Mottelson akaberekerwa muChicago, Illinois, mwanakomana waGeorgia (Blum) naGoodman Mottelson, injiniya. Akapedza kudzidza kuLyons Township High School muLaGrange, Illinois. Akawana dhigirii reBachelor kubva kuPurdue University muna 1947, uye Ph.D. mune yenyukireya physics kubva kuHarvard University muna 1950.
Muna 1947