J. Ernest Wilkins Jr. was a true prodigy in the field of nuclear energy. At just 13 years old, he began his studies at the University of Chicago, becoming one of its youngest-ever students. He earned his first degree by 17, marking the start of a remarkable career. While working at the Manhattan Project's Metallurgical Laboratory, Wilkins conducted research on producing fissionable nuclear materials — only later realizing the connection to the atomic bomb after Hiroshima.
Barred from Oak Ridge National Laboratory due to Jim Crow laws, he instead collaborated with physicist Eugene Wigner. Together, they made significant contributions to the understanding of neutron absorption and distribution in nuclear reactors. Wilkins went on to advise the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, leaving behind a powerful legacy in science and civil rights. Wilkins passed on May 1, 2011 in Arizona.
