The Frank H. Spedding Award was presented to Boatner during the Rare Earth Research Conference in Davis, Calif. It marks the 10th time the award has been presented in recognition of excellence and achievement in research centered on the science and technology of the rare earths.
Rare earth elements on the periodic table include cerium, gadolinium and ytterbium and lie between lanthanum and lutetium.
Boatner's research in this area began in 1964, initially focusing on fundamental spectroscopic investigations of rare earth electronic properties.
He has authored or co-authored more than 425 publications, and has been awarded 13 patents, and has earned three R&D 100 awards. Boatner is a fellow of the American Physical Society, the American Ceramic Society, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Society of Metals International and the Institute of Materials of the United Kingdom. He is also the review editor of the Journal of Materials Research.
In 2001, Boatner was presented the Jessie W. Beams Award for excellence in research by the Southeastern Section of the American Physical Society.
Boatner earned bachelor's and master's degrees in physics from Texas Tech University and received a doctorate in physics and mathematics from Vanderbilt University.
He and his wife, Martha Alice, reside in Oak Ridge. They have three adult sons.
ORNL is a multiprogram facility operated by UT-Battelle for the Department of Energy.