In 1960, the Priestley Medal was awarded to Wallace R. Brode by the American Chemical Society “to recognize distinguished services to chemistry,” the Society’s most prestigious award. Brode was well known for his broadly based development of applied spectroscopy and for his able administration of numerous science-related organizations.

Brode was editor of the Journal of the Optical Society of America for ten years. He also served as president of the American Chemical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.