Oral history interview with Herbert C. Brown
- 1994-Nov-11
Herbert C. Brown studied at Crane Junior College, where he became fascinated by chemistry and its history; when Crane closed down, Brown was among the students invited to work in Nicholas D. Cheronis' Synthetical Laboratories, where he earned enough to enroll in a University of Chicago correspondence course on qualitative analysis and supplemented his education by working with Fales's Quantitative Analysis. Brown continued his studies and lab work at Wright Junior College and the University of Chicago. During his career he worked at the University of Chicago, Wayne State University, and later Purdue University; during the interview he detailed his studies on steric effects, boranes, and borohydride synthesis. Brown worked for the National Defense Research Committee during World War II, which included research on the volatile compounds of uranium, uranium borohydride production and testing, sodium trimethoxyborohydride production, and sodium borohydride development.
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About the Interviewer
James J. Bohning was professor emeritus of chemistry at Wilkes University, where he had been a faculty member from 1959 to 1990. He served there as chemistry department chair from 1970 to 1986 and environmental science department chair from 1987 to 1990. Bohning was chair of the American Chemical Society’s Division of the History of Chemistry in 1986; he received the division’s Outstanding Paper Award in 1989 and presented more than forty papers at national meetings of the society. Bohning was on the advisory committee of the society’s National Historic Chemical Landmarks Program from its inception in 1992 through 2001 and is currently a consultant to the committee. He developed the oral history program of the Chemical Heritage Foundation, and he was CHF’s director of oral history from 1990 to 1995. From 1995 to 1998, Bohning was a science writer for the News Service group of the American Chemical Society. In May 2005, he received the Joseph Priestley Service Award from the Susquehanna Valley Section of the American Chemical Society. Bohning passed away in September 2011.
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Oral history number | 0117 |
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Interviewee biographical information
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Education
Year | Institution | Degree | Discipline |
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1935 | Wilbur Wright Junior College | Assoc. Sci. | |
1936 | University of Chicago | BS | |
1938 | University of Chicago | PhD | Inorganic Chemistry |
Professional Experience
University of Chicago
- 1938 to 1939 Eli Lilly Postdoctoral Fellow
- 1939 to 1943 Instructor of Chemistry
- 1941 to 1943 Instructor and Research Investigator
Wayne State University
- 1943 to 1946 Assistant Professor
- 1946 to 1947 Associate Professor
Purdue University
- 1947 to 1959 Professor of Chemistry
- 1959 to 1960 Wetherill Professor of Chemistry
- 1960 to 1978 Wetherill Research Professor of Chemistry
- 1978 to 1995 Emeritus Wetherill Research Professor of Chemistry
Honors
Year(s) | Award |
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1951 | Sigma Xi Award, Purdue Section of Sigma Xi |
1953 | Harrison Howe Award, Rochester Section of the American Chemical Society |
1955 | Centenary Lectureship and Medal, The Chemical Society, London, England |
1957 | Elected to National Academy of Science |
1959 | William H. Nichols Medal, New York Section, American Chemical Society |
1960 | Award for Creative Research in Organic Chemistry, American Chemical Society |
1960 | S. O. C. M.A. Medal, Society of Organic Chemistry Manufacturing Association |
1961 | Phi Lambda Upsilon Key for Honorary Membership, Phi Lambda Upsilon |
1962 | Honorary Member, Phi Lambda Upsilon |
1962 | Elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences |
1968 | Linus Pauling Medal, Oregon and Puget Sound Sections, American Chemical Society |
1968 | Doctor of Science, University of Chicago |
1969 | National Medal of Science |
1971 | Roger Adams Medal, Organic Division, American Chemical Society |
1972 | Phi Beta Kappa |
1973 | Charles Frederick Chandler Medal, Department of Chemistry, Columbia University |
1974 | Chemical Pioneer Award, American Institute of Chemists |
1975 | Madison Marshall Award |
1976 | City College of New York Chemistry Alumni Award and Medal for Scientific Achievement |
1977 | Elected Fellow, Indian National Science Academy |
1977 | Honorary Fellow, Royal Society of Chemistry |
1978 | C. K. Ingold Lecture and Medal, The Chemical Society, London |
1978 | Elliot Cresson Medal, The Franklin Institute, Philadelphia |
1979 | The Nobel Award and Medal, The Nobel Foundation, Stockholm, Sweden |
1980 | Medal of Culture, Ministry of Education, Taiwan, ROC |
1980 | Nobel Hall of Science, Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago |
1980 | Honorary Member, Chinese Chemical Society |
1980 | Honorary Old Master, Purdue University |
1980 | Doctor of Science, Wayne State University |
1980 | Doctor of Science, Lebanon Valley College |
1980 | Doctor of Science, honoris causa, Long Island University |
1980 | Doctor Philosophiae honoris causa, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem |
1980 | Grado Academico Honorifico de Doctor Scientiae honoris causa, Pontificia |
1981 | Priestley Medal, American Chemical Society |
1981 | Doctor of Science, Purdue University |
1981 | Doctor in Scientiae honoris causa, University of Wales |
1982 | Perkin Medal, American Section, Society of Chemical Industry |
1982 | Elected Honorary Member, The Indiana Academy |
1982 | Honorary Member, Pharmaceutical Society of Japan |
1982 | Honorary Member, Chemical Society of Japan |
1982 | Corresponding Member, Academy of Arts and Sciences of Puerto Rico |
1982 | Doctor of Science, Butler University |
1982 | Docteur honoris causa, Université de Paris-Sud |
1983 | A. J. Beckman Memorial Medal, Colorado School of Mines |
1983 | Honorary Member, Gold Key National Honor Society |
1985 | A. I. C. Gold Medal, American Institute of Chemists |
1985 | Doctor of Science, Ball State University |
1986 | Sixtieth Anniversary Commemorative Medal, Jewish Academy of Arts and Sciences |
1986 | Sesquicentennial Commemorative Medal, National Library of Medicine |
1987 | National Academy of Sciences Award and Medal in Chemical Sciences, National Academy of Sciences |
1987 | G. M. Kosolapoff Award and Medal, Auburn Section, American Chemical Society |
1987 | Dedication of the H. C. Brown Laboratories of Chemistry |
1989 | Medal of the Government of Japan: Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star Emperor, Government of Japan |
1990 | Oesper Award, Cincinnati Section, American Chemical Society |
1991 | Honorary Member of the Academy of Natural Sciences of the Russian Federal Republic |
1991 | Corresponding Member, Academia Mexicana de la Investigation Cientifica |
1994 | Honorary Scholar, University of Wales, Swansea, Wales |
1994 | Honorary Professor, Laboratory of Organometallic Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences |
1995 | University Medal of Highest Honor, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea |
1995 | Distinguished Scholar Award, Indiana Academy of Science |
1996 | Visitante Distinguido, BUSA V-MEX, Mexico |
1996 | Visitante Distinguido, La Universidad de Guanajuato, Mexico |
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The published version of the transcript may diverge from the interview audio due to edits to the transcript made by staff of the Center for Oral History, often at the request of the interviewee, during the transcript review process.