E. C. Williams

E. C. Williams
Born	E. C. Williams
Known for	Chemical Engineering
Scientific career
Fields	Chemistry Chemical Engineering
Institutions	University of Manchester British Dyestuffs Corporation University of Leeds National Benzol Board University College London Shell General Mills General Dyestuffs Corporation

E. C. Williams was the first Ramsay Memorial Professor of Chemical Engineering at University College London, as well as the first in the United Kingdom being appointed in 1923. [1]

Career

Williams previously worked for the University of Manchester,[2] British Dyestuffs Corporation, [3] as a research chemist to the joint committee of the University of Leeds and the National Benzol Board, [4] before he was appointed as the first Ramsay professor of chemical engineering at University College London in 1923.

While at University College London, Williams stated that the due to the development of chemical plant,

"chemical expertise was becoming even more important for the engineers building the plant than for the industrial chemist's who used it, hence the fusion of the sciences".[3]

Williams handed in his resignation in 1927[5][6] before being replaced by W.E. Gibbs in 1928.[7][8][9] Prior to his departure from University College London, he had engaged with British chemical companies and convinced them to make donations which allowed for the chemical engineering department to be increased in size.[10]

After leaving University College London, he became Vice President in Charge of Research for Shell at their research laboratory in Berkeley, California.[11][12][8] While at Shell, he reported to the United States National Resources board in 1940.[13]

After leaving Shell, Williams worked as head of research at General Mills,[14] became a director of Standard Oil Company,[15] before being technical director at General Dyestuffs Corporation.[16]

Awards

Williams was given the seventh William H. Walker Award by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers in 1942 for his work on the production of synthetic glycerol, which he had reported in the 1939 Transactions of the institute.[17]

Selected writing

• Modern Petroleum Research, Industrial and Chemical Engineering, News edition, Washington D.C., 10 December 1938, vol. 16 pg. 630-632[18]

• Olefins from saturated paraffins or iso-paraffins by means of alumina catalyst with a chromic acid promotar, National Petroleum News, Cleveland, 19 April 1939, vol. 31 no. 17 pg. 184-66[19]

• The Executive and the Technologist, News Edition, American Chemical Society 1940, 18, 5, 191–194 (News), Publication Date (Print):10 March 1940, doi:10.1021/cen-v018n005.p191

• On the mechanism of boundary lubrication. II. Wear prevention by addition agents, with Otto Beeck and JW Givens, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series A. Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Volume 177, Issue 968, Pages 103–118, The Royal Society

• Operational Research, Nature 169, 556–557 (1952). Issued 5 April 1952, doi:10.1038/169556a0

References

1. "The Guardian from London, Greater London, England pg.11". 25 June 1923. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
2. "University and Educational Intelligence". Nature. 112 (2809): 346–347. 1 September 1923. Bibcode:1923Natur.112R.346.. doi:10.1038/112346b0. S2CID 4074831.
3. Michael Sanderson (11 October 2018). The Universities and British Industry: 1850–1970. Routledge. ISBN 978-1138323568.
4. "University and Educational Notes". Science. 58 (1490): 48. 20 July 1923. Bibcode:1923Sci....58...48.. doi:10.1126/science.58.1490.48. PMID 17834626. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
5. "Scientific Notes and News". Science. 66 (1719). Science New Series Published By: American Association for the Advancement of Science: 556–560. 9 December 1927. Bibcode:1927Sci....66..556.. doi:10.1126/science.66.1719.556. JSTOR 1650987.
6. "Personal and Other Business". Journal of the Society of Chemical Industry. 46 (48): 1129-1132 Correspondence. 2 December 1927. doi:10.1002/jctb.5000464804.
7. D. C. Freshwater (1997), People, pipes and processes: a short history of chemical engineering and the Institution of Chemical Engineers
8. Nicholas A. Peppas (1989), One hundred years of chemical engineering, Springer, ISBN 9780792301455
9. "History - UCL Chemical Engineering has a long and distinguished history as a world-leading research department – the first of its kind in the UK. Find out more about some key figures and dates in our history". University College London. 19 July 2018. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
10. f. g, D. (17 February 1934). "Prof. W. E. Gibbs". Nature. 133 (3355): 240. Bibcode:1934Natur.133..240F. doi:10.1038/133240a0. S2CID 4118542.
11. "Governing Board of the American Institute of Physics, Minutes of Meeting". 15 March 1941. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
12. Negley Harte, John North, Georgina Brewis (21 May 2018). The World of UCL. UCL Press. ISBN 978-1787352940. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
13. "Industrial Research, United States National Resources Board 1939 pg. 284–285". 1939. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
14. "MADE RESEARCH DIRECTOR; Dr. E.C. Williams Also Named to General Mills's Board". New York Times. 2 October 1941. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
15. "Utilization of Farm Crops. Industrial Alcohol and Synthetic Rubber. : hearings before the United States Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, Subcommittee on S. Res. 224, Seventy-Seventh Congress, second session, on Mar. 20, 24, 25, 27, Apr. 2, 21–24, 30, May 5, 7, 8, 12, 15, 19, 21,1942". 1942. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
16. Administration of the Trading with the Enemy Act. United States Senate, Subcommittee on the Trading with The Enemy Act on the Committee on the Judiciary. 20 February 1953. p. 322. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
17. "Chemical Engineers Meet in Boston". Chemical & Engineering News. 20 (10). Chem. Eng. News: 660–666. 25 May 1942. doi:10.1021/cen-v020n010.p660. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
18. "Modern Petroleum Research". Chem. Eng. News: 630–633. 10 December 1938. doi:10.1021/cen-v016n023.p630 (inactive 1 November 2024).
19. "Bibliography of Aeronautics". Institution of Aeronautical Science. January 1941.

Further Reading

• "Williams, E. C., (1892–30 May 1973), now retired; Industrial Scientist". WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO. 2007. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u161015. ISBN 978-0-19-954089-1. Retrieved 1 June 2022.