Richard B. Bishop Birthdate: N/A Deceased: N/A Induction: 1991  Industry Areas: Process

A major contributor to the development of processes and installation of polystyrene and ABS polymer plants throughout the world. Devoted equal energy and ingenuity to research, education, and industry activities.

During his 50-year career in plastics, Bishop has given unstintingly of his time to young people, and fostered in them his love and knowledge of the plastics industry. Among the many processes he developed that are still in commercial use:

• Manufacture of 2,2-Dinitropropane
• The aromatic formalite reaction products as extenders and modifiers for other resins
• A nitrile process being used for an improved melamine resin formulation
• An improved method of suspension polymerization that increased plant capacity by 50%
• New impact material by mass graft polymerization
• Nylon pilot plant for polymerization of caprolactam

Bishop is an international consultant in plastics and petrochemicals in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Europe. He also was a Research Associate Professor of Chemistry at Holy Cross College, Director of Research for Foster Grant Co., Coordinator of Sales and Production for the Berlyn Corp., and Research Chemist for Socony Mobil. He has 40 patents granted in the field of plastics production and polymerization. His book, Practical Polymerization for Polystyrene, and numerous other publications contributed to the industry's growth.

In addition to his activities in the SPE and the SPI, he is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He is also a member of ACS and the Plastics Pioneers. Born in Baltimore, MD in 1916, where he graduated with honors from Loyola High School, he received his BS in chemistry (Cum Laude) from Holy Cross College in 1938 and his MS (1939) on a fellowship. He did graduate work on a scholarship in organic chemistry at Johns Hopkins University (1940). He lives with his wife Marie Louise and his four children in Worcester, MA.