John Douglass Ferry | |
---|---|
Born | Dawson City, Yukon Territory, Canada | May 4, 1912
Died | October 18, 2002 | (aged 90)
Nationality | American (born Canadian) |
Education | Stanford University (BA, PhD) |
Known for | Study of motional dynamics in macromolecular systems |
Awards | National Academy of Sciences, Charles Goodyear Medal of the American Chemical Society |
Scientific career | |
Fields | Chemistry and biochemistry |
Institutions | Harvard University, University of Wisconsin–Madison |
John Douglass Ferry (May 4, 1912 – October 18, 2002) was a Canadian-born American chemist and biochemist noted for development of surgical products from blood plasma and for studies of the chemistry of large molecules.[1][2][3][4] Along with Williams and Landel, Ferry co-authored the work on time-temperature superposition in which the now famous WLF equation first appeared. The National Academy of Sciences called Ferry "a towering figure in polymer science".[2] The University of Wisconsin said that he was "undoubtedly the most widely recognized research pioneer in the study of motional dynamics in macromolecular systems by viscoelastic techniques".[3][4]
Ferry was born in Dawson City, Yukon Territory, Canada,[5] and attended a one-room school in Murray, Idaho.[2] At age 19, Ferry received his bachelor of arts degree at Stanford University in 1932.[5] Three years later, he received his Ph.D at Stanford[5] and became a research assistant at Stanford's Hopkins Marine Station.[3][4]
In 1937, Ferry was an instructor of biochemical sciences at Harvard University. He was also a Junior Fellow of the Society of Fellows at Harvard.[2][3][5]
He became an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry of the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1946 and was made a full professor the following year. Ferry was chairman of the Department of Chemistry at University of Wisconsin–Madison from 1959 to 1967.[5] He was a founding member of the Rheology Research Center at Wisconsin.[3][4] In 1973 Ferry was a Farrington Daniels Research Professor.[3]
He was affiliated with the following organizations:[3]
Ferry received the following notable awards and distinctions:[1][3]