After obtaining a PhD in chemistry from Columbia University in 1948, he took a teaching position at Boston University, but later resigned to concentrate on his passion--writing.
1948 年他獲得美國哥倫比亞大學化學博士後，就在波士頓大學任教，但由於太熱中於寫作，最後毅然辭去教職，專事寫作。