Albert A. Michelson
Albert Abraham Michelson2.jpg
Michelson in 1907
Born(1852-12-19)December 19, 1852
Strelno, Kingdom of Prussia, German Confederation
DiedMay 9, 1931(1931-05-09)(aged 78)
Pasadena, California, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Alma materUnited States Naval Academy
University of Berlin
Known forSpeed of light
Hyperfine structure
Fine structure
Michelson–Morley experiment
Michelson–Gale–Pearson experiment
Michelson interferometer
Michelson stellar interferometer
Spouse(s)
Margaret Hemingway
(m. 1877;div. 1898)
; 3 children
Edna Stanton
(m. 1899)
; 3 children
Military career
Allegiance United States
Branch
  • United States Navy
  • United States Navy Reserve
Service years1873–1881; 1918–1921
RankCommander
UnitUnited States Naval Academy
AwardsMatteucci Medal(1903)
Nobel Prize in Physics(1907)
Copley Medal(1907)
Elliott Cresson Medal(1912)
Henry Draper Medal(1916)
Albert Medal(1920)
Franklin Medal(1923)
Duddell Medal and Prize(1929)
Scientific career
FieldsPhysics
InstitutionsCase Western Reserve University
Clark University
University of Chicago
Doctoral advisorHermann von Helmholtz
Other academic advisorsGeorg Hermann Quincke
Alfred Cornu
Doctoral students
  • Robert Millikan
  • William Smythe
Signature
Albert A Michelson Signature.svg