Henry Gilman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Henry Gilman
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Henry Gilman
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| Born | May 9, 1893 |
| Died | November 7, 1986 (aged 93) Ames, IA, United States
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| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Harvard University |
| Known for | Gilman reagent |
| Awards | Fellow of the Royal Society |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | Iowa State University |
| Doctoral advisor | E. P. Kohler |
Henry Gilman (born May 9, 1893 – died November 7, 1986) was an American organic chemist. He is often called the "father of organometallic chemistry". This is a special field of chemistry. His most famous discovery was the Gilman reagent, which is named after him.
Contents
Early Life and School Years (1893-1918)
Henry Gilman was born in Boston, Massachusetts. His father was a tailor. Henry was the third of eight children. He went to high school in Boston. Later, he attended Harvard University. He graduated in 1915 with a Bachelor of Science degree. He earned top honors, called summa cum laude.
During his last year at Harvard, Henry worked with a scientist named Roger Adams. They researched how to make certain chemical compounds. Henry loved this work. He described it as "a sheer delight." He often worked late into the night. He said he did it "just for the joy of it." This experience made him very interested in scientific research.
After college, Henry was invited to stay at Harvard. He continued his studies with E.P. Kohler. Kohler was the head of the chemistry department. Henry earned his Master of Arts degree in 1917. He then received his PhD in 1918.
While studying, Henry traveled in Europe. He visited the Polytechnic in Zurich. He also spent time at Oxford University in England. In Paris, he met Madame Curie at the Sorbonne. He also met Victor Grignard. Grignard's work with Grignard reagents amazed Henry. These reagents were helping chemistry advance in France. Henry decided to study these organometallic reagents himself.
A Career in Chemistry
After getting his PhD, Henry Gilman briefly worked at the University of Illinois. His former teacher, Roger Adams, invited him there. In 1919, Gilman moved to Iowa State College. This school is now called Iowa State University. He became an assistant professor there. He was in charge of organic chemistry. By age 30, he became a full professor.
At Iowa State, Henry met Ruth V. Shaw. She was a student in his first-year organic chemistry class. They got married in 1929. Henry changed his religion when he married Ruth.
Working with Students
Gilman expected a lot from his graduate students. They often took longer than usual to finish their degrees. Students were expected to work in the lab late at night. They also worked on weekends. Gilman often visited the lab during the day. He would ask each student what they had done since his last visit. He sometimes went on business trips. He would not tell his students when he would return. This was to make sure they did not skip work.
Gilman had a unique way of assigning projects. He would not give students a single research project. Instead, he encouraged them to prepare many different chemicals. Students would write short reports about their work. These reports would spark new ideas for experiments. Eventually, all their work would come together. This formed their main research project, called a thesis.
Consulting and Later Career
During his career, Gilman also worked as a consultant. He advised companies like Quaker Oats and DuPont. But he always remained a professor at Iowa State University. When he reached the usual retirement age of 70, he chose not to retire. He continued his research until 1975. At that time, he was 82 years old.
World War II brought new chances for Gilman. He did research for the government. He was part of the Manhattan Project. This was the secret project to build the atom bomb. Gilman focused on making special uranium compounds. He also worked on chemicals that could fight malaria.
Later Years and Legacy (1947-1986)
In 1947, Henry Gilman faced a challenge. He became blind in one eye. He also lost most of his vision in the other eye. This was due to glaucoma and a detached retina. He had to rely on his wife and students. They would read and write for him. His wife was almost always with him. She guided him in new places. She also told him about people around him.
Even with his vision loss, he kept working. He never let it stop his skills. Many people believe most of his important work happened after 1947. In 1973, the chemistry building at Iowa State University was renamed. It became Henry Gilman Hall.
Gilman had heart problems later in life. At age 88, he had a pacemaker put in. He died in Ames, IA when he was 93. His wife died less than two months later. Their daughter Jane passed away six months after that. He is remembered by his son and four grandchildren.
His Amazing Work
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Henry Gilman wrote an incredible number of scientific papers. He completed 1020 papers in his lifetime. More than half of them (584) were published after he became blind in 1947.
In 1936, Gilman helped create the Journal of Organic Chemistry. This was an important scientific journal. In 1938, he published a two-volume textbook. It was called Organic Chemistry: An Advanced Treatise. This was the first major textbook on organic chemistry. Leading scientists from the U.S. wrote chapters for it. New editions were published in 1943 and 1953. The Gilman reagents are named after him because of his work.
Awards and Tributes
Henry Gilman received many awards and honors:
- Elected to the National Academy of Sciences, 1945
- Iowa Award and Midwest Award of the American Chemical Society, 1951
- Honorary Fellow of the British Chemical Society, 1961
- First American Chemical Society Frederic Stanley Kipping Award in Organosilicon Chemistry, 1962
- Distinguished Fellowship Awards, Iowa Academy of Sciences, 1975
- Priestley Medal of the American Chemical Society, 1977
- Iowa Governor's Science Medal, 1982
Iowa State University has also honored Gilman's memory. In 1962, he became a distinguished professor there. The chemistry building on campus was renamed Gilman Hall in 1974. That same year, the Gilman Lectures series began. In 1987, the Gilman Graduate Fellowship Fund was created. This fund helps future chemistry students.
