William Hultz Walker facts for kids

William Hultz Walker (born April 7, 1869, died July 9, 1934) was an important American scientist. He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He studied at Penn State College and earned his Ph.D. in Germany in 1892.

In 1894, he became a professor of industrial chemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). From 1908, he also directed MIT's research laboratory for applied chemistry. Walker was a leader in several science groups, including the American Electrochemical Society. He received the Nichols medal in 1908 for his contributions to chemistry.

Why William H. Walker Was Important

William H. Walker is known as one of the first people to develop the field of chemical engineering in the United States. He was a true pioneer in this area.

He was the very first person to graduate with a chemistry degree from Penn State in 1890. He continued his studies, earning a master's degree from Penn State and a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Göttingen University. After his studies, he taught chemistry at Penn State from 1892 to 1894.

In 1894, Dr. Walker moved to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). There, in 1917, he started the School of Chemical Engineering Practice. Even though he was trained as a chemist, Dr. Walker played a huge role in shaping modern chemical engineering. Many consider him one of the founders of this important field.

William H. Walker's Professional Life

In 1900, Dr. Walker teamed up with Arthur Dehon Little to form a company called Little and Walker. He worked there until 1905. After that, he returned to MIT as a professor. He was put in charge of the new Research Laboratory of Applied Chemistry.

Arthur D. Little continued the business, which became Arthur D. Little, Inc. in 1909. Even after their partnership ended, Walker and Little stayed in touch professionally. Little helped MIT by being part of committees for Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. In 1916, Little came up with the idea of "unit operations." This concept helps explain different steps in industrial chemistry processes.

MIT's Department of Chemistry first gave out bachelor's degrees in chemical engineering in 1891. These degrees came from a special program that combined mechanical engineering with industrial chemistry. In 1917, Dr. Walker established the School of Chemical Engineering Practice.

In 1920, MIT created a separate Department of Chemical Engineering. Warren K. Lewis became its first chairman. By 1924, MIT started giving out Ph.D. degrees in chemical engineering.

Dr. Walker also worked with Warren K. Lewis and W. H. McAdams to write the first American textbook on chemical engineering. It was called Principles of Chemical Engineering and was published in 1924. This book included the idea of unit operations. It became the main textbook for chemical engineering students for many years.

The AIChE William H. Walker Award

The American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) honors Dr. Walker with a special award. It's called the William H. Walker Award for Excellence in Contributions to Chemical Engineering Literature.

This award is given to a member of AIChE who has made an amazing contribution to chemical engineering writings. This could be a review, a history of how a process developed, a new theory, or a research report. The person receiving the award must be the author or co-author of an outstanding work in chemical engineering. This award has been given out every year since 1936.

About William H. Walker's Life

William H. Walker was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on April 7, 1869. His parents were David H. and Anna Blair Walker. He passed away on July 9, 1934, from a heart attack. He was driving from Bangor, Maine, to Boston, Massachusetts, at the time.