Henry Eyring (chemist)

Henry Eyring (February 20, 1901 – December 26, 1981) was a theoretical chemist whose primary interest was in the study of chemical reaction rates and mechanisms. He is best known for the development of transition state theory (also known as activated-complex theory), a fundamental concept in chemical kinetics that relates the rate of a chemical reaction to the properties of the potential energy surface.

Eyring earned a bachelor's degree in mining engineering (1923), a master's degree in metallurgy (1924), and a Ph.D. in chemistry (1927) from the University of Arizona. He then spent a year at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute in Berlin on a National Research Council fellowship.

After a period at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Eyring joined the faculty of Princeton University in 1931, where he remained until 1946. He then moved to the University of Utah, where he served as a professor of chemistry and metallurgy and later as Dean of the Graduate School. He remained at Utah until his death.

Eyring published over 600 scientific papers and several books, including "The Theory of Rate Processes" (1941), co-authored with Samuel Glasstone and Keith Laidler. This book is considered a classic in the field of chemical kinetics. His work spanned a wide range of topics in chemistry, including viscosity, diffusion, and surface chemistry. He received numerous awards and honors throughout his career, including the National Medal of Science in 1966 and the Priestley Medal in 1975. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Chemistry multiple times, but never received the award.

Beyond his scientific contributions, Eyring was a prominent member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was known for his strong faith. He often spoke and wrote about the relationship between science and religion.