Ellis Ridgeway Lippincott Jr. (July 6, 1920 – December 24, 1974) was an American chemist, educator, inventor, science leader, and pioneer in spectroscopy. He was a professor of chemistry at the

University of Maryland The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland, United States. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the Univ ...

from 1955-1974 and served as director of the Center for Materials Research. According to ''

Spectroscopy Spectroscopy is the field of study that measures and interprets electromagnetic spectra. In narrower contexts, spectroscopy is the precise study of color as generalized from visible light to all bands of the electromagnetic spectrum. Spectro ...

'', Lippincott was an "icon of spectroscopy" and "one of the most influential

spectroscopist Spectroscopy is the field of study that measures and interprets electromagnetic spectrum, electromagnetic spectra. In narrower contexts, spectroscopy is the precise study of color as generalized from visible light to all bands of the electromagn ...

s of the past 100 years."

Early life and education

Lippincott was born in

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

in 1920. A descendant of the earliest Quaker settlers of Pennsylvania and

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

, he was raised in Medford and received his primary and secondary education at Moorestown Friends School in New Jersey. Lippincott received his undergraduate degree from Earlham College in

Richmond, Indiana Richmond () is a city in eastern Wayne County, Indiana, United States. Bordering the state of Ohio, it is the county seat of Wayne County. In the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 35,720. It is the principal c ...

in 1943. He received a master's degree from Johns Hopkins University followed by a Ph.D. from there in 1947. Afterward he spent a year doing post-doctoral work at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Spectroscopy Laboratory under lab director Richard C. Lord, with whom he maintained a lifelong professional association.

Science career

Lippincott began his university teaching career as an Instructor of Chemistry at the

University of Connecticut The University of Connecticut (UConn) is a public land-grant research university system with its main campus in Storrs, Connecticut, United States. It was founded in 1881 as the Storrs Agricultural School, named after two benefactors. In 1893, ...

from 1948 to 1951. From 1951 to 1955, he was an associate professor of chemistry at Kansas State College in Manhattan, Kansas. In 1955, he became a professor of chemistry at the University of Maryland. At age 35, he was recognized as "one of the nation's top authorities on infrared and Raman

spectroscopy Spectroscopy is the field of study that measures and interprets electromagnetic spectra. In narrower contexts, spectroscopy is the precise study of color as generalized from visible light to all bands of the electromagnetic spectrum. Spectro ...

." Lippincott remained at the University of Maryland until he died in 1974. Lippincott was a frequent lecturer at scientific conferences, including

Gordon Research Conferences Gordon Research Conferences are a group of international scientific conferences organized by a non-profit organization of the same name, since 1931 covering frontier research in the chemical, and physical and later biological, sciences, and t ...

and international conferences on spectroscopy, hydrogen bonding, and other scientific topics. He was program chair for the 10th Annual International Spectroscopy Colloquium in 1962 attended by 1,000 scientists from all over the world. He was a lecturer in the

American Chemical Society The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a scientific society based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. Founded in 1876 at New York University, the ACS currently has more than 155,000 members at all ...

's Visiting Scientist Program. Lippincott was a regular faculty member of the summer Spectroscopy Course hosted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Spectroscopy Laboratory, lecturing every year from 1956 onward. He founded and directed the Laser Raman Institute and Workshop at the University of Maryland, a week-long training program for scientists in the application of laser methods of research and featuring lectures by distinguished scientists on the theory of Raman spectroscopy and interpretation of spectra and instruction in advanced instrumentation. In 1968, he founded the ''Raman Newsletter'', a monthly newsletter he edited as a clearinghouse for current developments in experiments and research in Raman spectroscopy.

Center for Materials Research

Much of Lippincott's research was interdisciplinary in the field of materials science. He was instrumental in creating the Center for Materials Research at the University of Maryland and served as its director from 1967 to 1974. The center was one of 12 elite interdisciplinary laboratories sponsored by the Advanced Projects Research Agency (predecessor to the Defense Department's

DARPA The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is a research and development agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the development of emerging technologies for use by the military. Originally known as the Adva ...

). As director, Lippincott was responsible for the scientific management of the Center and its research output.

Research

Lippincott's scientific research spanned a wide range of areas, including

physical chemistry Physical chemistry is the study of macroscopic and microscopic phenomena in chemical systems in terms of the principles, practices, and concepts of physics such as motion, energy, force, time, thermodynamics, quantum chemistry, statistical mech ...

quantum chemistry Quantum chemistry, also called molecular quantum mechanics, is a branch of physical chemistry focused on the application of quantum mechanics to chemical systems, particularly towards the quantum-mechanical calculation of electronic contributions ...

, biophysics, molecular spectra and structure, high-pressure optics,

thermodynamic equilibrium Thermodynamic equilibrium is a notion of thermodynamics with axiomatic status referring to an internal state of a single thermodynamic system, or a relation between several thermodynamic systems connected by more or less permeable or impermeable ...

in complex systems, infrared and

Raman spectroscopy Raman spectroscopy () (named after physicist C. V. Raman) is a Spectroscopy, spectroscopic technique typically used to determine vibrational modes of molecules, although rotational and other low-frequency modes of systems may also be observed. Ra ...

, hydrogen bonding, potential energy functions, applications of spectral studies to biochemistry and chemical applications of

laser A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation. The word ''laser'' originated as an acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radi ...

s, chemical and analytical applications of induced electron emission spectroscopy. Much of Lippincott's scientific research was funded by the Advanced Projects Research Agency, Atomic Energy Commission,

National Aeronautics and Space Administration The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the United States's civil space program, aeronautics research and space research. Established in 1958, it su ...

National Science Foundation The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is an Independent agencies of the United States government#Examples of independent agencies, independent agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government that su ...

, Army Research Office, and

Public Health Service The United States Public Health Service (USPHS or PHS) is a collection of agencies of the Department of Health and Human Services which manages public health, containing nine out of the department's twelve operating divisions. The Assistant Se ...

. One of Lippincott's earliest research contributions was the "Lippincott-Schroeder potential," a theoretical model for hydrogen bonding which he developed with his student Rudolph Schroeder. Of this work it has been said: "This fundamental research, cited almost 900 times as of February, 2024, describes the potential energy associated with the interaction between hydrogen atoms and an electronegative partner in a molecular complex. Despite being proposed in the 1950s, the LS potential has proven to be an enduring and accurate model for hydrogen bonds, remaining relevant even with the advent of sophisticated ab initio computations seven decades later. Multiple papers have been published evaluating and testing this model against experimental data, and it continues to stand as an accurate representation of the hydrogen bond, showcasing Lippincott's valuable contributions to chemistry." Among other research, Lippincott investigated the organic evolution of living cells from non-living compounds (i.e., the origins of life) and studied the chemical composition of planetary atmospheres of

Jupiter Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the List of Solar System objects by size, largest in the Solar System. It is a gas giant with a Jupiter mass, mass more than 2.5 times that of all the other planets in the Solar System combined a ...

Mars Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun. It is also known as the "Red Planet", because of its orange-red appearance. Mars is a desert-like rocky planet with a tenuous carbon dioxide () atmosphere. At the average surface level the atmosph ...

and

Venus Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is often called Earth's "twin" or "sister" planet for having almost the same size and mass, and the closest orbit to Earth's. While both are rocky planets, Venus has an atmosphere much thicker ...

. His research collaborators included

Margaret Oakley Dayhoff Margaret Belle (Oakley) Dayhoff (March 11, 1925 – February 5, 1983) was an American Biophysicist and a pioneer in the field of bioinformatics. Dayhoff was a professor at Georgetown University Medical Center and a noted research biochemi ...

and

Carl Sagan Carl Edward Sagan (; ; November 9, 1934December 20, 1996) was an American astronomer, planetary scientist and science communicator. His best known scientific contribution is his research on the possibility of extraterrestrial life, including e ...

. Lippincott was a consultant to the National Bureau of Standards. He served as an expert for the

Food and Drug Administration The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a List of United States federal agencies, federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is respo ...

in the investigation of the controversial cancer drug

Krebiozen Krebiozen (aka Carcalon, creatine, substance X, or drug X) is a disproven alternative cancer treatment. While the substance has been marketed as a cure for cancer, originally sold for thousands of dollars per dose in the 1950s and early '60s, Kreb ...

. With two collaborators at the

National Bureau of Standards The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is an agency of the United States Department of Commerce whose mission is to promote American innovation and industrial competitiveness. NIST's activities are organized into physical sc ...

, Lippincott co-invented the Diamond Anvil High-Pressure Cell, a device for investigating materials under pressure using

diamond Diamond is a Allotropes of carbon, solid form of the element carbon with its atoms arranged in a crystal structure called diamond cubic. Diamond is tasteless, odourless, strong, brittle solid, colourless in pure form, a poor conductor of e ...

s which significantly increased the speed and accuracy of spectroscopic observations. The device was "one of the most valuable methods for making direct observations on the properties of a sample, a capability that had never before been possible." Also with colleagues at the National Bureau of Standards, Lippincott was a lead investigator in the inquiry into anomalous water, also known as "

polywater Polywater was a hypothesized polymerized form of water that was the subject of much scientific controversy during the late 1960s, first described by Soviet scientist Nikolai Fedyakin. By 1969 the popular press had taken notice of Western attempt ...

Publications

Lippincott was the author or co-author of over 160 peer-reviewed research papers and scientific articles published in such journals as ''Science, Nature, Journal of Physical Chemistry, Journal of Chemical Physics, Journal of the American Chemical Society, Journal of Research of the National Bureau of Standards, Journal of the Optical Society of America, Inorganic Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Applied Optics, Spectrochemica Acta'', and ''Journal of Chemical Education''. One of Lippincott's most impactful papers was his article entitled "The Limitations and Advantages of Infrared Spectroscopy in Patent Problems" published in the Journal of the Patent Office. As a result of his article, the Patent Office's view of infrared spectroscopy underwent a major change.

Scientific societies

Lippincott was a leading member of the community of scientists who worked in spectroscopy and related areas. His professional affiliations included the Optical Society of America (renamed Optica), Society for Applied Spectroscopy, Coblentz Society,

, American Physical Society, American Institute of Physics, Chemical Society of Washington, Philosophical Society of Washington, Washington Academy of Sciences, Society for Testing and Materials,

International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC ) is an international federation of National Adhering Organizations working for the advancement of the chemical sciences, especially by developing nomenclature and terminology. It is ...

Faraday Society The Faraday Society was a British society for the study of physical chemistry, founded in 1903 and named in honour of Michael Faraday. In 1980, it merged with several similar organisations, including the Chemical Society, the Royal Institute of Che ...

, and Chemical Society of London.

Honors and awards

Lippincott was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and other honorary societies. He was the 1964 recipient of the Chemical Society of Washington's Hillebrand Award and the 1970 recipient of the Pittsburgh Spectroscopy Award. The Ellis R. Lippincott Award was established in his honor in 1975 by the Optical Society (since renamed Optica), the Society for Applied Spectroscopy, and the Coblentz Society. The award is conferred annually on "an individual who has made significant contributions to vibrational spectroscopy as judged by their influence on other scientists" and "recognizes individuals whose work reflects the unique blend of theoretical insight, experimental proficiency, and transformative impact exemplified by Ellis R. Lippincott." Some of the world's most eminent spectroscopists have received this prestigious award during the past fifty years.

Legacy

The trade magazine ''

'' stated that "Lippincott's life is a testament to the power of scientific curiosity, innovation, and a commitment to reshaping perspectives, and looking at established 'truths' with an original and inquisitive perspective. His legacy lives on through the impact of his scientific methods and discoveries."

Personal life

Lippincott married Rita Clifton (1927–2024) in 1948, with whom he had five daughters. Ellis R. Lippincott Jr. died of Hodgkin's Disease in 1974 at the age of 54.Washington Post, Obituary Section, Ellis R. Lippincott, Jr., December 24, 1974.

Selected publications

* Jerome J. Workman, Jr., Ellis Ridgeway Lippincott:
A Legacy of Scientific Innovation
, ''Spectroscopy'', June–July 2024, Volume 39, No. 5, at 40-44 * Bill Fateley and Ellis Lippincott:
Remembering the Men Behind the Awards, Bruce Chase and Peter R. Griffiths
, ''Spectroscopy'', Volume 28, Issue 2, February 1, 2013 * Melanie L. Fein, ''Ellis R. Lippincott, Jr.,'' ''A Scientist for the Golden Age'', Partridge Press (2024), a 20-volume biography of Ellis R. Lippincott, Jr., by his daughter. (ISBN 978-1-963587-21-0 and twenty related ISBNs that make up the 20-volume biography)

References

{{authority control University of Maryland, College Park faculty Scientists from Philadelphia 1920 births Johns Hopkins University alumni Massachusetts Institute of Technology alumni 1974 deaths American materials scientists Members of the American Chemical Society