University of Michigan (BS, MS) University of California, Berkeley (PhD)
Known for
Ames process
Awards
ACS Award in Pure Chemistry (1933) Irving Langmuir Award (1933) William H. Nichols Award (1952) James Douglas Gold Medal (1961) Francis J. Clamer Medal (1969)
Scientific career
Institutions
Cornell University Cavendish Laboratory Iowa State University Metallurgical Laboratory Ames Laboratory
Thesis
Line absorption spectra in solids at low temperatures in the visible and ultraviolet regions of the spectrum (1929)
Doctoral advisor
Gilbert N. Lewis
Frank Harold Spedding (22 October 1902 – 15 December 1984) was a Canadian-American chemist. He was a renowned expert on rare earth elements, and on extraction of metals from minerals. The uranium extraction process helped make it possible for the Manhattan Project to build the first atomic bombs.
A graduate of the University of Michigan and University of California, Berkeley, Spedding became an assistant professor and head of the department of physical chemistry at Iowa State College in 1937. His efforts at building up the school were so successful that he would spend the rest of his career there, becoming a professor of chemistry in 1941, a professor of physics in 1950, a professor of metallurgy in 1962, and ultimately professor emeritus in 1973. He co-founded, along with Dr. Harley Wilhelm, the Institute for Atomic Research and the Ames Laboratory of the Atomic Energy Commission, and directed the Ames Laboratory from its founding in 1947 until 1968.
Spedding developed an ion-exchange method of separating and purifying rare earth elements using ion-exchange resins, and later used ion exchange to separate isotopes of individual elements, including hundreds of grams of almost pure nitrogen-15. He published over 250 peer-reviewed papers, and held 22 patents in his own name and jointly with others. Some 88 students received their Ph.D. degree under his supervision.
Frank Harold Spedding (22 October 1902 – 15 December 1984) was a Canadian-American chemist. He was a renowned expert on rare earth elements, and on extraction...
John Spedding (born Peter Robinson, 17 June 1944) is an English guitarist and record producer. In a career spanning more than 50 years, Spedding is best...
metals and other materials critical to US energy security. In 1942, FrankSpedding of Iowa State College, an expert in the chemistry of rare-earth elements...
Spedding is a surname, and may refer to: Alison Spedding (born 1962), British anthropologist and fantasy author Charlie Spedding (born 1952), long-distance...
forms. At the time, there was a limited source of pure uranium metal; FrankSpedding of Iowa State University was able to produce only two short tons. Three...
build the first atomic bombs during World War II. It was founded by FrankSpedding from Iowa State College in Ames, Iowa as an offshoot of the Metallurgical...
Torello 2000 Ready to Rumble Sal Bandini Very Mean Men Mr. White Shiner FrankSpedding 2001 The Majestic Harry Trimble 2003 Hollywood Homicide Jerry Duran...
similar chemical and physical properties. Using methods developed by FrankSpedding in the 1940s, ion-exchange processes were formerly the only practical...
economist; professor of economics at the University of California, San Diego FrankSpedding (22 October 1902 – 15 December 1984), Canadian-American chemist; expert...
of the Manhattan Project at Ames Laboratory under the direction of FrankSpedding. It is sometimes called the Ames process. Copper thermite is used for...
Academy of Music and Drama, 150th Celebration, by Grace Matchett and FrankSpedding, published in 1997 "Extension of premises". The Glasgow Herald. 9 June...
nuclear chain reaction was produced at Iowa State under the direction of FrankSpedding and Harley Wilhelm. The Ames Project received the Army/Navy E Award...
percent of Alpha product and 5.4 percent of Beta product was lost. FrankSpedding from the Manhattan Project's Ames Laboratory and Philip Baxter from...
pure form until after the development of ion exchange techniques by FrankSpedding at Iowa State University in the early 1950s. Due to its role in permanent...
from Bayan Obo, China, with an even "richer" europium content of 0.2%. FrankSpedding, celebrated for his development of the ion-exchange technology that...
Ames process was used on August 3, 1942, by a group of chemists led by FrankSpedding and Harley Wilhelm at the Ames Laboratory as part of the Manhattan Project...
uranium pellets. At the time, there was a limited source of pure uranium. FrankSpedding of Iowa State University was able to produce only two short tons of...
Metallurgical Laboratory's Chemistry Division was initially headed by FrankSpedding, but he preferred hands on work to administration. Compton then turned...
the earliest female chemistry professors at ISU, teaching 1908–1955 FrankSpedding, noted Ames Laboratory chemist who developed the Ames Process as a part...
three physics groups, headed by Allison, Fermi and Martin D. Whitaker. FrankSpedding was in charge of the Chemistry Division. He was later succeeded by Herbert...
Herbert S. Gutowsky 1965 John H. Van Vleck 1936 John Gamble Kirkwood 1933 FrankSpedding 1932 Oscar K. Rice [de] 1931 Linus Pauling List of physics awards List...
to study the instrument with Joan Dickson, and composition with Dr FrankSpedding. After graduating he worked briefly as Director of Music at Salisbury...
bricks, and heat-treating steel. They also had to work with uranium. FrankSpedding had developed a large-scale process for producing pure uranium metal...
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