Delbert H. Meyer
The information listed below is current as of the date the transcript was finalized.
Interview Details
Interview Sessions
Abstract of Interview
Delbert Meyer begins his oral history with a description of his family life as a youth in Maynard, Iowa. He was uncertain of his future career choice and served for two years in the U. S. Navy. Influential professors at Wartburg College and later at the University of Iowa fueled his interest in chemistry. Meyer spent thirty-nine years with Amoco, beginning as an exploratory researcher for Standard Oil Company in 1953 and, later, becoming a research consultant at Amoco in 1992. During his career at Amoco Corporation, Meyer developed a faster and more economical method for producing purified terephthalic acid (PTA), the major material used to make polyester. He eventually moved into research management and product development. Meyer concluded with a discussion scientific innovation as a result of need for products in the marketplace, speculation on the future of research and development management in the chemical sciences, and reflections on winning the 1995 Perkin Medal.
Education
| Year | Institution | Degree | Discipline |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | Wartburg College | BA | Chemistry |
| 1953 | University of Iowa | PhD | Chemistry |
Professional Experience
Amoco Corporation
Honors
| Year(s) | Award |
|---|---|
| 1983 | Alumni Citation Award, Wartburg College |
| 1989 | William M. Burton Award, Amoco Chemical Company |
| 1992 | U. S. Medal of Technology |
| 1993 | Honorary D. Sc. , Wartburg College |
| 1995 | Perkin Medal, Society of Chemical Industry (American Section) |
Table of Contents
Parents' farm in Maynard, Iowa. High school years.
Difficulty finding a job in chemical field after receiving Bachelor's Degree. Marriage. Graduate school at the University of Iowa. Search for work in industrial field.
Beginnings in exploratory research. Work on aromatic carboxylic acids. Research and development. Initial work on terephthalic acid.
Development of Amoco process for making dimethyl terephthalate (DMT). Amoco's beginnings in polyester feedstock. Development of process for purifying terephthalic acid (TA).
Refinement of PTA (purified terephthalic acid) process. Process patent. Development of commercially acceptable way to produce PTA. First commercial PTA plant. Development strategies.
Managing PTA technical service group. Customer working relationships. Product development. Process to make paramethyl styrene. William M. Burton Award. National Medal of Technology. Taking risks to succeed in the marketplace.
Views on the future of research and development. Thoughts on new technological breakthroughs. Retirement. Winning Perkin Medal.
About the Interviewer
James G. Traynham is a professor of chemistry at Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge. He holds a PhD in organic chemistry from Northwestern University. He joined Louisiana State University in 1953 and served as chemistry department chairperson from 1968 to 1973. He was chairman of the American Chemical Society’s Division of the History of Chemistry in 1988 and is currently councilor of the Baton Rouge section of the American Chemical Society. He was a member of the American Chemical Society’s Joint-Board Council on Chemistry and Public Affairs, as well as a member of the Society’s Committees on Science, Chemical Education, and Organic Chemistry Nomenclature. He has written over 90 publications, including a book on organic nomenclature and a book on the history of organic chemistry.