Izaak Maurits Kolthoff (1894–1993) has been described as the father of modern analytical chemistry for his research and teaching that transformed the ways by which scientists separate, identify, and quantify chemical substances. Once a collection of empirical recipes and prescriptions, the field of analytical chemistry is today an essential branch of chemistry built upon solid theoretical principles and experimental techniques, the basis of which was formed over the course of Kolthoff’s nearly 80-year career. Analytical chemistry is now a central chemical discipline that provides critical information to clinical medicine, environmental studies, forensics, food and drug safety, and numerous other areas.

The commemorative plaque at Smith Hall on the campus of the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, reads:

Izaak Maurits Kolthoff (1894–1993) is widely regarded as the father of modern analytical chemistry. His research transformed the ways by which scientists separate, identify, and quantify chemical substances and built the field upon solid theoretical principles and experimental techniques. Today, analytical chemistry is an essential branch of chemistry used in disciplines ranging from clinical medicine to environmental studies, forensics, food and drug safety, and other fields. As a faculty member at the University of Minnesota from 1927 to 1962, Kolthoff was a world-renowned educator, author of nearly 1,000 papers and numerous textbooks, adviser to more than 50 doctoral chemistry students, and an international leader in advancing analytical chemistry as a modern scientific discipline.