John Gamble Kirkwood

1907-1959

Kirkwood was one of the outstanding physical chemists and theoreticians of his time. He correlated the thermodynamic properties of matter with the potential of intermolecular forces using statistical mechanics. He also did theoretical studies on dielectric behavior, irreversible processes in solutions of macromolecules, electrolytic and nonelectrolytic solutions, cooperative phenomena, and optical rotation. In later years, he carried out fundamental studies on the statistical mechanical theory of transport processes. During his career, he was on the faculties at Cornell, Chicago, Caltech and Yale.

Sponsor: Robert I. Cukier

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Location in chemistry building: Basement Floor; East Wing South Wall; Sequence 1

Source: Chemical Heritage Foundation