Earl K. Hyde was a research associate at the University of Chicago’s Metallurgical Laboratory (“Met Lab”) during the Manhattan Project.
Prior to working at the Met Lab, he was working with Edward P. Schlesinger on a United States Signal Corps project at the University of Chicago. On January 10, 1944, Hyde joined the Met Lab. In the Chemistry Division of the lab, he started as a junior chemist in Section C-I, Group 5 – Volatility and General Dry Chemistry led by Norman R. Davidson.
According to the Journal of Glenn T. Seaborg, 1942-1946, Vol. 2, Hyde finished developing a protective box for safe loading and handling of quartz boats within laboratory hoods on March 13, 1944. As of April 1944, Hyde became a research assistant in Group 5.
In October 1944, he became a junior chemist in Group 9 – U-223 Group. Within the group, Hyde helped carry out a new half-life determination for U-233 and identify extraction solvents for uranium. By April 1945, Hyde became a research associate in Group 9.
Hyde was one of seventy scientists and workers at the Met Lab to sign the Szilard Petition, a document written by Leo Szilard petitioning President Truman to avoid dropping the atomic bombs on Japan.
Later, Hyde worked as a Senior Staff Scientist in nuclear chemistry at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory. In August 1955, he served as a technical advisor to the U.S. delegation to the International Conference on Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy in Geneva, Switzerland.
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