In 1965, the American Chemical Society awarded the Priestley Medal to William J. Sparks ‘for his numerous contributions to chemistry,” the Society’s most prestigious award.

Sparks worked as a chemist for the Sherwin-Williams Co. as well as for E.I. Dupont de Nemours & Co., and in 1936, he joined the Standard Oil Development Company, (now Exxon Research and Engineering Company), as a research chemist. He also worked briefly as a Principal Chemist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.