Robert M. Thomas
American chemist and engineer (1908–1984)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Robert McKee Thomas (1908 – July 23, 1984) was a co-inventor of butyl rubber,[1][2] along with William J. Sparks.[3] Thomas held 75 patents, and directed the work of several notable polymer scientists including Francis P. Baldwin and Joseph Kennedy.[4] He worked at the Standard Oil Company, in New Jersey, starting work in 1929 after obtaining a bachelor's degree in chemistry. He retired in 1965.[5]
The ACS Rubber Division's Sparks-Thomas award is named after Thomas and Butyl rubber co-inventor William J. Sparks.[6]
In 1969, he received the Charles Goodyear Medal.
Thomas was famously quoted by Joseph Kennedy for the advice Kennedy received as a young researcher from Thomas: "your project better be useful, otherwise your reward will be a cookie and a handshake".[4]
