This article appeared in Catalyst Magazine, Spring 2025
Alexander Pines, a pioneering figure in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and a beloved member of the UC Berkeley community, passed away on November 1, 2024, at the age of 79. The Glenn T. Seaborg Professor of Chemistry Emeritus, Pines revolutionized the field of magnetic resonance and mentored generations of scientists, leaving a profound impact not just on chemistry but on the many fields that benefited from his insights. His work revolutionized the study of the atomic structure of solids, yet his influence extended far beyond the laboratory. He was known for his intellectual brilliance, infectious enthusiasm, boundless generosity, commitment to education and mentorship, and a unique ability to bring out the best in others.
"He was a really great colleague," says Professor Emeritus David Wemmer, a trainee in Pines's lab in the 1970s and later a close collaborator. "He had very broad interests and incredible insight into not only the principles of physical chemistry but how those ideas could impact other fields. He was also extremely supportive of everyone around him."
Transforming Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
In the 1970s, NMR's capacity to determine the structure of solids was severely limited by broad, overlapping spectral lines. With his mentor, John Waugh, Pines co-authored a landmark paper on cross-polarization, a technique that enhanced the analysis of solid materials using NMR. This innovation laid the foundation for modern solid-state NMR, which expanded the applications of the technology.
After joining the Berkeley faculty in 1972, Pines continued to push NMR into new uses. His development of multiple quantum NMR, zero-field NMR, and hyperpolarization methods increased the technique's power and versatility. His ability to see connections between fundamental physics and practical applications led to advances in areas including materials science and medical imaging. "Alex was as close to a genius as I've ever met," says Jeffrey Reimer, Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. "So few people are able to both think deeply at a mathematical level about what's happening in the physical world, and also be able to express it and explain it so clearly."
Pines's NMR program produced close to 500 publications and 30 patents. In recognition of his scientific breakthroughs, Pines received numerous accolades, including a Wolf Prize in Chemistry, five R&D 100 Awards, the Michael Faraday Medal, the ACS Irving Langmuir Award, and the F.A. Cotton Medal for Excellence in Chemical Research.
A Mentor Who Saw Potential in Everyone
Pines's true legacy may be the hundreds of students and postdocs he mentored. His research group was a family, affectionately known as the "Pinenuts." Lifelong friendships were fostered within this large community, and Pines and his wife, Ditsa, often opened their home to visiting scholars and Pinenuts.
Reimer stressed Pines's extraordinary ability to see the potential in students, regardless of background or confidence level.
"Many of us in academia tend to sort students into the best and the worst," Reimer reflects. "Alex never did that. He had this way of instantly seeing who you are and affirming that. Once you were in his lab, he believed in you and gave you freedom to do what you wanted."
Wemmer agrees. "He didn't micromanage, but he was pretty energetic, intense, and creative. Sometimes he had too many ideas; I came up with a rule of thumb that if he mentioned something three times, it was important enough I might want to start working on it."
Pines had a gift for making science accessible. He famously collected images of roadside signs to illustrate the abstract concepts of angular momentum in NMR. His ability to bridge the technical with the artistic contributed to his status as a beloved teacher.
Pines played a key role in recruiting faculty at Berkeley, ensuring that the College of Chemistry remained one of the world's leading institutions. He had a talent for showcasing Berkeley's strengths, convincing top-tier scientists to join the department.
A Life Well Lived
Pines's journey to scientific prominence was unconventional. Born in Tel Aviv in 1945 and raised in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), his early years were shaped by eclectic influences. His father, a brilliant chess player, introduced him to the intellectual rigor of the game, while his mother, a musician, fostered his appreciation for the arts.
At 16, Pines left Zimbabwe for Israel, where he enrolled in an agricultural boarding school, milking cows in exchange for tuition. One day he read the book that would inspire him to pursue chemistry: Linus Pauling's The Nature of the Chemical Bond.
Throughout his chemistry career, Pines remained committed to music and the arts. Pines served on the Cal Performances board from 2001 to 2004 and from 2016 to 2019 before becoming a Sustaining Trustee of the organization. Whether in chemistry or music, Pines excelled at bringing people together, fostering collaboration, and showcasing their talents.
"I think his lasting message is that people are what count," says Reimer. "You will not be as effective a scholar with just your own intellect, you'll be more effective with other people around you."