Josiah Willard Gibbs

American Physicist

Josiah Willard Gibbs, born in 1839, was an American mathematical physicist who contributed much of the theoretical foundation for chemical thermodynamics. He worked at Yale and wasn’t even getting paid. He just worked there because that’s what he liked to do. When another college tried to steal Josiah by offering $3,000, Yale decided to start paying him.

Even though Yale offered $1,000 less then the other college, he stayed because he liked it there so much. Josiah was never married but was a very friendly and nice person. He was well liked in the community even though it was really hard to understand him. This was because most of the stuff he talked about was so advanced that it confused people.

Josiah was the first person in the U.S to receive a PHD in engineering. He also has a professorship of Physics and Chemistry named after him. After a long and happy life and all the things he accomplished, Josiah Willard Gibbs died April 28, 1903.

Craig Jacobsen

June 2006