caption death_date death_place birth_place awards fields birth_date article_title name
george russell harrison july 27 , 1979 concord , massachusetts san diego , california presidential medal -lrb- 1953 -rrb- william f. meggers award -lrb- 1970 medal -rrb- of freedom -lrb- 1946 -rrb- elliott cresson physics july 14 , 1898 george r. harrison
 george russell harrison
george r. harrison

george russell harrison -lrb- july 14 , 1898 -- july 27 , 1979 -rrb- was an american physicist .
harrison became professor of experimental physics at the massachusetts institute of technology -lrb- mit -rrb- in 1930 , and was appointed the school 's dean of science in 1942 ; he also headed mit 's spectroscopy laboratory .
during world war ii , he was chief of the optics division of the national defense research committee , and later head of the office of field service of the office of scientific research and development .
he served as president of the optical society of america from 1945 -- 46 and was awarded the frederic ives medal in 1949 .
he was presented with the presidential medal of freedom in 1946 by president harry truman .
he remained dean of science at mit until his retirement in 1964 .
