Richard P. Wool, PhD, Professor, FRSC In memoriam

Abstract

It is with great sadness to communicate to you the news of Professor Richard P. Wool's unexpected passing on Tuesday, March 24, 2015. Richard was a Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Delaware, U.S.A., a member of the University's Center for Composite Materials, and a Fellow of both the Royal Society of Chemistry and the American Physical Society, Division of High Polymer Physics. Richard was born in Cork, Ireland in 1947. He met his wife, Deborah Fitzgerald Wool, in 1969 at University College Cork, Ireland, where he completed his BSc Honors Degree in Chemistry in 1970. He received both his MS (1972) and Doctorate (1974) in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Utah, U.S.A. Richard remained in the U.S.A. and after teaching at the University of New York and the University of Colorado, he became a member of the Materials Science and Engineering Department at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He and Deb lived near the university for 18 years and started a family: three daughters Sorcha, Meghan, and Breeda. In Illinois, he developed underlying physics behind polymers under stress, polymer fracture, polymer adhesion, and polymer welds. In 1995 the Wool family moved to Delaware, and Richard joined the faculty of the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department of the University of Delaware. At Delaware, he developed and taught popular classes on polymers, bio-based materials and green engineering, and established the Affordable Composites from Renewable Sources (ACRES) laboratory. From here he led the world towards refocusing on sustainable thermosets and composites, developing triglyceride-based crosslinkers, fatty acid-based pressure sensitive adhesives, polyurethane foams, lignin-derived reactive diluents, chicken feather-based composites and eco leather, and lignin-derived replacements for bisphenol A. Some of Richard's professional awards include the 2013 United States Environmental Protection Agency Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award, the 2011 American Chemical Society's Affordable Green Chemistry Award, the 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Bio-Environmental Polymer Society, and the 2014 Faculty Research Innovation Award from the International Textiles and Apparel Association. He holds four patents, wrote two books and published over 200 papers, of which 22 were published in the Journal of Applied Polymer Science. He was a guest Professor in the Physics Department, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, 2002; Condensed Matter Physics, Ecole Polytechnique, Paris, France, 1991; and Natta Laboratory, Politecnico Di Milano, Milan, Italy, 1984. Many of Richard's countless accomplishments throughout his personal and professional life were noteworthy. He brought joy to everyone with his unconditional generosity and kindness, his humor and laughter, his music, his wisdom and intellect, and, most especially, with his love of life. He was a lifelong sailor and musician who loved to share both with everyone he met. All, especially those in the Polymer Science, Polymer Engineering, and Green Chemistry and Engineering communities, will truly miss his leadership, good wit, strong support, and love. John La Scala Chief, Coatings, Corrosion, and Engineered Polymers Branch Army Pollution Prevention Chairman U.S. Army Research Laboratory Aberdeen Proving Ground, U.S.A. Joseph F. Stanzione, III Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering Director, Sustainable Materials Research Laboratories Rowan University Glassboro, U.S.A.