Thursday, February 24, 2011

Charles Martin Who?

In 1886, Oberlin College student Charles Martin Hall discovered an inexpensive way to produce aluminum.  125 years later, even with technology evolving every day, Hall's life and work are very modern:
- the house Hall used for his work is still owned by the college
- Alcoa (the company he founded) is the world's third largest producer of aluminum
- like Oberlin students today, Hall worked one-on-one with his professor toward his discovery
- his process is still used today
- Hall is the single greatest benefactor to Oberlin College, with gifts including beautiful Tappan Square, Hall Auditorium, and the Allen Memorial Art Museum
An aluminum statue of Charles Martin Hall in Oberlin's science center.  Chuck likes to dress up for every major holiday.

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