M. Frederick Hawthorne is an inorganic chemist who has made contributions to the chemistry of boron hydrides, especially their clusters.  M. Frederick Hawthorne was born in Fort Scott, Kansas in 1928. Hawthorne received his elementary and secondary education in Kansas and Missouri. Prior to high school graduation, through examination he entered the Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy, Rolla, Missouri as a chemical engineering student. He then transferred to Pomona College, where he received a B.A. degree in chemistry. On December 27, 2011, He received the National Medal of Science.