George Wald
Scientists

George Wald Net Worth

George Wald was an American scientist who was awarded the 1967 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his work on the physiological and chemical visual processes in the eye. He dedicated his life to researching how the eye sees and passes visual images to the brain, and used chemical methods to extract pigments from the retina and measure light absorbance of the pigments. Wald had a successful academic career, starting as a tutor at Harvard and progressing to become a professor of biology. He was honoured with numerous awards and held memberships in various scientific academies.
George Wald is a member of Scientists

Age, Biography and Wiki

Who is it? Scientist
Birth Day November 18, 1906
Birth Place New York City, New York, United States, United States
Age 114 YEARS OLD
Died On April 12, 1997(1997-04-12) (aged 90)\nCambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.
Birth Sign Sagittarius
Alma mater New York University Columbia University
Known for Pigments in the retina
Spouse(s) Frances Kingsley (m. 1931; div. ?) Ruth Hubbard (m. 1958)
Children 4
Awards Eli Lilly Award in Biological Chemistry (1939) Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research (1953) Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1967)
Fields Neurobiology
Institutions Harvard University

💰 Net worth

George Wald, a renowned scientist in the United States, is estimated to have a net worth ranging from $100,000 to $1 million in 2024. Widely recognized for his significant contributions in the field of biology, Wald's research and discoveries have earned him numerous accolades and acclaim. His work primarily focused on the study of vision and the biochemistry of vision, allowing him to unravel vital insights into how our eyes perceive light and color. As a scientist, Wald's dedication and expertise have not only enhanced our understanding of human vision but have also inspired and influenced countless researchers in the scientific community.

Biography/Timeline

1922

George Wald was born in New York City, the son of Ernestine (Rosenmann) and Isaac Wald, Jewish immigrant parents. He was a member of the first graduating class of the Brooklyn Technical High School in New York in 1922. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from New York University in 1927 and his PhD in zoology from Columbia University in 1932. After graduating, he received a travel grant from the US National Research Council. Wald used this grant to work in Germany with Otto Heinrich Warburg where he identified vitamin A in the retina. Wald then went on to work in Zurich, Switzerland with the discoverer of vitamin A, Paul Karrer. Wald then worked briefly with Otto Fritz Meyerhof in Heidelberg, Germany, but left Europe for the University of Chicago in 1933 when Adolf Hitler came to power and life in Europe became more dangerous for Jews. In 1934, Wald went to Harvard University where he became an instructor, then a professor.

1931

Wald died in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He was married twice: in 1931 to Frances Kingsley and in 1958 to the biochemist Ruth Hubbard. He had two sons with Kingsley—Michael and David; he and Hubbard had a son—the award-winning musicologist and musician Elijah Wald—and a daughter, Deborah, a prominent family law attorney. He was an atheist.

1950

He was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 1950 and in 1967 was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for his discoveries in vision. In 1966 he was awarded the Frederic Ives Medal by the OSA and in 1967 the Paul Karrer Gold Medal of the University of Zurich.

1969

Wald spoke out on many political and social issues and his fame as a Nobel laureate brought national and international attention to his views. He was a vocal opponent of the Vietnam War and the nuclear arms race. Speaking at MIT in 1969 Wald bemoaned that "Our government has become preoccupied with death, with the Business of killing and being killed." In 1970, Wald predicted that “civilization will end within 15 or 30 years unless immediate action is taken against problems facing mankind.” In 1980, Wald served as part of Ramsey Clark's delegation to Iran during the Iran hostage crisis.

1986

With a small number of other Nobel laureates, he was invited in 1986 to fly to Moscow to advise Mikhail Gorbachev on a number of environmental questions. While there, he questioned Gorbachev about the arrest, detention and exile to Gorki of Yelena Bonner and her husband, fellow Nobel laureate Andrei Sakharov (Peace, 1975). Wald reported that Gorbachev said he knew nothing about it. Bonner and Sakharov were released shortly thereafter, in December 1986.

Some George Wald images

About the author

Lisa Scholfield

As a Senior Writer at Famous Net Worth, I spearhead an exceptional team dedicated to uncovering and sharing the stories of pioneering individuals. My passion for unearthing untold narratives drives me to delve deep into the essence of each subject, bringing forth a unique blend of factual accuracy and narrative allure. In orchestrating the editorial workflow, I am deeply involved in every step—from initial research to the final touches of publishing, ensuring each biography not only informs but also engages and inspires our readership.