin College once he'd left high school. He eventually graduated with a master's degree in physics. |
| 1895 | Columbia University Robert then moved on to Columbia University. There he would earn his PhD in physics. |
| 1896 | Working at the University of Chicago After graduation, Robert was given an assistant's position within the college. He maintained this position for several years. |
| 1902 | Marriage After meeting a woman named Greta Blanchard, Robert became engaged and married to her. They had three children. |
| 1908 | Robert's first attempt at writing a book Robert had a deep desire to help everyone understand science. Because of this, he wrote his first book titled Electricity, Sound and Light. |
| 1909 | Experiments Fully immersed in physics, Robert began experimenting with electrical charges, and electrons. His experiment became known as the Millikan oil-drop experiment. |
| 1910 | University of Chicago Robert continued his work at the University of Chicago as a professor, in their newly opened Ryerson Laboratory. He worked there for many years, until he left in 1921. |
| 1921 | California Institute of Technology When Robert left Chicago, he went to the California Institute of Technology. As their director, he took CIT to a new level of scientific excellence, and CIT became famous for its contributions to science. |
| 1920's | Cosmic rays During his time at CIT, Robert took on a study of the radiation that had been detected coming from space. The study proved the existence of these rays, and Robert dubbed them "cosmic rays." |
| 1923 | The Nobel Prize Robert's work proved some of Einstein's theories of science, and he was widely praised for his effort. In 1923 he was awarded the Nobel Prize. |
| 1923 | Another book Robert's second book about science for the masses was called Science and Life. He went on to write two other books. |
| 1945 | Retirement After many years dedicated to advancing science, Robert finally retired. When he left CIT, or CalTech, he had turned it into one of the leading science facilities in the country. |
| December 19, 1953 | Robert's death Robert A. Millikan died in California. He had spent his life for the scientific community, and his work has lived on through the years. |