Gordon M. Kline
The information listed below is current as of the date the transcript was finalized.
Interview Details
Interview Sessions
Abstract of Interview
Gordon M. Kline begins the interview by discussing his work at the National Bureau of Standards during the 1930s, where he focussed on applications of organic resins to aviation. This is followed by a general discussion of his work as head of the Bureau's Organic Plastics Section and as Technical Editor of Modern Plastics. A lengthy section of the interview is devoted to Kline's experiences in Germany in 1945, investigating German plastics laboratories, plants, and processes. The next major portion of the interview covers Kline's experiences as an administrator of the Division of Polymers at the National Bureau of Standards and his role in setting national and international standards of testing for synthetic polymer products. The interview concludes with a brief discussion of Kline's education at Colgate University and at the University of Maryland.
Education
| Year | Institution | Degree | Discipline |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1925 | Colgate University | AB | Chemistry |
| 1926 | George Washington University | MS | Chemistry |
| 1934 | University of Maryland, College Park | PhD | Chemistry |
Professional Experience
New York State Department of Health
US War Department
National Bureau of Standards
Modern Plastics
American Society for Testing and Materials
International Standards Organization
International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC)
Honors
| Year(s) | Award |
|---|---|
| 1952 | Honor Award, Washington Section, American Institute of Chemists |
| 1953 | Exceptional Service Gold Medal, Department of Commerce |
| 1954 | Award of Merit, American Society for Testing and Materials |
| 1965 | Rosa Award, National Bureau of Standards |
| 1973 | Charter Member, Plastics Hall of Fame |
| 1986 | Award of Excellence, ASTM Committee D-20 |
Table of Contents
Moisture absorption in gelatin-based coating on Navy dirigibles. Airplane fabric dopes. Improvement of service properties of transparent plastics glazing sheets by multi-axial stretching. Resin-bonded plywood in aircraft applications.
Early Gordon Conferences. Role as Technical Editor of Modern Plastics. Formation of ASTM Plastics Committee.
Growth of NBS Plastics Section during WWII. Developments in plastics and polymer interests in the American Chemical Society. Performance standards. Wartime liaison with the British. Experiences as a technical investigator in Germany during 1945.
Publication of the German plastics reports and of Natta's Nobel Award address in Modern Plastics. Development of International Standards for plastics. IUPAC activities, especially on plastics terminology. Publication of The Analytical Chemistry of Polymers. Preservation of State documents and Hungarian relics. Image problems with plastics. Appreciation of NBS polymer studies. Plastics Hall of Fame.
Family background. High school and undergraduate education. Employment in Health Laboratories, State of New York, and at Picatinny Arsenal. Transfer to NBS. Part-time PhDÂ studies at University of Maryland.
About the Interviewer
Jeffrey L. Meikle holds an AB and an AM in American Civilization from Brown University and a PhD in American Civilization from the University of Texas at Austin. He is Associate Professor of American Studies and Art History at the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Meikle is the author of Twentieth Century Limited. Industrial Design in America, 1925-1939, published in 1979 and is currently writing a cultural history of plastics in the United States