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Show 98 the best scientists in the world could be gathered together. As a re- sult, these conferences have become among the most important on chemical research in the entire world. Eyring played an active role in five of the first twenty-two conferences, either as a participant or principal director of the program, the most recent being "Chemistry of Future Energy Resources" in 1978.34 Eyring's extensive consulting work for the Welch Foundation is only rivaled by his long work with the Union Carbide Corporation and his work with the Thiokol Chemical Corporation. As a member of Thiokol's techni- cal advisory board for over fifteen years, he has advised and consulted with Thiokol's scientists and engineers on the use of chemical propellants for rocket engines. This work has taken Eyring to the Thiokol research facilities located throughout the United States.35 Before leaving Texas in mid-June l957, Eyring also consulted for the Magnolia Petroleum Company. At various times in his career he has done work for a number of oil firms. In l96l, the Phillips Petroleum Company invited Eyring to visit their research facilities at Bartlesville, Oklahoma for a week. The impression Eyring made on the researchers there is related in a letter from Donald Carr to the head office of the company. The report reads as follows: During the week of September l8-22, Henry Eyring took us over. I believe that this is the greatest 'visitation' we have ever had (I use this much misemployed word deliberately, as one talks of visitations by kings, ghosts and billionaires). Never have most of us seen such a man. Perhaps an instance from many may give an idea of his terrific impact. Bill Nelson, in a hydrocarbon process branch boasting the week before had agreed with Gene Guth in the idea that the venerable Hildebrand's random theory of the liquid state would probably prevail over Henry's 'puppet' hole theory. The last day of Henry's visit, when he was about to take off with Ray Arnett and my wife for a whiz through Noolarco, Bill Nelson called me on the phone |
