Sterling Brown Hendricks (April 13, 1902 – January 4, 1981) was an American

agriculturist An agriculturist, agriculturalist, agrologist, or agronomist (abbreviated as agr.), is a professional in the science, practice, and management of agriculture and agribusiness. It is a regulated profession in Canada, India, the Philippines, the U ...

notable for his research on the structural aspects of organic and inorganic chemistry, soil chemistry and plant physiology and nutrition.New York Times:DR. STERLING HENDRICKS, A GOVERNMENT SCIENTIST; January 7, 1981
/ref> Hendricks was a member of the

National Academy of Sciences The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is a United States nonprofit, non-governmental organization. NAS is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the Nat ...

,National Academy of Science:National Academies Press:Biographical Memoirs:V.56:Sterling Brown Hendricks
/ref>
the

American Academy of Arts and Sciences The American Academy of Arts and Sciences (abbreviation: AAA&S) is one of the oldest learned societies in the United States. It was founded in 1780 during the American Revolution by John Adams, John Hancock, James Bowdoin, Andrew Oliver, ...

, the

American Philosophical Society The American Philosophical Society (APS), founded in 1743 in Philadelphia, is a scholarly organization that promotes knowledge in the sciences and humanities through research, professional meetings, publications, library resources, and communi ...

, and a recipient of the

National Medal of Science The National Medal of Science is an honor bestowed by the President of the United States to individuals in science and engineering who have made important contributions to the advancement of knowledge in the fields of behavioral and social scienc ...

from President

Gerald Ford Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr. ( ; born Leslie Lynch King Jr.; July 14, 1913December 26, 2006) was an American politician who served as the 38th president of the United States from 1974 to 1977. He was the only president never to have been elected ...

.New York Times:National Medal of Science Is Awarded by Ford to 15;October 19, 1976
/ref>The President's National Medal of Science: Recipient Details;STERLING BROWN HENDRICKS;Title: Former Chief Chemist, Beltsville Plant Industry Station
/ref> The citation given to him at the medal ceremony said: "For the initiation of basic research in the physical and chemical properties of soils and proteins that have profoundly influenced agricultural practices and the production of food plants." Hendricks also was Chief Chemist, Beltsville Plant Industry Station, chief scientist of the Mineral Nutrition Laboratory, and a recipient of the Award for Distinguished Civilian Service. Hendricks was also an accomplished mountaineer. The Sterling's Crack climb at

Carderock Recreation Area Carderock Recreation Area is a 100-acre park in Carderock, Maryland, part of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park. The area is well known as a destination for its outdoor activities of rock climbing, hiking and biking. It is b ...

is named for him. He accompanied an expedition to

Denali Denali (; also known as Mount McKinley, its former official name) is the highest mountain peak in North America, with a summit elevation of above sea level. With a topographic prominence of and a topographic isolation of , Denali is the thi ...

in 1942, and accomplished at least fifty first ascents in British Columbia and Alaska.

Sterling B. Hendricks Memorial Lectureship Award

The Sterling B. Hendricks Memorial Lectureship was established in 1981 by the

Agricultural Research Service The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is the principal in-house research agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). ARS is one of four agencies in USDA's Research, Education and Economics mission area. ARS is charged with ex ...

of the

United States Department of Agriculture The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, and food. It aims to meet the needs of com ...

to honor the memory of Sterling B. Hendricks and to recognize scientists who have made outstanding contributions to the chemical science of agriculture (e.g.,

agricultural chemistry Agricultural chemistry is the study of chemistry, especially organic chemistry and biochemistry, as they relate to agriculture—agricultural production, the processing of raw products into foods and beverages, and environmental monitoring and ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hendricks, Sterling B. 1902 births 1981 deaths American soil scientists Members of the United States National Academy of Sciences National Medal of Science laureates 20th-century American botanists 20th-century American chemists Fellows of the American Physical Society Recipients of the President's Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service Members of the American Philosophical Society