Walter Edgar Harris

Walter Edgar Harris

Walter Edgar Harris, analytical chemist, professor (born at Wetaskiwin, Alta 9 June 1915; Died at Edmonton, 20 Oct 2011). A recognized leader in the development of teaching and research in analytical chemistry in Canada, Harris studied chemistry at the University of Alberta and Minnesota. He joined the department of chemistry at Alberta in 1946, teaching and carrying on research in polarography, gas chromatography and theories of chemical separation, and developed a vigorous analytical chemistry division. He was a department chairman from 1974 until his retirement in 1980. A consultant in analytical education at universities throughout North America, he was also a government adviser on disposal of hazardous wastes. His books include Programmed Temperature Gas Chromatography (with H.W. Habgood) (1966), Chemical Analysis (with H.A. Leitinen) (1975), Chemical Separations and Measurements (with B. Kratochvil) (1974) and An Introduction to Chemical Analysis (1981) and Risk Assessment (1997). He was also a member of the board of the National Research Council's Institute of Environmental Chemistry. In 1986 he received an honorary DSc from U of Waterloo and in 1998 was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada.