Pettit, Rowland (1927 - 1981)

Summary

Rowland Pettit was W. T. Doherty Professor in Chemistry at the University of Texas at Austin from 1980 and Head of the Department of Chemistry. He had been at the University since 1957 after several years studying in the United Kingdom. His initial studies were at the University of Adelaide where he became interested in polynuclear heterocyclic chemistry. Pettit gained international acclaim when he created the iron tricarbonyl complex of cyclobutadiene. He focused his scientific research on organo-transition metal chemistry from then on.

Details

Chronology

1949

Education - Bachelor of Science (BSc), University of Adelaide

1950

Education - Master of Science (MSc), University of Adelaide

1952 - c. 1955

Education - 1851 Exhibition Overseas Scholarship, studied at Queen Mary College, University of London, where he completed Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

1953

Education - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Adelaide

1957 - 1980

Career position - Instructor, then Lecturer in Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin (UT-Austin), USA

1968

Award - Southwest Regional Award, American Chemical Society

1973 -

Award - Member, National Academy of Sciences, USA

1980 -

Career position - W. T. Doherty Professor in Chemistry, UT-Austin

Published resources

Journal Articles

• Bennett, Martin, 'Rowland Pettit: 1927-1981', Chemistry in Australia, 50 (12) (1983), 348-349. Details

Resources

• Wikidata, http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q7372174. Details
• 'Pettit, Rowland (19270206-19811210)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1476388. Details

Resource Sections

• Gilbert, John C., 'Biographical Memoirs: Rowland Pettit', in National Academy of Sciences Biographical Memoirs, National Academies Press, Washington DC, 1995. https://www.nasonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/pettit-rowland.pdf. Details