Bloch, Herman Samuel

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BLOCH, HERMAN SAMUEL

BLOCH, HERMAN SAMUEL (1912–1990), U.S. petroleum chemist. Bloch was born in Chicago and spent most of his career there. After receiving his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago's chemistry department, he joined the Universal Oil Products Company, eventually becoming associate director of its process research department (1959). He won many awards and distinctions for his patents and contributions to the knowledge of petrochemistry and catalysis, as well as for his public service in the fields of education and human relations. These include the North American Catalysis Society's first Eugene J. Houdry Award in Applied Catalysis (1971) and the E.V. Murphree Award in Industrial and Engineering Chemistry (1974). He was a member of the American Chemical Society.

[Ruth Rossing (2nd ed.)]