George Edward Holbrook
Encyclopedia
George Edward Holbrook was a noted American chemical engineer
and a founding member of the National Academy of Engineering
.
Holbrook was born in St. Louis, Missouri
, and studied chemical engineering at the University of Michigan
where he received his BS (1931), MS (1932), and Ph. D. (1933). He then joined Du Pont, by 1939 was head of new products research at Jackson Laboratory, and in 1943 its assistant director. In 1949 Holbrook was appointed general superintendent of product development at Chambers Works, then the world's largest chemical plant. He subsequently moved to Du Pont headquarters, first as manager of process development for the Organic Chemicals business, and later as assistant director of the Development Department.
After a brief leave for government service - as deputy director and then director of the Chemical, Rubber, and Forest Products Bureau of the National Production Authority
- Holbrook resumed his prior Du Pont work but also chaired Du Pont's Corporate Committee for Educational Fellowships and Grants. In 1955 he was named assistant general manager of the Organic Chemicals Department, and in 1957 general manager of the Elastomer Chemicals Department. In 1958 he was further promoted to vice president, director, and member of the Executive Committee.
Holbrook served on boards and committees for a number of universities, including the Carnegie Institute of Technology
, University of Delaware
, University of Michigan
, University of Pennsylvania
, University of Rochester
, and Newark College. He was an ember of the American Chemical Society
, American Physical Society
, Society of Chemical Industry
, New York Academy of Sciences
, Franklin Institute
, American Association for the Advancement of Science
, the Chemical Society
(London), and honorary member of the Institute of Chemical Engineers (London), and served as president of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers
in 1958.
Chemical engineering
Chemical engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with physical science , and life sciences with mathematics and economics, to the process of converting raw materials or chemicals into more useful or valuable forms...
and a founding member of the National Academy of Engineering
National Academy of Engineering
The National Academy of Engineering is a government-created non-profit institution in the United States, that was founded in 1964 under the same congressional act that led to the founding of the National Academy of Sciences...
.
Holbrook was born in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, and studied chemical engineering at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
where he received his BS (1931), MS (1932), and Ph. D. (1933). He then joined Du Pont, by 1939 was head of new products research at Jackson Laboratory, and in 1943 its assistant director. In 1949 Holbrook was appointed general superintendent of product development at Chambers Works, then the world's largest chemical plant. He subsequently moved to Du Pont headquarters, first as manager of process development for the Organic Chemicals business, and later as assistant director of the Development Department.
After a brief leave for government service - as deputy director and then director of the Chemical, Rubber, and Forest Products Bureau of the National Production Authority
National Production Authority
The National Production Authority was an agency of the United States government which developed and promoted the production and supply of materials and facilities necessary for defense mobilization...
- Holbrook resumed his prior Du Pont work but also chaired Du Pont's Corporate Committee for Educational Fellowships and Grants. In 1955 he was named assistant general manager of the Organic Chemicals Department, and in 1957 general manager of the Elastomer Chemicals Department. In 1958 he was further promoted to vice president, director, and member of the Executive Committee.
Holbrook served on boards and committees for a number of universities, including the Carnegie Institute of Technology
Carnegie Institute of Technology
The Carnegie Institute of Technology , is the name for Carnegie Mellon University’s College of Engineering. It was first called the Carnegie Technical Schools, or Carnegie Tech, when it was founded in 1900 by Andrew Carnegie who intended to build a “first class technical school” in Pittsburgh,...
, University of Delaware
University of Delaware
The university is organized into seven colleges:* College of Agriculture and Natural Resources* College of Arts and Sciences* Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics* College of Earth, Ocean and Environment* College of Education and Human Development...
, University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
, University of Rochester
University of Rochester
The University of Rochester is a private, nonsectarian, research university in Rochester, New York, United States. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The university has six schools and various interdisciplinary programs.The...
, and Newark College. He was an ember of the American Chemical Society
American Chemical Society
The American Chemical Society is a scientific society based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. Founded in 1876 at New York University, the ACS currently has more than 161,000 members at all degree-levels and in all fields of chemistry, chemical...
, American Physical Society
American Physical Society
The American Physical Society is the world's second largest organization of physicists, behind the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft. The Society publishes more than a dozen scientific journals, including the world renowned Physical Review and Physical Review Letters, and organizes more than 20...
, Society of Chemical Industry
Society of Chemical Industry
The Society of Chemical Industry is a learned society set up in 1881 "to further the application of chemistry and related sciences for the public benefit". Its purpose is "Promoting the commercial application of science for the benefit of society". Its first president was Henry Enfield Roscoe and...
, New York Academy of Sciences
New York Academy of Sciences
The New York Academy of Sciences is the third oldest scientific society in the United States. An independent, non-profit organization with more than members in 140 countries, the Academy’s mission is to advance understanding of science and technology...
, Franklin Institute
Franklin Institute
The Franklin Institute is a museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and one of the oldest centers of science education and development in the United States, dating to 1824. The Institute also houses the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial.-History:On February 5, 1824, Samuel Vaughn Merrick and...
, American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science is an international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsibility, and supporting scientific education and science outreach for the...
, the Chemical Society
Chemical Society
The Chemical Society was formed in 1841 as a result of increased interest in scientific matters....
(London), and honorary member of the Institute of Chemical Engineers (London), and served as president of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers
American Institute of Chemical Engineers
The American Institute of Chemical Engineers is a professional organization for chemical engineers.AIChE was established in 1908 with the purpose of establishing chemical engineers as a profession independent from chemists and mechanical engineers.As of 2010, AIChE had over 40,000 members,...
in 1958.