Famous American Physical Chemists

Gilbert N. Lewis was an American physical chemist best remembered for his detection of the covalent bond. He made immense contributions to photochemistry, chemical thermodynamics, and isotope separation. Gilbert N. Lewis received 41 nominations for the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, but never won the award. However, he influenced and mentored numerous Nobel laureates, including Harold Urey and William F. Giauque.

Physicist Mihajlo Idvorski Pupin developed what is now known as pupinization, a mechanism which extended the range of long-distance telephonic communication with the use of loading coils. Born to illiterate parents, he was a Serbian immigrant in the U.S. and later wrote a Pulitzer Prize-winning memoir, From Immigrant to Inventor.

Harold Urey was an American physical chemist best remembered for his pioneering work on isotopes. He is credited with the discovery of deuterium, for which he received the prestigious Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1934. Harold Urey also played a key role in the development of the infamous atom bomb.

Peter Debye was a Dutch-American physical chemist and physicist. He is best remembered for winning the 1936 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. He was also the recipient of the Rumford Medal, Franklin Medal, and Priestley Medal. In 1965, Peter Debye was honored with the National Medal of Science. In 1982, he was inducted into the Alpha Chi Sigma Hall of Fame.

Willard Libby was an American physical chemist best remembered for his role in the development of radiocarbon dating in 1949. The process revolutionized palaeontology and archaeology. Libby's contributions during the development of this process earned him the 1960 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Willard Libby was also the recipient of the Elliott Cresson Medal, Willard Gibbs Award, and Albert Einstein Award.

Arnold Orville Beckman was an American inventor, chemist, philanthropist, and investor. He is credited with inventing the pH meter, which revolutionized the study of biology and chemistry. Based on this invention, Beckman later established a company named Beckman Instruments. Arnold Orville Beckman is also credited with inventing the DU spectrophotometer. In 1988, he was awarded the National Medal of Technology.

Richard C. Tolman was an American physical chemist and mathematical physicist. He is best remembered for making immense contributions to statistical mechanics. Tolman also made significant contributions to theoretical cosmology. Richard C. Tolman is also remembered for his association with the California Institute of Technology, where he worked as a professor of mathematical physics and physical chemistry.

Nobel Prize-winning American chemist W.E. Moerner is best known for developing super-resolved fluorescence microscopy and for detecting a single molecule in condensed phases. He has been associated with prestigious institutes such as UC San Diego and Stanford University, and has also been a visiting professor at Harvard University.

Theodore William Richards was an American chemist. In 1914, he became the first scientist from the US to be honored with the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Also an inventor, Richards is credited with inventing the nephelometer as well as the adiabatic calorimeter. Over the course of his career, Theodore William Richards won several prestigious awards, including the Willard Gibbs Award.

Kasimir Fajans was a physical chemist of Polish-Jewish origin. He was a pioneer in the science of radioactivity. He is credited with the discovery of the chemical element protactinium. He began his career working under physicist Ernest Rutherford. He later researched radioactivity and nuclear reactions. He became the head of the Institute of Physical Chemistry in 1932.  

Frederick Gardner Cottrell was an American inventor, physical chemist, and philanthropist. Cottrell is best remembered for inventing the electrostatic precipitator. He is also remembered for founding the Research Corporation for Science Advancement. Frederick Gardner Cottrell won several prestigious awards, such as the Willard Gibbs Medal. In 1992, he was made an inductee of the National Inventors Hall of Fame. 

George Cowan was an American businessman, physical chemist, and philanthropist. He played an important role in the Manhattan Project, where his knowledge on nuclear physics and chemistry was considered invaluable. After the end of the war, George Cowan became a prominent member of a group, which would later found the Santa Fe Opera.

Saul Dushman was a Russian-American physical chemist best remembered for his work in General Electric Company, where he became part of the Research Laboratory in 1912. His main research interests were electromotive force, quantum mechanics, electron emission, atomic structure, high vacuum, and unimolecular force. Saul Dushman is also credited with authoring several science textbooks.