Author Stork, Gilbert, interviewee.

Title Oral history interview with Gilbert J. Stork, 1991 August 6.

Location Call Number Status
 Oral Histories  QD22.S7675 A5 1991  AVAILABLE
Description Sound files ; digital, mp3 file
Transcript : (108 leaves) ; 29 cm.
Series Chemical Heritage Foundation Oral History Transcript ; 0100.
Note Interview conducted by James J. Bohning and Leonard W. Fine at Columbia University.
Summary Gilbert Stork begins his interview with a description of his childhood and family background in Paris. Stork and his family moved to the United States in 1939, and he decided to begin his graduate studies in chemistry at the University of Florida in 1940. There, Stork earned his B.S. in 1942, and in 1945, he received his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of Wisconsin. While earning his Ph.D. at Wisconsin, he taught a section of the Army Special Training Program. Synthesis related to quinine and stereochemical control in synthesis highlighted Stork's graduate work and early career. His first employment after receiving his Ph.D. was with Lakeside Laboratories, working on estrone synthesis. There, Stork also began work on hydrogenation techniques. Stork left Lakeside in 1946 and began an instructorship at Harvard University. While at Harvard, he also consulted for the Syntex Corporation. In 1953, Stork left Harvard and joined the faculty of Columbia University as an associate professor, where he continued his organic synthesis research. Next, Stork worked on polyene cyclization and enamine alkylation while continuing his synthesis work. Stork concludes the interview with a discussion of various developments in organic chemistry, the future of university research funding, and memorable students and co-workers.
Cite As Gilbert J. Stork, interviewed by James J. Bohning and Leonard W. Fine at Columbia University, 1991 August 6, (Philadelphia: Chemical Heritage Foundation, Oral History Transcript 0100).
Note Sound files Science History Institute.
Transcript Science History Institute.
Use No restrictions on access. Reproduction and use with permission. Chemical Heritage Foundation.
Note Born in Brussels, Belgium on 31 December 1921. Education: B.S., Chemistry, University of Florida (1942), Ph.D., Organic Chemistry, University of Wisconsin (1945). Employment: 1946-1946 Lakeside Laboratories, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; 1946-1953 Harvard University; 1953- Columbia University.
Indexes Transcript has been indexed.
Note Part or all of this item has been digitized by Science History Institute.
Subject(s) Stork, Gilbert -- Interviews.
Harvard University.
Columbia University.
Chemists -- Biography.
Chemists -- Interviews.
Genre Oral histories.
Interviews. aat
Alternate Author Bohning, James J. interviewer.
Fine, Leonard W. interviewer.
Chemical Heritage Foundation.
Alternate Title Gilbert J. Stork oral history interview