James Rutherford Fair was an American chemical engineer, educator, author, and pioneer in chemical separations research. After a major industrial career with Monsanto and Shell Development Company, he joined the University of Texas at Austin in 1979, where he founded and led the Separations Research Program and advanced the design of distillation, extraction, and other separation processes.
Background
James Rutherford Fair was born in Charleston, Missouri, on October 14, 1920, to James R. Fair and Georgie C. Fair. His family also lived in Tonganoxie, Kansas, and Little Rock, Arkansas. From childhood he developed a lasting interest in railroads, later building a substantial collection of railroad books and historical materials and writing two books on railroad history. During the Second World War he entered industrial chemical engineering through Monsanto's wartime work in high explosives and synthetic rubber.
Education
Fair attended The Citadel for two years as a chemistry student before transferring to the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering in 1942. He later completed a Master of Science at the University of Michigan in 1949 and pursued doctoral study at the University of Texas at Austin, earning a Doctor of Philosophy in 1954 under Howard Rase. His graduate research focused on catalysis and reaction engineering, including the dehydrogenation of several feedstocks over nickel catalysts. Washington University awarded him an honorary doctorate in 1977, and Clemson University awarded him an honorary doctorate in 1987.
Career
Fair began his professional career with Monsanto Chemical Company in 1942, initially working in St. Louis before being assigned to the company's Texas City operations. During the war he contributed to high-explosives and synthetic-rubber programs, and after the 1947 Texas City disaster he participated in the redesign and rebuilding of Monsanto's facilities. His industrial work expanded across research, process design, manufacturing technical services, commercial development, petrochemical production, ethylene and styrene processing, and hydrocarbon-pyrolysis technology. He took academic leave to study at the University of Michigan and later completed his doctorate at the University of Texas at Austin. From 1954 to 1956 he worked as a research engineer at Shell Development Company, where he conducted basic research in chemical engineering. He returned to Monsanto in 1956 to establish and direct an engineering research program, later serving in Monsanto's corporate engineering organization in St. Louis. From 1964 until 1979 he headed a technology function that coordinated chemical engineering, process design, construction, technical services, and internal consulting for the corporation. He also served as a vice president of Fractionation Research, Inc., and remained involved with the organization as a consultant. In 1979 Fair moved to the University of Texas at Austin, where he became the first holder of an endowed chair in the College of Engineering and helped establish the Separations Research Program. He led the program from 1982 to 1996 and continued as a professor emeritus after his formal retirement. His academic work concentrated on distillation, absorption, extraction, structured packing, mass transfer, and energy-efficient separation systems. He supervised 21 master's theses and 22 doctoral dissertations and authored or co-authored more than 200 technical articles and book chapters.
Achievements
Founded the Separations Research Program at the University of Texas at Austin and led it from 1982 to 1996.
Advanced industrial and academic research in distillation, extraction, absorption, structured packing, mass transfer, and energy-efficient chemical separations.
Supervised 21 master's theses and 22 doctoral dissertations in chemical engineering.
Authored or co-authored more than 200 technical articles and book chapters and seven books.
Contributed to the development and industrial application of FLOWTRAN process-simulation technology at Monsanto.
(Co-authored with Johann G. Stichlmair; a technical treatm...)
1998
Religion
Fair was a member of University Presbyterian Church in Austin, Texas.
Views
Fair advocated close cooperation between chemical-engineering education, industrial research, and professional societies. He emphasized the value of sharing technical knowledge through publications, continuing education, and collaboration between universities and industry.
Membership
Fair was a Fellow and former director of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and served as a vice president of Fractionation Research, Inc. He was a member of the National Academy of Engineering, the American Chemical Society, the National Society of Professional Engineers, and the American Society for Engineering Education. He also belonged to the Headliners Club of Austin, the University of Texas Faculty Club, and Sigma Nu. Within AIChE he served in leadership and educational roles, including work with the Continuing Education Committee and participation in professional lectures and short courses.
Fellow, former director, institute lecturer, and participant in continuing-education programs; received the William H. Walker Award, Chemical Engineering Practice Award, and Founders Award.
American Institute of Chemical Engineers
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United States
1950
Elected member.
National Academy of Engineering
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United States
1974
Member and recipient of the Separations Science and Technology Award.
American Chemical Society
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United States
1958
National Society of Professional Engineers
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United States
Member and recipient of the Gold Medallion Award.
American Society for Engineering Education
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United States
Served on the technical and executive committees and as vice president; later attended meetings as a consultant.
Fractionation Research, Inc.
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United States
1979
Member of the Austin organization.
Headliners Club
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United States
University of Texas Faculty Club
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United States
Member during his student years.
Sigma Nu
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United States
Personality
Fair was remembered by professional colleagues and students as an inspiring teacher, mentor, and colleague. His career combined industrial process development with academic research and sustained professional service.
Interests
Railroad history, railroad operations, book collecting, and the preservation of railroad-related books and memorabilia.
Connections
Fair was married to Merle Innis Fair for 61 years. They had three children, James Rutherford Fair III, Richard Innis Fair, and Elizabeth Fair Drews; Elizabeth died in 2010 before her father. Fair's extensive railroad-history collection was donated after his death to the Railroad and Heritage Museum in Temple, Texas.
Father:
James R. Fair
Mother:
Georgie C. Fair
Wife:
Merle Innis Fair
They were married for 61 years.
Son:
James Rutherford Fair III
Chemical engineer and one of Fair's two surviving sons.
Chemical & Engineering News obituary
Obituary describing Fair's academic and industrial career, professional honors, publications, railroad-history research, family, and religious affiliation.
