Kenneth Wayne Hedberg (February 2, 1920 – January 5, 2019) was an American chemist known for his research in molecular structure and spectroscopy.
Biography
Hedberg was born on February 2, 1920, in Portland, Oregon, to parents Gustave and Ruth Hedberg. He spent part of his childhood in Hoquiam, Washington, and completed high school in Medford, Oregon. He graduated from Oregon State University and initially worked for Shell Development Company. Following the end of World War II, he returned to academia and earned his doctorate at the California Institute of Technology in 1948 under the supervision of Linus Pauling and Verner Shoemaker.
Academic Career
Hedberg was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship and a Guggenheim Fellowship. While conducting research in Norway, he met Lise Smedvik, whom he later married. The couple returned to the United States in 1956, and Hedberg joined the faculty of Oregon State University, where he taught until his retirement in 1987. His later research was supported by a Sloan Fellowship.
Honors and Recognition
Over the course of his career, Hedberg was elected a Fellow of the American Physical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He was also elected to membership in the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters and received an honorary doctorate from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.
Personal Life and Death
Hedberg was married to Lise Hedberg (née Smedvik). He died on January 5, 2019, at the age of 98, less than one month shy of his 99th birthday.
Other Individuals Named Kenneth Hedberg
The name "Kenneth Hedberg" also refers to other individuals, including:
- Kenneth R. Hedberg – An attorney based in Modesto, California, licensed to practice law in all California state courts, with over 22 years of experience in personal injury, accident, real estate, and employment law.
- Ken Hedberg – A senior advisor at Pivotal Advisors with more than 35 years of experience in consulting, sales, and general management.
