William Fletcher Talbot (October 29, 1903 – November 1967) was a research chemist and the founding director of

SRI International SRI International (SRI) is an American nonprofit scientific research institute and organization headquartered in Menlo Park, California. The trustees of Stanford University established SRI in 1946 as a center of innovation to support economic ...

, a position he held from 1946 to 1947.

Early life and education

Born in Loup City, Nebraska in 1903, Talbot received M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the

State University of Iowa The University of Iowa (UI, U of I, UIowa, or simply Iowa) is a public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is organized into 12 coll ...

Career

Initially a teacher, Talbot joined E. I. du Pont as a research chemist. He was then a research chemist for A. D. Little. He was later the technical director of the Sun Chemical Company (formerly the General Printing Ink Company) and president of its Fine Chemicals Division. While on leave from Sun in 1944, he was the assistant director of research and development for the Office of Strategic Services. During his career, he developed

melamine resin Melamine resin or melamine formaldehyde (also shortened to melamine) is a resin with melamine rings terminated with multiple hydroxyl groups derived from formaldehyde. This thermosetting plastic material is made from melamine and formaldehyde. ...

, a type of plastic used for molding and casting. Talbot held several patents. Unofficially appointed in September 1946 and officially appointed in January 1947, he was SRI International's first director. He helped establish the organization and set its early priorities. Due to a dispute with Stanford University president

Donald Tresidder Donald Bertrand Tresidder (April 7, 1894 – January 28, 1948) was the fourth president of Stanford University, serving from 1943 until his sudden death in 1948. He also had a longtime association with Yosemite National Park. Early life Son of J ...

, he offered his resignation and reluctantly left SRI in December 1947. Talbot believed SRI should seek contracts from governmental organizations (and be what is now considered a

defense contractor The arms industry, also known as the arms trade, is a global industry which manufactures and sells weapons and military technology. It consists of a commercial industry involved in the research and development, engineering, production, and se ...

); Tressider believed the organization should be independent from government interference. Talbot went on to work for the Rubberset Company and later for Bristol Myers. He died in 1967.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Talbot, William F. SRI International people University of Iowa alumni Year of birth unknown 1967 deaths Scientists from the San Francisco Bay Area 20th-century American chemists People from Loup City, Nebraska 1903 births