Paul M. Gross
Encyclopedia
Paul Magnus Gross was an American chemist and educator, best known for his long tenure as an administrator at Duke University
.
Gross received a B.S. degree from City College of New York
in 1916, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Columbia University
in 1917 and 1919. Moving to Duke as assistant professor of chemistry (1919-1920), he was quickly promoted to full professor and served as chair of the chemistry department from 1921 to 1948.
Subsequently he was Dean of the Graduate School (1947-1952), Dean of the University (1952-1958), and Vice-President in the Educational Division (1949-1960).
Gross' opinions on administrative matters led around 1960 to conflicts with President A. Hollis Edens
in what came to be known as the Gross-Edens Affair. The debate was mostly over whether Duke University should become a regional or national university, and to what degree the institution should be known for its devotion to research or teaching. Edens resigned from his position as University President, and Gross was removed from his administrative position as a result of the conflict.
Gross was a founder of the Oak Ridge Institute for Nuclear Studies (later Oak Ridge Associated Universities
) and served as its President until 1949. President Harry S. Truman appointed Gross to the original National Science Foundation
board in 1950, a position he held for 12 years. Gross served as President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
in 1962.
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
.
Gross received a B.S. degree from City College of New York
City College of New York
The City College of the City University of New York is a senior college of the City University of New York , in New York City. It is also the oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning...
in 1916, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in 1917 and 1919. Moving to Duke as assistant professor of chemistry (1919-1920), he was quickly promoted to full professor and served as chair of the chemistry department from 1921 to 1948.
Subsequently he was Dean of the Graduate School (1947-1952), Dean of the University (1952-1958), and Vice-President in the Educational Division (1949-1960).
Gross' opinions on administrative matters led around 1960 to conflicts with President A. Hollis Edens
Arthur Hollis Edens
Arthur Hollins Edens served as President of Duke University from 1949 to 1960. Duke's third president after the school's expansion from college to university, Edens was first president hired from outside the university since 1894, when John C. Kilgo was hired away from Wofford College...
in what came to be known as the Gross-Edens Affair. The debate was mostly over whether Duke University should become a regional or national university, and to what degree the institution should be known for its devotion to research or teaching. Edens resigned from his position as University President, and Gross was removed from his administrative position as a result of the conflict.
Gross was a founder of the Oak Ridge Institute for Nuclear Studies (later Oak Ridge Associated Universities
Oak Ridge Associated Universities
Oak Ridge Associated Universities is a consortium of American and British universities headquartered in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, with an office in Washington, D.C., and staff at several other locations across the country.- History :...
) and served as its President until 1949. President Harry S. Truman appointed Gross to the original National Science Foundation
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
board in 1950, a position he held for 12 years. Gross served as President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science , founded in 1848, is the world's largest general scientific society. It serves 262 affiliated societies and academies of science and engineering, representing 10 million individuals worldwide...
in 1962.