 |
Interview no.: 0137B
Date of interview: 28 December 1995
Location: Seattle, Washington
No. of pages: 16
Interviewer:
James J. Bohning
Minutes:
Sponsor: Electrochemical Society
Access level: Free Access. Users may view, quote from, cite, or reproduce the oral history with the permission of CHF. Users citing interviews for purposes of publication are obliged under the terms of the CHF Oral History Program to notify CHF of publication and credit CHF using the following format: [Name of interviewee], interview by [name of interviewer] at [interview location], [interview date] (Philadelphia: Chemical Heritage Foundation, Oral History Transcript # [interview number]).
|
The interview begins with N. Bruce Hannay discussing the origins of his interest in electrochemistry and his awareness of The Electrochemical Society as an ideal organization for discussions and publications on topics related to solid state chemistry. The interview continues as Hannay recalls Bell Labs' support for his early activities in The ECS, which included organizing meetings and suggesting speakers, particularly within the Electronics Division. Hannay emphasizes the reciprocal relationship between the Society and Bell Labs, where he served as Vice President for Research during his ECS presidency. Hannay helped to further the Society's interest in solid state and corrosion work while he had responsibility for electrochemistry at Bell Labs. Throughout the interview, he comments on positive aspects of the Society's internal operations; its relations with other scientific organizations and companies, including the American Chemical Society, GE, and Bell Labs; and the influence of colleagues such as R.M. Burns and Charles Tobias. He also describes the Society's strong responsiveness to its members' needs, its influence on his professional development during the middle of his career, and his views of the future of both The ECS and electrochemistry in general.
|
| Title & Description |
|
Page No. |
|
|
|
Early Years in the Electrochemical Society [ECS]
Contact with the ECS through Bell Laboratories. Development of interest in solid state chemistry. Honorary membership in The ECS. Takeover of The ECS Electronics Division by solid-state chemists. Colleagues in The ECS. |
|
1 |
|
|
|
Presidency of the Electrochemical Society
Relationship between Bell Labs and the ECS. Presidency of The ECS simultaneous with Vice Presidency of Research at Bell Labs. Palladium Medal awarded to Jewish Soviet dissident scientist, Benjamin Levich. |
|
5 |
|
|
|
Operation of the Electrochemical Society During Presidency
Relationship of The ECS with other scientific organizations. Relationship of TheECS with industrial sponsors. Relationship between divisions in The ECS. Contributions of The ECS to electrochemistry. Opinions on the future of The ECS. |
|
7 |
|
|
|
Notes
|
|
14 |
|
|
|
Index
|
|
15 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1942 |
|
B.A., Chemistry, Swarthmore College |
|
|
|
| 1943 |
|
M.A., Physical Chemistry, Princeton University |
|
|
|
| 1944 |
|
Ph.D., Physical Chemistry, Princeton University |
|
|
|
| Bell Telephone Laboratories |
| 1942-1960 |
|
Research Chemist |
| 1960-1967 |
|
Chemical Director |
| 1967-1973 |
|
Executive Director, Research, Material Science and Engineering |
| 1973-1982 |
|
Vice President, Research and Patents |
|
|
|
| 1976 |
|
Acheson Medal, Electrochemical Society
|
|
|
|
| 1978 |
|
Honorary Ph.D., Tel Aviv University
|
|
|
|
| 1979 |
|
Honorary D.Sc., Swarthmore College
|
|
|
|
| 1981 |
|
Honorary D.Sc., Polytechnic Institute of New York
|
|
|
|
| 1983 |
|
Perkin Medal, Society of Chemical Industry (American Section)
|
James J. Bohning is professor emeritus of chemistry at Wilkes University, where he was a
faculty member from 1959 to 1990. He served there as chemistry department chair from 1970
to 1986 and environmental science department chair from 1987 to 1990. Bohning was chair of
the American Chemical Society’s Division of the History of Chemistry in 1986; he received the
division’s Outstanding Paper Award in 1989 and has presented more than forty papers at
national meetings of the society. Bohning was on the advisory committee of the society’s
National Historic Chemical Landmarks Program from its inception in 1992 through 2001 and is
currently a consultant to the committee. He developed the oral history program of the Chemical
Heritage Foundation, and he was the foundation’s director of oral history from 1990 to 1995.
From 1995 to 1998, Bohning was a science writer for the News Service group of the American
Chemical Society. He is currently a visiting research scientist and CESAR Fellow at Lehigh
University. In May 2005, he received the Joseph Priestley Service Award from the
Susquehanna Valley Section of the American Chemical Society.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|