Zalman Shapiro

Zalman Mordecai Shapiro (May 12, 1920 – July 16, 2016) was an American chemist and inventor. He received 15 patents, including a 2009 patent on a process to make commercial production of diamonds cheaper, and played a key role in the development of the reactor that powered the world's first nuclear powered submarine, the Nautilus.

Biography Shapiro was born in Canton, Ohio, on May 12, 1920 to Abraham and Minnie (née Pinck) Shapiro. He attended Johns Hopkins University, earning B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees in 1942, 1945, and 1948, respectively.

Personal life Shapiro married Evelyn Greenberg in 1945, and they have three children: Joshua, Ezra, and Deborah. Shapiro and his wife were honored in 2008 for their contributions to the Jewish community for over 60 years. He lived in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh, where he died at the age of 96.