Arthur Wilson Adamson (August 15, 1919 – July 22, 2003) was an American chemist who is considered a pioneer in inorganic
photochemistry. His research made significant contributions to the understanding of
physical adsorption and
contact angle phenomena, and the thermodynamics of surfaces and irreversible adsorption.
Early life
Born to American missionaries in
Shanghai,
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
, he received his B.S. in chemistry at the
University of California at Berkeley in 1940 and his Ph.D. in physical chemistry at the
University of Chicago in 1944.
Career
After two years as a research associate for the
Manhattan Project in
Oak Ridge, Tennessee
Oak Ridge is a city in Anderson and Roane counties in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Tennessee, about west of downtown Knoxville. Oak Ridge's population was 31,402 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Knoxville Metropolitan Area. Oak ...
, he began a career at the
University of Southern California that extended through his appointment as professor emeritus in 1989. He chaired the USC Department of Chemistry from 1972 to 1975.
Awards
*1967
Richard C. Tolman
Richard Chace Tolman (March 4, 1881 – September 5, 1948) was an American mathematical physicist and physical chemist who made many contributions to statistical mechanics. He also made important contributions to theoretical cosmology in t ...
Medal
*1979
American Chemical Society (ACS) Kendall Award in Surface or Colloid Chemistry
*1982 ACS Award for Distinguished Service in the Advancement of Inorganic Chemistry,
*1984
ACS Award in Chemical Education (now renamed the George C. Pimentel Award in Chemical Education)
*1991 USC Faculty Lifetime Achievement Award
*1994
American Institute of Chemists Gold Medal
*1999 Monie A. Ferst Award
In 1992, the ACS established the Arthur W. Adamson Award for Distinguished Service in the Advancement of Surface Chemistry.
He was founding editor of ''
Langmuir'', the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids, and he was chairman of the ACS Division of Colloid and Surface Chemistry.
Bibliography
Books authored include:
*''Concepts of Inorganic Photochemistry'', Wiley & Sons Canada, Limited, John,
*''Physical Chemistry of Surfaces'', Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, John,
*''A Textbook of Physical Chemistry'', Cengage Learning,
*''Understanding Physical Chemistry'', Stationery Office, The,
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Adamson, Arthur W.
1919 births
2003 deaths
20th-century American chemists
Manhattan Project people
UC Berkeley College of Letters and Science alumni
University of Chicago alumni
University of Southern California people
American expatriates in China