Dr. G. S. Whitby

Abstract

As announced in NATURE of November 5, p. 828, Dr. George Stafford Whitby, for the past nine years director of the Division of Chemistry, National Research Council of Canada, has been appointed director of the Chemical Research Laboratory of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, London. In Canada, Dr. Whitby has organized and directed chemical research in many lines, not a few leading to industrial applications and developments. At the age of sixteen years, he entered the Imperial College of Science and Technology, London, where he worked under Sir William Tilden. Following graduation, he spent four years on the staff of the Imperial College in teaching and research under Sir Edward Thorpe. He then spent seven years in the East Indies as chief chemist to a group of British, French and Belgian rubber companies. His work there had a marked influence on the development of the rubber industry, and established him as one of the leading rubber chemists of the world. He was appointed assistant professor of organic chemistry inMcGill University in 1918, and eventually associate professor and full professor. Dr. Whitby has published seventy-seven scientific papers, chiefly in the realms of organic and colloid chemistry. In 1929, he was selected to take charge of the Division of Chemistry of the National Research Laboratories, Canada. Many of the research programmes initiated by him have yielded results of commercial value, notable examples being the development of refractories, improvement of testing methods and means for the utilization of asbestos, the application of research to the problems of laundering, the development of processes for the utilization of waste natural gas, studies in wool, leather, rubber and other materials of commerce.