Robert Sanderson Mulliken (born 7.06.1896) is an American physicist and chemist and a member of the National Academy of Sciences (1936). He was born in Newburyport. He graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1917). In 1921-23 he worked at the University of Chicago, in 1923 — 25 at Harvard, in 1926-28 at New York University and in 1928-64 at Chicago (professor from 1931). In 1964 — 71 he was professor at the University of Florida.
His work concerned molecular spectroscopy, the theory of valency, the study of molecular structures and the separation of isotopes. Along with F. Hund and E. Wigner he laid the foundations of the theory of molecular spectra, and he developed the method of molecular orbitals. For his research on chemical bonds and the electronic structure of molecules by the method of molecular orbitals he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1966.
The G. Lewis (1960), P. Debye (1963), J. Kirkwood (1965) and J. Gibbs (1965) Medals and others.