Wallace R. Brode


Wallace Reed Brode was an American chemist. He was president of the American Chemical Society in 1969 and of the Optical Society of America in 1961. He received the Priestley Medal in 1960.

Biography

Brode was born in Walla Walla, Washington state, one of male triplets, the others being brothers Malcolm and Robert, each of whom became a distinguished scientist. He also had another older brother, Stanley. His father, Howard, was a biology professor at Whitman College, where Brode he would earn his D.Sc in 1921. While studying for his Ph.D at University of Illinois under Roger Adams, he developed a lifelong interest in dyes and spectroscopy.
He was on the faculty of Ohio State University ; head of the science department at US Naval Ordnance Test Station 1945-47; Science Adviser to the US Secretary of State 1958-60 and director of Barnes Engineering Co. in Washington from 1960 onwards. He also served on the board of trustees for Science Service, now known as Society for Science & the Public, from 1957-1972.
During his career he developed molecular model sets, using wooden rods and balls to create three-dimensional representations of molecular bonds in chemical compounds.

Publications