A Tale of Two Nobels
How two UC Irvine professors defined their fields, changed the world, and won the university’s first two Nobel Prizes in the same year
* Image on left features Frederick Reines, early 1950s: Los Alamos National Laboratory, United States Department of Energy
October 1995 marked a historic moment for UC Irvine.
In a single year, two founding faculty members – Frederick Reines and F. Sherwood "Sherry" Rowland – received Nobel Prizes for discoveries that fundamentally changed our understanding of the universe and our planet. Their groundbreaking work in particle physics and atmospheric chemistry didn’t just earn them the highest honor in science; it established UC Irvine as a powerhouse of scientific discovery and showed how curiosity-driven research can literally save the world.
Saving the Planet: Rowland and Molina Take On Ozone Depletion
At UC Irvine, Professor Sherry Rowland and postdoctoral scholar Mario Molina discovered that human-made chemicals were destroying Earth’s protective ozone layer. Their findings led to the Montreal Protocol, preventing a global environmental crisis that would have exposed all life on Earth to dangerous levels of ultraviolet radiation.
The Science: A Simple, Elegant Discovery
In 1974, Rowland and Molina found that chlorofluorocarbons – used in everything from hairspray to refrigerators – break down ozone in the stratosphere when exposed to UV light. The chemical reaction was elegantly simple but had world-changing implications.
“If not now, when? If not us, who?” — Mario Molina on why he and Rowland pursued their work
“The only trouble is [that] I think it’s the end of the world.” — Sherry Rowland to his wife, Joan, after grasping the implications of the discovery
“If not now, when? If not us, who?” — Mario Molina on why he and Rowland pursued their work
“The only trouble is [that] I think it’s the end of the world.” — Sherry Rowland to his wife, Joan, after grasping the implications of the discovery
The Impact: Saving the Planet
Their discovery led to the Montreal Protocol, the most successful environmental treaty in history. CFC use dropped dramatically, and the ozone hole began closing. Rowland and Molina invented atmospheric chemistry as we know it, fundamentally changing how we understand human impact on Earth's systems.
Frederick Reines (from left), Sherry Rowland and Mario Molina celebrate receiving their Nobel Prizes in Stockholm, Sweden.
A Legacy That Lives On
UC Irvine scientists continue Sherwood Rowland’s legacy through groundbreaking research in atmospheric chemistry and climate science. Building on his Nobel-winning work, these faculty members are developing innovative solutions to environmental challenges and advancing our understanding of Earth’s changing atmosphere.
Catching a Ghost: Reines and the First Detection of the Neutrino
Frederick Reines co-discovered one of the most elusive particles in the universe: the neutrino. From his work on the Manhattan Project to becoming founding dean of UC Irvine’s School of Physical Sciences, Reines dedicated his career to solving the universe's most challenging puzzles.
The Science: Catching a Ghost
Neutrinos are called "ghost particles" because they rarely interact with other matter. Billions pass through your body every second without you noticing. Reines and Clyde Cowan's "Project Poltergeist" used massive underground detectors to catch these mysterious particles for the first time in 1956.
The Impact: Opening New Frontiers
Reines' neutrino detection opened entirely new fields in physics. Today, UC Irvine scientists use his techniques to hunt for dark matter, study the cosmos, and answer fundamental questions about why the universe contains more matter than antimatter.
Everyone said it would be impossible to detect a neutrino, and that was exactly why Reines wanted to try.
— Henry “Hank” Sobel, Professor Emeritus of Physics and Astronomy, UC Irvine
Pushing the Boundaries
Inspired by Frederick Reines’ Nobel Prize-winning discovery of the neutrino, UC Irvine physicists are exploring the universe’s deepest mysteries. From particle detectors to quantum technologies, their work carries forward Reines’ pioneering spirit and keeps UC Irvine at the forefront of fundamental physics.
For more on the groundbreaking work of Reines and Rowland, read the full story on how these two professors defined their fields and changed the world.
Produced by the Office of Strategic Communications & Public Affairs
