In Memoriam
Dr. Edwin Vandenberg
1918-2005

POLY and Related Awards and Positions

• 1975 - 1977 - Secretary, POLY
• 1979 - Chair, POLY
• 1981 - ACS Award in Polymer Chemistry
• 1983 - POLY Distinguished Service Award
• 1991 - ACS Award in Applied Polymer Science
• 1991 - Charles Goodyear Medal from ACS Rubber Division
• 1992 - POLY Herman F. Mark Polymer Chemistry Award
• 1994 - Society of Plastics Engineers International Award
• 1995 - POLY Special Service Award
• 2003 - ACS Priestley Medal

With much regret, POLY has been informed of the passing of Ed Vandenberg, eminent polymer scientist and former POLY chair, on June 11, 2005 at the age of 87.

Ed graduated from Stevens Institute of Technology in 1939 and received an honorary doctorate of engineering from Stevens in 1965. In a remarkably productive career, he made seminal contributions in olefin, epoxide, and oxetane polymerization. He held 116 patents and made some of his best known discoveries over a 43-year career at Hercules Incorporated, including the independent discovery of isotactic polypropylene, the use of hydrogen to control polyolefin molecular weight, and a family of "Vandenberg catalysts" for making elastomers from epoxides and oxetanes. After retiring from Hercules in 1982, he held research positions in chemistry and bio-engineering at Arizona State University.

Over the years he had been very active in POLY. He served POLY as Secretary in 1975-1977 before becoming Chair-Elect in 1978 and Chair in 1979. Ed's vision as Chair led to placing the Planning Committee in the forefront of Division activities. During Ed's tenure as Chair, the first POLY topical workshop was held in November 1979. The topical workshops have since become one of the major activities of the Division. Ed also spearheaded the organization of the POLY Industrial Sponsors Group and played a critical role in leading this group for over 20 years. The Industrial Sponsors Group has supported polymer education in many ways, including scholarships, grants, awards, short courses, and publication of the Polymer Education Newsletter. Highlights of his activities in POLY and ACS are shown above.

As noted above, Ed received numerous awards for his work, including the 2003 Priestley Medal, the highest honor bestowed by the American Chemical Society.

Additional information on Ed's contributions can be found in a Chemical & Engineering News article (March 24, 2003).

Ed was preceded in death by his loving wife of 52 years, Mildred W. Vandenberg.