Fred W. Billmeyer, Jr.

Fred W. Billmeyer, Jr., an educator and researcher in the fields of color science and polymer science, passed away on December 12, 2004. A retired member of the FSCT, he was 85.

After earning a Ph.D. from Cornell University, Mr. Billmeyer began his career in the plastics department of DuPont in 1945, were he spent 19 years. During that time, he also taught at the University of Delaware. From 1960-1961, he was a visiting professor of chemical engineering at M.I.T. In 1964, he entered into full time university work at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute until his retirement in 1984. A professor of analytical chemistry, Dr. Billmeyer directed research in polymer science and color science and directed the Rensselaer Color Measurement Laboratory.

During his career, Mr. Billmeyer authored and co-authored many papers and books. Most notable is Billmeyer and Saltzman's Principles of Color Technology, which was originally published in 1966. The book, which was most recently expanded in 2000, is considered a seminal text in the color industry. Mr. Billmeyer founded the journal Color Research and Application in 1976, serving as Editor-in-Chief for 10 years.

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An active participant in the industry, Mr. Billmeyer was a member of numerous organizations, including the ACS, ISCC, ASTM, AIC, CIE, and the Munsell Color Foundation. In addition, he was a member of the New York Society for Coatings Technology. From the FSCT, he received the Roon Award in 1962 and the Armin J. Bruning Award in 1977. Mr. Billmeyer was named FSCT Mattiello Memorial Lecturer in 1968.

His wife, Annette, and four children and four grandsons survive him.