Arnold O. Beckman*

In 1934, the late Arnold Beckman invented a portable meter for measuring the acidity of California lemons. The “Beckman acidometer” or pH meter as it came to be called, was the first of a series of successful inventions that made possible a revolution in scientific instrumentation. He and his wife, Mabel Beckman, contributed nearly $350 million to the advancement of research and education. The Beckman Institute at the University of Illinois is a fine example of their generosity. He received the Illinois Alumni Association’s Alumni Achievement Award in 1960.