1932
Born to Michael and Kathryn Hercules in Somerset, Pennsylvania.
1954
Earns a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from Juniata College.
1957
Earns a Doctor of Philosophy degree in analytical chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
1957
Teaches as an assistant professor at Lehigh University.
1960
Teaches as an associate professor at Juniata College.
1963
Teaches as an assistant professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology; 1968 associate professor.
1969
Teaches as an associate professor at the University of Georgia; 1974 professor.
1973
Becomes a John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Fellow.
1976
Teaches as a professor in the department of chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh.
1980
Serves as chairman of the chemistry department at the University of Pittsburgh.
1983
Is an Alexander von Humboldt Preisträger (Prize winner) (Germany).
1987
Receives the Benedetti-Pichler Award from the American Microchemistry Society.
1988
Receives the Achievement in Analytical Chemistry Award from the Eastern Analytical Symposium.
1988
Receives the American Chemical Society National Award in Analytical Chemistry (Fisher Award).
1989
Receives the Eastern Analytical Symposium Award in Analytical Chemistry.
1990
Teaches as a Miles Professor at the University of Pittsburgh.
1993
Receives the American Chemical Society National Award in Surface Chemistry (Adamson Award).
1995
Becomes the department chairman and Centennial Professor at Vanderbilt University.
1996
Receives the Spectroscopy Society of Pittsburgh Award.
2007
Is named a Centennial Professor Emeritus and Research Professor at Vanderbilt University.