Walter McCrone

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Walter Cox McCrone (born June 9, 1916 in Wilmington , Delaware ; † July 10, 2002 ) was an American chemist and expert in microscopy . He became known to the general public for his research on the Turin Shroud and the Vinland Map , both of which he classified as a forgery.

Career

He received his PhD from Cornell University in 1942 . After a two-year postdoc position, where he already specialized in chemical applications of microscopy, he moved to the Armor Research Foundation (today's Illinois Institute of Technology ) in 1944 . Here he built up the analytics service and became deputy chairman of the chemistry section.

In 1956 W. McCrone founded McCrone Associates to study microscopy and crystallography . Another goal of this company, which now has more than 2000 customers annually, is to provide the most modern optical and electron microscopic methods for industry and government agencies. The McCrone Research Institute was founded in 1960 , with the aim of researching and teaching microscopy, electron microscopy and crystallography. This Chicago-based institute was later expanded to include McCrone Scientific in London . In total, more than 20,000 students have received training in microscopy in these institutions, which are recognized worldwide as centers of excellence . In 1979 W. McCrone resigned as active president of McCrone Associates in order to devote his time to research and teaching.

W. McCrone is widely regarded as the father of modern microscopy, for which he opened up many new fields of work. In an issue of the journal Microscopy and Microanalysis in 2003, the significant influence that his work had on various fields was recognized in several articles. Forensics and criminology , for example, should be emphasized here . In addition to several hundred specialist articles and several books, his six-volume work "The Particle Atlas" (published from 1973 to 1979 and available on CD-ROM since 1992) is of paramount importance as a standard work on material analysis. He was also the editor and publisher of the scientific journal The Microscope Journal .

McCrone achieved worldwide public attention through his research on well-known objects of history. His work on the Vinland map and the Turin shroud , both of which he classified as forgeries, stand out in particular . In addition to many other scientific awards, he received the National Award in Analytical Chemistry from the American Chemical Society in 2000 for his work on the Turin Shroud.

In addition to his scientific activities, W. McCrone was also socially committed. For example, he was a member of the supervisory board of the non-profit Ada S. McKinley Community Services, Inc. , a social institution in Chicago.

Work (selection)

  • Walter C. McCrone, John Gustav Delly, Samuel James Palenik The Particle Atlas: An Encyclopedia of Techniques for Small Particle Identification (1979) ISBN 0-2504-0008-1
  • WCMcCrone, Judgment day for the Shroud of Turin. Amherst, NY, Prometheus Books, (1999) ISBN 1-5739-2679-5

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Thomas J. Hopen Dr. Walter C. McCrone's Contribution To The Characterization And Identification Of Explosives. Invited Paper, Microscopy and Microanalysis (2003), 9: 1128-1129 Cambridge University Press
  2. ↑ Wayne Moorehead Contributions of Dr. McCrone to Criminalistics. Invited Paper, Microscopy and Microanalysis (2003), 9: 1130-1131 Cambridge University Press
  3. ↑ John Smoliga Contributions by Dr. Walter C. McCrone to the Field of Thermomicroscopy. Invited Paper, Microscopy and Microanalysis (2003), 9: 1134-1135 Cambridge University Press
  4. ↑ Richard Bisbing Fine Particles: Walter C. McCrone's Life-long contribution to Their Isolation, Identification and Use. Invited Paper, Microscopy and Microanalysis (2003), 9: 1132-1133 Cambridge University Press
personal data
SURNAME McCrone, Walter
ALTERNATIVE NAMES McCrone, Walter Cox (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American chemist
DATE OF BIRTH June 9, 1916
PLACE OF BIRTH Wilmington , Delaware
DATE OF DEATH July 10, 2002