| IN MEMORIAM
GILBERT H. (GIB) AYRES
Gilbert (Gib) Ayres was born on August 29, 1904,
in Upland, Indiana, and died in Bedford, Texas, on June 9, 1997.
During a lifetime of more than 92 years, Gib left his mark on all
those who were privileged to know this "gentleman of gentlemen"
Gib earned an AB degree from Taylor University
(Upland), majoring in chemistry and mathematics, and continued his
education at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, where he received
a PhD in chemistry in 1930 under the tutelage of J. H. Walton. He
later did postdoctoral research with H. H. Willard at the University
of Michigan. Gib's first academic position was at Smith College,
where he was appointed assistant professor in 1931, promoted to
associate professor in 1937, and chaired the department in 1942.
During this period he taught advanced general chemistry and both
qualitative and quantitative analytical chemistry, and supervised
six seniors for their honors reports and four graduate students
for their MA degrees.
Gib, a lieutenant in the U.S. Naval Reserve,
was called to active duty as an anti-submarine warfare officer in
1943 and promoted to lieutenant commander in 1946. He returned to
Smith for one year, in 1946, before accepting an appointment as
associate professor of chemistry at The University of Texas at Austin.
He was promoted to professor in 1951 and remained with the department
until his retirement in 1974. During his career at UT, Gib supervised
the dissertation research of 29 PhD candidates and 12 MA candidates.
In the preface and first chapter of his textbook,
Quantitative Chemical Analysis (Harper & Row, 2nd
edition), Gib described his view of quantitative analysis:
"It is the author's belief that quantitative
analysis is, foremost, a course in chemistry, including
principles, reactions, calculations, applications, and techniques.
. . . Furthermore, it is the author's opinion that a textbook
for elementary quantitative analysis must give detailed treatment
of fundamental principles and methods, with explanations and examples
that can be assimilated by the student, without the need for supplementary
study from reference books or journals.
". . . Analytical chemistry deals with
the detection of the kinds (qualitative analysis) and the measurement
of the amounts (quantitative analysis) of substances present in
samples of material. Analytical chemistry includes not only the
manipulative techniques, but also the theoretical considerations
upon which separations, detections, and measurements are based.
"In many respects, analytical chemistry
is the foundation upon which other branches of chemistry build.
Chemical reactions are studied on the basis of the qualitative
and quantitative changes that occur: new compounds are identified
by analysis; the law of definite proportions and the law of multiple
proportions resulted from a study of the quantitative relations
in the combination of elements between the amount of electricity
and the chemical change associated with it; and so on for the
other laws of chemistry.
". . . The analytical chemist must be
well trained in the other branches of chemistry as well, and to
an increasing extent also in mathematics and physics. Distinction
should be made between a chemical analyst' and an analytical
chemist'. The former is a determinator' with little or no scientific
knowledge, who follows prescribed directions in performing certain
operations that will, if everything goes according to plan, produce
a result'. The analytical chemist interprets results, modifies
existing methods as circumstances warrant, and develops new methods.
He must be inquisitive, and sometimes skeptical. He must be scrupulously
honest, for upon the results of his work may depend the success
of an industrial venture, or even the lives of many individuals.
He must have patience, ingenuity, and perseverance. Analytical
chemistry is a challenging field of endeavor, calling for the
best efforts of a well-trained individual . . . ."
Professor Allen Bard recalled vivid memories
of Gib's teaching abilities: "I met Gib when I joined the faculty
at UT in 1958. It was clear from the first time we taught different
sections of the same sophomore analytical chemistry class, Chemistry
412K, that Gib was a master teacher. He had just published his textbook,
Quantitative Chemical Analysis (Harper and Row), which was
an excellent and rigorous treatment of the field and formed the
basis of the course. He was a conscientious and dedicated teacher,
and he taught me a lot about the importance of teaching and how
to organize a course. For example, we gave several exams to all
of the sections during the semester. These were always three-hour
exams and were given in the evening. Gib insisted that the exams
be graded that same night and returned to the students at the next
class. Thus, we and the teaching assistants who had been proctoring
the exams would work to the wee hours to get the exams graded. He
also started almost every lecture section with a ten-minute quiz
on the material from the preceding lecture. Gib also taught at the
graduate level. His research interest was in the spectrometric analysis
of the noble metals, and he produced a number of graduate students
in analytical chemistry who went on to distinguished careers in
academia and industry."
Charles M. Maddin, who received a PhD in chemistry
in 1953 under Gib, recalls their association: "Gib Ayres was
my teacher, mentor, and friend in that order, but the most important
to us both was our friendship that lasted 48 years. In the fall
of'48, Gib had agreed to let Dr. S. H. Lee teach the primary analytical
course for chemistry majors, Chemistry 812, while Gib would teach
the first semester course for non-majors. Lee did not teach with
the authority that Gib displayed, and that led many of the students
to drop the course. Gib knew something had to be done, so he took
over the reins of Chemistry 812 in the spring semester. That was
my first contact with him and he was indeed a master teacher and
a gentleman.
"Gib took on the first black student to
obtain a PhD degree from UT, Ray Floyd Wilson, with whom I shared
a research lab. When graduation day came in 1953, five of the twenty
graduating in chemistry were Ayres' students. Ray and I are the
only two living now. The mentality of the administrators at that
time was that having a black student march in the graduation exercises
would be a problem in that nobody would want to walk down the aisle
with him. Gib said, 'Hell's bells!' (Gib's only cuss words!) 'I'll
walk with him.' In the end, there was no problem, and there was
nice applause when Ray was hooded. One of my aunts remarked that
he must have been a popular student, but it was really just a congratulatory
applause for being the first to achieve the extraordinary.
"Gib took his graduate students to LSU between
semesters for their analytical symposia. There we heard Peter Debye,
Frank Welcher, Fritz Feigl, Herb Walsh, A. J. P. Morgan, Charles
Reilley, and many of the who's who' in the world of chemistry.
After Ray Wilson came on board as a graduate student, Gib was told
that they could not house him in a dormitory with the rest of us
at LSU. Gib just quietly canceled the symposium trip that year to
avoid embarrassing Ray. A gentleman indeed!"
Gib assumed responsibility easily and had several
roles in departmental administration, including terms as graduate
advisor, assistant chairman, and secretary of the analytical division.
In other words, he paid his dues in service while maintaining a
full teaching load.
He was a Fellow of the American Association for
the Advancement of Science, and a member of the American Chemical
Society, Sigma Xi, Phi Lamda Upsilon, and Alpha Chi Sigma. In 1970,
Gib's scientific contributions were recognized when he was named
"Analyst of the Year by the Dallas Society of Analytical
Chemists. He served as a consultant for several professional and
government groups including TRACOR, Inc., in Austin, and Los Alamos
Scientific Laboratory in New Mexico.
After his retirement from the University as professor
emeritus, Gib established an endowment to provide a fellowship in
chemistry.
Gib is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law,
eight grandchildren, and 20 great-grandchildren.
<signed>
Larry
R. Faulkner, President
The University of Texas at Austin
<signed>
John R. Durbin, Secretary
The General Faculty
This memorial resolution was prepared by a special
committee consisting of Professors Emeritus L. O. (Tom) Morgan (chair)
and Norman Hackerman, and Professor James A. Holcombe.
Distributed to the Dean of the College of Natural
Sciences, the Executive Vice President and Provost, and the President
on April xx, 2001. Copies are available on request from the Office
of the General Faculty, FAC 22, F9500. This resolution is posted
under "Memorials" at: http://www.utexas.edu/faculty/council/
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