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You could say that Jim Harwood is the living history of The University of Akron’s world-renowned polymer program.
In his 44 years as a polymer science and chemistry professor, Harwood has done it all — participating in the dawn of the Department of Polymer Science, learning from and working with legendary educators such as Maurice Morton and G. Stafford Whitby, and even campaigning on Akron street corners for the passage of levies back in the days when UA was a municipal university.
And, when he retired recently from the College of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering, Harwood held the distinction of being the longest-serving UA employee.
A 1952 graduate of the University and 1956 graduate of Yale University, Harwood joined UA in 1959 as an assistant professor of chemistry and research associate in the Institute of Rubber Research (now the Institute of Polymer Science). At that time, all graduate-level polymer studies took place in the Department of Chemistry.
Harwood, 72, remembers a time long before UA was ranked second in the nation in polymer studies — a time when the program consisted of Harwood, Maurice Morton and Fred Bueche. They had the use of three laboratories and limited resources.
“We had one calculator, which I had to borrow,” Harwood recalls. “Almost all of our equipment was secondhand. We had a used infrared machine that had been purchased jointly from American Cyanamid by the physics and chemistry departments, but it was maintained by the physics department. The physics professor eventually left, so I went over with a couple of students one night and we conducted ‘Harwood's Raid.’ ”
A turning point for the polymer program came in the mid-1960s through a “funding mix-up” that benefited UA.
“We had put in proposals for building up the program,” Harwood says. “There were two proposals that went in independently of each other, and the state didn’t realize it. It ended up that both proposals were funded.”
Totaling approximately $20 million, those two funding proposals were the basis for the Auburn Science and Engineering Center, which was completed in 1967. In addition to helping to fund the new science facility on campus, the institute was able to purchase much-needed equipment for polymer studies — including the most powerful nuclear magnetic resonancer instrument available at the time.
Harwood, who became a professor of chemistry and polymer science in 1969, served as chair of the Department of Polymer Science from 1982-85. He supervised the work of 87 master’s and 91 doctoral students, plus dozens of postdoctoral students, research associates and visiting scientists. Today, he holds more than 30 patents and has nearly 200 professional publications to his credit.
Harwood’s career highlights include receiving the Outstanding Researcher Award at UA in 1980. He is a past chair of the Gordon Conference on Polymers. He has presented courses at corporations such as Amoco and Eastman, and lectured throughout the world.
In celebration of Harwood’s 65th birthday, his students raised funds to establish the G. Maxine Harwood and H. James Harwood Endowed Scholarship in Polymer Science. The scholarship, which honors Harwood as well as his wife, is awarded to undergraduate students studying polymer science.
When Harwood looks back on his career, he says he is as proud of his students’ accomplishments as anything he has done.
“Many of my students are CEOs, heads of conglomerates, research directors and productive professors. They have made major contributions to our society,” he notes.
Although his days as a professor have come to an end, Harwood’s association with the University continues as he does research on campus and catches up on writing projects.
“Jim Harwood has been an inspiration to his colleagues, students and research associates,” says Frank Kelley, dean of the College of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering. “He is a dedicated teacher and researcher. The record number of students that he has mentored is a standard that will stand for decades and may never be exceeded.
“Jim guided the Department of Polymer Science to new heights as its department head and has been a steadying influence throughout the years,” adds Kelley. “I count him as a friend and teacher who will continue to contribute, even in retirement.”
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