Cherry Logan Emerson (chemist)
Encyclopedia
Cherry Logan Emerson, Jr. (September 30, 1916 – April 29, 2007) was an American
chemist
, businessman
, and philanthropist
.
, Georgia
. He was the son of Cherry Logan Emerson, Sr.
, the dean
of engineering
at the Georgia Tech
, and the grandson of William Henry Emerson
, Georgia Tech's first dean. As a child, Emerson was gifted at mathematics
, foreshadowing a career in science and engineering.
Despite his father and grandfather's affiliations with Georgia Tech, Emerson chose instead to attend Emory University
in Atlanta, earning both a B.A.
(1938) and M.A.
(1939) in chemistry
. He went on to earn an M.S.
in chemical engineering
at MIT
under the tutelage of Warren K. Lewis
. During this time, Emerson courted Lewis' daughter, Mary, and the two were married in 1942.
After graduating from MIT, Emerson founded the Emerson & Cuming Company in 1948 with his partner, William Cuming. The two men grew the small Boston-based lab into a worldwide corporation before selling it in 1978. After doing so, Emerson returned to his hometown of Atlanta, and began using his profits from the sale of Emerson & Cuming to engage in local philanthropy
. He died in 2007.
. The Cherry L. Emerson Center for Scientific Computation, founded in 1991, bears his name, as does Cherry Logan Emerson Hall, a campus building that houses research programs in chemistry. Additionally, the Cherry Logan Emerson Concert Hall was named after Emerson in honor of his $1 million donation in 2002.
Emerson's donations funded two endowed
professor
ships at Emory University: the Mary L. Emerson Chair of Piano Studies, named after his wife, and the William Henry Emerson Chair of Chemistry, named after his grandfather.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
, businessman
Businessperson
A businessperson is someone involved in a particular undertaking of activities for the purpose of generating revenue from a combination of human, financial, or physical capital. An entrepreneur is an example of a business person...
, and philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
.
Life
Cherry Logan Emerson, Jr. was born in 1916 and grew up in AtlantaAtlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. He was the son of Cherry Logan Emerson, Sr.
Cherry Logan Emerson (engineer)
Cherry Logan Emerson, Sr. was an American engineer and academic administrator.-Education:Emerson graduated from Georgia Tech with two bachelor's degrees: one in mechanical engineering and one in electrical engineering...
, the dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
of engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
at the Georgia Tech
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
, and the grandson of William Henry Emerson
William Henry Emerson
William Henry "Big Doc" Emerson was an American chemist.-Life:William Henry Emerson was born in Tunnel Hill, Georgia in 1860 to Matilda Caroline Austin, daughter of Clisbe Austin, and Caleb J. Emerson. He joined the United States Naval Academy at age 16, graduating in 1880. Emerson spent the next...
, Georgia Tech's first dean. As a child, Emerson was gifted at mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, foreshadowing a career in science and engineering.
Despite his father and grandfather's affiliations with Georgia Tech, Emerson chose instead to attend Emory University
Emory University
Emory University is a private research university in metropolitan Atlanta, located in the Druid Hills section of unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The university was founded as Emory College in 1836 in Oxford, Georgia by a small group of Methodists and was named in honor of...
in Atlanta, earning both a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
(1938) and M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
(1939) in chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
. He went on to earn an M.S.
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
in chemical engineering
Chemical engineering
Chemical engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with physical science , and life sciences with mathematics and economics, to the process of converting raw materials or chemicals into more useful or valuable forms...
at MIT
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
under the tutelage of Warren K. Lewis
Warren K. Lewis
Warren Kendall Lewis was an MIT professor who has been called the father of modern chemical engineering. He co-authored an early major textbook on the subject which essentially introduced the concept of unit operations...
. During this time, Emerson courted Lewis' daughter, Mary, and the two were married in 1942.
After graduating from MIT, Emerson founded the Emerson & Cuming Company in 1948 with his partner, William Cuming. The two men grew the small Boston-based lab into a worldwide corporation before selling it in 1978. After doing so, Emerson returned to his hometown of Atlanta, and began using his profits from the sale of Emerson & Cuming to engage in local philanthropy
Philanthropy
Philanthropy etymologically means "the love of humanity"—love in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, or enhancing; humanity in the sense of "what it is to be human," or "human potential." In modern practical terms, it is "private initiatives for public good, focusing on quality of...
. He died in 2007.
Legacy
Emerson is honored in a number of capacities at his alma mater of Emory UniversityEmory University
Emory University is a private research university in metropolitan Atlanta, located in the Druid Hills section of unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The university was founded as Emory College in 1836 in Oxford, Georgia by a small group of Methodists and was named in honor of...
. The Cherry L. Emerson Center for Scientific Computation, founded in 1991, bears his name, as does Cherry Logan Emerson Hall, a campus building that houses research programs in chemistry. Additionally, the Cherry Logan Emerson Concert Hall was named after Emerson in honor of his $1 million donation in 2002.
Emerson's donations funded two endowed
Financial endowment
A financial endowment is a transfer of money or property donated to an institution. The total value of an institution's investments is often referred to as the institution's endowment and is typically organized as a public charity, private foundation, or trust....
professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
ships at Emory University: the Mary L. Emerson Chair of Piano Studies, named after his wife, and the William Henry Emerson Chair of Chemistry, named after his grandfather.