Warren Dexter Niederhauser (January 2, 1918 – January 23, 2005) was an American chemist who was the President of the
American Chemical Society (ACS). He worked at of
Rohm and Haas chemical company from 1943 to 1985.
Early life and education
Niederhauser was born in
Akron, Ohio and grew up in
Gadsden, Alabama
Gadsden is a city in and the county seat of Etowah County in the U.S. state of Alabama. It is located on the Coosa River about northeast of Birmingham and southwest of Chattanooga, Tennessee. It is the primary city of the Gadsden Metropolitan ...
.
He received a
B.S. in chemistry from
Oberlin College
Oberlin College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college and conservatory of music in Oberlin, Ohio. It is the oldest Mixed-sex education, coeducational liberal arts college in the United S ...
and
Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the
University of Wisconsin, Madison (1942).
Career
Rohm and Haas
Upon graduation, Niederhauser joined
Rohm & Haas
Rohm and Haas Company is a manufacturer of specialty chemicals for end use markets such as building and construction, electronic devices, packaging, household and personal care products. Headquartered in Philadelphia, the company is organized i ...
as head of the surfactant group in 1943. He would work with the company in various positions until his retirement in early 1990s.
As an industrial chemist, he held more than 50 patents.
American Chemical Society presidency
Niederhauser became ACS member in 1942 and began serving as the American Chemical Society national director in 1976 and after seven years ran for the presidency in 1984. During the campaign, his opponent
F. Albert Cotton caused a controversy by mailing a letter to selected members describing Niederhauser as "a mediocre industrial chemist".
As the president of ACS, he promoted programs that would increase the professional value of chemists. He urged ACS to take a more active role in monitoring federal research funding plans and supported tax incentives for R&D. He also encouraged industry accountability by publishing the records of employers that flout ACS guidelines.
Membership and honors
He was a member of the Philadelphia Organic Chemists' Club, the
American Institute of Chemists, the
Society of Chemical Industry
The Society of Chemical Industry (SCI) is a learned society set up in 1881 "to further the application of chemistry and related sciences for the public benefit".
Offices
The society's headquarters is in Belgrave Square, London. There are semi-in ...
, and the
American Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is an American international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific respons ...
.
In 1985, he received the Henry Hill Award.
Works
*
Death
Niederhauser died on 23 January 2005, at the age of 87.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Niederhauser, Warren D.
1918 births
2005 deaths
20th-century American chemists
Oberlin College alumni
University of Wisconsin alumni
Presidents of the American Chemical Society
Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
People from Akron, Ohio