Origins & Early Life

Elias James Corey (born July 12, 1928) is an American organic chemist. In 1990, he won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry "for his development of the theory and methodology of organic synthesis", specifically retrosynthetic analysis. E.J. Corey (the surname was anglicized from Levantine Arabic Khoury, meaning priest) was born to Lebanese Greek Orthodox Christian immigrants Fatima (née Hasham) and Elias Corey in Methuen, Massachusetts, 50 km (31 mi) north of Boston.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

His mother changed his name from William to "Elias" to honor his father, who died eighteen months after Corey's birth. His widowed mother, brother, two sisters, aunt and uncle all lived together in a spacious house, struggling through the Great Depression. As a young boy, Corey was independent and enjoyed sports such as baseball, football, and hiking. He attended a Catholic elementary school and Lawrence High School in Lawrence, Massachusetts. At the age of 16 Corey entered MIT, where he earned both a bachelor's degree in 1948 and a Ph.D.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

under Professor John C. Sheehan in 1951. Upon entering MIT, Corey's only experience with science was in mathematics, and he began his college career pursuing a degree in engineering...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• Alan J. Pakula — Contemporary (Born in 1928) (1928): American film director, writer, and producer known for political thrillers.
• Alexander Bogdanov — Contemporary (Died in 1928) (1928): Polymath philosopher, pioneer of blood transfusion, and key Bolshevik revolutionary.
• Amedeo Modigliani — Shared historical date (07-12 · Born) (1884): Italian painter and sculptor known for elongated, modern portraits and nudes.
• Benny Carter — Shared historical date (07-12 · Died) (2003): Jazz composer, arranger, and saxophonist known for his long and influential career.
• Alexander Grothendieck — Historical peer (Born in 1928) (1928): Pioneering figure in modern algebraic geometry and category theory.
• Alexei Abrikosov (physicist) — Historical peer (Born in 1928) (1928): Pioneering theoretical physicist known for low-temperature condensed matter physics.
• A. J. P. Taylor — Historical peer (Died in 1990) (1990): Influential English historian specializing in 19th and 20th-century European diplomacy.
• Aaron Copland — Historical peer (Died in 1990) (1990): Pioneering American composer, conductor, and critic, known as the "Dean of American Music".
• Abby Aldrich Rockefeller — Historical peer (Died in 1948) (1948): American socialite and influential philanthropist, key patron of modern art.
• 1928 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1928
• July 12 (07-12) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on July 12