Oral history interview with Ralph Landau
- 1990-Dec-18
Ralph Landau begins the interview with a description of his childhood and high school years in West Philadelphia. He then describes his undergraduate education in chemical engineering at the University of Pennsylvania, emphasizing a strong background in chemistry. In recounting his graduate years at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he focuses particularly on the indispensable benefits of the Practical School as well as on the extremely high caliber of the chemical engineering program and faculty there. After describing his initial work at Kellogg, Landau summarizes his role with Kellex on the Manhattan Project. Next, he reviews the history of Scientific Design and its development into an international business, eventually to become Halcon, recapitulating significant discoveries and innovations. Finally, Landau describes his new career in the Economics Department of Stanford University, inspired by his frustration with the effects of macroeconomic policies on technological development. He concludes the interview with a brief account of his personal life and leisure activities. Please note: This oral history is currently sealed.
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About the Interviewer
James J. Bohning was professor emeritus of chemistry at Wilkes University, where he had been a faculty member from 1959 to 1990. He served there as chemistry department chair from 1970 to 1986 and environmental science department chair from 1987 to 1990. Bohning was chair of the American Chemical Society’s Division of the History of Chemistry in 1986; he received the division’s Outstanding Paper Award in 1989 and presented more than forty papers at national meetings of the society. Bohning was on the advisory committee of the society’s National Historic Chemical Landmarks Program from its inception in 1992 through 2001 and is currently a consultant to the committee. He developed the oral history program of the Chemical Heritage Foundation, and he was CHF’s director of oral history from 1990 to 1995. From 1995 to 1998, Bohning was a science writer for the News Service group of the American Chemical Society. In May 2005, he received the Joseph Priestley Service Award from the Susquehanna Valley Section of the American Chemical Society. Bohning passed away in September 2011.
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| Oral history number | 0086 |
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Interviewee biographical information
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Education
| Year | Institution | Degree | Discipline |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1937 | University of Pennsylvania | BS | Chemical Engineering |
| 1941 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | ScD | Chemical Engineering |
Professional Experience
M.W. Kellogg Company
- 1941 to 1943 Process Development Engineer
- 1945 to 1946 Process Development Engineer
Kellex Corporation
- 1943 to 1945 Head, Chemical Department
Scientific Design Company, Inc.
- 1946 to 1963 Executive Vice President
Halcon International, Inc.
- 1963 to 1975 President
- 1975 to 1981 Chairman and CEO
Aluminum Company of America
- 1977 to 1987 Member, Board of Directors
National Academy of Engineering
- 1981 to 1990 Vice President
Stanford University
- 1983 to 1991 Consulting Professor of Economics and of Chemical Engineering
Harvard University
- 1984 to 1991 Research Fellow, Kennedy School
Honors
| Year(s) | Award |
|---|---|
| 1972 | Elected Member, National Academy of Engineering |
| 1972 | Petroleum and Petrochemical Division Award, American Institute of Chemical Engineers |
| 1973 | Chemistry Industry Medal, Society of Chemical Industry (American Section) |
| 1977 | Winthrop-Sears Award, Chemical Industry Association |
| 1978 | Newcomen Society Award |
| 1981 | Perkin Medal, Society of Chemical Industry (American Section) |
| 1981 | Chemical Pioneers Award, American Institute of Chemists |
| 1981 | D. Sc., honorary, Polytechnic University of New York |
| 1982 | Founders Award, American Institute of Chemical Engineers |
| 1982 | D. Sc., honorary, Clarkson University |
| 1983 | Designated Eminent Chemical Engineer, American Institute of Chemical Engineers |
| 1983 | D. Sc., honorary, Ohio State University |
| 1985 | National Medal of Technology |
| 1987 | John Fritz Medal |
| 1988 | Foreign Member, British Fellowship of Engineering (to become Royal Academy of Engineering) |
| 1997 | Othmer Gold Medal, Chemical Heritage Foundation |
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