The internationally-recognized Iowa State alum, professor and researcher Karl A. Gschneidner Jr. passed away on the morning of April 27 at the age of 85. Gschneidner’s work with rare-earth materials led to the creation of the Critical Materials Institute at Ames Laboratory as well as the publishing of over 544 of his scientific journal articles and 170 book chapters and conference proceedings. He started his Iowa State experience as a Ph.D. student in 1955 at which time he was hired as a graduate researcher at Ames Laboratory. After Gschneidner graduated in 1957, he took a job in New Mexico at the Los Alamos National Laboratory until an opening at Iowa State and Ames Laboratory allowed him to return to Ames in 1963. He had a 60-year career in metallurgy that ended this January when he formally retired. A visitation and prayer service will be held on May 2 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm at Adams Funeral Home (502 Douglas Ave, Ames). A funeral mass will be held at St. Cecelia Catholic Church (2900 Hoover Ave, Ames) on May 3 at 10:00 am. Memorials may be directed to the Iowa State University Foundation at www.foundation.iastate.edu in memory of Karl Gschneidner Jr., Ph.D. — Go for the Gold Research Prize #2702376. To read the whole story from Ames Laboratory, click here.
Mr. Rare Earth, Karl Gschneidner passes away on April 27
