Oral history interview with Norman Hackerman
- 1990-Oct-23
Oral history interview with Norman Hackerman
- 1990-Oct-23
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.Norman Hackerman recounts his seven years at Johns Hopkins University, where he received both his bachelor's and PhD degrees and developed interests in philosophy and psychology as well as in physical chemistry. remarks upon the difficulties the university encountered due to the Depression, and its effects upon laboratory equipment and research. He next describes his experiences teaching at Loyola College and consulting for the Colloid Corporation, his job with the Coast Guard at the Federal Lighthouse Service, his years at Virginia Polytechnic Institute, and his work on the Manhattan District Project. The final portion of the interview briefly summarizes his early teaching background at the University of Texas, his consulting work for the Lone Star Gas Company, and his creation of the Corrosion Research Laboratory (now the Balcones Research Center).
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About the Interviewer
James J. Bohning was professor emeritus of chemistry at Wilkes University, where he had been 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 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 CHF’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. In May 2005, he received the Joseph Priestley Service Award from the Susquehanna Valley Section of the American Chemical Society. Bohning passed away in September 2011.
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| Oral history number | 0083A |
Related Items
Interviewee biographical information
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Education
| Year | Institution | Degree | Discipline |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1932 | Johns Hopkins University | AB | Chemistry |
| 1935 | Johns Hopkins University | PhD | Chemistry |
Professional Experience
Loyola College in Maryland
- 1935 to 1939 Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Colloid Corporation
- 1936 to 1940 Research Chemist
United States. Coast Guard
- 1939 to 1941 Assistant Chemist
Virginia Polytechnic Institute
- 1941 to 1943 Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Kellex Corporation
- 1944 to 1945 Research Chemist
University of Texas at Austin
- 1945 to 1946 Assistant Professor of Chemistry
- 1946 to 1950 Associate Professor of Chemistry
- 1948 to 1961 Director, Corrosion Research Laboratory
- 1950 to 1970 Professor of Chemistry
- 1952 to 1961 Chairman, Chemistry Department
- 1960 to 1961 Dean of Research and Sponsored Programs
- 1961 to 1963 Vice President and Provost
- 1963 to 1967 Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
- 1967 to 1970 President
- 1985 Professor Emeritus of Chemistry
Rice University
- 1970 to 1985 President
- 1970 to 1985 Professor of Chemistry
- 1985 President Emeritus
- 1985 Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Chemistry
Robert A. Welch Foundation
- 1982 Chairman, Scientific Advisory Board
Honors
| Year(s) | Award |
|---|---|
| 1956 | Whitney Award, National Association of Corrosion Engineers |
| 1964 | Joseph L. Mattiello Award |
| 1965 | Palladium Medal, The Electrochemical Society |
| 1965 | Southwest Regional Award, American Chemical Society |
| 1972 | LLD, St. Edwards University |
| 1975 | DSc, Austin College |
| 1975 | Honor Scroll, Texas Institute of Chemists |
| 1978 | DSc, Texas Christian University |
| 1978 | LLD, Abilene Christian University |
| 1978 | Gold Medal, American Institute of Chemists |
| 1981 | Mirabeau B. Lamar Award, Association of Texas Colleges and Universities |
| 1982 | Distinguished Alumnus Award, Johns Hopkins University |
| 1984 | Edward Goodrich Acheson Award, The Electrochemical Society |
| 1984 | Alumni Gold Medal for Distinguished Service, Rice University |
| 1987 | Charles Lathrop Parsons Award |
| 1987 | Philip Hauge Abelson Prize, American Association for the Advancement of Science |
| 1993 | Vannevar Bush Award, National Science Board |
| 1993 | Doctor of Public Service, University of North Texas |
| 1993 | National Medal of Science |
| 1999 | Texas Distinguished Scientist Award, Texas Academy of Science |
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Complete transcript of interview
The published version of the transcript may diverge from the interview audio due to edits to the transcript made by staff of the Center for Oral History, often at the request of the interviewee, during the transcript review process.