Karl Albert Gschneidner Jr died on 27 April 2016. Nicknamed Mr Rare Earth, he holds an unparalleled place as the renowned authority in just about every aspect related to the science, technology and history of a very special family of elements — the rare earths. Naturally unassuming, Karl gladly shared his vast knowledge with many if not everyone he met, always bursting with excitement about his favourite subject. Leading by example but letting others show the way when ready, staying focused yet always looking for opportunities, remaining dedicated and never passing-up a chance to lend a hand, were just a few of his indisputable traits.
Karl was born in Detroit on 16 November 1930 into a family of German immigrants who came to the United States during the short break between the First and Second World Wars. He received a BS in Chemistry from the University of Detroit in 1952 and a PhD in Physical Chemistry from Iowa State University in 1957 under the supervision of Frank H. Spedding and Adrian H. Daane. Immediately after graduation, Karl and his beloved wife Melba took a long, scenic drive across the country to his first real job as a staff member of Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory of the University of California, where he soon stepped in as a section leader. When Adrian Daane moved from Ames to Kansas State University in 1963, Karl was hired as an associate professor of metallurgy at his alma mater and became a group leader at the Ames Laboratory. Little did he know that Iowa State University, Ames Laboratory and Ames would become his home for the next 50-plus years.
