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Theodore Gray
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<h2 id="education">Education</h2> <p>Theodore Gray was educated at the <a href="/facts/University_Laboratory_High_School_(Urbana,_Illinois)/L9wmPlCG">University of Illinois Laboratory High School</a>. He would later graduate with a <a href="/facts/Bachelor_of_Science/9n3gvDf7">B.S.</a> in <a href="/facts/Chemistry/SrNqkGVm">chemistry</a> from <a href="/facts/University_of_Illinois_at_Urbana%E2%80%93Champaign/gusw7HoS">University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign</a> in 1986.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a>[<i>self-published source?</i>]<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="career">Career</h2> <p>In 1987, Gray left a PhD program in theoretical chemistry at the <a href="/facts/University_of_California_at_Berkeley/MXVEjklr">University of California at Berkeley</a> to work with <a href="/facts/Stephen_Wolfram/pJTChkGB">Stephen Wolfram</a>. In that same year, he co-founded <a href="/facts/Wolfram_Research/rDU0dXdE">Wolfram Research</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> His initial work for the company involved creating the influential <a href="/facts/Wolfram_Mathematica/dRwoGFG2">notebook</a> user interface for <a href="/facts/Mathematica/dRwoGFG2">Mathematica</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> Gray would eventually leave Wolfram Research to become a writer and publisher full-time.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> </p><p>After <a href="/facts/Element_collecting/8ANbQpr4">amassing thousands of samples</a> of <a href="/facts/Chemical_element/0jducgWD">elements</a>, he assembled them into a four-legged physical table representing the <a href="/facts/Periodic_table/umdGIfUb">periodic table</a>. The finished table was awarded the 2011 ACS Grady Stack Award for Interpreting Chemistry for the Public, as well as the 2002 <a href="/facts/Ig_Nobel_Prize/mKVLGD8q">Ig Nobel Award for Chemistry</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> Gray's love of the periodic table would lead him to team up with photographer Nick Mann in creating <i>The Elements: A Visual Exploration of Every Known Atom in the Universe</i> and <i>Elements Vault.</i><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> </p><p>For many years, Gray wrote a regular column for <i><a href="/facts/Popular_Science/dE4EBW22">Popular Science</a></i> entitled "Gray Matter".<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a> The column was a finalist for a National Magazine Award for Best Column in 2010.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a> In 2009, a collection of articles by Gray was published under the title <i>Mad Science: Experiments You Can Do at Home—But Probably Shouldn't.</i><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a> A sequel to the book, <i>Mad Science 2: Experiments You Can Do At Home, But STILL Probably Shouldn't</i> was published in 2013.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14"><sup>14</sup></a> </p><p>In 2010, Gray founded <a href="/facts/Touch_Press/v0AGjEP1">Touch Press</a> together with Max Whitby, John Cromie and <a href="/facts/Stephen_Wolfram/pJTChkGB">Stephen Wolfram</a> shortly after the announcement of the launch of the iPad.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15"><sup>15</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:16" href="#fn:16"><sup>16</sup></a> The company was created to develop innovative educational apps using the technology of the iPad to its full potential. The first published app was "The Elements,"<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:17" href="#fn:17"><sup>17</sup></a> and in 2014 Gray released "Molecules", which allows users to touch and discover the basic building blocks of the world.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:18" href="#fn:18"><sup>18</sup></a> Of Touch Press's "Disney Animated," which was named the best iPad app of 2013 worldwide by Apple, iTunes's App Editor noted, "We’re absolutely spellbound".<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:19" href="#fn:19"><sup>19</sup></a> The app won a BAFTA award in 2014.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:20" href="#fn:20"><sup>20</sup></a> </p><p>Gray also co-founded Pale Gray Labs with <a href="/facts/Nina_Paley/hU8jyxKV">Nina Paley</a>. </p><p>Gray has developed a range of <a href="/facts/Poly(methyl_methacrylate)/CnCRBo5F">acrylic</a> model kits, which he named "Mechanical GIFs" (as a nod to <a href="/facts/Animated_GIF/HfIBWrIC">animated drawings on the internet</a>), to show "how common and uncommon machines, mechanisms, gadgets, and devices work".<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:21" href="#fn:21"><sup>21</sup></a> </p><p>In July 2018, Gray was invited to Beijing on behalf of The Newton Project by its founder, Jizhe Xu, to serve as a consulting advisor.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:22" href="#fn:22"><sup>22</sup></a> </p><p>Throughout his career, Gray has been an advocate for a broader engagement between the scientific community and the public at large.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:23" href="#fn:23"><sup>23</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:24" href="#fn:24"><sup>24</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="works">Works</h2> <ul><li><i>How Things Work: The Inner Life of Everyday Machines</i>, <a href="/facts/Black_Dog_%26_Leventhal_Publishers/ewJxBIoq">Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers</a>, 2019, 256pp. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 978-0316445436</li> <li><i>Reactions: An Illustrated Exploration of Elements, Molecules, and Change in the Universe</i>, <a href="/facts/Black_Dog_%26_Leventhal/ewJxBIoq">Black Dog & Leventhal</a>, 2017, 240pp. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 978-0316391221</li> <li><i>Molecules: The Elements and the Architecture of Everything</i>, <a href="/facts/Black_Dog_%26_Leventhal/ewJxBIoq">Black Dog & Leventhal</a>, 2014, 240pp. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 1-57912-971-4</li> <li><i>Theodore Gray's Elements Vault: Treasures of the Periodic Table with Removable Archival Documents and Real Element Samples—Including Pure Gold!</i> Black Dog & Leventhal, 2011, 128pp. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 1-57912-880-7</li> <li>(with photographer Nick Mann) <i>The Elements: A Visual Exploration of Every Known Atom in the Universe</i>, Black Dog & Leventhal, 2009, 240pp. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 1-57912-814-9</li> <li><i>Theo Gray's Mad Science: Experiments You Can Do At Home—But Probably Shouldn't</i>, Black Dog & Leventhal, 2009, 240pp. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 1-57912-791-6</li> <li>(with Jerry Glynn) <i>The Beginner's Guide to Mathematica Version 3</i>, Cambridge University Press, 1997, 355pp. ISBN 0521622026</li> <li><i>Theo Gray's Mad Science 2: Experiments You Can Do At Home, But STILL Probably Shouldn't</i>, Black Dog & Leventhal, 2013, 240pp. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 1-57912-932-3</li></ul> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Amateur_chemistry/8LTv3X2S">Amateur chemistry</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/List_of_Ig_Nobel_Prize_winners/4xjJQFY5">List of Ig Nobel Prize winners</a></li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> Wikiquote has quotations related to <i>Theodore Gray</i>. <ul><li><a href="https://home.theodoregray.com/">Official website</a> </li> <li>"Theodore Gray: Element enthusiast talks about making a periodic table for the 21st century" by Bethany Halford. <a href="/facts/C%26EN/2YFULpeW">C&EN</a>, 26 November 2007, page 50.</li> <li><a href="http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2003/11/27/periodic_table_display_makes_the_elements_more_than_elemental/">Periodic Table display makes the elements more than elemental</a> by Greg Kline, The News-Gazette, November 27, 2003.</li> <li><a href="http://theodoregray.com/PeriodicTable/Interviews/ScienceFriday/2002-07-19.mp3">Science Friday interview with Theodore Gray</a>, July 2002.</li> <li><a href="http://theodoregray.com/AppleKeynotes/TheoGrayWWDC2005.mov">Steve Jobs's Apple Keynote Speech</a>, Theodore Gray appearance, 2005.</li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>"Biography of Theodore Gray". Theodore Gray. Retrieved 15 August 2013. <a href="http://theodoregray.com/bio.html" target="_blank">http://theodoregray.com/bio.html</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Lovdahl, Andrew (2006-12-12). "The biggest table ... period". The Gargoyle. Archived from the original on February 21, 2014. Retrieved August 14, 2013. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140221223236/http://www.uni.illinois.edu/og/features/2006/12/biggest-table-period" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20140221223236/http://www.uni.illinois.edu/og/features/2006/12/biggest-table-period</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Wolfram, Stephen (2010-12-24). "Touch Press: The Second Book". Stephen Wolfram Blog. Retrieved August 14, 2013. <a href="http://blog.stephenwolfram.com/2010/12/touch-press-the-second-book/" target="_blank">http://blog.stephenwolfram.com/2010/12/touch-press-the-second-book/</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Somers, James (5 April 2018). "The Scientific Paper Is Obsolete". The Atlantic. Retrieved 7 July 2023. <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/04/the-scientific-paper-is-obsolete/556676/" target="_blank">https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/04/the-scientific-paper-is-obsolete/556676/</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>Lehrer, Brian (2009-05-22). "Interview of Wolfram Research Co-Founder Theodore (Theo) Gray". Dell. Retrieved August 14, 2013. <a href="http://en.community.dell.com/dell-blogs/enterprise/b/inside-enterprise-it/archive/2009/05/22/interview-of-wolfram-research-co-founder-theodore-theo-gray.aspx" target="_blank">http://en.community.dell.com/dell-blogs/enterprise/b/inside-enterprise-it/archive/2009/05/22/interview-of-wolfram-research-co-founder-theodore-theo-gray.aspx</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Merli, Melissa (2013-02-10). "Getting Personal: Theodore Gray". The News Gazette. Retrieved August 15, 2013. <a href="http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2013-02-10/getting-personal-theodore-gray.html" target="_blank">http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2013-02-10/getting-personal-theodore-gray.html</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Andrews, Ward (March 5, 2012). "The Periodic Table Table by Theodore Gray". Design.org. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved August 16, 2013. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130921061104/http://design.org/blog/periodic-table-table-theodore-gray" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20130921061104/http://design.org/blog/periodic-table-table-theodore-gray</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>"The 2002 Ig Nobel Prize Winners". Improbable.com. Improbable Research. August 2006. Retrieved 16 August 2013. <a href="http://www.improbable.com/ig/winners/#ig2002" target="_blank">http://www.improbable.com/ig/winners/#ig2002</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>Nicholes, Will (2011-03-16). "Author of 'Mad Science' releases book on the elements". The Toledo Blade. Retrieved August 14, 2013. <a href="http://www.toledofreepress.com/tag/theodore-gray/" target="_blank">http://www.toledofreepress.com/tag/theodore-gray/</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>Gray Matter, Popular Science. <a href="http://www.popsci.com/category/tags/theodore-gray" target="_blank">http://www.popsci.com/category/tags/theodore-gray</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>"Winners & Finalists". Magazine.org. American Society of Magazine Editors. Retrieved 16 August 2013. <a href="http://www.magazine.org/asme/national-magazine-awards/winners-finalists" target="_blank">http://www.magazine.org/asme/national-magazine-awards/winners-finalists</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>Saslow, Rachel (2011-05-16). "Cheating at science fairs; 'Mad Science' by Theodore Gray". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2013-08-22. Retrieved August 16, 2013. <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/science/cheating-at-science-fairs-mad-science-by-theodore-gray/2011/05/09/AFztKC5G_story.html" target="_blank">https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/science/cheating-at-science-fairs-mad-science-by-theodore-gray/2011/05/09/AFztKC5G_story.html</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>Nicholes, Will (March 16, 2011). "Author of 'Mad Science' releases book on the elements". Toledo Free Press. Retrieved May 1, 2011. <a href="http://www.toledofreepress.com/2011/03/16/author-of-mad-science-releases-book-on-the-elements/" target="_blank">http://www.toledofreepress.com/2011/03/16/author-of-mad-science-releases-book-on-the-elements/</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:14"><p>Feinberg, Ashley (2013-05-30). "How to Turn Burning Gas Into a Lamp Without Blowing Yourself Up". Gizmodo. Retrieved August 22, 2013. <a href="https://www.gizmodo.in/news/How-to-Turn-Burning-Gas-Into-a-Lamp-Without-Blowing-Yourself-Up/articleshow/20353808.cms" target="_blank">https://www.gizmodo.in/news/How-to-Turn-Burning-Gas-Into-a-Lamp-Without-Blowing-Yourself-Up/articleshow/20353808.cms</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:15"><p>Roush, Wade (2011-07-29). "TouchPress: Theodore Gray Tests His Mettle in the App World". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved August 12, 2013. <a href="http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/content-and-e-books/article/48187-touchpress-theodore-gray-tests-his-mettle-in-the-app-world.html" target="_blank">http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/content-and-e-books/article/48187-touchpress-theodore-gray-tests-his-mettle-in-the-app-world.html</a> <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:16"><p>Wolfram, Stephen (2010-12-24). "Touch Press: The Second Book". Stephen Wolfram Blog. Retrieved August 12, 2013. <a href="http://blog.stephenwolfram.com/2010/12/touch-press-the-second-book/" target="_blank">http://blog.stephenwolfram.com/2010/12/touch-press-the-second-book/</a> <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:17"><p>Pham, Alex (2010-04-27). "The curious tale of the wooden table that became an iPad book". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 12, 2013. <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2010/04/the-curious-tale-of-the-wooden-table-that-became-an-ipad-book.html" target="_blank">http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2010/04/the-curious-tale-of-the-wooden-table-that-became-an-ipad-book.html</a> <a href="#fnref:17" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:18"><p>Stockton, Nick (20 October 2014). "Explore the Building Blocks of Everything From Poison to Soap". Wired. Retrieved 17 December 2014. <a href="https://www.wired.com/2014/10/molecules-book/" target="_blank">https://www.wired.com/2014/10/molecules-book/</a> <a href="#fnref:18" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:19"><p>"Disney Animated By Disney". iTunes. Apple. Archived from the original on September 4, 2013. Retrieved 22 August 2013. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130904194757/https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/disney-animated/id632312737?mt=8" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20130904194757/https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/disney-animated/id632312737?mt=8</a> <a href="#fnref:19" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:20"><p>"Disney Animated Wins Children's BAFTA Award". Disney. 2014-12-03. Retrieved 2020-04-06. <a href="https://dpep.disney.com/disney-animated-wins-childrens-bafta-award/" target="_blank">https://dpep.disney.com/disney-animated-wins-childrens-bafta-award/</a> <a href="#fnref:20" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:21"><p>Mechanical Gifs <a href="https://mechanicalgifs.com/" target="_blank">https://mechanicalgifs.com/</a> <a href="#fnref:21" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:22"><p>Fimo (2018-07-30). "Newton weekly report". Medium. Retrieved November 10, 2018. <a href="https://medium.com/@newtonproject/newton-weekly-report-2018-07-23-2018-07-29-1df5935c1b7f/" target="_blank">https://medium.com/@newtonproject/newton-weekly-report-2018-07-23-2018-07-29-1df5935c1b7f/</a> <a href="#fnref:22" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:23"><p>Ingerson, Trevor (2011-09-22). "The Elements: A Q&A with Theodore Gray". Scholastic. Retrieved August 14, 2013. <a href="http://bookboxdaily.scholastic.com/2011/09/22/the-elements-a-qa-with-theodore-gray/" target="_blank">http://bookboxdaily.scholastic.com/2011/09/22/the-elements-a-qa-with-theodore-gray/</a> <a href="#fnref:23" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:24"><p>Lehrer, Brian (2010-04-23). "Elemental Design". WNYC. Retrieved August 14, 2013. <a href="http://www.wnyc.org/shows/bl/2010/apr/23/elemental/" target="_blank">http://www.wnyc.org/shows/bl/2010/apr/23/elemental/</a> <a href="#fnref:24" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>