Spedding, F. H. (Frank Harold), 1902-

Spedding (1902-1984). Director of the physical chemistry department and a professor of chemistry, physics, and metallurgy at Iowa State University. During World War II, Spedding and his staff in Ames, Iowa produced over two million pounds of uranium for the Manhattan Project. After the war, he founded the Institute for Atomic Research and, later in 1947, the Ames Laboratory of the United States Atomic Energy Commission, becoming its first director.

From the description of Papers of F. H. Spedding, 1924-1984. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 154306201

Pioneer researcher with rare earths; faculty member at Iowa State University 1941-1973; founder of Institute for Atomic Research and Ames Laboratory. Frank Harold Spedding (1902-1984) attained his Bachelor of Chemical Engineering degree in 1925 and his Master of Science degree in 1926, both from the University of Michigan. From there he went on to study under G.N. Lewis at the University of California at Berkeley, where he earned his Ph. D. in 1929. He assumed the position of Professor of Chemistry at Iowa State in 1941 and was later appointed Professor of Physics in 1950 followed by Professor of Metallurgy in 1962.

In 1941, he was asked to join the researchers working on the atomic bomb. He and his staff in Ames, Iowa developed a relatively easy and inexpensive method for producing uranium of high purity in large quantities, necessary for the Manhattan Project. Between 1941 and 1945, Spedding's team produced over two million pounds of uranium.

After the war, Spedding founded the Institute for Atomic Research, and later in 1947 the Ames Laboratory of the United States Atomic Energy Commission, becoming its first director. He remained Director until he returned to his research in 1968. In 1973 he gained Professor Emeritus status. Dr. Spedding's work with the rare earth elements was highly regarded and considered important pioneering research in the field. He was universally acknowledged as one of the world's foremost experts on the identification and separation of the rare earths. He was also an editor and authored over 260 articles in professional journals. He was a member of the American Chemical Society, the National Academy of Sciences, the American Physical Society, the Faraday Society, Sigma Chi, Phi Lambda Upsilon, Phi Kappa Phi, and was an honorary member of Tau Beta Pi, the Society of Applied Spectroscopy and the Austrian Chemical Society.

He won numerous awards including the Langmuir Award, the Nichols Medal, the Douglas Medal, the Clamer Medal, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and was nominated for the Nobel Prize. He received honorary degrees from the University of Michigan, Case Institute of Technology, and Drake University.

From the description of Papers, 1924-1984 (bulk 1955-1969). (Iowa State University). WorldCat record id: 18270370