Chalmer G. Kirkbride

Chalmer Kirkbride begins the interview by describing his family background and childhood in Oklahoma and Kansas. During high school, Kirkbride's interests were influenced by his brother-in-law, a chemist for Sherwin-Williams. Kirkbride studied chemical engineering at the University of Michigan and spent summers working in the oil fields. He was recruited on campus by Standard Oil of Indiana and worked at the Whiting refinery. Kirkbride also worked for the Pan American Transport Company and Magnolia Petroleum Corporation before being appointed as the first distinguished engineering professor at Texas A&M University. In 1947, Kirkbride returned to industry when he was recruited by the Houdry Process Corporation. He became president of Houdry before moving to Sun Oil Company, where he created a commercial development department and began taking an active interest in environmental issues. After his retirement Kirkbride became president of the Cecil County Anti-Pollution league, founded Kirkbride Associates, and participated in board activities at Widener University.

Standard Oil Company (Indiana), Whiting, Indiana

1930 - 1934 Chemical Engineer, Research Department

Pan American Refining Company (Amoco), Texas City, Texas

1934 - 1941 Director of Technical Services

Chemical Warfare Service

1935 - 1940 Second Lieutenant

Magnolia Petroleum Company (Mobil Oil), Dallas, Texas

1942 - 1944 Chief of Chemical Engineering Development

Texas A&M University

1944 - 1947 Distinguished Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering

Bikini Atomic Bomb Tests

1946 - 1946 Consultant, Secretary of War

Houdry Process Corporation

1947 - 1952 Vice President, Research and Development

Houdry Process Corporation

1947 - 1962 Member, Board of Directors

Houdry Process Corporation

1952 - 1956 President and Chairman of the Board

Catalytic Construction Company

1952 - 1956 Director

Sun Oil Company

1956 - 1960 Executive Director, Research, Engineering, and Patents

Sun Oil Company

1960 - 1970 Vice President, Commercial Development, Research, Engineering, and Patents

Sun Oil Company

1963 - 1970 Member, Board of Directors

Consultant

1970 - 1974 Consulting Engineer

Federal Energy Administration

1974 - 1974 Petroleum and Chemical Specialist

Kirkbride Associates

1977 - present President

James J. Bohning

James J. Bohning is professor emeritus of chemistry at Wilkes University, where he was a faculty member from 1959 to 1990. He served there as chemistry department chair from 1970 to 1986 and environmental science department chair from 1987 to 1990. Bohning was chair of the American Chemical Society’s Division of the History of Chemistry in 1986; he received the division’s Outstanding Paper Award in 1989 and has presented more than forty papers at national meetings of the society. Bohning was on the advisory committee of the society’s National Historic Chemical Landmarks Program from its inception in 1992 through 2001 and is currently a consultant to the committee. He developed the oral history program of the Chemical Heritage Foundation, and he was the foundation’s director of oral history from 1990 to 1995. From 1995 to 1998, Bohning was a science writer for the News Service group of the American Chemical Society. He is currently a visiting research scientist and CESAR Fellow at Lehigh University. In May 2005, he received the Joseph Priestley Service Award from the Susquehanna Valley Section of the American Chemical Society.