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Interview no.: 0115
Date of interview: 2 November 1994
Location: The University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts
No. of pages: 57
Interviewer:
James J. Bohning
Minutes:
Sponsor: Society of Chemical Industry
Access level: Free Access. Users may view, quote from, cite, or reproduce the oral history with the permission of CHF. Users citing interviews for purposes of publication are obliged under the terms of the CHF Oral History Program to notify CHF of publication and credit CHF using the following format: [Name of interviewee], interview by [name of interviewer] at [interview location], [interview date] (Philadelphia: Chemical Heritage Foundation, Oral History Transcript # [interview number]).
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Vladimir Haensel begins this interview by discussing his family life. Haensel, though born in Germany, spent parts of his childhood in Russia, Austria, and Germany. He attended a German gymnasium, where he had only a few science courses. However, family friends encouraged his burgeoning interest in chemistry. When his father was offered a faculty position at Northwestern University, Haensel's family moved to the United States. Haensel studied engineering at Northwestern, receiving his B.S. in 1935. He earned a scholarship for graduate school at MIT, where he studied polymerization under Edwin R. Gilliland. With the help of a family friend, Vladimir Ipatieff, Haensel was offered a summer position at Universal Oil Products (UOP). After earning his M.S. in chemical engineering in 1937, Haensel took a permanent position at UOP, and helped Ipatieff to set up a high-pressure laboratory (funded by UOP) at Northwestern. During this time, Haensel also earned his Ph.D. in chemistry from Northwestern, writing a thesis on the decomposition of cyclohexane. In the 1940s and 1950s, Haensel moved into research management. He was also integral in UOP’s development of the Platforming process. Haensel concludes this interview with a discussion of the importance of instinct in research, the future of research and development, and his thoughts on winning the Perkin Medal.
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| Title & Description |
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Page No. |
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Childhood and Early Education
Growing up in Russia, Germany, Austria, and the United States. Effect of World War I. Growing interest in chemistry due to family friends. |
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1 |
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College Education
Engineering at Northwestern University. Graduate school at MIT. Studying polymerization with Edwin R. Gilliland. Summer job at Universal Oil Products. Influence of Vladimir Ipatieff. |
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5 |
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Career at Universal Oil Products
Working for Ipatieff. Setting up high-pressure laboratory at Northwestern. Ph.D. thesis on decomposition of cyclohexane. Development of the Platforming process. |
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8 |
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Research and Development
Importance of instinct. Experiences in research management. Corporate support for R&D. Cooperation between chemists and chemical engineers. Importance of reading. Future of R&D. |
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35 |
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Conclusion
Thoughts on winning the Perkin Medal. |
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46 |
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Notes
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49 |
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Index
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51 |
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| 1935 |
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B.S., General Engineering, Northwestern University |
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| 1937 |
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M.S., Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
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| 1942 |
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Ph.D., Chemistry, Northwestern University |
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| Ipatieff High Pressure Laboratory |
| 1939-1939 |
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Research Assistant |
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| Petroleum Administration for War |
| 1945-1945 |
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Inspector, German Synthetic Oil Plants, Technical Oil Mission |
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| Universal Oil Products Company (UOP) |
| 1937-1937 |
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Chemical Engineer |
| 1942-1945 |
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Chemical Engineer |
| 1945-1945 |
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Coordinator, Cracking Research Division |
| 1951-1951 |
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Director of Refining Research |
| 1960-1960 |
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Director of Process Research |
| 1964-1972 |
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Vice President and Director of Research |
| 1972-1979 |
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Vice President, Science and Technology |
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| University of Massachusetts, Amherst |
| 1980-Present |
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Professor of Chemical Engineering |
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| 1944 |
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Chicago Junior Chamber of Commerce Award
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| 1952 |
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Precision Scientific Company Award in Petroleum Chemistry
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| 1957 |
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Professional Progress Award, American Institute of Chemical Engineers
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| 1965 |
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Modern Pioneers in Creative Industry Award, National Association of Manufacturers
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| 1967 |
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Chemical Pioneer Award, American Institute of Chemists
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| 1967 |
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Perkin Medal, Society of Chemical Industry (American Section)
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| 1971 |
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Member, National Academy of Sciences
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| 1973 |
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National Medal of Science
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| 1974 |
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Member, National Academy of Engineering
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| 1977 |
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Eugene J. Houdry Award in Applied Catalysis
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| 1984 |
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Chancellor’s Medal, University of Massachusetts
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| 1991 |
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Award for Chemistry in Service to Society, National Academy of Sciences
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| 1993 |
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Henry J. Albert Award, International Precious Metal Institute
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| 1994 |
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Chancellor’s Outstanding Teacher Award, University of Massachusetts
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| 1997 |
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Charles Stark Draper Prize, National Academy of Engineering
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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.
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