Therald Moeller

Last updated
Therald Moeller
Born
George Therald Moeller

(1913-04-03)April 3, 1913
North Bend, Oregon, United States
DiedNovember 24, 1997(1997-11-24) (aged 84)
Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, United States
Alma mater Oregon State College
University of Wisconsin-Madison (PhD)
Known forInorganic Chemistry, an Advanced Text (1952)
Scientific career
Fields Inorganic chemistry
Institutions Michigan State College
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Arizona State University
Thesis A Study of the Preparation and Certain Properties of Hydrous Lanthanum Oxide Sols  (1938)
Doctoral advisor Francis Craig Krauskopf

George Therald Moeller (April 3, 1913- November 24, 1997) was an American chemist and emeritus professor of Arizona State University. He is known for his various books, including the textbook Inorganic Chemistry, an Advanced Text of 1952 which has been dubbed the "Bible of inorganic chemistry." [1] [2]

Contents

Biography

Early life and studies

George Therald Moeller was born in North Bend, Oregon in 1913. [1] [2]

He graduated from Oregon State College, earning a degree in chemical engineering in 1934. [1] Afterwards he went to the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he obtained a Sigma Tau National Fellowship and a Du Pont Fellowship. [1] [2] He received obtained his PhD in inorganic and physical chemistry in 1938. [1] His thesis was titled "A Study of the Preparation and Certain Properties of Hydrous Lanthanum Oxide Sols", his supervisor was Francis C. Krauskopf. [2]

Career

From 1938 to 1940, Moeller served as instructor at Michigan State College before joining the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 1940, where he became an expert in the chemistry of rare-earth elements. [1] In 1969, he became chairman of the department of chemistry at Arizona State University (ASU), a role he held until 1975. Moeller retired in 1983 as emeritus professor at ASU. [1]

In 1953, he published his book Inorganic Chemistry, an Advanced Text which was well received internationally and allowed US universities to teach advanced chemistry. [1]

Moeller and John C. Bailar Jr. founded the Inorganic Chemistry Division of the American Chemical Society in 1959. Moeller served also as president of the board of directors of Inorganic Syntheses. [1] [2]

Personal life

Moeller married his wife Ellyn Stephenson in 1935, they had three children. [3]

He died in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma in 1997. [1] [2]

Honors and awards

In 1980, Arizona State University (ASU) stablished the Therald Moeller scolarship, to support students with a career in chemistry in the School of Molecular Sciences. [4]

In 1981, he received the Award for Distinction in Undergraduate Teaching by the department of chemistry and in 1983 he received the Alumni Association's Distinguished Teacher Award as best instructor at ASU. [1]

Textbooks

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Moeller, Therald (1913-1997) Department of Chemistry Illinois". chemistry.illinois.edu. Retrieved 2024-12-10.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Girolami, Gregory S.; Satterberger, Alfred P., eds. (2014). "Dedication: George Therald Moeller". Inorganic syntheses. Volume 36. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley. p. vii. ISBN   978-1-118-74487-1.
  3. "Moeller, Therald | University of Illinois Archives". University of Illinois Archives Holdings Database. Retrieved 2024-12-10.
  4. "Therald Moeller Scholarship recipient pursues career as science educator | ASU News". news.asu.edu. Retrieved 2024-12-10.