Kamen mụrụ na August 27, 1913, na Toronto, nwa nke ndị Russia ndị Juu kwabatara. Ọ tolitere na Chicago. O nwetara akara ugo mmụta bachelọ na Chemistry na Mahadum nke Chicago na 1933 wee nweta PhD na Physical Chemistry site na otu mahadum ahụ na 1936. Mgbe nke ahụ gasịrị, ọ chọrọ ọnọdụ nyocha na Chemistry na Nuclear Physics n'okpuru Ernest Lawrence na ụlọ nyocha radieshon na Berkeley, ebe ọ rụrụ ọrụ na-enweghị ụgwọ ọnwa isii ruo mgbe a goro ya ka ọ na-ahụ maka nkwadebe na nkesa nke ngwaahịa cyclotron. Ọ bụ ezie na a maara carbon-14 na mbụ, nchọpụta nke njikọ nke carbon-14 mere na Berkeley mgbe Kamen na Ruben gbara bọmbụ graphite na cyclotron na-enwe olileanya ịmepụta isotope redio nke carbon nke enwere ike iji dị ka ihe nchọpụta na nyocha mmeghachi omume kemịkal na photosynthesis ha rụpụtara mmepụta nke carbon-14. Ajụjụ: Mgbe Kamen nwetara PhD?
Afọ 1936