Mike Grayson

After a career at McDonnell Douglas Research Labs and a stint on the Chemistry Staff at Washington University in St Louis, Michael turned from using mass spectrometers to exploring the history of the instruments and the individuals who created the field. Serving as Archivist for the American Society for Mass Spectrometry has given him the opportunity to collect oral histories, create historical posters for the national conference and promote interest in the history of the field. He has been particularly active in 2013, arranging symposia at both ASMS and the American Chemical Society conferences commemorating the 100th Anniversary of J. J. Thomson publishing “Rays of Positive Analysis and their Application to Chemical Analysis”.

Content by Mike Grayson:

Techniques & Tools Mass Spectrometry

The Origins of Mass Spectrometry

09/09/2013 | Mike Grayson

Between 1900 and 1940, the development of the positive ray analyzer led to the study of isotopes for the first time, setting the stage for the development of mass spectrometry. Here, a series of brilliant experiments from the “Era of the Physicist” is revisited.