James Andrew Harris, a member of the chemist team that discovered elements 104 and 105, was born in Waco Texas on March 26, 1932. After the divorce of his parents, he moved to San Francisco California where he would later graduate from McClymond High School. He later returned to Texas where he would attend Houston-Tillotson College in Austin. In 1953, he would receive his B.S. degree.

    Harris also joined the army. Upon his return, he began attending California State University in Hollywood California where he would receive his Masters degree in Public Administration in 1975. He then found a job in Richmond California where he would work as a Chemist at Tracerlab, Inc. for a period of five years.

    In 1960, Harris took up a position in the Nuclear Chemistry Division at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory. He started off working in the heavy isotope production division. In 1977, he became the head of the Engineering and Technical Services Division where he worked when he made the discovery of the two new elements. James Harris would then received an Honorary Ph.D. from Houston-Tillotson College in 1973 for his co-discovery.

Copyright © February 2002 Jason Ramirez and Manny Stahl All Rights Reserved.