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John Calvin Giddings was born on 26 September,1930, in American Fork, Utah, to Luther E. and Berneice Crandall Giddings. Giddings received a B.S. degree from Brigham Young University in 1952 and a Ph.D. from the University of Utah in 1954. Following postdoctoral work at the University of Utah and the University of Wisconsin, he joined the faculty of the University of Utah as assistant professor of chemistry in 1957. He became associate professor in 1959, research professor in 1962, and professor in 1966. Giddings authored or co-authored more than 400 publications and edited 32 books in the field of chemistry and was executive editor of the journal Separation Science and Technology . His scientific work focused on methods of chemical separations. He invented the technique of field-flow fractionation (FFF) which is used in fields ranging from medicine to environmental studies. He was issued several patents for this technique. He served as director of the FFF Research Center at the University of Utah. He also founded FFFractionation, a Utah-based company, to develop and market FFF techniques worldwide.

Giddings was a lifelong explorer with a great passion for the outdoors and a long list of major accomplishments. He made numerous first and early ascents in the Wasatch and other mountains, including the first ascent of the sheer west face of Lone Peak and an early ascent of Zion's Great White Throne. He was also among the first to explore a number of backcountry ski routes in the Wasatch mountains. He was also one of the pioneers of the modern Utah environmental movement. He recognized the uniqueness of the area around Lone Peak and made the original proposal for the Lone Peak Wilderness Area. He participated in the founding of the American Rivers Conservation Council (now American Rivers), co-founded Utah's Save our Rivers Committee, was a member of Negative Population Growth's board of directors, and served as President of both the Wasatch Mountain Club and the American Whitewater Affiliation.

Giddings passed away from cancer in Salt Lake City, Utah, on 24 October, 1996.