Conant, James Bryant (1893–1978)

US chemist, diplomat, and educator. An organic chemist noted for his work on chlorophyll and haemoglobin. Conant chaired the National Defense Research Committee 1941–46, which developed the atomic bomb, and was instrumental in the targeting of Hiroshima, Japan.

He was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts. He was educated at Harvard. he taught at Harvard 1916–33; as president 1933–53, he strengthened the professional schools, increased the geographic and social diversity of students, opened the university to women, and introduced curricular reforms. He helped found the US National Science Foundation in 1950. His diplomatic career in the 1950s included four years as high commissioner and ambassador to West Germany. Conant conducted an extensive study of American high schools which resulted in The American High School Today (1959). His many educational contributions include Slums and Suburbs (1961), The Education of American Teachers (1963), and The Comprehensive High School (1967).