UpDate - Vol. 12, No. 32, Page 7
May 20, 1993
Special celebration recognizes 40 years of contributions

     More than 80 letters of congratulations, praise and thanks recently
came pouring in to the Department of Chemical Engineering from prestigious
universities and major corporations around the world in honor of Arthur B.
Metzner, H. Fletcher Brown Professor of Chemical Engineering, on the
occasion of the 40th anniversary of his employment at the University.
     A memory book of these messages was presented to Metzner last month
during a symposium held in his honor. Throughout the day, featured speakers
described Metzner's career activities and his impact on the profession.
     In addition to University President David P. Roselle and Michael T.
Klein, chairperson of the Department of Chemical Engineering, guest
speakers included William L. Friend, executive vice president and director
of Bechtel Group Inc.; John L. Anderson, head of chemical engineering at
Carnegie Mellon University; Matthew Tirrell, acting head of chemical
engineering and materials science at the University of Minnesota; J. Larry
Duda, head of chemical engineering at Pennsylvania State University; Stuart
L. Cooper, H. Rodney Sharp Professor of Chemical Engineering and dean of
engineering at the University of Delaware; Linda Justice Myrick, director
of marketing for FMC Co.; Morton M. Denn, chairperson of chemical
engineering at the University of California, Berkeley; James Wei, dean of
the school of engineering and applied science at Princeton University; and
R. Byron Pipes, provost of the University of Delaware.
     Metzner's colleagues Stanley I. Sandler, Henry Belin du Pont Professor
of Chemical Engineering; Jon H. Olson, associate chairperson for
undergraduate programs in the Department of Chemical Engineering; and
Kenneth B. Bischoff, Unidel Professor of Biomedical and Chemical
Engineering; presided over the sessions.
     Metzner joined the University faculty in 1953 as an assistant
professor. He was named an associate professor in 1956 and was promoted to
professor in 1961. He has held the H. Fletcher Brown Professorship since
1962. From l970-77 he chaired the Department of Chemical Engineering.
     A native of Saskatchewan, Canada, he earned his bachelor of science
degree with high distinction from the University of Alberta and his
doctorate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
     He is world renowned for his research in the flow of non-Newtonian
fluids or rheology. Over the years, he has published many pace-setting
results with his students, and he is considered one of the world's leading
experts in the field.
     He continues to lecture nationally and internationally and is
currently editor of the Journal of Rheology.
     Metzner was the 1982 recipient of the Francis Alison Award established
by the University's Board of Trustees to honor scholarship, professional
achievements and dedication among the faculty.
     Among Metzner's many other awards and honors are: election to the
National Academy of Engineering; the Bingham Medal from the Society of
Rheology; the International Award of the Petroleum Research Fund; a
Guggenheim Fellowship at the University of Cambridge; honorary membership
in the Materials Research Society of India; the Distinguished Alumnus
designation from the University of Alberta; a doctorate in applied science,
honoris causa from Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium; the Wilmington
Section Award from the American Chemical Society for outstanding research
paper; and the following awards from the American Institute of Chemical
Engineers: the "Eminent" Designation, the Warren K. Lewis Award, the
William H. Walker Award , the Junior Award and the Founders Award.
     Additionally, Metzner was the first annual W.N. Lacy Lecturer at the
California Institute of Technology and held the first annual Chemical
Engineering Lectureship for the ASEE.
     The person behind all of these citations is best described in the
messages sent for his memory book. Excerpts from a handful of the more than
80 letters follow:

     "Of all the things Art has done, what comes always first to my mind is
his kindness to me at an early stage of my career. My first book, The Flow
of High Polymers, had just been published (1968). Some months later I
received in the mail a huge color photograph of a bookstore in England.
There, in the window display, was my book. Art had come across it while he
was in England, took the picture and had the print made and sent to me. To
a young professor just a few years into his career, it was an enormous
thrill! It was exciting, of course, that my book was in a window display in
England.  But more than this, I was touched and honored that Art took the
time to do this. The memory continues to warm me."
                                                          -Stanley Middleman,
                                           professor of chemical engineering,
                                          University of California, San Diego

     "I am very happy for having another opportunity to thank the teacher,
the wise adviser, the professional who has secured forever a place in the
field of engineering and the person of the always cordial and encouraging
remarks. This celebration is a well-deserved tribute to the man who has
shared his virtues and skills with people from all over the world."
                                           -Carlos E. Rangel, superintendente
                                                     Du Pont Pinturas, Mexico

     "Your sense of humor is one of the things I remember best from my days
at Colburn Lab. Were it not for your extra credit questions appearing at
the end of exams, Tom Habib, Charlie Dunn and I would very likely have
scored zeros on our first fluid mechanics exam in the fall if 1972. I
recall that Rakesh Jain probably answered all the fluid mechanics questions
correctly, but had no clue to the rhyme or reason of this tale:
     "A South Sea island king had a new grass hut built. Since there was no
room for his throne, it was stored in the attic. Soon after, a hurricane
blew down the hut; the unfortunate king was crushed to death by that
throne. Moral--Those who live in grass houses shouldn't stow thrones!
     "I will never forget the puzzled look on Guiseppe Titomanlio's face
when he got to that extra credit question....I'm sure he too had answered
all the fluid mechanics questions correctly, but simply couldn't fathom the
connection between a demolished grass hut and Bernoulli's equation!"
                                                -John Lornston, Amoco Oil Co.

     "One of the joys of being associated with Art is receiving spontaneous
hand-written notes from him. Anytime a major professional or personal event
occurs in your life, you can count on a thoughtful note from Art. Actually,
I find these notes so well written that I save them and savor them from
time to time."
                                     -Rakesh K. Jain, Harvard Medical School,
                                        Mass. General Hospital, Boston, Mass.

     "But the most important thing Art has taught me is
honesty-intellectual and academic honesty. Never lie to oneself:
intellectual honesty. Fight against injustices and dishonesty, even at the
cost of personal drawbacks, in the world you live in...it may seem a simple
and most obvious message, but how many people live by it?...Again, it was
Art, who taught me-not in words, but by example- the importance of trying."
                                     -Giani Astarita, Universita Degli Studi,
                                                        Di Napoli Federico II

     "It has always been interesting to watch the way in which Art adapted
to the role of benevolent elder of chemical engineering, being utterly
devoted to the place and drawing in many younger, talented colleagues by
personality, leadership and research reputation.
     "I believe I have been very fortunate to have been at the University
of Delaware on three semester-long visits. I am impressed by the spirit of
joyful cooperation which seems to pervade chemical engineering. This spirit
is certainly one of the best tributes possible to Arthur Metzner's 40 years
of work there..."
                                          -Roger I. Tanner, Sydney, Australia

     "I will mention one other occasion when following Art's advice worked
to my advantage. We were in a hotel in Naples, at a reception preceding a
banquet. The crowd seemed to be thicker on one side of the room and I
proposed moving to the opposite side. Art suggested it might be a good idea
to move instead, to the wall at the crowded end. This didn't make sense,
but I went along. Then suddenly, the "wall" we were standing near folded up
to reveal a room of modest size containing one massive buffet table loaded
with food. Those of us in the front ranks got enough to eat, while those at
the other end of the hall were never able to get close to the table. My
advice is, when it's dinner time, stay close to Art!"
                                           -John M. Dealy, McGill University,
                                           Department of Chemical Engineering

                                        -Beth Thomas