Fred Basolo
The information listed below is current as of the date the transcript was finalized.
Interview Details
Interview Sessions
Abstract of Interview
Fred Basolo begins the interview discussing his arrival at Northwestern University as an inorganic chemist in 1946. At that time, organic chemistry dominated the field of chemistry, and inorganic chemistry was seen as insignificant. Over the next few years, inorganic chemistry developed into a substantial component of chemistry. Basolo played a major role in that expansion—what he refers to as "the birth of inorganic chemistry." The formation of the Inorganic Chemistry Gordon Research Conference, which Basolo helped organize, was a key factor in inorganic chemistry's rising significance. Although there was no funding for the first conference and attendees had to pay their own travel and registration expenses, enough chemists participated to make the Inorganic GRC successful, and it developed into an annual event. Basolo describes the Inorganic GRC, as well as his heavy involvement in it, for which the conference presented him an award for his fifty years of service. Basolo also talks about his graduate studies under John C. Bailar, Jr., a coordination chemist for whom Basolo had a great deal of respect, and who instigated the first Inorganic Chemistry GRC. Following in Bailar's footsteps, Basolo specialized in coordination chemistry, and discovered the coboglobin site. Basolo also discusses his role in GRC governance, first being nominated to council, then to the board of trustees, and eventually becoming the board chairman. Basolo had concerns that the rapid growth of the organization and the Inorganic Conference could cause applicants to be turned away. Basolo ends his interview with his thoughts about the future of chemistry and GRC.
Education
| Year | Institution | Degree | Discipline |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | Southern Illinois University | B Ed | |
| 1942 | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | MS | Inorganic Chemistry |
| 1943 | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | PhD | Inorganic Chemistry |
Professional Experience
Rohm and Haas
Northwestern University
Honors
| Year(s) | Award |
|---|---|
| 1954 to 1955 | Guggenheim Fellow, University of Copenhagen |
| 1961 to 1962 | Senior NSF Fellow, University of Rome |
| 1964 | Award for Research in Inorganic Chemistry, American Chemical Society (ACS) |
| 1969 | NATO Distinguished Professor, Technische Universität München |
| 1971 | North Regional Section Citation of Excellence, ACS |
| 1972 | John C. Bailar, Jr. Medal, University of Illinois |
| 1974 | Alumni Achievement Award, Southern Illinois University |
| 1975 | Award for Distinguished Service in Inorganic Chemistry, ACS |
| 1976 | Francis Patrick Dwyer Medal, University of New South Wales, Australia |
| 1977 | Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science |
| 1977 | Honorary Member, Phi Lambda Upsilon |
| 1979 | Fellow, Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science |
| 1979 | Member, National Academy of Sciences |
| 1981 | Honorary Member, Italian Chemical Society |
| 1981 | James Flack Norris Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Teaching of Chemistry, Northeastern Section, ACS |
| 1983 | President, ACS |
| 1983 | Oesper Memorial Award, ACS, Cincinnati Section |
| 1983 | Corresponding Member, Chemical Society of Peru |
| 1983 | Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Sciences |
| 1984 | D. Sc. (honorary), Southern Illinois University |
| 1985 | Honorary Professor, Lanzhou University, China |
| 1987 | Foreign Member, National Academy of Science, Italy |
| 1988 | Laurea honoris causa, University of Turin |
| 1988 | IX Century Medal, Bologna University |
| 1988 | Award for Research in Inorganic Chemistry, Italian Chemical Society |
| 1988 | Honorary Professor, Zhongshan University, China |
| 1990 | Harry and Carol Mosher Award, ACS, Santa Clara Valley |
| 1991 | Padova University Medal |
| 1991 | Distincion Bicentenaria, University of Los Andes in Merida |
| 1991 | Chinese Chemical Society Medal |
| 1992 | Chemical Pioneer Award, American Institute of Chemists |
| 1992 | Sigma Xi Monie A. Ferst Award |
| 1992 | Humboldt Senior U. S. Scientist Award |
| 1993 | Gold Medal Award, American Institute of Chemists |
| 1996 | First Lecturer and Medalist of the Royal Society of Chemistry Joseph Chatt Award |
| 1996 | Josiah Williard Gibbs Medal |
| 1996 | Member, Chemistry Department Hall of Fame, Southern Illinois University |
| 1997 | Laurea honoris causa, University of Palermo, Sacconi Memorial Lecture |
| 2000 | Obelisk Leadership Award, Southern Illinois University |
| 2001 | Joseph Priestly Medal |
Table of Contents
First job at Rohm and Haas. The birth of American inorganic chemistry. Teaching at Northwestern University. Persuading Ralph G. Pearson to join the Northwestern faculty.
First Inorganic Chemistry Conference. Economics of attendance. John C. Bailar as founder. Helping to organize the first conference. Willis Conrad Fernelius as first chair. Development of conference. Conference format. Keeping attendance numbers low. Industry representation and topics at early conferences. Coordination chemistry as a staple topic. German inorganic chemistry. Lack of funding for attendance by graduate students and faculty. Networking at conferences. Chairing the conference.
Concerns about non-chemists attending Gordon Conferences. Expansion of GRC internationally and into other disciplines. Funding for the Inorganic Chemistry Conference from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research. Interactions with Alexander M. Cruickshank. Tuesday lunch tradition with inorganic chemists on the GRC board.
Conference chair election process. Funding for attendance. Recreation at conferences. Attendance by families of conferees. Conference locations.
Nomination to council. Election to board of trustees, selection and scheduling committee, and board chair. Development of subfields of inorganic chemistry. Relationship with American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Large size of GRC. Central role of chemistry in science. Need for recognition of chemistry. Growth of chemistry and molecular biology.
About the Interviewer
Arnold Thackray founded the Chemical Heritage Foundation and served the organization as president for 25 years. He is currently CHF’s chancellor. Thackray received MA and PhD degrees in history of science from Cambridge University. He has held appointments at Cambridge, Oxford University, and Harvard University, the Institute for Advanced Study, the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
In 1983 Thackray received the Dexter Award from the American Chemical Society for outstanding contributions to the history of chemistry. He served for more than a quarter century on the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania, where he was the founding chairman of the Department of History and Sociology of Science and is currently the Joseph Priestley Professor Emeritus.