Walter C. McCrone | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 9, 1916 Wilmington, Delaware, US |
| Died | July 10, 2002 (aged 86) |
| Alma mater | Cornell University |
| Known for | Polarized light microscopy Polymorphism Ultra-microanalysis Vinland Map Shroud of Turin |
| Awards | ACS Award in Analytical Chemistry (2000) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Chemistry, Microscopy, Forensic science |
| Institutions | Cornell University, Illinois Institute of Technology, McCrone Research Institute |
| Thesis | I. Derivatives of endomethylene tetrahydrophthalic acid II. Fusion methods in the study of crystals |
| Doctoral advisor | Clyde W. Mason |
Walter Cox McCrone Jr. (June 9, 1916 – July 10, 2002) was an American chemist who worked extensively on applications of polarized light microscopy and is sometimes characterized as the "father of modern microscopy".[1][2] He was also an expert in electron microscopy, crystallography, ultra-microanalysis, and particle identification. In 1960 he founded the McCrone Research Institute, a non-profit educational and research organization for microscopy based in Chicago.
McCrone's crystallographic work on polymorphism and its pharmaceutical applications played a central role in the subsequent development of the field.[3] To the general public, McCrone was best known for his work in forensic science, especially his analyses of the Vinland Map and the Shroud of Turin. In 2000, he received the American Chemical Society's National Award in Analytical Chemistry.[4][5]