Clayton Wilson Bates, Jr.

With deepest sadness, The Department of Materials Science and Engineering announces that Clayton Wilson Bates, Jr., Professor of Materials Science and Engineering and of Electrical Engineering, Emeritus, passed away on February 18, 2024.

Professor Bates joined Stanford University in 1972. While at Stanford, he conducted research on the optical and electronic properties of photoelectronically active surfaces leading to a fundamental understanding of the relationship between the microstructure and properties of the first such surface to be used in practical systems, the S-l photocathode, which had been discovered in 1927.

Professor Bates also helped charter the university's Society of Black Scientists and Engineers (SBSE), along with graduate students in the field.

The Department of Materials Science and Engineering extends our deepest condolences to his family, friends, colleagues, and students.

You can view Professor Bates' full obituary in Palo Alto Online here.