R. Norris Shreve
Encyclopedia
Randolph Norris Shreve was a chemical engineer
, inventor, entrepreneur, educator and collector. After joining the Purdue University
faculty in 1930, he helped to build the University’s School of Chemical Engineering, the Purdue-Taiwan Engineering Project, and National Cheng Kung University
in Taiwan
. He and his wife Eleanor are the namesakes of the Shreve Professorship of Organic Technology and Shreve Residence Hall
at Purdue, and Shreve Hall on the Cheng Kung University campus. He is the namesake of the Norris Shreve Award for Outstanding Teaching in Chemical Engineering.
Shreve was born in St. Louis, Missouri
on March 9, 1885. After graduating from Ferguson High School in Ferguson, Missouri
, he was unable to afford college, and instead began work as a laboratory boy at the Mallinckrodt Chemical Works in St. Louis, where he learned chemistry from Charles Luedeking and William Lamar. Mallinckrodt loaned him enough money to allow him to attend Harvard University
, where he graduated summa cum laude in 1907 after only three years of attendance (a record at Harvard that would remain for more than 40 years). After graduating, he returned to Mallinckrodt, where he became a chemist in the alkaloidal department. Lamar and Shreve left Mallinckrodt and St. Louis in 1911 for northern New Jersey
, where Lamar founded Lamar Chemical Works, which Shreve soon took over. At age 29, he founded Shreve Chemical Company, before becoming a chemical engineering consultant in 1919.
In 1923 Shreve became the chief stockholder and president of Ammonite Company, which was then based at the Nixon Nitration Works in what is now Edison, New Jersey
. On March 1, 1924, Ammonite, which was involved in extracting ammonium nitrate from shells from the Raritan Arsenal, triggered a massive explosion and resulting fire (known as the 1924 Nixon Nitration Works disaster
) that destroyed the Nitration Works. This led to the dissolution of Ammonite in 1926.
Shreve joined the Purdue University College of Engineering
faculty in 1930, becoming a full professor the next year. He defined his main research field as “organic chemical technology.” Rising through the ranks, he chaired the School of Chemical Engineering from 1947 to 1951. He has been recognized as “the main proponent of teaching industrial chemistry in U.S. chemical engineering departments in the second quarter of the 20th century.” In 1951 he became director of the Purdue-Taiwan Engineering Project, which was intended to improve engineering education in Taiwan
, modernize its industries, and improve connections between its colleges of engineering and industries. This also played an important role in the modernization of Taiwan Provincial College of Engineering into Taiwan Provincial Cheng Kung University. From 1952 until 1961, he and his wife spent several months each year in Taiwan assisting the University’s development. In 1961, he became a professor emeritus, and was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Engineering from Purdue.
Shreve is holder or co-holder of five patents. He wrote several books, most notably Chemical Process Industries, a major text now in its fifth edition. In 2008 it was recognized by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers
and its Centennial Celebration Committee, which included Shreve and Chemical Process Industries on its list of "30 Authors and their Groundbreaking Chemical Engineering Books."
Mr. and Mrs. Shreve also collected of Asian jade
and gems
. He eventually donated their jade collection to the Indianapolis Museum of Art
, where it is one of the Museum’s best-known collections. Their gem collection was donated to Purdue.
Shreve died on February 17, 1975, and was interred in Bellafontaine Cemetery, in St. Louis.
Chemical engineer
In the field of engineering, a chemical engineer is the profession in which one works principally in the chemical industry to convert basic raw materials into a variety of products, and deals with the design and operation of plants and equipment to perform such work...
, inventor, entrepreneur, educator and collector. After joining the Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
faculty in 1930, he helped to build the University’s School of Chemical Engineering, the Purdue-Taiwan Engineering Project, and National Cheng Kung University
National Cheng Kung University
National Cheng Kung University is a national university in Tainan City, Taiwan. Its abbreviation is NCKU. In Chinese, its name is shortened to 成大...
in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. He and his wife Eleanor are the namesakes of the Shreve Professorship of Organic Technology and Shreve Residence Hall
Shreve Hall
Shreve Hall originally opened the fall semester of the 1970 academic year. Named for Eleanor Burns Shreve and her husband Randolph Norris Shreve, former Purdue University faculty, Shreve was the first residence hall at Purdue designed to be co-educational, although Shreve was originally built for...
at Purdue, and Shreve Hall on the Cheng Kung University campus. He is the namesake of the Norris Shreve Award for Outstanding Teaching in Chemical Engineering.
Shreve was born in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
on March 9, 1885. After graduating from Ferguson High School in Ferguson, Missouri
Ferguson, Missouri
Ferguson is a city in St. Louis County, Missouri, United States. The population was 21,203 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Ferguson is located at ....
, he was unable to afford college, and instead began work as a laboratory boy at the Mallinckrodt Chemical Works in St. Louis, where he learned chemistry from Charles Luedeking and William Lamar. Mallinckrodt loaned him enough money to allow him to attend Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, where he graduated summa cum laude in 1907 after only three years of attendance (a record at Harvard that would remain for more than 40 years). After graduating, he returned to Mallinckrodt, where he became a chemist in the alkaloidal department. Lamar and Shreve left Mallinckrodt and St. Louis in 1911 for northern New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, where Lamar founded Lamar Chemical Works, which Shreve soon took over. At age 29, he founded Shreve Chemical Company, before becoming a chemical engineering consultant in 1919.
In 1923 Shreve became the chief stockholder and president of Ammonite Company, which was then based at the Nixon Nitration Works in what is now Edison, New Jersey
Edison, New Jersey
Edison Township is a township in Middlesex County, New Jersey. What is now Edison Township was originally incorporated as Raritan Township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1870, from portions of both Piscataway Township and Woodbridge Township...
. On March 1, 1924, Ammonite, which was involved in extracting ammonium nitrate from shells from the Raritan Arsenal, triggered a massive explosion and resulting fire (known as the 1924 Nixon Nitration Works disaster
1924 Nixon Nitration Works disaster
The 1924 Nixon Nitration Works disaster was an explosion and fire that claimed many lives and destroyed several square miles of New Jersey factories. It began on Saturday morning, March 1, 1924, when an explosion destroyed a building in Nixon, New Jersey used for processing ammonium nitrate. The...
) that destroyed the Nitration Works. This led to the dissolution of Ammonite in 1926.
Shreve joined the Purdue University College of Engineering
Purdue University College of Engineering
The Purdue University College of Engineering is one of eight major academic divisions, or colleges, of Purdue University. Established in 1874 with programs in Civil and Mechanical Engineering, the college now offers B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in more than a dozen disciplines...
faculty in 1930, becoming a full professor the next year. He defined his main research field as “organic chemical technology.” Rising through the ranks, he chaired the School of Chemical Engineering from 1947 to 1951. He has been recognized as “the main proponent of teaching industrial chemistry in U.S. chemical engineering departments in the second quarter of the 20th century.” In 1951 he became director of the Purdue-Taiwan Engineering Project, which was intended to improve engineering education in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, modernize its industries, and improve connections between its colleges of engineering and industries. This also played an important role in the modernization of Taiwan Provincial College of Engineering into Taiwan Provincial Cheng Kung University. From 1952 until 1961, he and his wife spent several months each year in Taiwan assisting the University’s development. In 1961, he became a professor emeritus, and was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Engineering from Purdue.
Shreve is holder or co-holder of five patents. He wrote several books, most notably Chemical Process Industries, a major text now in its fifth edition. In 2008 it was recognized by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers
American Institute of Chemical Engineers
The American Institute of Chemical Engineers is a professional organization for chemical engineers.AIChE was established in 1908 with the purpose of establishing chemical engineers as a profession independent from chemists and mechanical engineers.As of 2010, AIChE had over 40,000 members,...
and its Centennial Celebration Committee, which included Shreve and Chemical Process Industries on its list of "30 Authors and their Groundbreaking Chemical Engineering Books."
Mr. and Mrs. Shreve also collected of Asian jade
Jade
Jade is an ornamental stone.The term jade is applied to two different metamorphic rocks that are made up of different silicate minerals:...
and gems
Gemstones
Gemstones is the third solo album by Adam Green, released in 2005. The album is characterised by the heavy presence of Wurlitzer piano, whereas its predecessor relied on a string section in its instrumentation.-Track listing:#Gemstones – 2:24...
. He eventually donated their jade collection to the Indianapolis Museum of Art
Indianapolis Museum of Art
The Indianapolis Museum of Art is an encyclopedic art museum located in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. The museum, which underwent a $74 million expansion in 2005, is located on a campus on the near northwest area outside downtown Indianapolis, northwest of Crown Hill Cemetery.The...
, where it is one of the Museum’s best-known collections. Their gem collection was donated to Purdue.
Shreve died on February 17, 1975, and was interred in Bellafontaine Cemetery, in St. Louis.
Books and Brochures
- Shreve, R. Norris; Wateson, Warren N.; and Willis, A.R. Dyes Classified By Intermediates. 1922.
- Shreve, R. Norris. Greensand Bibliography to 1930 (with a chapter on Zeolite Water Softeners). 1930.
- Shreve, R. Norris; Ullmann, Fritz; and Fotos, John Theodore. Intermediate Readings in Chemical and Technical German. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1938.
- Shreve, R. Norris; and Fotos, John Theodore. Advanced Readings in Chemical and Technical German. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1940.
- Shreve, R. Norris; and Olive, Theodore. Chemical Engineering Flow Sheets. 1944.
- Shreve, R. Norris. Chemical Process Industries. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1945.
- Shreve, R. Norris. Selected Process Industries. 1950.
- Shreve, R. Norris; Ewell, Raymond; and Alder, Thomas. Industrial Research and Development in the Philippines. 1956.
- Shreve, R. Norris. Shreve Collection of Gems and Gold (Brochure). The Lapidary Journal, Inc., San Diego, CA., 1971.