Obituary of Donald Scott

Dr. Donald Strong Scott Ph. D. D.Sc (Hon), FCIC, FAIChE, CM, JM Dr. Donald Scott died peacefully on April 7th, 2015 in his 93rd year. Donald Scott was born in Edmonton, Alberta, the fourth of six children. He is survived by his beloved daughter, Jillian Scott, and by her similarly beloved partner, Rachel Banham. He also leaves two sisters, E. Jean Bray of Regina Saskatchewan, and Beth M. White of Calgary, Alberta, and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by a son, Garry, in 1987 and by his wife, Dorothy, in 2008. Donald Scott spent his boyhood years (1928-1936) in the Alberta prairie town of Oyen. In 1936, the family moved back to Edmonton where he lived until his graduation from the University of Alberta in 1944 (Chemical Engineering). In 1944-45 he served as an oil field engineer on the war-time Canol project at Norman Wells, NWT. On returning to Edmonton, he married his lifelong love, Dorothy Hensel, in 1945, a marriage that lasted for 63 years. Following his Master's degree from the University of Alberta, in 1946, he worked for the National Research Council of Canada in Ottawa. He studied Chemical Engineering at the University of Illinois and received his Ph.D.. In 1949 he was appointed as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of British Columbia, where he remained for the next 15 years. After a year as a visiting Professor at Cambridge University (U.K.), he was appointed in 1964 as a Professor and Chairman of the Chemical Engineering Department at the newly established University of Waterloo, in Ontario. He remained at the University until his retirement in 1989, although he continued as a Research Professor with a major research program in energy until 2004. His research in the conversion of waste biomass into alternative liquid fuels attracted world-wide interest and resulted in the establishment of semi-commercial demonstration plants in Canada and Spain. Dr. Scott was active in professional affairs throughout his career, and was an innovator in both research and education. One of the great satisfactions of his academic career was the opportunity to participate in and to help the growth of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Waterloo. He also served as Vice-president and President of the Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering, and was a Fellow of the American Society of Chemical Engineers, and of the Chemical Institute of Canada. He also served terms as Acting Dean and Associate Dean of the Faculty of Engineering. He authored or co-authored over 120 peer-reviewed scientific papers, and received many awards and honours, including two Honorary Doctorates, the Centennial Medal and Jubilee Medals of Canada. He leaves a wide international circle of fellow researchers and colleagues in his field, with whom he was privileged to collaborate with and to count as friends. In addition to his outstanding professional success, Don had many hobbies and enjoyed golfing, gardening and bridge into his last year. Don was kind, curious, generous and supportive. He was a loving and devoted husband and he and Dorothy's marriage was an inspiration to many. His intellect and sense of humour will be missed. Honouring Don's wishes there will be no funeral visitation or service. In lieu of flowers, donations in Don's name for palliative care at Brantford General Hospital would be appreciated: bchsysfoundation.org