Thodos, George, 1915-2000
Dates
- Existence: 1915-2000
Biography
Born in Chicago on September 15, 1915, George Thodos (1915-2000) was the son of Greek immigrants and a professor of Chemical Engineering at Northwestern for thirty-nine years. Thodos was prolific in terms of both writing and research, publishing more than 275 technical papers and being awarded 7 patents. Thodos taught at Northwestern from 19447 until his retirement in 1986. His research specialties included heat and mass transfer, thermodynamic and transport properties, and solar energy.
Thodos received his undergraduate and master's degrees in Chemical Engineering from Chicago's Armour Institute of Technology (later renamed the Illinois Institute of Technology) in 1938 and 1939, respectively. After a year working for the Phillips Petroleum Company as a researcher in Oklahoma, Thodos entered the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he received his Ph.D. in 1943. During World War II, Thodos worked for the War Production Board to improve the production of synthetic rubber. After the war, Thodos conducted research for Phillips Petroleum Company and Pure Oil Company, where he developed processes for the purification of petroleum. His work resulted in the awarding of seven patents.
Thodos joined the faculty in the Technological Institute (later renamed the Robert P. McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science) in 1947, where he served as chair of the department from 1960-64. An outstanding teacher and researcher, Thodos was awarded the prestigious Walter P. Murphy Distinguished Professorship in 1963. During his extensive career, he published over 275 technical papers. His research specialties included heat and mass transfer, thermodynamic and transport properties, and solar energy. Thodos retired from Northwestern in 1986 and relocated to Washington, D.C., where he died on February 29, 2000.