Ralph W. G. Wyckoff, 1897-1994

died at the age of 97.Wyckoff was a scientist with many talents and was extremely productive.He published more than 400 papers; the first appeared when he was 19 and the last one approximately 70 years later.During that long and active period, he was employed in no less than eleven laboratories of very different types.His strongest side was to apply new techniques or use new instruments, when they became available, in an intelligent way.It was not basic discoveries but the recognition of what had become possible at a certain moment that characterized his scientific career.In this way, he became famous in two areas of structural research: X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy.Ralph was born on 9 August 1897 in Geneva in New York State as the son of the judge Abram Ralph Wyckoff and Ethel Agnes (n6e Catchpole) Wyckoff.His father stemmed from Dutch immigrants who arrived in America in 1634.His mother was born in England and went to the USA around 1880.He spent his youth and went to school in Geneva.Although left-handed by nature, the tough discipline at school forced him to write with his right hand.This made him able to use both hands easily, which was an advantage in his later experimental work.His scientific career started at Hobart College in his home town.