For almost 40 years, William A. Little thrived in his profession as a college educator. Having joined Stanford University as an assistant professor in the late 1950s, Dr. Little taught physics, as well as many courses in engineering and pre-med, up until his retirement in 1994. That same year, he was bestowed with the honor of professor emeritus. Dr. Little shifted his focus toward the growth and development of MMR Technologies, Inc., a company which he co-founded in 1980. Headquartered in San Jose, Calif., MMR Technologies, Inc. prides itself as the leading manufacturer of cryogenic devices and instruments for materials science, micro-miniature refrigerators, office liquid nitrogen generators, and cryocoolers for X-ray and gamma-ray detectors. In fact, it was Dr. Little’s invention of the micro-miniature refrigerator technology he had conceived at Stanford University that spawned the establishment of MMR Technologies, Inc. Additionally, in 1999, he co-founded 3L&T, Inc., a company that develops new polymer material technologies, and sells and installs corrosion protection coatings and linings in industrial plants. Today, Dr. Little serves as chairman of both manufacturing companies.
Dr. Little utilizes his vast knowledge in the sciences to offer top quality products. Throughout the course of his illustrious career, he has garnered countless industry achievements. Notably, Dr. Little holds 24 patents in the areas of cryogenics and medical instrumentation. Moreover, he is noted for conducting special research on low temperature physics, superconductivity and the neural network theory. Dr. Little’s education is equally as impressive as his career. He earned a Bachelor of Science, with distinction, in physics and applied mathematics from the University of South Africa in 1951; a Bachelor of Science, with honors, in physics from Rhodes University in South Africa in 1952; a Ph.D. in physics, also from Rhodes University, in 1955; and a Ph.D. in natural philosophy from the University of Glasgow in 1957. Dr. Little is a fellow of the American Physical Society and he maintains membership with the American Chemical Society.
In recognition of his accomplishments, dedication and significant contributions, Dr. Little has received a multitude of awards and accolades. In 1956, he was dubbed a postdoctoral fellow of the National Research Council of Canada. He also had been recognized as a fellow of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. In 1970, Dr. Little was named senior postdoctoral fellow of the National Science Foundation. In 2017, Dr. Little received the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award, which serves as a testament to his unparalleled achievements throughout the years.
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