Arnold Thackray facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Arnold Wilfrid Thackray
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Arnold Thackray, 2005
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| Born | July 30, 1939 northwest England
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| Nationality | British |
| Alma mater | Cambridge University |
| Occupation | Science historian |
| Known for | Founding President of the Chemical Heritage Foundation |
| Title | Joseph Priestley Professor Emeritus |
| Awards | Dexter Award |
| Scientific career | |
| Thesis | (1966) |
| Doctoral advisor | Mary Hesse |
Arnold Thackray (born 30 July 1939) is a British historian of science. He is a professor emeritus at the University of Pennsylvania in the United States. This means he is a retired professor who still holds his title.
He has taught at many famous universities around the world. These include Harvard University, the London School of Economics, and Cambridge University. He was also the first leader of the Department of History and Sociology of Science at the University of Pennsylvania. Later, he became the Joseph Priestley Professor Emeritus.
Mr. Thackray also served as the first president of the Chemical Heritage Foundation. This organization works to preserve the history of chemistry.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Arnold Thackray was born in Manchester, England, on July 30, 1939. When he was 10 years old, he won a special scholarship. This allowed him to attend Manchester Grammar School, a well-known school.
In 1960, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry. He graduated with top honors from the University of Bristol. After college, he worked in the industry in Yorkshire. During this time, he became interested in the history of science. He joined a group at Leeds University that studied these new ideas.
His mentor, Jerome Ravetz, encouraged him to study the history of science further. In 1963, Thackray began his Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) at Cambridge University. He studied at Churchill College, under the guidance of Mary Hesse. She was a leader in the philosophy of science. He earned his PhD in 1966.
In 1965, he became the first graduate student at Churchill College to be chosen as a Fellow. As a Fellow, he helped collect important papers from British scientists. These papers later became part of the Churchill College Archive Centre.
Academic and Professional Career
In 1967, Arnold Thackray moved to the United States. He took a visiting teaching job at Harvard University for one year. He enjoyed teaching in America and decided to stay. In 1968, he joined the University of Pennsylvania.
At the University of Pennsylvania, he became a leader in his field. In 1969, he directed a special program for graduate students. This program focused on the history of medicine and biology. In 1970, he became the head of the Department of the History and Philosophy of Science. He brought together teachers from many different subjects.
Mr. Thackray taught at the University of Pennsylvania for 28 years. He retired in 1996 as the Joseph Priestley Professor Emeritus.
His studies have focused on how modern science developed after Isaac Newton. He also looked at how scientists interact with society. He has guided many PhD students and written many books and articles. He also helped edit important journals like Isis and Osiris.
He was also involved with many important groups. He was a member of the American Council of Learned Societies. He also helped start the Society for Social Studies of Science. He served on advisory boards for groups like the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. At Penn, he also managed a special collection of chemistry history.
Chemical Heritage Foundation
In the early 1980s, a group of chemists and historians suggested creating a center for the history of chemistry. In 1981, the American Chemical Society asked for ideas for this center. Arnold Thackray suggested that the center be at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1983, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers joined as a co-sponsor.
In 1987, the Chemical Heritage Foundation (CHF) received its first large donation. Thackray wanted CHF to have its own building. In 1993, CHF bought the old First National Bank building in Philadelphia. This building was near Benjamin Franklin's home.
It took over ten years to plan and raise money to turn the 1865 bank building into a modern facility. The new building opened in 2008. It included offices, archives, and the Othmer Library. This library became a world-famous resource. The building also had a large public museum.
Under Thackray's leadership, CHF grew a lot. It added more sponsoring organizations and welcomed many visiting scholars. In 1997, CHF started the annual Othmer Gold Medal. This award honors people who have made important contributions to science. Many other awards and prizes followed.
Thackray was president of CHF until 2009. After that, he served as Chancellor for seven years. During his 28 years of leadership, he raised $130 million for the organization. He also invested almost $50 million to create CHF’s home.
Life Sciences Foundation
After leaving CHF, Thackray moved to Silicon Valley. There, he started the Life Sciences Foundation in 2011. He founded it with four leaders from the biotechnology industry. They realized that the history of biotech, which was 40 years old, was not well understood.
The foundation aimed to collect the stories of the industry's founders. It also wanted to raise awareness of the field's importance. They did this through interviews, public events, and publications, including a free magazine.
Awards and Honors
Arnold Thackray has received many awards for his work. In 1983, he won the Dexter Award from the American Chemical Society. This award recognized his work on the history of chemistry. In 1984, he received the George Sarton Memorial Lecturer Award.
He was also given fellowships from the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation twice (in 1971 and 1985). He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and the Royal Society of Chemistry. In 2009, the American Chemical Society held a special event to honor him.
Personal Life
Arnold Thackray became a citizen of the United States in 1981. He first married Barbara Hughes Thackray, a physicist who became a teacher. They had three children: Helen, Gillian, and Timothy.
Since 1994, his wife has been Diana Schueler Thackray. His hobbies include walking, gardening, reading, and raising roses.
Selected Publications
- Moore's law: the life of Gordon Moore, Silicon Valley's quiet revolutionary (2017)
- Atomi e force (1981)
