Robert Fulford Ruttan, (July 15, 1856 – February 19, 1930) was a

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

chemist and university professor.

Biography

Born in Newburgh, Canada West, the son of Dr. Allan Ruttan, a physician, and Caroline Smith, Ruttan's family moved to Napanee around 1863. He received a Bachelor of Arts in natural science degree in 1881 from the

University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...

. He received his M.D. in 1884 from

McGill University McGill University (french: link=no, Université McGill) is an English-language public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1821 by royal charter granted by King George IV,Frost, Stanley Brice. ''McGill Universit ...

, where he also participated in the establishment of the zeta psi fraternity. He never practiced medicine, but rather did postgraduate studies in organic chemistry with

August Wilhelm von Hofmann August Wilhelm von Hofmann (8 April 18185 May 1892) was a German chemist who made considerable contributions to organic chemistry. His research on aniline helped lay the basis of the aniline-dye industry, and his research on coal tar laid the g ...

at the

University of Berlin Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (german: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, abbreviated HU Berlin) is a German public research university in the central borough of Mitte in Berlin. It was established by Frederick William III on the initiative o ...

. Returning to Canada in 1886, he was appointed a lecturer in chemistry in the faculty of medicine at McGill. In 1891, he became professor. In 1912, he became director of McGill's newly unified chemistry program, a position he occupied until 1928. He was dean of graduate studies and research from 1924 to 1928. In 1896, he was made a Fellow of the

Royal Society of Canada The Royal Society of Canada (RSC; french: Société royale du Canada, SRC), also known as the Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada (French: ''Académies des arts, des lettres et des sciences du Canada''), is the senior national, bil ...

and served as its president from 1919 to 1920. In 1920, he helped found the Canadian Institute of Chemistry. A cricketer, yachtsman, and golfer, Ruttan was president of the

Royal Canadian Golf Association The Royal Canadian Golf Association (RCGA), branded as Golf Canada, is the sports governing body, governing body of golf in Canada. Beginnings Golf Canada was founded on June 6, 1895, as the ''Canadian Golf Association'' at the Royal Ottawa Golf ...

in 1907. In 1906, he served on Canada’s first national Olympic organization, the Central Olympic Committee. In 1914, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science degree by the University of Toronto. He died in Montreal in 1930.

Notes

References

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ruttan, Robert Fulford 1856 births 1930 deaths Canadian chemists Canadian university and college faculty deans Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada McGill University Faculty of Medicine alumni Academic staff of McGill University People from Lennox and Addington County University of Toronto alumni