Background
Elderfield, Robert Cooley was born on May 30, 1904 in Niagra Falls, New York, United States. Son of Charles James and Nellie (Cooley) Elderfield.
Elderfield, Robert Cooley was born on May 30, 1904 in Niagra Falls, New York, United States. Son of Charles James and Nellie (Cooley) Elderfield.
He studied at the Choate School in Wallingford, Connecticut, later at the University of Michigan receiving his Doctor of Philosophy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1920.
Instructor chemistry, Colby College, 1930;
assistant, Rockefeller Institute Medical Research, 1930-1932;
associate, Rockefeller Institute Medical Research, 1932-1936;
assistant professor of chemistry, Columbia University, 1936-1937;
associate professor, Columbia University, 1937-1941;
professor, Columbia University, 1941-1952;
professor of chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1952-1970;
professor emeritus, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1970-1978. Instructor chemistry University of Illinois, summer 1938. Section member National Defense Research Committee, 1941-1945.
Executive secretary panel on synthesis Board for Coordination Anti-malarial Studies, 1943-1946. Member malaria study section, consultant, National Institutions of Health, United States Public Health Service, 1946-1949. Science consultant Sloan-Kettering Institute, 1952-1955.
Chairman panel on synthesis Cancer Chemotherapy National Service Center, National Cancer Institute, 1956-1960. Consultant, member chemistry advising committee Walter Reed Army Institute Research, 1964-1970. Member malaria commission Armed Forces Epidemiological Board, 1964-1978.
Consultant to surgeon general Department Army, 1964-1978. Am.Inst. Biological Sciences exobiology advisory panel National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 1964-1978. Advisory board mil.personnel supplies National Academy Sciences-National Research Council, 1964-1967.
Visiting scientist National Research Council, Ottawa, Canada, 1959-1960. Sigma Xi National Lecturer, 1959.
Member American Chemical Society (chairman organic chemistry division 1952, director 1960-1966), American Society Biological Chemists, National Malaria Society, National Academy of Sciences, Sigma Xi, Phi Lambda Upsilon, Alpha Chi Sigma, Delta Kappa Epsilon.
Married Mary Elizabeth Betts, August 7, 1930. Children: Margaret Helen, Anne Elizabeth.