James Rhyne

Dr. James Rhyne is distinguished for more than five decades as a passionate research physicist. Encouraged by his parents to pursue a career in either engineering or science, he landed on physics as a way to explore both of these interests. Dr. Rhyne’s area of expertise was in convinced matter physics with a specialty in neutron scattering and magnetism. In order to work in this capacity, he first earned a Bachelor of Science in physics at the University of Oklahoma in 1959. He continued at the University of Illinois to receive a Master of Science in the subject in 1961. In 1965, he received a PhD in physics from Iowa State University. That same year, he began working as a research scientist with the Naval Ordinance Laboratory. He remained in this position for a decade. In 1975, he joined the National Institute of Standards and Technology. He spent 15 years of his career in this venture. Following this, Dr. Rhyne explored the academic side of the field, becoming a professor at the University of Missouri, working at this institution until 2003. From 2003 to 2012, he served as the Deputy Director for Science at the Lujan Neutron Scattering Center at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Prior to retirement, Dr. Rhyne provided his skills and expertise as the program manager at the Department of Energy from 2013 to 2018. Though retired, he continues to impart his contributions to the field as a guest scientist with the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

In his career, Dr. Rhyne has published more than 230 publications in peer-reviewed journals and has authored 12 book chapters. He served as president of the Neutron Scattering Society of America from 1999 to 2002. Furthermore, one of the highlights of his career has been receiving a Doctor Honoris Causa from the University Henri Poincairé in 1995. In addition, he states that working with other research scientists has always been a rewarding experience. In his career, Dr. Rhyne became a fellow of the American Physical Society and Neutron Scattering Society of America and was honored as an Outstanding Referee of the American Physical Society in 2008.