{{short description|American chemist (1870–1963)}} {{Infobox person | name = Milton C. Whitaker | birth_date = {{Birth date text |December 16, 1870}} | birth_place = [[Frazeysburg]], [[Ohio]] | death_date = 1963 | occupation = Chemical Engineer | known_for = [[Perkin Medal]] {{small|(1923)}}<br />Patents }}
'''Milton C. Whitaker''' (1870-1963) was a noted American [[chemist]]. His areas of speciality were [[chemical engineering]] and [[industrial chemistry]].
==Personal life==
Whitaker was born in [[Frazeysburg]], Ohio, December 16, 1870, to R.B. Whitaker and Jennie Magruder.<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1021/ie50158a038 | volume=15 | title=Milton C. Whitaker | journal=Industrial & Engineering Chemistry | pages=196–198 | last1 = Little | first1 = Arthur D.| year=1923 | issue=2 }}</ref> The family moved to [[Colorado]] in 1880. Whitaker graduated from Boulder School in 1887 and Colorado State Preparatory School in 1890. He worked as a mechanic and millwright for three years, designing and erecting two large mills for Mancos Lumber Company.
In 1900 he married Mabel Martin of Denver, member of the class of 1898 of the [[University of Colorado at Boulder|University of Colorado]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/stream/generalcatalogue00colorich/generalcatalogue00colorich_djvu.txt|title = General catalogue of the officers and graduates of the University of Colorado, 1877-1910|year = 1911|publisher = Boulder, Col., The Boulder Publishing Company}}</ref> They had two sons, John and Robert.
The Whitakers resided in the Ambassador Hotel, New York for the latter part of their lives.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.accessgenealogy.com/scripts/data/database.cgi?file=Data&report=SingleArticle&ArticleID=0033898|title=AccessGenealogy - Free Genealogy - United States Genealogy|date=19 February 2015}}</ref>
==Education==
In 1893 Whitaker entered the [[University of Colorado at Boulder|University of Colorado]]. He studied under Professor Charles S. Palmer, the head of the department of chemistry, who inspired him to make chemistry his major. He also studied [[mineralogy]], [[geology]], [[petrology]], [[metallurgy]], [[assaying]], [[mechanical engineering]] and [[electrical engineering]]. He assisted in the chemical [[laboratory]], as well as doing some teaching.{{Citation needed|date=March 2013}}
Whitaker received his [[Bachelor of Science]] in 1898, and a [[Master of Science]] in 1900. In 1913, his alma mater awarded him an [[Honorary degree|honorary doctorate]] of Laws.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cu.edu/regents/honorary-degrees-university-medals-and-distinguished-service-awards-full-list-z|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210116005412/www.cu.edu/regents/honorary-degrees-university-medals-and-distinguished-service-awards-full-list-z|archive-date=2021-01-16|title=Honorary Degrees, University Medals and Distinguished Service Awards Full List A-Z}}</ref> In 1915 he received an [[Honorary degree|honorary doctorate]] of Chemical Engineering from the [[University of Pittsburgh]].<ref>{{cite book|url=http://digital.library.pitt.edu/cgi-bin/t/text/pageviewer-idx?cc=pittcatalogs;rgn=full%20text;idno=1915a754541;view=image;seq=0546|title=Annual Catalog University of Pittsburgh Year Ending June, 1915|year=1915|page=542|accessdate=September 2, 2015}}</ref>
==Career==
In 1898 Whitaker was appointed the post as instructor in chemistry for the sophomore class of [[Columbia College, Columbia University|Columbia College]]. In 1902 [[Charles F. Chandler]], a colleague at Columbia, recommended him as a chemist for the Welsbach Light Chemical Company in [[Gloucester City, New Jersey]], where he was made superintendent of all manufacturing departments by 1903. He devoted seven years to directing research work, solving chemical and engineering problems, and developing the factories at Philadelphia and Columbus. From 1908 to 1910 he was a special lecturer on works management at the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]].
In 1910 he returned to [[Columbia University]] as professor of industrial chemistry and chemical engineering. He directed the conversion of the basement of [[Havemeyer Hall]] into a comprehensive chemical engineering laboratory. He was head of the chemical engineering department for six years until 1917.
In 1916 he became general manager of the Curtis Bay Chemical Company, and in 1917 was its president. In November 1917 he also became president of the U.S. Industrial Chemical Company, successor to the Curtis Bay Chemical Company, and also vice president/director of the U.S. Industrial Alcohol Company.
From 1911 to 1916 he was also editor of ''The Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry'', one of the official journals of the [[American Chemical Society]]. He was chairman of the New York Section of the [[Society of Chemical Industry]], vice president of the [[American Institute of Chemical Engineers]], and president of the Chemists' Club. From 1918 to 1920 he was Director Emeritus of the [[Research Corporation for Science Advancement]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rescorp.org/about-rcsa/people/board-of-directors-history|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090208195658/www.rescorp.org/about-rcsa/people/board-of-directors-history|archive-date=2009-02-08|url-status=dead|title=Board of Directors from 1912 to Present}}</ref>
Between 1912 and 1921 he was granted twenty-two [[U.S. patent]]s for items and processes ranging from removing [[nickel]] from [[hydrogenize]]d fat to apparatus for producing [[ethylene]].
In 1923 he was awarded the [[Perkin Medal]],<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1021/ie50375a016 | volume=33 | title=Perkins Medal - The Work of the Medalist | journal=Industrial & Engineering Chemistry | pages=361–365 | last1 = Whitaker | first1 = M. C.| year=1941 | issue=3 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.awardsandhonors.com/award/perkin-medal.html |title=Web Page Under Construction |access-date=2010-02-03 |archive-date=2011-07-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707200128/http://www.awardsandhonors.com/award/perkin-medal.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1923/01/14/archives/over-organization-a-flaw-in-industry-dr-milton-c-whitaker-chemist-a.html|title = OVER ORGANIZATION a FLAW IN INDUSTRY; Dr. Milton C. Whitaker, Chemist, Accepts Perkin Medal, High Scientific Honor|newspaper = The New York Times|date = 14 January 1923}}</ref> which he described as 'the greatest honor that can be conferred upon a chemist by his fellow workers'. In his acceptance speech he went on to say: 'I am deeply appreciative of the distinction which your committee has bestowed upon me, and doubly grateful to receive the beautiful symbol of the honor from you, sir, a Perkin Medalist yourself and by unanimous consent the beloved dean of our profession.' He was referring to [[Charles F. Chandler]], a mentor of his during his time at [[Columbia University]].
==References== {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Whitaker, Milton C.}} [[Category:American chemical engineers]] [[Category:Swanson School of Engineering alumni]] [[Category:1870 births]] [[Category:1963 deaths]] [[Category:People from Muskingum County, Ohio]] [[Category:Engineers from Ohio]]